MIAA tournament preview: 20 impact players to watch

Northeastern commit Dennis Colleran will look to lead North Attleboro to a D2 South title. (Dave Arnold/NEBJ)

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state baseball tournament is back after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The tournament will begin on June 18, although it will have a different format than when teams last battled for state titles in 2019. This season, there will be no undisputed Super 8 champion, as the MIAA’s Tournament Management Committee voted in April to put a four-year pause on the popular Division 1A tournament.

The committee found a problem with the fact that there were no Super 8 options for female athletes, causing a possible Title IX gender equity issue. Nonetheless, there will still be four state champions crowned on July 3 — at the Division 1, 2, 3 and 4 levels.

Here’s a look at 25 players who could impact MIAA state championships.

Evan Blanco

LHP | Austin Prep
Woburn, Mass.
Bats: Left | Throws: Left
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 190

Austin Prep (18-1) is the favorite in the Division 3 North bracket, thanks in large part to Blanco’s dominance. The University of Virginia commit has a fastball that tops out in the low-90s. The junior left-hander recently participated in the Area Code Games tryouts.

Sam Belliveau

RHP | St. John’s Prep (Danvers)
Wenham, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 210

Belliveau served as the Prep’s ace this season, posting a 3-3 record and 1.06 ERA while logging 40 strikeouts in 39.2 innings. St. John’s (10-3) has the firepower to make a run as the No. 4 seed in D1 North.

Niko Brini

OF | Boston College High
Plymouth, Mass.
Bats: Left | Throws: Left
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 180

A UConn commit, Brini led BC High (8-7) to the 13th seed in the D1 South tournament. Look for the Eagles to make some noise as a sleeper in that bracket.

Matt Brinker

C | Xaverian Brothers
Norfolk, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 190

The Northeastern commit helped lead Xaverian (12-1) to a Catholic Conference championship. Xaverian is the No. 3 seed in a loaded D1 South bracket.

Aiven Cabral

RHP | St. Mary’s of Lynn
Lynn, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 175

Cabral has been lights-out on the mound, most recently posting a 15-strikeout shutout against Bishop Stang in the CCL Cup semifinal. Look for St. Mary’s (15-6) to make some noise as a No. 6 seed in the D2 North bracket.

Dennis Colleran Jr.

RHP | North Attleboro High
North Attleboro, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 220

The Northeastern commit’s 96 mph fastball will be waiting for No. 1 seed Nauset if No. 8 North Attleboro can advance to the quarterfinals of the D2 South tournament.

Luke Delongchamp

RHP | St. Paul Diocesan
Holden, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185

The BC commit gave St. Paul (10-6) a boost this spring with his 90-plus mph fastball. St. Paul is the No. 7 seed in the D1 Central bracket.

Brett Dunham

RHP | North Andover High
North Andover, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 180

The Northeastern commit played a big role in North Andover’s state championship in 2019. He’ll serve as the staff ace this time around for No. 2 seed North Andover (12-2) in the D2 North bracket.

Jake Elbeery

SS | Austin Prep
North Andover, Mass.
Bats: Left | Throws: Right
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 215

The University of Richmond commit is the lone senior starter on the favorite and No. 1 seed in the D3 North bracket — Austin Prep (18-1).

Jack Goodman

IF | Medfield High
Medfield, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 170

A Pepperdine commit, Goodman is two years removed from a back injury that limited him to four games in 2019. He led Medfield (15-1) to the No. 3 seed in the D3 South bracket.

Jordan Gorham

RHP | Braintree
Braintree, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 175

The UMass Lowell commit helped lead Braintree to a Super 8 berth as a freshman. After earning the No. 6 seed in the D1 South bracket, Braintree (12-4) will be a tough out.

Ryan Griffin

RHP | North Andover High
North Andover, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 175

A Northeastern commit, Griffin will form a 1-2 punch with Brett Dunham in North Andover’s quest to defend its state title from 2019. The Scarlet Knights (12-2) are the No. 2 seed in the D2 North bracket.

Austin Hartsell

SS | Bridgewater-Raynham
Bridgewater, Mass.
Bats: Left | Throws: Right
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 160

This could be a swan song at B-R for the Boston College commit, who has been rumored to be transferring to Dexter School next year. Lifting No. 2 seed Bridgewater-Raynham (12-1) to a D2 South title would be quite the finish to his MIAA career.

Jackson Linn

RHP | Cambridge Rindge and Latin
Cambridge, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 215

Linn, who is committed to Tulane University, will get a chance to make a final impression before the 2021 MLB Draft. He’ll need to deliver some heroics for No. 18 seed Cambridge (6-7) in the D1 North tournament.

Sean Moynihan

3B | Masconomet Regional
Middleton, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 190

The Northeastern Conference MVP is the catalyst for the Masconomet offense, as is evidenced by his 24 RBI. Masco (10-5) is the No. 8 seed in the D2 North tournament.

Thomas Rogers

RHP | Lincoln-Sudbury
Sudbury, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 190

A University of Maryland commit, Rogers forms a dominant 1-2 punch with senior teammate Robbie O’Connor. L-S (14-4) is the No. 2 seed in the D1 North tournament.

Nolan Schirmer

C | Andover High
Andover, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 200

A BC commit, Schirmer is Andover’s field general and a solid hitter. He’ll look to lead Andover (10-4) to a postseason run as a No. 6 seed in the D1 North bracket.

Kurt Thomas

RHP | Nauset Regional
East Harwich, Mass.
Bats: Left | Throws: Right
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185

A Central Connecticut State University commit, Thomas led Nauset to a perfect regular-season record of 12-0. Nauset is the top seed in the D2 South bracket.

Charlie Walker

RHP | Milton High
Milton, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 205

The Northeastern commit led Milton to a Bay State Conference championship by toeing the mound in the championship game against Braintree. Milton (14-2) is the No. 2 seed in the D2 South bracket.