Junior Jayden Dubanewicz is a pitcher for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School varsity baseball team. For the upcoming 2023 season, he is expected by his coaches to step into a major role for the team and finally get the opportunity to be a starter for MSD.

As a freshman, Dubanewicz began his baseball career at MSD on the junior varsity team and established himself as an elite level pitcher with great potential, allowing zero runs and going undefeated. He is described by varsity coach Todd Fitz-Gerald as a “competitive” player with “no fear,” which is what separates him from the other pitchers on the staff.

During his sophomore season, Dubanewicz spent time making starts for the junior varsity team and getting placed in the bullpen for some experience on the varsity team.. His most notable outing last season was on April 21 on the road against Western High School, where Dubanewicz threw 3.2 innings of shutout ball. Out of the bullpen, he struck out seven players and only allowed one hit on the way to a 14-8 victory over Western. His performance during this game gave MSD a chance to take the lead and win over Western. Every win counted for the Eagles in their national championship season last year.

With the recent success of the MSD baseball program, specifically pitching staff, the Eagles are looking for younger, less experienced arms to step into the roles that were left behind by seniors who graduated this past year.

The staff is going to feature multiple NCAA Division 1 level pitchers, led by University of Florida commits Christian Rodriguez and Jacob Gomberg. Coach Fitz-Gerald and the Eagles are hoping for Dubanewicz to slot right into the rotation slot left open by the departure of pitcher Chris Arroyo. Arroyo is currently playing college baseball at UF.

It is expected that Dubanewicz will step into a very significant role on the team this season as MSD looks to continue their dynasty and win a third consecutive national championship.

“He is a very energetic guy on and off the field, always keeping the boys hyped up for the games,” center fielder Alex Rodriguez (4) said.

Even when not in the game, keeping the energy high and fighting for your teammates is an integral part of being on the team.

An important part of contributing to team success isn’t just the play on the field, it is contributing to team chemistry by getting involved in the team.

“He’s a good teammate, always picking his teammates up, helping them fix things if there’s any issues,” first baseman Nick Diaz (11) said.

Highly talented players like Dubanewicz are going to commit to universities at some point, it’s just a matter of where and when. During the summer of 2022, via instagram post, Dubanewicz announced that he is committing to the University of Florida to play college baseball. The university is a baseball powerhouse and has seen many high-end baseball talents commit and attend their school.

MSD alone had five commitments to the University of Florida last year alone. Pitchers Christian Rodriguez (10), Arroyo, Jake Clemente (24), Gomberg and Dubanewicz all committed to play baseball at UF.

“I feel like it’s the best place for me,” Dubanewicz said. “That’s where I see myself in the future.”

Dubanewicz is going into his junior season and getting the biggest opportunity out of his three seasons playing for MSD, he is looking to prove himself as a pitcher who can get consistent starts for MSD and play a major role in the Eagles quest to win another championship.

Being a part of the MSD varsity baseball roster is a big commitment but performing to expectations is expected to bring a lot of attention to Dubaniewicz and other players looking to progress with their baseball careers. It is expected that Dubanewicz will blossom into a great pitcher for the Eagles this year as they look to continue their recent success with yet another fantastic season.