King of the diamond: What to know about the Philly area’s top high school baseball teams

For decades, the Philadelphia area had been renowned nationally for the basketball talent it produced. Over the last decade, its football footprint has grown, with two top-five picks in the NFL draft the last three years (Marvin Harrison Jr. and Abdul Carter). Now, it seems the area, which can proudly claim Reggie Jackson (Cheltenham) and Roy Campanella (Nicetown), is producing top baseball talent again.

Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle, a Delco native and Bonner-Prendergast graduate, is a strong candidate for American League Rookie of the Year. Malvern Prep’s Tague Davis, in his sophomore year at Louisville, leads college baseball in home runs (26) and RBIs (78).

“Kids in this area are playing all year round now, and my brother started for two years for Malvern Prep when Ben Davis [Tague’s father and second overall pick in the 1995 MLB draft] was here, and my brother tells people he doesn’t know if he would even make the team today,” legendary Malvern Prep coach Freddy Hilliard said. “Kids are so much more advanced today. They play more baseball than we ever did. Growing in the late-1990s, the weight room wasn’t a thing. It is today. Combine that with travel ball and fall ball, individual coaching at a younger level, it’s a big part of why baseball has grown in this area.”

Brady Guzzie, Conwell-Egan’s 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior left-handed pitcher and hitter, is considered by area coaches and scouts to be the best prospect in the state. Guzzie is committed to Virginia.

“Brady is so good it’s ridiculous, with command over all four of his pitches,” said Conwell-Egan coach Jeff Manto, a former Bristol High School star and Temple Hall of Famer who played professional baseball for 10 years. “Brady is so good that he may not get to Virginia. He’s that good, sitting at 89, 90 mph. This time next year, he can be up at around 93, 94 mph. Brady is an absolute pitcher. He threw 70 pitches during his Perfect Game outing, with 54 strikes. His changeup is filthy.”

Here is a look at the top 10 teams to know in the area:

The Eagles went 10-4 overall and finished 7-5 in the Philadelphia Catholic League last year, and was knocked out by eventual PCL finalist Archbishop Ryan in the PCL quarterfinals. Conwell-Egan will be led by Guzzie, who also plays center field. He’ll be joined by senior Connor Landau (outfielder/catcher), Keegan Johnson (infielder), Tommy Kalita (right-handed pitcher), and junior Danny Freitag (outfielder).

“I like the fact [that] we have a bunch of baseball players who respect the game, and they know the game is a grind,” Manto said. “We’ll be led by Brady. He has a good chance to be drafted. I like how hard this team works.”

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Scott Rambo is in his seventh year as head coach at Downingtown West. The Whippets are 13-1 and No. 2 in District 1 Class 6A. They already have exceeded expectations and could double their victory total of last year when they went 7-14 overall and didn’t play in the District 1 Class 6A playoffs. The Whippets have back seniors Jake Downie (shortstop), Daniel Kershner (OF) and Luke Dovidio (C), and sophomores Blaise Bonnell (RHP) and Aiden Gamble (first base). West’s 2024 team reached the state 6A semifinals, and its young team took its lumps last year.

“I didn’t expect this kind of start, the best start in my time as coach,” Rambo said. “These seniors went through some struggles. They put the time and work into what is happening. Our offense is leading us. Our pitching is deep.”

Downingtown West never won a district championship in baseball. Downingtown, which split into separate schools, East and West, in 2003, last won a District 1 baseball championship in 2000.

Tom Grandieri enters his eighth year as head coach of the Churchmen, who went 18-9-1 overall last year and finished tied with Malvern Prep in the Inter-Academic League. They then lost to the Friars in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship. Back for Episcopal are junior Duke pledge Hunter West (RHP), senior Franklin and Marshall recruit Spencer Schuh (INF), sophomore Michael Schaffer (INF/OF/RHP), junior J.D. Amoroso (SS), and seniors Roman Notaro (RHP) and Reggie King (OF), the son of former Sixers general manager Billy King. Episcopal last won the Inter-Ac League in 1999.

“What I like most about this team is that everyone knows who they are and they know their roles,” Grandieri said. “Pitching and defense will carry us. It would be a nice party if we can win this.”

Coach John Bernhardt returns seniors Sean McGettigan (RHP), who’s committed to Monmouth, and Lafayette pledge Lucas Albert (SS), along with juniors Alex Myers (C) and Thatcher Brown (RHP) and sophomore Nate Knapp (1B). The Churchmen went 17-10 overall last year and finished third in the Inter-Academic League behind Malvern Prep and Episcopal Academy. Germantown Academy last won the Inter-Ac in 2006, sharing the title.

“We’re looking to get better every day, and I would like to think we can play with anyone in the Inter-Ac,” Bernhardt said. “We beat some teams already this year.”

The Fords finished 20-3 overall and 15-1 in the Central League, sharing the league title last year with Radnor. The Fords were knocked out of the District 1 Class 6A playoffs by eventual PIAA Class 6A state finalist North Penn. Haverford coach Brian Miller is in his fourth season and returns seniors Jimmy Boyle (INF/RHP), Shane Durkan (catcher), Lucas Rothstein (left-handed pitcher), Rocco Kelleher (INF/RHP), and Owen Klick (OF). Haverford lost junior first baseman and right-handed pitcher Cam McCormack, who’s committed to Pitt, for the season with an injury.

“These guys know what it takes to get back where we were last year, and these guys are tough to corral, because it’s a veteran team that have been together the last two or three years,” Miller said. “We’re really strong with our pitching and senior leadership.”

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Two years ago, this senior nucleus won the PIAA Class 4A state championship as sophomores. Holy Ghost Prep will join the Catholic League next year but currently plays a loaded independent schedule. Coach Greg Olenski returns seniors Colin Davis (1B) and Jake Keaser (SS), both La Salle recruits, DeSales pledge Matt Evans (right field), Wagner recruit Bam McNab (RHP) and Eddie Rosado, who’s committed to St. Joseph’s. The Firebirds finished 10-9 overall last year and were knocked out of the District 1 Class 4A semifinals by eventual district champion Pope John Paul II.

“We play a very challenging schedule, so our record does not always dictate how good we are,” said Olenski, who is in his eighth season and has won four district titles. “We underachieved as juniors, and these guys are motivated from last year. We’re calling this team the ‘Last Dance,’ with 17 seniors together the final time. These guys are leaving it all out there.”

The Explorers have been a traditional standard in the Catholic League. La Salle finished 16-5 overall last year and 10-2 in the PCL, earning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, where they lost to eventual PCL champion Bonner-Prendie in the semifinals. Back from that team are senior Caden Schmidt (RF), last year’s PCL MVP who’s committed to Seton Hall, senior Luke Borgmann (C), a UMass-Lowell recruit, senior Brycen Clarke (1B), a Bucknell pledge, junior Kaden Cortez (third base/RHP), and senior Cooper Weiss (LHP), who’s heading to Scranton. La Salle coach Kyle Werman, who is in his 12th season, last won a Catholic League championship in 2023.

“We return an offense that should be among the top in the league, and we should be in position to win the PCL again,” Werman said. “Conwell-Egan has the best player in the league; St. Joe’s Prep and [Archbishop] Wood will be good. We should all be in the mix together.”

The Friars have won five-straight Inter-Ac championships and three straight PAISAA state championships. Malvern has played in every PAISAA championship since 2012, winning eight, including the last three. Malvern Prep finished 32-5 last year for Hilliard, who has more than 400 career victories and is in his 16th season. Back for the Friars are senior Wake Forest pledge Brady Abate (RF), senior Vanderbilt recruit Jackson Melconian (SS), senior Jack Herbein (RHP), who’s committed to Lafayette, junior Northwestern recruit Collin Romanczuk (RHP), the son of Malvern basketball coach Paul Romanczuk, and junior N.C. State pledge Jalen Bowman (center field).

“Our pitching and defense are our strengths,” Hilliard said. “We want to be a Swiss Army knife, able to beat teams a variety of ways, if we have to outslug them or a 1-0 game. This team has any style to be successful.”

The Raptors are the defending District 1 Class 5A champions and returns senior right-handed twin pitchers Austin, a Lehigh pledge, and Blake Havertine, who’s committed to Franklin and Marshall. Austin is Radnor’s all-time leader in wins (22). They will be joined by junior Villanova recruit Caden Szychulski (SS/RHP), senior Wake Forest pledge Daniel Kellis (RHP), who is getting draft looks, and junior Matt Medina (INF), the Raptors’ best hitter. Radnor shared the Central League title last season with Haverford and finished 18-4 overall. The Raptors lost to District 3 third-place Elizabethtown last season in the opening round of the state playoffs.

“We have some pitching, with three guys who can throw the ball hard, and it will be whether we can scratch out two or three runs a game,” said Raptors coach Mark Jordan, who is in his seventh season at Radnor and 20th overall.

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The Hawks finished 6-6 in the Catholic League and lost to Archbishop Wood in the PCL quarterfinals last year. Back for coach Bobby Muth, who is in his second season, are seniors Will Ward (1B), Johnny Sitler (SS), Jack Keenan (3B), Patrick Vezza (RF), and senior St. Bonaventure pledge Mihretu Rupertus (RHP). St. Joe’s Prep last won a PCL championship in 2008, when the Hawks repeated under head coach Chris Rupertus.

“We’re after a Catholic League championship, the sky is the limit for this team,” Muth said. “It’s been 18 years, and we’re here to change that. We have the talent and the pitching. I like everything about this team, the senior leadership, the commitment, it’s a top-down team. We have the arms to keep us in every game. Our seniors will carry us.”