Fusco, Money and Seidler vie for this week’s ‘Prep Ballplayer’ award

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Players across the Baltimore area took advantage of the clear, warmer weather following Monday’s rain and Tuesday’s light snow in parts of the region.

The competition was top notch. Several pitchers had stellar outings, including some who mowed down more than 10 batters in an individual game. Meanwhile, plenty of area hitters showcased power in multiple contests throughout the week.

One candidate was near perfect on the bump while the other two experienced the best of both worlds, succeeding on the mound and at the plate.

Here are this week’s three standouts:

Mark Fusco, Jr., P, Key School

Fusco’s breakout game came in an 11-1 win over Rockbridge Academy on Thursday. The junior tallied 14 strikeouts in a five-inning, complete-game effort. He allowed two hits and an unearned run. At the plate, he drove in four runs, highlighted by a three-run homer. Earlier in the week, Fusco had two hits and one RBI in Key’s 16-5 rout over Saints Peter & Paul.

Jonathan Money, Sr., P, South Carroll

Money took the mound against Liberty on Thursday, a day after South Carroll fell to the Lions, 4-1. The senior dominated — tossing a no-hitter while striking out 16 batters. He also added a double in the Cavaliers’ 4-0 win.

Joe Seidler, Sr., P, Chesapeake (Anne Arundel)

If you are an avid reader of this feature, you know Seidler’s name. He’s been a frequent candidate since he was a sophomore. He’s back again after a strong week. He knocked in two of Chesapeake’s eight runs Tuesday in a win against South River. The next day, he was 3-for-4 with a double in a win against Annapolis. But the righty saved his best for last in a 12-4 win against Severna Park on Friday. He allowed four runs on four hits while striking out nine batters in 6 2/3 innings pitched. And he hit a grand slam and a RBI single for five RBIs to help his cause.

Others considered (listed alphabetically): PJ Alvanos (North County); Colby Buckheit (Chesapeake AA); Phil Carroll (Oakland Mills); Noah D’Alonzo (Mount Hebron); David Kates (Glen Burnie); Jalen March (Archbishop Curley); Paul Nixon (Archbishop Curley); Andrew Sowinski (Annapolis Area Christian).

About ‘Prep Ballplayer’ nominations: Three new candidates are revealed each Monday. You can vote — early and often — for the candidate you believe is most worthy. Voting ends on Thursday night and the winner is announced Friday afternoon.

If you’re interested in submitting candidates for our consideration, please send the player’s name, key statistics from the previous week and your contact information to Sean@BaltimoreBaseball.com. We welcome suggestions and your feedback.