- January 28, 2026
-
-
Loading
Loading
Break in that glove and dust off those cleats. Baseball will soon be back in full swing throughout Sarasota.
Although no local teams reached the state championships last season, some made a run in regionals. Others have since brought in new coaches or will welcome back familiar talents.
Here's everything you need to know about the area's high school baseball teams ahead of the Feb. 9 start to the FHSAA regular season:
Coach: Mike Mercurio (fifth year)
Last season: 21-9 overall, 3-1 in Class 2A-District 11, reached regional semifinals
Some teams have to worry about the seniors lost from 2025. If they fail to reload with talent, roster turnover could be their demise.
Cardinal Mooney isn't one of them.
Just four Cougars from last season have since graduated. Tanner Jackson is the most notable departure, having contributed a .385 batting average and .433 on-base percentage on a third-most 91 at-bats.
His absence will sting, but with so much production returning, this squad is poised to take a step forward. Junior outfielder Brady Zaun — the hits leader — is back, as is senior infielder/right-hander and Davidson commit Wyatt Hossenlopp, who led in RBIs.
There's also a bona fide ace in the bunch.
Junior right-hander/infielder Colton Hyde, who's committed to Michigan, posted a sparkling 1.26 ERA across a team-high 61.1 innings pitched last season. The presence of senior right-hander David Johnston will make life even harder on opponents.
With five of six leading hitters returning and solid arms to support them, the Cougars boast firepower on both sides of the ball.
Coach: Sterling Pell (first year)
Last season: 22-8-1 overall, 4-3 in Class 7A-District 8, reached regional semifinals
Sarasota will ride a tide of change into the season. At the wheel stands a new captain, hoping to steer the ship toward calm waters.
Sterling Pell is the man in question. Once a pitcher for Florida Atlantic in 2002-03, he now takes over one of the state's most storied high school baseball programs.
His predecessor — Greg Mulhollen — stepped down after a four-year tenure in which the Sailors went 70-42-1. No exodus of players followed, though.
Continuity is on this team's side. All six of its top hitters from last season are back in the fold, including all three who hit above .300 — senior infielder Patrick Drymon (.378), senior shortstop/outfielder Mark Metcalf (.361) and junior third baseman/right-hander Braedon Mackay (.309).
The major loss is Blake Norman, who graduated after posting a 1.65 ERA through 42.1 innings pitched. But a sensational season from senior right-hander Cesar Garmendia could be in store after his 1.02 ERA through a team-high 54.2 innings pitched in 2025.
Sarasota is an eight-time FHSAA state champion, and ultimately, still trying to recapture the glory of that coach Clyde Metcalf era.
Coach: Ray White (second year)
Last season: 14-8 overall, 4-1 in Class 1A-District 11, reached district semifinals
There was positive movement, no doubt, in Year 1 under coach Ray White for Sarasota Christian. The team improved from 11-12-1 in 2024 to 14-8 in 2025.
Coaching, though, can only do so much.
The Blazers have a star-sized hole to address. Randall Collins has moved on to college after a stellar year at the plate in which he batted .533, ripped 32 hits and racked up 33 RBIs in 60 at-bats.
His departure will be a tough one — even with essentially the entire roster retained. Individual seasons like that don't just happen.
Some solace can be found in junior infielder/pitcher Evan Poznanski and senior center fielder/pitcher Justin Brock, who had batting averages of .381 and .367 last season, respectively. Freshman third baseman/first baseman Andrew Moldovan is an intriguing young talent.
On the mound, senior second baseman/pitcher Rowan Baum will shoulder the load, having turned in a 1.43 ERA across 34.1 innings pitched as a junior. And pitching will be crucial if Sarasota Christian struggles at the plate.
Coach: Pat Sweeney (third year)
Last season: 10-10 overall, 4-1 in Class 4A-District 10, reached district semifinals
On paper, a 10-10 finish isn't much to celebrate. But it was plenty reason for Booker to smile wide when all was said and done in 2025.
The Tornadoes tallied more wins last season than in the preceding three seasons combined.
Just like the Blazers, though, they're forced to move forward without their star. Sophomore first baseman/pitcher Dameer Watford has transferred to The Out-of-Door Academy, joining what first-year coach Jordan Guerrero is building.
Watford's freshman campaign was captivating. Along with 19 RBIs, he owned a .458 batting average and .587 on-base percentage, leading Booker in all three respects. Fittingly, his first game with ODA will be against his former team.
As coach Pat Sweeney embarks on Year 3, he still has impact players in senior outfielder/pitcher/first baseman Joshua Azevedo and senior infielder/pitcher Kevion Carey. Azevedo hit .379 with a team-high 23 runs in 2025, while Carey proved reliable with a .510 on-base percentage.
If even more victories are to come, though, additional talents will need to emerge.
Coach: Mark Sobolewski (first year)
Last season: 7-18 overall, 3-3 in Class 7A-District 8, reached district semifinals
It was rough sledding for Riverview in 2025 en route to its third consecutive losing season. Getting guys on base was a struggle, with only six players hitting over .200.
Mark Sobolewski has arrived to change that.
The first-year coach was a third baseman in the Minnesota Twins organization from 2008 to 2013, and at the college level, was Miami's second-leading hitter as a freshman.
But more importantly, he played at Sarasota during his high school days — Sobolewski knows this area's baseball scene well.
He'll be supported by a heavy senior presence. Four of the Rams' top six hitters from last season were juniors. The other two have since graduated, including Caden Sladek, who boasted a team-high .328 batting average.
Look for Riverview to lean on senior second baseman/right-hander/catcher Caiden Cabral and senior outfielder/right-hander Alastair Simonson, who hit .306 and .297 last season, respectively.
There will be question marks on the mound following the graduations of Morgan Peggs and Mason Peluso, but Sobolewski has the know-how to properly address problem areas.
