DeJong & Rendon Players of the Year

June 16, 2016
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Congratulations to Aldrich DeJong and Colten Rendon on being named 2016 Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel Player of the Year. RHP Rendon, a Winthrop University commit, was named the Sentinel’s Large School Player of the Year while DeJong stands as the consensus Player of the Year for Palm Beach County Small Schools. Delong will continue his baseball career at Florida Atlantic University starting Fall of 2016. The Rockets organization would like to thank both players for being standout individuals and wish them the best of luck as they will undoubtedly continue their success at the Division 1 level.

Also, congratulations to the following Rockets players on their 2016 All-Area Selections:

FIRST TEAM

Palm Beach Post 

C: Logan Taplett, Benjamin, Sr.

The Furman commit finished his fourth season on varsity with a .356 batting average along with two home runs, two triples and 23 RBIs.

P: Nik Constantakos, Jupiter Christian, Sr.

The Eagles ace was one of the hardest pitchers to hit in Palm Beach County. The workhorse senior started 15 of Jupiter Christian’s 23 games, striking out 110 batters in 67 2/3 innings while notching a 1.03 ERA.

P: Matt Ellmyer, Benjamin, Sr.

The Wofford commit finshed his fourth varsity campaign with a stellar 9-1 record and 1.42 ERA, striking out 68 batters while walking 11.

Utility: Kris Armstrong, Benjamin, So.

The 6-foot-1 southpaw dominated as a starter and out of the bullpen, putting up a 0.36 ERA in 39 innings. At the plate, he hit .440 with a .640 slugging percentage.

IF: Tarik Latchmansingh, Oxbridge Academy, Jr.

The slugging third baseman clocked four home runs while batting .366 for the Thunderwolves.

OF: Alex Cordes, Atlantic, Sr.

Cordes, a speedy senior outfielder, was an on-base machine. He hit .415 and walked 18 times for a .547 on-base percentage.

Utility: Colten Rendon, Dwyer, Sr.

Rendon was a key player for the Panthers on both sides of the ball, hitting .416 with four home runs on offense while starting 11 games, striking out 71 batters in 54 innings and notching a 2.07 ERA.

Sun Sentinel

James Marinan | P

Park Vista junior

University of Miami commit finished 5-2 with 1.57 ERA and 61 strikeouts; hit .311 with two home runs.

Alex Cordes | Outfield

Atlantic senior

Posted .412 batting average with 26 runs; helped lead Atlantic to regional final appearance.

SECOND TEAM

Palm Beach Post

P: Zach Chivers, Oxbridge Academy, Jr.

Utility: James Marinan, Park Vista, Sr.

Sun Sentinel

Patrick Skibiski, Park Vista, So., INF

Brendan Power, Palm Beach Central, So., INF

HONORABLE MENTION

Palm Beach Post

James Vaughn

Brendan Power

Connor Power

Sun Sentinel

Angelo Brunelas

Connor Power

Below are the related Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel Articles:

By Adam Lichtenstein

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

With Miguel Cuello and his Trinity Christian team’s first chance at a state title on the line, the veteran manager decided if he was going to lose before reaching the state finals, he would do it with his best pitcher on the mound.

Cuello, who has coached the Warriors since 2005 and had fallen short in four previous trips to the state final four, gave the ball to senior ace Aldrich De Jongh. The senior did not disappoint. De Jongh tossed seven scoreless innings against Deltona-Trinity Christian, allowing no runs on only two hits. At the plate, De Jongh walked twice and scored a run.

“You’ve got to go with your best arm before you think about the state final,” Cuello said.

After a stellar season that ended with the Florida Atlantic commit going 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI in a 12-1 victory in the state title game, De Jongh is the Post’s Small Schools Baseball Player of the Year.

(RELATED: Check out the Post’s All-Area Teams and Athletes of the Year in each spring sport)

De Jongh’s success was unparalleled in Palm Beach County. He finished with a perfect 11-0 record with a miniscule 0.12 ERA — in 57 innings, he gave up only one earned run.

“There were games where he got in trouble: first and second, no outs, bases loaded, no outs,” Cuello said. “And he got out of jams that easy. So you knew he was going to have a great season.”

Said De Jongh: “People tend to get scared when there’s bases loaded, but it gives me more strength.”

Batters could not put bats on balls against the Trinity Christian ace, who threw three no-hitters this season and was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 2A Player of the Year.

De Jongh will leave his high-80s fastball and biting slider at Trinity Christian when he heads to Boca Raton. Although he excelled on the mound this season, the Owls signed him to play outfield — though he said he is more than happy to step back on the rubber if FAU needs him.

“I’m happy about playing outfield. That’s my thing, hitting,” De Jongh said. “But I do my best wherever I play. If they want me to pitch, I’ll do it.”

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