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2025 High School Team Previews: Volume V

February 27, 2025
Carter Floyd | Jamie Tessoff
KY Social Media Director | KY Scouting Director

Opening day for the KHSAA baseball season is quickly approaching! Our preseason events have concluded, and our staff has shifted the focus to preparing for the 2025 season. We’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the state. Their responses have been flooding in, and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis! Read along for our next handful of team previews.

LAFAYETTE: GENERALS

Region: 11

District: 43

Head Coach: Kevin Goins

2024 Record: 15-16

Postseason Finish: District 43 semifinalists

Team Strengths: Pitching, experience

Newcomers: 

Impact Players: 

MARSHALL COUNTY: MARSHALS 

Region: 1

District: 4

Head Coach: Tyler O'Daniel

2024 Record: 18-18

Postseason Finish: Region 1 semifinalists

Team Strengths: "We are returning several guys that have been impact players for us for years. We should have strong starters with depth to provide support on the mound, with experienced hitters behind them." - HC Tyler O'Daniel

Newcomers: 

  • 2027 Hudson Doughty - INF

Impact Players: 

  • 2025 Maddox Cope - MIF
    • .184 AVG, 18 H, 20 R, 13 RBI, 12 BB
  • 2025 Clayton Wyatt - C/RHP
    • .304 AVG, 28 H, 18 R, 16 RBI, 17 BB, 10 SB
  • 2025 Alex Staples - OF
    • .307 AVG, 23 H, 19 R, 10 RBI, 7 SB
  • 2026 Thomas Bagby - LHP/1B
    • 51.1 IP, 16 ER, 52 K, 2.18 ERA
  • 2026 Kannon Dunn - RHP/OF
    • .327 AVG, 17 H, 12 R, 10 RBI
    • 35.1 IP, 16 ER, 40 K, 3.17 ERA
  • 2025 Matthew Henderson - CIF/RHP
    • 18.2 IP, 6 ER, 11 K, 2.25 ERA
  • 2027 Kaden Merrick - UTL/RHP

NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC: THOROUGHBREDS

Region: 9

District: 36

Head Coach: Jeff Martin

2024 Record: 12-19

Postseason Finish: Region 9 quarterfinalists

Team Strengths: "Team pitching. We have 5-7 pitchers, not just throwers. Young talent with exceptional baseball IQ and passion for baseball. 5-7 are baseball players only." - HC Jeff Martin

Newcomers: 

Impact Players: 

  • 2025 Ian Mann - OF/RHP
    • .372 AVG, 32 H, 22 R, 16 RBI, 20 BB, 22 SB
    • 2-0, 17.0 IP, 6 ER, 16 K, 2.47 ERA
  • 2025 JT Mumper - INF/RHP
    • .354 AVG, 28 H, 27 R, 18 RBI, 8 XBH, 22 BB, 16 SB
  • 2025 Chris Meyer - 1B/RHP
    • .214 AVG, 18 H, 8 R, 17 RBI, 8 XBH
  • 2025 Mitch Martin - INF/RHP
    • .245 AVG, 13 H, 10 R, 7 RBI
    • 16.2 IP, 12 ER, 17 K, 5.04 ERA

ST. HENRY: CRUSADERS

Region: 9

District: 34

Head Coach: Greg Pass

2024 Record: 15-19

Postseason Finish: Region 9 quarterfinalists

Team Strengths: "Should be really good defensively and hit the ball better." - HC Greg Pass

Newcomers: 

  • 2027 Gage Peace - OF

Impact Players: 

  • 2025 Jackson Popil - MIF
    • .222 AVG, 6 H, 4 R, 2 RBI, 6 SB
  • 2026 Max Hilgeman - LHP/OF
    • 1-0, 10.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 K, 2.10 ERA
  • 2025 Jeff Pilcher - RHP
  • 2026 Trey Fedders - RHP

POWELL COUNTY: PIRATES

Region: 14

District: 56

Head Coach: Frank Spencer

2024 Record: 27-10

Postseason Finish: Region 14 semifinalists

Team Strengths: "Our pitching should be solid. We’ve got 5 good, quality starters who can generate a lot of ground balls. We won’t be putting many flamethrowers on the bump but we’ve got guys with good stuff. [Lacy Dicken] will be our top guy. Defensively, we have to replace all four infield starters. We’ve got the guys to make that happen and still not miss a beat. We should be consistent and reliable defensively. Offensively, we will need to find some consistency with the lineup and find 9 guys who can hit, bunt, and run. We will be relying heavily on causing chaos for the defense and putting teams in decision making mode all game long." - HC Frank Spencer

Newcomers: 

  • 2026 Ethan Wireman - RHP/1B

Impact Players: 

BOURBON COUNTY: COLONELS

Region: 10

District: 40

Head Coach: Nelson Faris

2024 Record: 22-9

Postseason Finish: Region 10 finalist

Team Strengths: "Young, aggressive, with excellent leadership from our few upperclassmen." - HC Nelson Faris

Impact Players: 

  • 2025 Xavier Barker - C/SS
    • .330 AVG, 30 H, 26 R, 17 RBI, 18 BB
  • 2025 Braxton Lail - OF
  • 2025 Cam Lemire - RHP
  • 2026 Connor Buckler - RHP

CALVARY CHRISTIAN: COUGARS

Region: 10

District: 37

Head Coach: Brad Ruwe

2024 Record: 12-18

Postseason Finish: District 37 semifinalists

Team Strengths: "Calvary strengths are with its starting pitchers and relief pitchers. Calvary has three seniors and a junior who will lead the team with different combinations of starting and relieving responsibilities." - HC Brad Ruwe

Newcomers: 

  • 2027 Finn Zachery - C

Impact Players: 

  • 2025 Josh Ruwe - UTL/RHP
    • .411 AVG, 39 H, 29 R, 27 RBI, 12 BB, 24 SB
    • 50.0 IP, 23 ER, 74 K, 3.22 ERA
  • 2025 Cal Ruwe - UTL/RHP
    • .302 AVG, 26 H, 13 R, 13 RBI, 8 BB
    • 45.1 IP, 39 ER, 57 K, 6.02 ERA
  • 2025 Adam Curtis - C/RHP
    • .325 AVG, 27 H, 7 R, 17 RBI, 11 BB

HARLAN: GREEN DRAGONS

Region: 13

District: 52

Head Coach: Lee Freyer

2024 Record: 23-12

Postseason Finish: Region 13 semifinalists

Team Strengths: "Competitive group with a blue collar work ethic." - HC Lee Freyer

Newcomers: 

  • 2028 Jaxson Perry - OF
  • 2028 Grant Shelton - UTL

Impact Players: 

  • 2026 Baylor Varner - RHP/INF
    • .284 AVG, 31 H, 45 R, 17 RBI, 9 XBH, 21 BB, 37 SB
    • 61.1 IP, 29 ER, 98 K, 3.31 ERA
  • 2027 Eli Freyer - RHP/INF
    • .313 AVG, 31 H, 22 R, 20 RBI, 15 BB
  • 2027 Luke Luttrell - LHP/OF
    • .256 AVG, 21 H, 32 R, 16 RBI, 8 XBH, 28 BB, 11 SB
    • 5-2, 45.2 IP, 12 ER, 57 K, 1.84 ERA
  • 2025 Jared Moore - RHP/INF
    • .286 AVG, 28 H, 15 R, 24 RBI, 12 XBH, 13 BB
    • 4-2, 44.2 IP, 16 ER, 35 K, 2.51 ERA
  • 2026 Brody Owens - C/RHP
    • .234 AVG, 25 H, 25 R, 20 RBI, 15 BB, 14 SB
    • 2-1, 18.2 IP, 11 ER, 20 K, 4.13 ERA
  • 2026 Jake Brewer - UTL
    • .245 AVG, 24 H, 31 R, 19 RBI, 11 BB, 22 SB
    • 3-0, 10.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, 0.66 ERA

EAST CARTER: RAIDERS

Region: 16

District: 62

Head Coach: Connor Robinson

2024 Record: 22-7

Postseason Finish: State round of sixteen

Team Strengths: "After losing all 9 starters to graduation we look to improve one day at a time. I think we will show a little depth on the mound in which we should attack the strike zone. Throughout the season we will probably be starting players from grades 8-12." - HC Connor Robinson

Impact Players: 

  • 2026 Colton McGuire - INF/RHP
    • 5-1, 41.1 IP, 20 ER, 37 K, 3.39 ERA
  • 2025 Colin Pennington - UTL
  • 2026 Landon Yoak - OF/RHP
  • 2025 Sylas Bentley - OF
  • 2026 Riley Steele - INF/RHP

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