New look

The Mountain Brook High School baseball team will have a new look in 2019.

That’s because the Spartans fielded a team exclusively of upperclassmen last spring, and 17 of those players were seniors. It was a large senior group that achieved plenty as well, winning the area last year.

It appears Mountain Brook will go with the same strategy this year, with only juniors and seniors on the varsity team, but the numbers will lean the other way this time around. This spring’s team will have just seven seniors to go along with 14 juniors.

“Meshing our juniors with our seniors is going to be a big thing. It should be a very good group with a lot of competition for playing time,” Mountain Brook head coach Lee Gann said.

Three of the seven seniors have already signed to play college baseball, and all seven will be counted on to contribute in a big way this season. Two of those signees are pitchers, and the Spartans should be strong at the top of the rotation.

Dowd Ritter parlayed a solid junior season into an excellent summer that got him noticed in a big way, as he was able to show off confidence and an uptick in velocity in front of scouts. He turned that into a college offer, and the right-handed pitcher signed with the University of Alabama in November. 

“We put him in situations last year where he could fail and we also put him in situations where he could have success,” Gann said. “That helped him grow, mature and develop, and that was exactly what he needed.”

Hayden Bruno has also signed to play college ball, at Tallahassee Community College. Bruno was a key starting pitcher for the Spartans last year and will be again this year. Colton Yeager, who enters his fourth year on the varsity roster, has signed with Wallace State in Hanceville.

Also returning is leadoff hitter and center fielder John Marks, who was a solid table-setter for the Spartans’ offense last season. Collin Bussman saw time in the infield and occasionally on the mound, while left-handed pitcher and first baseman James Burkett is back as well. Joe Saia returns as a catcher and corner infielder.

That senior group will lead the charge, but the 14 juniors will make a big impact, too. All of them were on a junior varsity team in 2018 that went a perfect 29-0 and won the Metro championship.

“They’ve been playing together for so long, they really complement each other in so many different ways and they don’t care who gets the credit,” Gann said. “They’re very unselfish and they care about one another.”

The Spartans are also back in arguably the toughest area in the state, with Class 7A, Area 6 also boasting last year’s state runner-up Hewitt-Trussville, Vestavia Hills and Spain Park.

“Every team is well-coached, they know how to play the game right,” Gann said. “We’re excited about the challenge our area presents, but it’s going to be a tough battle everytime out.”

While the season ultimately comes down to the six area games in April, Mountain Brook’s schedule should present a welcome challenge before area play. The Spartans face the likes of Oak Mountain, Thompson, Homewood and Briarwood and will head back to the Mid-Mississippi Baseball Classic in Jackson.