Let’s take a look at the next group of top starting pitchers from the 2023 Valley League season….

#7: Jacob Bell, Winchester (Shenandoah): Bell went 2-2, 3.26 for the Royals, with a .230 BAA, 1.056 WHIP, 1.8 BB/9, and 6.5 K/9 in 30 1/3 innings. In the league, he finished 4th in WHIP and 5th in BB/9. He was fantastic in his senior season at Shenandoah in 2023, going 8-1, 2.23 in 88 2/3 innings, with a 1.150 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9, and 7.1 K/9. The awards rolled in; he was named VaSID All-State, first team, VaSID Academic All-State, a 2023 Third Team Academic All-American, 2023 ABCA All-Region second team, 2023 D3baseball.com All-Region second team, 2023 ODAC All-Tournament, and All-ODAC second team. Bell has returned to Shenandoah for a graduate season in 2024. (By the way, I was delighted to see that baseball-reference.com has Division-III stats now. How awesome would it be if they included stats from EMU in 1988-1992….)

#6: Jaxon Dalena, Purcellville (Shippensburg): The VBL North Pitcher of the Year went 3-0, 2.25 for the Cannons, with a .218 BAA, 1.325 WHIP, 4.7 BB/9, and 10.8 K/9 in 40 innings pitched. He finished 1st in innings, 2nd in strikeouts, 5th in K/9, and 10th in BAA. Dalena spent 2021 at Monmouth, where he appeared in six games as a hitter and two as a pitcher. After an injury cost him 2022, Dalena transferred to D-II Shippensburg, where he played in 50 games as their centerfielder and four as a pitcher. (Featured photo from valleyleaguebaseball.com)

#5: Dominic Castellano, Harrisonburg (Central Florida): Castellano went 2-1, 1.05 this summer, with a .248 BAA, 1.254 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, and 9.4 K/9 in 34 1/3 innings pitched. He finished 3rd in the league in ERA, 5th in innings, 3rd in strikeouts, and 10th in K/9. He was named All-VBL in the South for his troubles. He’s appeared in 33 games in two years for the Knights, going a combined 1-1, 7.17, with 48 K’s in 42 2/3 innings.

#4: Adiel Melendez, Winchester (Alabama State to Montevallo): Melendez went 4-2, 2.70 in 30 innings, with a .216 BAA, 1.133 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, and 12.0 K/9 for the Royals. His K/9 was the 2nd highest in the league, and BB/9 was 10th. He also finished tied for 4th in strikeouts, and was top ten in BAA, WHIP, and BB/9. Melendez didn’t get a lot of run at Alabama State in three years, going a combined 3-2, 4.71 in 42 innings over 17 games. He has transferred to Montevallo for 2024.