These four county baseball fielders will be key playmakers this spring
HILLSDALE COUNTY — Baseball is kicking off for the MHSAA and Hillsdale County athletic programs. Along with softball, several players will return to the fields this spring hoping to continue their success from last season.
2023 Coach of the Year Corey Rodgers and the Comets look to repeat as district champions. They will be one of several to bring back playmakers to their roster this season, this time for their first shot at a Cascades Conference title.
More: Comet baseball season ends at regional semifinals, Lumen Christi wins 2-0
Honorable mention coach Michael Conant returns with Camden-Frontier players to chase down another district title and a SCAA East championship.
More: Camden-Frontier earns first district championship in a decade
This is our look at some of the fielders/relievers who will make an impact this spring in Hillsdale County for their ball clubs. This is our first list of baseball players to watch this season. Let us know who should be on our second list of fielders. Next up will be our main pitchers to watch this season.
More: Meet the 2023 All-Area Baseball Dream Team and Coach of the Year
Brayden Miller - Camden-Frontier - Senior
Senior Brayden Miller is coming off a stellar final football season for Camden-Frontier in which he was named the Dream Team Defensive Player of the Year. Before that, he was an All-Area Dream Team honoree for the baseball team after helping lead the team to their first district championship in 10 years and a SCAA East title.
Miller had a .400 batting average last season and added 5 wins from the pitcher's mound as well. He had 10 strikeouts against Pittsford in last year's district quarterfinals, and he had a total of three hits, two RBIs and five runs in the district playoffs. He led the team in stolen bases in 2023. Miller was primarily a first baseman last season.
More: Academy senior Ridley Fast is a 2024 MHSAA Scholar Athlete Award honoree
Tyler Bills - Litchfield - Senior
A pitching and batting threat, Bills returns to the diamond with a full arsenal of skillsets that should help lead him and the Terriers to another strong season this spring. He helped the Terriers to a winning season with five wins on the mound, a 2.87 ERA and 60 total strikeouts. At bat, Bills had a batting average of .368 and 24 RBIs.
Bills scored 23 runs and had 18 stolen bases. When not on the mound, he had a fielding percentage of .851. Bills has already seen the field this season, as the Terriers battled Athens in an early-season scrimmage, winning 8-5. Bills had two hits, two runs and one RBI in that scrimmage, and he struck out four. The Terriers start the official season on April 2 at Lenawee Christian.
Nolan Paradine - North Adams-Jerome - Junior
As a sophomore, Paradine was one of the All-Area Dream team fielders in 2023, representing the Rams. Paradine had a .389 batting average with a slugging percentage of .685 last season, earning three home runs on the year, two of which were in the same series (one lefty and one right). Adding 15 stolen bases, Paradine was a solid base runner that should look to improve and add to those numbers this spring.
As a fielder, Paradine had 108 total chances and 89 put outs, with a fielding percentage of .917. Paradine is one of the most talented fielders in Hillsdale County and will be a primary catcher for the Rams this season.
Brady Hartman - Pittsford - Senior
Senior Wildcat Brady Hartman was a key member of the 2023 Pittsford baseball team that finished the year with a winning record. This year, Hartman looks to lead the team back to a strong start this spring. Hartman averaged .435 from the plate last year on his way to an All-Area Dream Team honor, slugging percentage of .630. He batted in 20 runners and had a .885 fielding percentage.
Hartman switched primarily from first to third base. Hartman is the top returning hitter for Pittsford and coach Kyle Brown. The Wildcats take the diamond on April 2 against Waldron.
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This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: These four county baseball fielders will be key playmakers this spring
