Looking for a baitcaster suggestion

If I was buying a new bait casting reel (and in your case I would) I 'd be purchasing something that said Shimano on the side of it.  I'd also get the current Tatula reel fixed.  No clue how old you are, but it really doesn't matter.  I'd be getting a new reel or two, every year, spinning and bait casting, until I was at around 20.   If there was some special purpose rig ( like throwing slab spoons into tail race waters, or something for pier fishing in the Great Lakes, maybe something for Striper fishing), I'd get that first.