Finally, after what seems like an eternity, high school baseball is upon us in the Bluegrass State as scrimmages have been in full force in preparation for the March 29 regular season start. Thus, the time has come for us to release our Preseason Power 25.

In 2019, the last season played in Kentucky, 3 of the 4 teams that made the State Final Four were ranked in the top 6 in our preseason Power 25 that year.

Wednesday we released No. 21-25 in our preseason rankings.

Thursday we released No. 16-20 in our preseason rankings.

Friday we released No. 11-15 in our preseason rankings.

Saturday we released No. 6-10 in our preseason rankings.

As we get into the season, we will update the Power 25 each Monday.

Here is a look at the teams ranked No. 1-5 in the Preseason Power 25

1. Trinity – Last year’s Preseason No. 1 checks in at the top again as the Rocks are loaded with talent all over the field. The Trinity conversation starts with one of the top high school players in the country in senior OF Daylen Lile, a Louisville recruit who will receive no shortage of attention from pro scouts this spring. Not only does Trinity’s outfield include Lile, the No. 1 ranked player in Kentucky’s 2021 class, it also includes another Louisville commit in junior Korbyn Dickerson and his speed/power combination. Add 2022 OF Paul Osting and his big power from both sides of the plate, and senior Josh Castleman’s (Lincoln Memorial) consistent left-handed bat and the Rocks will feature the best outfield the state has seen in quite some time. Xavier recruit Ethan Hodge will anchor an infield that includes some highly-ranked juniors in Thomas Nettles, Robbie Reed, and senior 3B Gavin Simpkins, a Kentucky Wesleyan recruit. Junior catcher Matt Klein should find his left-handed bat somewhere in the middle of the lineup. The pitching staff will be anchored by Bellarmine recruit Nick Thompson who works in the high-80’s with a sharp slider, junior lefty Garrett Brunstetter, the aforementioned seniors in RHP Simpkins and LHP Castleman, senior RHP Isaiah Taylor, and the aforementioned juniors Nettles and Reed, all of who work in the mid-80’s with their fastballs. Osting should also log significant innings with his high-80’s fastball. It’s rare to play varsity at Trinity as a freshman, but keep an eye on one of the top players in the 2024 class in SS/RHP Jake Schweitzer.

2. Danville – The Admirals are absolutely loaded on the mound with a staff that will present big challenges to anyone they face this spring. Led by a pair of Power 5 recruits in senior RHP Ethan Wood (Louisville) and senior RHP Christian Howe (Kentucky), the pitching staff includes another D1 commit in junior RHP Brady Baxter (Marshall), and junior RHP Logan Smothers who has multiple D1 offers on the table. Wood and Howe will run their fastball up to 90+, and Baxter and Smothers pitch in the high-80’s. As if that weren’t enough, junior RHP Brady Morse will also log a lot if innings with a fastball tickling the high-80’s and excellent pitchability. Look for the offense to be led by the big power of Wood and Morse is an extra-base hit threat every time he steps to the plate. Howe, junior 1B KJ Stanfield, and senior SS Preston Barnes will also help lead the Admirals offensive attack.

3. McCracken County – Another season, another top 5 preseason ranking for the Mustangs who continue to churn out talent in the Paducah area. McCracken is an upperclass dominant team who will be led by a pair of D1 recruits in senior 3B/RHP Grant Godwin (Eastern Kentucky), and senior OF/RHP Ben Higdon (Memphis). Godwin is one of the top left-handed bats in the state, and Higdon switch-hitter with big power. Both will also contribute heavily on the mound with fastballs approaching the high-80’s. Junior RHP/OF Jack Bennett will be another two-way threat for the Mustangs as a highly-ranked player in the 2022 class. Senior RHP Josh Tucker, a Kentucky Wesleyan recruit, also features a high-80’s fastball with good curveball and changeup, Rend Lake recruit Landen Jones will also provide some mound depth. McCracken also features a strong 2023 class led by 3B/RHP Eli James and OF Nathan Lang. Keep an eye on freshman Ross Aldridge, one of the top arms in the 2024 class.

4. St. Xavier – The Tigers pitching will certainly give them the opportunity to win a lot of games as senior LHP Sam Thompson, a Marshall recruit,  will headline a staff that includes junior RHP Luke Lantz and one of the top freshmen in the state in RHP Jake Gregor. All three work in the high-80’s with the fastball, and Thompson features a nasty, high-spin slider with late bite. Senior LHP Braden Wilson, a Centre recruit, senior lefty Cameron Tegge, and junior RHP Ben Tedesco will all play big roles for St. Xavier’s pitching staff as well. Look for the offense to be led by a pair of catchers in senior Justin Lauersdorf, a Parkland CC recruit, and the big power of junior Jake Bennett, who committed to Bellarmine a few months ago. Keep an eye on sophomore Cooper Smith,  who has established himself as one of the top players in the 2023 class.

5. Frederick Douglass – Simply put, the Broncos are loaded with young talent as they carry only a few seniors on the roster. Pitching will be a strength of this team as they are deep and talented on the mound with two D1 arms at the top of the rotation in sophomore RHP Thomas Howard who committed to Louisville well over a year ago, and junior LHP Gavin Faulkner, an Eastern Kentucky commit. Howard will touch 90 with the fastball complemented by a sharp breaking ball, and Faulkner will touch the high-80’s. Another sophomore RHP, Terrique Hicks, pitches in the mid-80’s with a big breaking curveball, and the Broncos will also run out one of the top arms in the 2024 class in LHP Leighton Harris who is already receiving significant D1 attention. One of those seniors, Kentucky recruit Julius Scearce, will lead an offensive attack that includes a speed/power combination. Howard, Faulkner, and Harris can all swing the bat with some authority, and other big offensive contributors will be junior IF Ty Bryant, junior IF Cameron Dunn, junior Caden Johnson, and freshman OF Jeremiah Lowe, whose 6.6 60-yard speed plays even faster on the field.