MSD Baseball Ranks 5th in Preseason Rankings; Rodriguez and Benestad Receive Recognition

Name: MSD Baseball Ranks 5th in Preseason Rankings; Rodriguez and Benestad Receive Recognition – Parkland Talk
Uploaded: 2023-02-03T21:31:04-05:00
Description: Marjory Stoneman Douglas baseball was picked as the fifth-best team in the country according to Perfect Game.

by Matt Rothman February 3, 2023

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MSD Baseball Ranks 5th in Preseason Rankings; Rodriguez and Benestad Receive Recognition

Christian Rodriguez, Rylan Lujo and Niko Benestad. {Jake Stephens}

By: Matt Rothman

Marjory Stoneman Douglas baseball was picked as the fifth-best team in the country according to Perfect Game.

The Eagles, who have won back-to-back State and National Championships, head into the year looking to become the first public school in Broward County to win three straight State Championships. They’ve also won 58 games over the past two seasons and are led by an incredible pitching rotation featuring three University of Florida commits and a potent offense.

Senior Christian Rodriguez was also selected to the Perfect Game top 50 upperclassmen All-Prospect Teams. The hard-throwing right-hander was a Preseason All-American and is 18-1 in his career with an era of 1.48. He also won a Gold Medal and International Performance of the Year after his incredible job out of the bullpen for Team USA in the 2022 Baseball World Cup.

Niko Benestad was also recognized as a top prospect as an underclassman at first base. The University of South Florida commit is a lifetime .313 hitter with a home run and 28 RBIs. The Eagles are set to open up the 2023 season later this month in the Big-8 Championship as the top seed when they face Coral Springs Charter.

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Author Profile

Matt Rothman

Matt Rothman is a 2018 graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism and then graduated from the University of Florida as a graduate student. He also works for the Mohave Valley Daily News in Bullhead City, Arizona covering high school sports.