Sky is the limit for locked-in, ultra-talented Northville baseball team
Sixteen of the 23 players on the Northville High School baseball roster are seniors, many of whom have played together since they were in elementary school. PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA NORI
The forecast for the 2024 Northville High School baseball team is mostly sunny with a chance to reign.
Returning 16 seniors — including three future Division 1 collegiate pitchers and a centerfielder/lead-off hitter who is projected to be selected early in the 2024 MLB Draft — the Mustangs are locked-in and loaded one season after their realistic dreams of a state title were derailed by ultimate state champion Novi in a Division 1 regional post-season game.
“This is a fantastic group of young men,” raved first-year Northville Head Coach Dan Cimini last week on a speaker phone, as he drove south on I-75 toward the Bradenton, Florida-based IMG Academy, where the Mustangs were meeting for a week of training.
“They love each other, most of them have been playing together for a long time — they’re really like a band of brothers. Their goals include getting to the Final Four in East Lansing and winning a state championship.”
Cimini, who led Grosse Pointe University Liggett to five state championships before agreeing to succeed his good friend John Kostrzewa last summer, has constructed a schedule that will guarantee the regular season is no day at the beach for the Mustangs.
Scorching schedule
In addition to 14 games against relentlessly-tough KLAA West Division opponents, Northville — which is ranked No. 1 in Division 1 in the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association’s pre-season poll — will play state-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice, Detroit Catholic Central and Okemos in non-conference contests.
The Mustangs will also travel to Ohio April 13-14 for a tournament that includes Cincinnati Moeller High School, which is currently ranked No. 7 in the United States in one widely-respected poll.
“We’re going to be playing the best of the best, which is what everybody wants,” said Cimini, who added his off-season transition couldn’t have unfolded any smoother.
When asked to name his team’s super-strength, Cimini pointed to his pitching staff, which is deep and daunting.
“Whomever is pitching any particular day is our ace,” Cimini quipped. “The entire staff is back from last season. It’s a really, really good set of arms.”
They bring the heat
The Mustangs’ No. 1 flame-thrower is 6-foot-2, 1905-pound senior Joey Broughton, who has committed to play at the next level for the University of Pittsburgh. He’ll more than likely be followed in the rotation by Justin Brown, who is slated to pitch for the University of Michigan after graduating in June, and Dominic Minghine, who is headed to the University of Illinois Chicago.
“Joey throws in the mid- to low-90s, with a great curveball and great changeup,” Cimini said. “Justin throws in the low-90s and Dominic is a high-80s guy. The rest of our guys are mid- to high-80s.”
Caden Besco, a 6-3, 225-pound senior, is another vital piece of the Mustangs pitching staff. Besco will also share first-base responsibilities with Broughton and senior James Redwine.
Other pivotal pitchers include senior southpaw Isaac Pace, the starting quarterback for the Mustangs’ district championship football team; senior Evan Deak, who will patrol left field when he’s not on the mound, and hit in the middle of Northville’s potent batting order; and juniors Connor O’Neil and Greg Burns.
Talented targets
Northville’s trio of behind-the-plate pitch-framers will be led by Trevor Schueller, a 5-10, 180-pound senior. Fellow seniors Andrew Miller and Kellen Steger will also serve as catchers, Cimini added.
“Trevor is a great leader back there,” Cimini noted. “He played a lot of innings as a junior and he’s a guy we can count on to control our pitching staff.
“Andrew will be a big part of what we’re doing, too, whether he’s behind the plate or helping out in the bullpen. He’s one of those players who will do whatever his team needs him to do.”
Anchored by four-year varsity starting centerfielder Dante Nori, the Mustangs’ outfield is dynamic.
Nori, who is the 19th-ranked MLB Draft prospect in the country by one national publication and has committed to play for NCAA power Mississippi State Universitybeginning in the fall, will be flanked by Deak in left and Carter Jurcisin in right.
“We’re expecting big, big things from Dante this year — both on the field and off as a leader,” Cimini said. “He’s a game-changer from the lead-off spot in the order.
Multi-faceted Deak
“Evan Deak is a huge part of this team. He’ll hit in the middle of the order and he’s looked really good on the mound during the winter. Along with Carter, I’d put our outfield up there with the best in the state.”
The Mustangs’ infield will be rounded out by starters Connor Vissotski (second base), Carson Eaton (shortstop) and Luke Dieringer at third base.
“Connor is a ‘Steady Eddie’ at second base,” Cimini said. “We call him the dirtbag because he gets dirty, does whatever he can to help the team win.
“Carson is very, very consistent with a good, accurate arm, and Luke is a returning All-State player who will hit in the middle of our order and hold down the hot corner.”
Providing infield depth — the key word for the Mustangs this spring — will be twins Ryan and Connor O’Neil; Parker Dell, Josh Liu, Alex Coe and Steger.
Ready to roll
Talented outfield reserves include sophomore Mack Hart and junior Nolan Coppens.
Cimini said the team organized a March Madness basketball pool before they headed for Florida last week.
“It will be another fun, bonding activity when we’re watching the games after workouts,” said Cimini, whose team opens the 2024 season April 1 at home against Salem.
Given their number of prime-time players, nobody will be surprised if the Mustangs are a No. 1 seed in some June Madness in 10 weeks or so.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
