Who was selected for the 2024 Battle Creek Enquirer All-City Baseball Team?
BATTLE CREEK - Meet the 2024 Battle Creek Enquirer All-City Baseball Team. The team is made up from nominations from the city baseball coaches and voted on by the coaches and the Battle Creek Enquirer sports staff.
MORE:2024 Battle Creek Enquirer All-City Baseball Team Coach of the Year
Brayden Bess
Harper Creek
An emotional leader of the Harper Creek program, Brayden Bess was a junior shortstop for the Beavers. A returning member of the All-City team, Bess also earned all-league honors once again as he helped Harper Creek win the Interstate 8 Conference title. At the plate, Bess hit .362 with 12 extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases. Bess was also a standout on the mound with an impressive 1.50 ERA. Bess was a key part of the Beavers' All-City title as well as the program's first district crown since 2017. Harper Creek finished the season 26-5 overall and ranked No. 11 in the final poll.
Benjamin Crocker
St. Philip/Climax-Scotts
A four-year starter, Benjamin Crocker helped the St. Philip/Climax-Scotts team win a league title in the SCAA, going undefeated in conference play and going 16-5 overall. An all-league selection the last two years, he is also a returning member of the All-City team. The senior led St. Philip/Climax-Scotts in RBI with 34 this year, hitting .314. He finished with nine career home runs as a key part of the lineup. On the mound, he helped out by going 2-0.
Gavin Eyre
St. Philip/Climax-Scotts
Junior Gavin Eyre helped the St. Philip/Climax-Scotts team win a league title in the SCAA, going undefeated in conference play and going 16-5 overall. Eyre was named league MVP, earning all-conference honors and was selected to the all-district team. A returning member of the All-City team, the standout infielder hit .462 as a cornerstone of the batting lineup. He was also the team’s top pitcher with an impressive 2.82 ERA.
Logan Gilbert
St. Philip/Climax-Scotts
A standout all-around athlete, Logan Gilbert was a key part of a St. Philip/Climax-Scotts team that won a league title in the SCAA, going undefeated in conference play, while finishing 16-5 overall. The starting shortstop had a big junior season as he hit .311, scoring 32 runs and coming up with 27 stolen bases. An all-league and all-district selection, Gilbert was also a force on the mound, going 7-1 with a 2.18 ERA.
Keegan Hutchinson
Lakeview
A three-year starter, Keegan Hutchinson finished his Spartan career with a big senior year at the plate. Hutchinson batted .417 with a .547 on-base percentage, including a team-high 17 walks, with 30 hits overall and 28 runs. Hutchinson helped the Spartans to their fourth straight district title and a 17-10-1 record overall. An all-league pick as well, Hutchinson will continue his career at the next level at Madonna University.
Jake Kucharczyk
Lakeview
Jake Kucharczyk is a four-year varsity starter as a senior and helped the Spartans to their fourth straight district title and a 17-10-1 record overall. Jake Kucharczyk was the ace of the pitching staff for the Spartans and was a spark to the offense as a centerfielder with a .451 batting average and .540 on-base percentage and .758 slugging percentage with 38 runs scored and 14 stolen bases. On the mound, he was 3-1 with a 1.26 ERA. A returning member of the All-City team and an all-league selection once again, Kucharczyk earned first-team all-state honors in Division 1. He was selected to the East/West All-Start Game and will play at the next level at Kellogg Community College.
Zach Kucharczyk
Lakeview
Zach Kucharczyk is a four-year varsity starter as a senior and helped the Spartans to their fourth straight district title and a 17-10-1 record overall. Zach Kucharczyk was a steadying force on the infield from his catching position and was a spark to the offense as team MVP with a .532 batting average and .615 on-base percentage and .798 slugging percentage with 53 runs scored and 27 stolen bases. A returning member of the All-City team and an all-league selection once again, Kucharczyk earned first-team all-state honors in Division 1. He was selected to the East/West All-Start Game and will play at the next level at Kellogg Community College.
Braxton Liss
Harper Creek
A key two-way player for Harper Creek, Braxton Liss is a returning member of the All-City team, while also earning all-league honors. Liss helped Harper Creek win the Interstate 8 Conference title as well as the All-City crown and finished the year with the program's first district title since 2017. Liss had eight wins on the mound for Harper C reek with a 1.67 ERA and also came up with a .355 batting average with 12 stolen bases. Harper Creek finished the season 26-5 overall and ranked No. 11 in the final poll.
Finn Mahoney
Harper Creek
Showing the ability to get the bat on the ball, Finn Mahoney had one of the team's top seasons at the plate as he hit .343. The junior helped Harper Creek win the Interstate 8 Conference title and an All-City crown and finished the year with the program's first district title since 2017. Harper Creek ended the year at 26-5 overall and ranked No. 11 in the final poll.
Maddux McCarty
Harper Creek
With good bat to ball skills, Maddux McCarty had a big season at the plate as he hit .333. A rising prospect as a sophomore, McCarty helped Harper Creek win the Interstate 8 Conference title, as well as the All-City crown and finished the year with the program's first district title since 2017. Harper Creek finished the season 26-5 overall and ranked No. 11 in the final poll.
Travis Neal
Lakeview
An honorable mention selection a year ago, Travis Neal is making his first All-City team as the senior had a big final year in the Spartan program. Neal, a two-year starter, finished with a .366 batting average with a .430 on-base percentage that included 30 hits and 30 RBI. Neal helped the Spartans to their fourth straight district title and a 17-10-1 record overall.
Caden Overby
Pennfield
Caden Overby was a standout pitcher for a young Pennfield team, taking the ball in the biggest games on the schedule. Overby finished 3-1 overall with an impressive 2.12 ERA, allowing just 11 earned runs on the season over 36-plus innings with 35 strikeouts. A two-way player, showing the ability to make contact, Overby only had eight strikeouts in 72 at bats on the year.
Calvin Paesens
Pennfield
Calvin Paesens shows promise as a key arm for the Panthers going forward after a standout sophomore season on the hill. Paesens faced the top pitchers on the schedule throughout the season and was leaned on to keep Pennfield in games in a challenging Interstate 8 Conference. Paesens finished with an impressive 2.65 ERA and had 40 strikeouts in 34 innings.
Spencer Shotwell
Lakeview
As a first-year starter, Spence Shotwell broke onto the scene as a junior, providing good power for the Lakeview batting order. Shotwell finished with a .337 batting average with a .418 on-base percentage with 28 hits, including two home runs, and 30 RBI. Shotwell helped the Spartans to their fourth straight district title and a 17-10-1 record overall.
Zachary Smith
Battle Creek Central
Zachary Smith finished his junior season batting .333 as he was a leader for a young Battle Creek Central team on and off the field. Smith was thrust into the role as starting catcher for the Bearcats due to injury and thrived in that spot. A team captain, he is part of the future of a rebuilding BCC program.
Brady Southfield
Harper Creek
Brady Southfield finished his Harper Creek career with a big senior year as the four-year starter is a returning member of the All-City team. A key contributor at catcher and first base, Southfield hit .307 with 12 extra-base hits. Southfield helped Harper Creek win the Interstate 8 Conference title as well as the All-City crown as the Beavers finished the year with the program's first district title since 2017. Harper Creek ended 26-5 overall and ranked No. 11 in the final poll.
Memphis Wirtz
Lakeview
A rising prospect as a freshman, Memphis Wirtz impressed in his first year in the program to become a rare 9th-grade starter for the Spartans. The first baseman/designated hitter shows good promise with the bat as he hit .321 in his initial campaign with a .404 on-base percentage and 30 RBI. Wirtz helped the Spartans to their fourth straight district title and a 17-10-1 record overall.
Tyler Wolfersberger
Harper Creek
A returning member of the All-City team, Tyler Wolfersberger also earned all-league honors once again as he helped Harper Creek win the Interstate 8 Conference title. The senior pitcher was always on the mound against the toughest league opponents and finished with nine wins and 95 strikeouts with a 0.67 ERA. Wolfersberger was a key part of the Beavers' All-City title as well as the program's first district crown since 2017. Wolfersberger will play at Kellogg Community College next year. Harper Creek finished the season 26-5 overall and ranked No. 11 in the final poll. Wolfersberger earned first-team all-state honors in Division 2.
HONORABLE MENTION
Carter Dzwik (St. Philip/Calhoun Christian), Johnny Lake (Pennfield), Caleb Jones (BCC), Kadyn Stahlhood (Harper Creek), Tyler Weiseler (Harper Creek), Jeremiah Adams (Lakeview), Maddox Bishop (Lakeview), Luke Dzwik (Lakeview), Jason Deal (Lakeview)
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on x/Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek Enquirer 2024 All-City Baseball Team
