2023 Daily Chronicle All-Area Baseball Team

2023 Daily Chronicle All-Area Player of the Year

Jimmy Amptmann, sr., P/DH, Sycamore

First team

Kyle Hartmann, jr., C Sycamore - Not only a stalwart behind the plate, Hartmann hit .380 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs, helping the Spartans to a 34-6 record and third place in the Class 3A state tournament. Despite being lifted for a courtesy runner more often than not, he still scored 11 times.

Lucas Winburn, sr., 1B/P, Sycamore - Winburn hit .326 with five home runs and 25 RBIs. He was 2-0 in 24 2/3 innings, making two starts and 10 total appearances. He struck out 38 and walked 19 with a 2.28 ERA.

Nik Nelson, so., 2B/SS, DeKalb - The spark plug at the top of the Barbs’ lineup, the sophomore all-DuPage Valley Conference selection hit .317 and had a .445 on-base percentage. He scored 32 times and stole six bases.

Jackson Kees, so., SS/P, DeKalb - The Barbs’ MVP and all-DVC selection was a dual threat for the team. He hit .294 with a home run and 24 RBIs. He also scored 25 times and stole five bases. On the hill, he was 3-5 with a 3.02 ERA, striking out 52 in 46 1/3 innings while walking 12.

Johnny Spallasso, sr., SS/P, Kaneland - Called the team’s most consistent hitter by coach Brian Arvesa on a team full of hitters, Spallasso hit .339 this year. He had a home run, drove in 30 runs and scored 38 times.

Owen Piazza, sr., 3B/P, Sycamore - Piazza got it done both at the plate and on the mound for the Spartans, hitting .337 while driving in and scoring 24 runs. He was also 8-0 with a 1.82 ERA, striking out 41 and walking 14 in 42 1/3 innings.

Conner Williar, sr., OF, Sycamore - Williar hit .412 and had an OPS of 1.032 hitting up and down the lineup for the Spartans. He finished with 24 runs scored and 24 RBIs, plus pitched the fourth-most innings for Sycamore. He was 3-0 with a 2.21 ERA, striking out 27 and walking 14 in 25 1/3 innings.

Kiefer Tarnoki, sr., OF, Sycamore - While coach Jason Cavanaugh would frequently tweak the Sycamore lineup, one constant was Tarnoki in the leadoff spot. He hit .417, reached base more than half the time and had an OPS of 1.081. He hit three home runs, drove in 27 and scored 44 times.

Tommy Townsend, sr., OF/P, Sycamore - The other constant in the Sycamore lineup was Townsend batting in the third spot,. The big lefty hit .352 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs, scoring 44 times. He had a 1.114 OPS, and pitched very well as the team’s closer. He was 2-1 and 3 for 3 in save opportunities with a 0.51 ERA, allowing only two earned runs and giving up only six walks all year.

Collin Severson, jr., SS/OF, Sycamore - The lefty fielder went from a courtesy runner to the team’s starting shortstop over the course of the year and ended up second on the team in batting average (.406), first in on-base percentage (.513) and third in OPS (1.096). He hit a home run, drove in 24 runs and scored a team-leading 48 times.

Parker Violett, jr., 1B/OF/P, Kaneland - Not only was he one of the Knights’ primary starters, he swung a big bat in the middle of their lineup. He hit .354 with five home runs and 40 RBIs while scoring 34 times. He also drew 21 walks and had an OPS of 1.068.

Matthew Rosado, jr., P/3B, Sycamore - The reliever ended up picking up the win in four outstanding innings of relief against Effingham in the Class 3A third-place game. He was 5-1 in 11 appearances, five starts. He had a 0.39 ERA with 48 strikeouts and seven walks. He also hit .383 with a 1.051 OPS with two home runs, 17 RBIs and 20 runs scored.

Martin Ledbetter, so., C/P/1B, Hinckley-Big Rock - Ledbetter set the school’s home run record, going yard 12 times. He also hit .563 with a 1.911 OPS and drove in 43 runs. In 28 2/3 innings on the hill he went 2-1 with 61 strikeouts, 20 walks and a 2.44 ERA

Second team

• Zack Konrad, jr., C, Kaneland.

• Maddux Clarence, jr., P/1B/DH, DeKalb.

• Joey Puleo, sr., 2B/3B/OF, Sycamore.

• Ben Hintzsche, sr., P/SS, Hinckley-Big Rock.

• Jeffrey Probst, jr., OF, Indian Creek.

• Ethan Wilnau, sr., OF, Genoa-Kingston.

• Alex Panico, sr., OF, Kaneland.

• Brodie Farrell, soph., OF, DeKalb.

• Josh Klemm, sr., P, DeKalb.

Honorable mention - Saje Beane, jr., 3B, Hinckley-Big Rock; Nolan Perry, sr., SS/P, Genoa-Kingston; Hutner Britz, sr., 2B/SS, Sycamore; Cole Latimer, fresh., CF; Isaac Black, soph., 3B, DeKalb; Nate Nunez, sr., C, DeKalb; Sam Genslinger, sr., IF, Indian Creek; Will Baumgartner, SS, sr., Sycamore.