Top Players to Watch in Berks III baseball
2024 Berks baseball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Top players to watch in Division III of the Berks Baseball League
(listed in alphabetical order)
Gryffin Cappellano, Oley Valley
Freshman played a pivotal role in the Lynx’s run to division title, holding down the second base job and making seven pitching appearances for team that went 10-2 in Berks III and won 14 games overall.
Cappellano earned all-division honors after batting .300 with 19 runs scored, second on the team, and 12 RBIs, tied for third. Struck out just six times in 91 plate appearances.
On the mount he struck out 16 over 12 1/3 innings, with just five walks.
Charged with just four errors in 82 total chances; took part in four double-plays.
Colby Crills, Sch Valley
Versatile athlete could play baseball or football in college.
Excellent receiver behind the plate with outstanding POP time. Was not charged with an error in 18 games last season. Also will play outfield and see time on the mound for the Panthers.
Was second on the team in batting as a junior at .362. Also second with nine runs second and 21 hits.
Coming off outstanding football season which saw him start at defensive back and wide receiver, earning All-Berks and all-league honors on defense. He helped the Panthers set a program record with nine wins and share the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 5 championship.
Scottie Dunleavy, Hamburg
Center fielder and leadoff batter was an all-division pick as a sophomore and returns as the Hawks’ most accomplished hitter.
He batted .323 and led the team with 22 runs scored, 13 walks and eight stolen bases. He compiled a .447 on-base percentage and an .851 OPS.
The junior has committed to play baseball at Millersville University.
Braden Fetherolf, Hamburg
Emerged as staff ace and one of league’s most dominant pitchers last season strikeout out 55 over 45 innings.
Ranked fifth in the league in innings, sixth in strikeouts.
Earned honorable mention status for the second straight year in Berks III, where the Hawks finished second to Oley Valley.
The senior is committed to play baseball at Clarion University.
Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
Showed he was all the way back from knee injury that cost him his junior baseball season with an outstanding football season that saw him named All-State and the Berks Defensive Player of the Year.
Third baseman was Spartans’ top hitter as a sophomore when he batted .390 with team-leading 1.047 OPS. He slugged .576 with six extra-base hits and team-leading 17 RBIs.
Struck out just three times in 70 plate appearances.
Committed to play linebacker at Princeton.
Chase Kegerise, Oley Valley
Freshman showed poise beyond his years, winning four games and leading the Berks III champs in innings pitched.
Earned all-division honors after pitching 45 innings and posting a 3.42 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 11 appearances, which tied for team lead. He’ll also see time at first base.
Batted .365 with 12 RBIs, tied for third on the team; .438 on-base percentage was fourth-best on the team.
Got the starting nod in Lynx’s Berks Conference quarterfinal against Wilson and in District 3 semifinal against Camp Hill.
Parker Nein, Berks Catholic
All-Division pick returns as Saints’ No. 1 on the mound after compiling 2.28 ERA and leading team in innings pitched, with 33 2/3. Went 3-2 with a save and was among league leaders with 39 strikeouts.
First baseman batted .328, fourth on the team, was second with 17 runs scored and led team with seven stolen bases.
Coming off a big basketball season which saw him earn all-division honors and average team-leading 16.8 points per game.
Committed to pitch at Penn State Harrisburg.
Paul Petersen, Oley Valley
Named one of five juniors on the All-Berks team after standout season which saw him rank among the league leaders in both pitching and batting.
Right-hander was third in the league in wins, going 6-0, while striking out 43 over 44 2/3 innings. Walked just 12 over 11 appearances.
Lynx’s No. 3 batter and shortstop compiled team-leading .394 batting average; also led team in on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.464) and OPS (.923). His team-best 20 RBIs ranked 12th-best in the league.
Was an all-division pick as a sophomore when he batted .314 and made seven pitching appearances.
Tyler Shuey, Hamburg
Showed what was to come on the football field with an outstanding sophomore season when he earned all-division honors by compiling a 1.69 ERA, third-best in the Berks Conference.
Expected to expand pitching role after going 3-4 and throwing 30 innings last year.
Third baseman also drove in a team-high 18 runs on one of the league’s best-hitting teams.
Enjoyed a record-setting junior season as a quarterback that saw him throw for 2,762 yards and 25 TDs.
Trey Stricker, Berks Catholic
Proved to be valuable two-way player for Saints as a sophomore and could emerge as one of the top arms in the division this season.
Posted a 1.78 ERA last season, when he was second on the team in innings pitched (31 1/3) and earned team-best two saves.
Struck out 20 and held opposing batters to a .205 batting average.
Batted .319 with .439 on-base percentage that was fourth on the team. Scored 10 runs and drove in four runs.
Dillon Walls, Berks Catholic
One of just three freshmen to earn all-division honors in Berks III last season.
Walls batted team-best .351 with an .860 OPS, second-best on the team. Stole five bases and scored 15 runs, fourth on the team despite only 39 plate appearances.
Compiled 1.45 ERA out of the bullpen, averaging better than a strikeout per inning.
Others to Watch
| Brad Auge | C | Sr. | Oley Valley |
| Michael Bradley | OF | Sr. | Berks Catholic |
| Ricky Clark | P/OF | Jr. | Hamburg |
| Matthew Grumbling | INF/P | Sr. | Schuylkill Valley |
| Sean Hoffman | 1B/P | Sr. | Oley Valley |
| Ethan Horvath | INF/P | Soph. | Hamburg |
| Issac Krick | P/INF | Sr. | Hamburg |
| Derek Macrina | OF | Jr. | Wyomissing |
| Logan Nawrocki | SS | Jr. | Schuylkill Valley |
| Daniel Noey | C | Jr. | Wyomissing |
| Dennys Rodriguez | C | Jr. | Berks Catholic |
| Birkley Ziegler | DH | Jr. | Wyomissing |
