Fifteen area players to watch this high school baseball postseason

The postseason has arrived for high school baseball teams in Ohio.

Here are some local players to watch as teams aim for deep runs.

Players are listed alphabetically.

Ashton Ansel, West M, P/SS

Ansel, arguably the best two-way player in the Muskingum Valley League, has produced multiple hits in six of his last eight games currently leads the Tornadoes with a .441 batting average, .548 on-base percentage and 14 stolen bases.

On the hill, he's posted a 1.74 ERA in 12 appearances as a relief pitcher. He has 47 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings as West takes a 13-12 record into Division IV postseason play.

Jacobie Balo, Rosecrans, P/SS

Balo, a junior, was hitting a team-high .481 and paced the team with a .554 on-base percentage and 17 steals after a 9-8 win against Maysville on May 13. He trails only slugger Hayden Perdue for the team lead in RBIs (26).

On the mound, he has a 4-1 record and 0.88 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 32 innings.

In no small coincidence, the Bishops are 14-5 with a No. 2 seed in the Division VII East District tournament.

Cole Cashdollar, Sheridan, C

Cashdollar has piled up 44 RBIs — almost two per game —with a .370 average as the main source of production for the 20-6 Generals' lineup under coach Josh Coleman. His 14 doubles lead the team and his 30 hits are second.

Connor Croy/Maison Kiser, Ridgewood, P

They have been the linchpins on a strong Generals staff for coach Chad Lahna, standing nose-to-nose with some of the best lineups in a hardscrabble Inter-Valley Conference.

While Croy has more innings (46 2/3), strikeouts (22) and one less walk (8), Kiser boasts a smaller ERA (1.94) and still has 39 2/3 innings and 21 strikeouts to nine walks. Combined, they've helped lead the Generals to a 17-9 record.

Bryce Fisher, Maysville, CF

The 9-11 Panthers, seeded 11th in the Division IV East District, haven't exactly been an offensive juggernaut with a .277 team slugging percentage. But the sophomore Fisher has bucked the trend with a 1.004 OPS that is 126 points higher than his closest teammate.

He has been an on-base machine at a .575 clip, which includes 11 times having been hit by a pitch and 20 other times via walk, while he has struck out just eight times in 87 at-bats. He is tied for the team lead with 27 runs scored.

Ryan Lamonica, Tri-Valley, CF

Lamonica, hitting lead-off in 2026, is batting only .325 but leads the Scotties with 11 extra-base hits and is tied with Isaiah Cullins for the team lead with 24 RBIs. His four homers are more than any other MVL player.

He is bidding to be a rare three-sport All-Ohioan as the Scotties enter East District play at 14-10.

Jack Lincicome, Philo, P/1B

The veteran lefty ranks third on the Electrics, now 15-10, with 21 RBIs and has one of the team's two homers, but his biggest contribution has come on the mound.

He has a team-best 0.90 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings. After walking 10 in 7 2/3 innings as a junior, he has only 16 in 2026 in more than three times as many innings. At first base, he has only three errors in 83 chances.

Jace McQueen, Ridgewood, SS

McQueen, who is committed to Division II Walsh, is thriving in his third sport of his senior season. Has been a consistent defender as the team's shortstop and versatile run producer (.329 avg., 3 HR, 24 RBIs, 10 XBH) in the No. 3 hole as the Generals hope to build on their 17-9 record through May 14.

Solomon Norris, Zanesville, SS

Norris leads the Blue Devils in hits (28), RBIs (14) and is second in average (.346) and runs (15), while his nine steals also paces the team.

The Blue Devils improved to 10-13 and snapped a six-game losing streak with a 14-13 win at Morgan on May 14 and are looking to surprise in the Division III East District tournament.

Jace Thompson, Crooksville, P

Thompson has a .554 on-base percentage and a 2.26 ERA in 40 1/3 innings for a 6-11 Ceramics team that is 3-3 in their last six games. He is second behind Kyson Riggs with a .359 average.

He tossed a two-hitter with nine strikeouts against Millersport on May 11 and a three-hitter in a 4-1 win against Meadowbrook on April 28.

Garrett Tom, Philo, SS

The veteran Tom, part of a hardscrabble bunch of Electric seniors, leads the team in batting average (.412), on-base percentage (.539), homers (1), doubles (8) and steals (13), while committing only five errors with a .930 fielding percentage.

Philo has won six of seven games, including a 7-3 nonleague conquest of Indian Valley on May 12. It is seeded sixth entering the Division IV East District tournament, where the Braves are No. 1.

Noah Wamer, Sheridan, P/OF

The Ohio Wesleyan recruit has been a consistent performer for the Generals, serving as the team's most consistent pitcher (6-1, 3.18 ERA, 36 Ks) and a catalyst at the top of the order (.392 avg., team-high 31 hits). He entered May 14 with a .550 on-base percentage and struck out just 10 times in 110 at-bats.

The MVL-Big School champions take a 20-5 record into Division III East/Southeast District play.

Maquire Werntz, River View, P

Werntz has enjoyed some big moments at the plate, but his biggest impact has came on the mound, where the lefty has a 2.59 ERA in eight starts with a team-best 60 strikeouts in 46 innings. He also has a homer and 11 RBIs with a .382 on-base percentage.

Dylan Wood, Coshocton, 3B/P

The combination of Wood in the middle of the order and Parker Loomis at the top has a good one for Coshocton much of the year as it enters Division V East District play at 11-14.

Wood entered the weekend batting .425 with a homer and team-high 33 RBIs while hitting .468 with runners in scoring position. He has 13 extra-base hits and is slugging .621.

He also leads the team in innings (56), strikeouts (65) and fewest walks issued among starters (18).

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Fifteen area players to watch this high school baseball postseason