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The 2025 California high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across California.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective CIF Section Championship Game, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview these individual programs across California. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across California. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, podcasts, and much more.

Our 2025 preseason coverage continues today with a preview of the Franklin Wildcats.

2025 TEAM OUTLOOK

High School: Franklin Wildcats
Head Coach: Bryan Kilby
CIF Section: Sac-Joaquin Section
Division: Division 1 (2024)
2024 Record (Playoff Finish):  26-7 / 16-2 Delta League Champs / CIF-SJS D1 Semifinals 
Key Players Lost:  Jaydn Ramos, Jordan Lopez, Cole Tobey, Connor Blackburn, Nic Abraham

+ No. Returning Positional Players: 9
+ No. Returning Pitchers: 4
+ Team Strengths: The pitching staff is talented especially in the starting rotation and the offense has big time upside

+ Key Players: 

Seniors:

+ '25 RHP Dylan Wood Arizona Commit

+ '25 OF/RHP Tyler Cody

+ '25 RHP/3B Kyle Pott UCSB Commit

+ '25 LHP/OF Chance Moore

Juniors:

+ '26 OF/1B Dylan Minnatee LSU Commit

+ '26 INF Kyle Timmons

+ '26 INF Jason Harris Cal Commit

+ Projected Starters: Dylan Wood, Kyle Pott

+ Projected Relievers: To Be Determined

IMPACT UNDERCLASSMEN 

+ '27 OF/RHP Royal McKinney

BOTTOM LINE

With a pitching staff fronted by a pair of D1 commits including a potential MLB draft prospect in Wood the Wildcats are going to be difficult to face for opposing lineups, but will have to have some lesser experienced arms pick up the innings that graduated from a dominant 2024 staff (100+ innings graduated) and if those arms can rise to the occasion their staff gets even more dominant. On the offensive side of the game Minnatee is not only one of the best hitters in Northern California for the '26 class, but also state and nationwide the LSU commit is considered one of the best hitters in that class, add in the versatile offensive skill set of Harris and the rising McKinney's potential they have some key pieces and talented depth behind them. Scoring runs agains the Wildcats is going to come at a premium and keeping them off the scoreboard themselves will be no easy task for opponents. 

PREP BASEBALL CA STAFF’S TAKE

"Franklin has a lot of talent coming back from last year's team, losing Jordy Lopez and Nic Abraham will hurt a bit, but they have more than enough talent to fill those spots. Their preseason schedule is loaded with the Boras Classic and the Bishop Gorman Invitational. Dylan Wood (Arizona) and Kyle Pott (UCSB) will be the 1-2 punch on the mound. Tyler Cody is looking to have a breakout season as he will be on both sides pitching and hitting. I like the pair of LHH's Jason Harris (CAL) & Dylan Minnatee (LSU), if those two both have good years they will lead the Franklin offense and man down the defense on the INF. The two Underclass guys that stand out are '28 C Brandon Williams and '27 OF Royal McKinney, both guys will play a big role for the Wildcats this year. Coach Kilby and his staff do an excellent job of creating a baseball culture at that school, considering why his preseason is so tough. The offense has a different identity than last years team it looks promising. Don't be suprised if you see the Wildcats competing for a late post season run." -Hank LoForte, Northern California Scouting Director

Learn more about California’s 2025 spring season below:

+ Follow Franklin on Instagram: @fhswildcatsbaseball
+ Find more team previews on the Prep Baseball California Season Previews homepage

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MORE 2025 TEAM PREVIEWS

Upcoming Events

Showcase	State	Date	Location
Orange County Rising Stars ID	CA	03/02/25	Mater Dei High School
Inland Empire Rising Stars ID	CA	03/30/25	Corona High School
Los Angeles Rising Stars ID	CA	04/27/25	O'Malley Field

MORE PREP BASEBALL NEWS