A national powerhouse leads Pool C of the Florida League High School Invitational, as the Montverde Academy Eagles return for their 10th FHSI appearance. 2022 playoff teams in East River and Martin County will threaten the Eagles for the top spot, while Mount Dora and Seminole also loom as threats.
East River
Nickname: Falcons
Location: Orlando, Florida
Head Coach: Jerry Kennedy
2022 Record: 19-8
Playoff Finish: Regional Quarterfinals
Key Players:
Ty Kennedy, SS, c/o 2025 (Oklahoma State commit)
Josue Figueroa, C/3B, c/o 2023 (Florida A&M commit)
Tyler Marczak, RHP/INF, c/o 2023 (Thomas commit)
David Shontz, Jr., OF/RHP, c/o 2023 (Mars Hill commit)
Hunter Key, LHP/1B, c/o 2023 (Thomas commit)
Matt Demetree, DH, c/o 2023 (Palm Beach State commit)
Braden Morrow, RHP/INF, c/o 2023 (St Joseph's commit)
Head coach Jerry Kennedy has turned the Falcons into a major factor in central Florida. East River enters the FHSI with a mix of experienced veterans and talented underclassmen. The Falcons, who qualified for the state playoffs in class 7A in 2022, are led by six college committed seniors, as well as one of the top sophomores in the tournament in Oklahoma State commit Ty Kennedy. Kennedy is one of three sophomores that started for East River last season, as the Falcons played postseason baseball for the first time in eight years.
Martin County
Nickname: Tigers
Location: Stuart, Florida
Head Coach: Brett Hawkins
2022 Record: 20-7
Playoff Finish: Regional Quarterfinals
Key Players:
Nick Robert, RHP/INF, c/o 2023 (Miami commit)
Jake Schincariol, OF, c/o 2023 (Daytona State commit)
Martin County has become a mainstay in the playoffs under head coach Brett Hawkins, and bring another postseason caliber team to Seminole County. The Tigers are led by one of the top 50 players in the state of Florida in Miami commit Nick Robert. Robert is the centerpiece of what Hawkins refers to as a "young but very talented group of kids." Martin County went 3-1 in the FHSI last season, earning quality wins over West Orange, Bishop Moore, and Ponte Vedra.
Montverde Academy
Nickname: Eagles
Location: Montverde, Florida
Head Coach: Victor Valencia
2022 Record: 17-8
Playoff Finish: N/A (Independent)
Key Players:
Logan Bevis, RHP, c/o 2023 (South Florida commit)
Aj Goytia, C, c/o 2023 (Miami commit)
Logan Chapman, 3B, c/o 2023 (Georgia Tech commit)
Eric Correa, OF, c/o 2023 (Rice commit)
Matthew Heyl, LHP, c/o 2023 (Stetson commit)
Anthony Cole, OF, c/o 2023 (FGCU commit)
John Michael Martinez, SS, c/o 2023 (Florida commit)
Montverde returns to the FHSI once again in 2023, with the Eagles in search of their second title. Montverde, home of former tournament MVP and current MLB All-Star Francisco Lindor, enters the week as the highest-ranked team in the tournament, ranked fifth among all teams in Florida by Prep Baseball Report. The Eagles are loaded with senior Division I commits - including three to Power 5 programs. Montverde boasts four of the top 100 players in Florida according to Perfect Game.
Mount Dora
Nickname: Hurricanes
Location: Mount Dora, Florida
Head Coach: Chad Drosieko
2022 Record: 16-9
Playoff Finish: District Semifinals
Key Players:
Braylen Butler, SS, c/o 2024 (Daytona State commit)
Eli Thurmond, OF, c/o 2023
Corbin Newman, OF, c/o 2024
Jacob MacInness, INF/P, c/o 2024
Mount Dora returns to the Florida League High School Invitational for the first time since 2018, and brings a veteran team poised to make noise in a wide-open class 4A. Head coach Chad Drosieko stated the Hurricanes will rely on their seven-man senior class both on and off the field. The Hurricanes have a dangerous lineup, including Daytona State commit Braylen Butler, that Drosieko hopes will prove difficult for opposing pitchers to navigate.
Seminole
Nickname: Seminoles
Location: Sanford, Florida
Head Coach: Kenne Brown
2022 Record: 10-16
Playoff Finish: District Quarterfinals
Key Players:
Jalen Foxx, OF, c/o 2025 (South Carolina commit)
Bryce Carter, LHP, c/o 2023 (East Florida State commit)
Nick Upperman, OF, c/o 2023 (Polk State commit)
Liam Prepetit, C, c/o 2023 (Valley Forge commit)
The Seminole High Seminoles have a proud baseball tradition, and enter the FHSI led by what may be the next great player to come out of the program. Sophomore Jalen Foxx is already committed to South Carolina, and is ranked by Perfect Game as a top 20 outfielder in the nation for his class. Head coach Kenne Brown is no stranger to the FHSI, and states his Seminoles will be "competitive defensively and offensively" with a team that looks vastly different from the 2022 version.