DOVER — With nine letter-winners, including a large class of eight seniors returning from a squad that reached the Division I district title game a year ago, the Dover Tornadoes baseball team is hoping to kick up quite a storm this spring.
Dover head coach Jeff Fondriest greets a veteran club that was playing its best baseball at the end of last season — so good that the only team that defeated the Tornadoes in tournament play was Twinsburg, which went on to claim the Division I state runner-up trophy.
Now, a year later, Fondriest is hopeful all the successful postseason experience the Tornadoes gained last season carries over for his 2025 club.
“I’ve never had eight seniors that are all lettermen coming back and who are all going to see plenty of playing time, so that’s a good thing," Fondriest said.
Dover’s experienced starting lineup is set
The Tornadoes return seven of nine starters from last season’s team that finished 15-12 but knocked off some big Division I tourney foes in Warren Harding, Chardon and No. 2 seed Mentor. The Tornadoes’ 2025 starting infield will include senior standout Hunter Edwards catching, senior Brady Gibb at first base, senior Nathan Leggett at second base, sophomore Luke Leggett at shortstop and splitting time at third will be senior Mason Grewell and junior Liam Mast when they aren’t pitching. The starting outfield will include senior Colin Bruno and junior Kale Oswald in left field, senior Caden Schie in center field and senior Aidan Immel in right field.
Others expected to see significant playing time are senior Ryan Yoder, sophomore shortstop Luke Leggett and sophomore catcher Braydon Bergeron.
