Ah, the big one. Folks tend to like home runs, unless they are stodgy old-timers who believe home runs are ruining major league baseball.

Fair enough.

But still, here is the list of the most home runs in one Valley League season since 2004:

1 Joseph Odom Winchester 2012 17
2 Jon Love Front Royal 2004 16
Steve McQuail Front Royal 2009 16
Jimmy Yezzo Winchester 2012 16
Zach Sterry Waynesboro 2016 16
6 Collin Cowgill Covington 2005 14
JD Mundy Covington 2018 14
Aidan Nagle Woodstock 2019 14
9 Marcus Nidiffer Covington 2008 13
Ryan Durrence Covington 2009 13
Shaun Cooper Harrisonburg 2010 13
Jonathan Griffin Luray 2010 13
Brandon Murray Waynesboro 2012 13
14 Jeremy Terni Winchester 2004 12
Tyler Townsend Winchester 2008 12
Brandon Quaranta Strasburg 2017 12

Aidan Nagle joined another list- here he’s tied for sixth. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; Central High School downplays home runs (this year by about 52%). Imagine how many he might have had if he played in a different home park!

Major Leaguers: Collin Cowgill
Current Minor Leaguers: Joseph Odom
Previous Minor Leaguers: Steve McQuail, Jimmy Yezzo, Zach Sterry, Marcus Nidiffer, Ryan Durrence, Shaun Cooper, Jonathan Griffin, Tyler Townsend
No Minor Leagues: Jon Love, Brandon Murray, Jeremy Terni, Brandon Quaranta
Still in College: JD Mundy, Aidan Nagle

Covington and Winchester each have four, while Waynesboro and Front Royal have two each. Woodstock, Harrisonburg, Luray, and Strasburg all have one, while New Market, Staunton, Charlottesville, and Purcellville don’t have any.

Odom
Cowgill
Mundy
Nagle
Quaranta