Vote: Who will be the South Florida baseball Pitcher of the Year?
There’s no shortage of quality arms in South Florida, one of the best areas of high school baseball in the country.
From small to large schools, Miami-Dade and Broward counties are loaded with pitchers who either already have college commitments or will before they graduate.
Prep baseball season officially opened on Monday, the first day schools could have organized practices and/or tryouts.
As we prepare for the season opener, SBLive Sports Florida is conducting a series of polls. This week we ask, “Who is the Top pitcher in South Florida?”
We aim to add as many players from as many schools as possible. Worth noting, in all of our polls, many talented players will be left off our lists. But stick with us, because our coverage will be thorough, and over the course of the season, plenty of players will receive their due recognition.
Fans are encouraged to vote as often as they want. Voting concludes February 14 at 11:59 p.m. Spread the word!
Here are the nominees:
Richard Bello, Flanagan: The left-hander is a breakout candidate to emerge as one of the top left-handers in South Florida. Bello has a commitment to the College of Central Florida. A year ago, he had a 2.89 ERA, and fanned 35 in 26 2/3 innings.
Anthony Ciscar, St. Thomas Aquinas: Committed to Miami, Ciscar comes off a standout 2023 season, going 7-2 with a 2.51 ERA.
Colin Cartagena, Westminster Academy: A year ago, Cartagena had a 6-1 record and 2.48 ERA in 48 innings, while striking out 46 and issuing just 12 walks. The right-hander has committed to North Florida.
Jayden Dubanewicz, Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Dubanewicz logged 54 innings and had 58 strikeouts as a junior on the Eagles’ third straight state championship team. Committed to Florida, the right-hander was 11-0 with a 1.17 ERA, striking out 58 in 54 innings.
Talan Holiday, American Heritage Plantation: With so many young players last year, few could have predicted the Patriots would win a state championship. The emergence of Holiday is a big reason why. The North Carolina commit went 9-1 with a 1.28 ERA, fanning 83 in 65 2/3 innings.
Adrian Fernandez, Sagemont: The right-hander recently committed to Texas A&M-Texarkana. Last year, Fernandez’s fastball touched 87 mph. Fernandez struck out 35 in 29 2/3 innings, and sported a 2.60 ERA.
Gavin Gargiulo, Marjory Stoneman Douglas: The Eagles have so much pitching depth that Gargiulo was mostly used in relief last season. In 25 2/3 innings, the right-hander allowed just two earned runs (0.55 ERA). Gargiulo is locked in to play for the University of Central Florida.
Mateo Gray, North Broward Prep: On one of the top teams in the state, Gray has been a standout as a position player and pitcher. On the mound last year, he was 5-0 with a 1.39 ERA. The UCF commit struck out 86 batters in 65 2/3 innings.
Logan Hallaran, NSU University: The Sharks are among the more talented, young teams in South Florida. Hallaran is part of a core of underclassmen. The junior right-hander last year went 5-1 with a 3.00 ERA.
Aaron Hernandez, Westminster Christian: Just a sophomore, Hernandez had a 3.56 ERA and 61 strikeouts as a freshman.
Spencer Krasner, American Heritage Plantation: As a freshman, Krasner was 5-1 with a 2.19 ERA, striking out 60 in 38 1/3 innings. The lefty now is one of the top pitchers in state. He’s already committed to Virginia.
Ryan McPherson, North Broward Prep: A Mississippi State commit, McPherson is one of the top pitchers in the state. The right-hander was 6-0 with a 3.28 ERA as a junior. He fanned 45 in 36 1/3 innings.
Mason McGeehan, Cypress Bay: As a freshman last year at Western, McGeehan gained valuable experience. When he throws strikes, he’s really tough. In 23 1/3 innings as a freshman, McGeehan had a 1.80 ERA. His fastball velocity is in the 85-87 mph range.
Kevin Roque, Mater Academy Charter: On a young, and talented roster, Roque stood out last year as a sophomore. In 15 appearances, he had a 3.14 ERA.
Mathew Rios, Columbus: Several of the Explorers top pitchers graduated. Rios saw considerable time in 2023 as a sophomore, throwing 31 innings with 39 strikeouts. He finished with a 3-1 record and 2.48 ERA.
Braden Rosenthal, Calvary Christian Academy: Just a junior, Rosenthal had a 1.83 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings a year ago. When he’s not pitching, Rosenthal plays first base, where he batted .368 a year ago. He’s committed to Samford (Ala.).
Anthony Quigley, Taravella: A right-hander with electric “stuff,” Quigley had a 2.65 ERA as a junior last year. The University of South Florida commit struck out 61 batters in 39 2/3 innings.
Michael Torres, Doral Academy: Simply one of the best players in the state, Torres has already committed to Miami. Torres also plays the outfield, and last week he was listed on our top position player poll. Now a senior, last year, the left-hander had a 3.05 ERA in 18 1/3 innings, with 34 strikeouts.
