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With 2024 now in the past, Prep Baseball Michigan is eagerly anticipating bringing the state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2025. Starting in February, we began releasing team previews for squads across the state. Ahead, we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way.

To view the full list of 2025 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2025 Team Preview, click here.

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2025 Spring Team Preview: Mattawan

MATTAWAN - The Wildcats of Mattawan have found a lot of success in the first three years that Brett Vaughn has been in charge of the program. There was a trip to the regional finals in 2022 and a state semifinal loss in 2023 before last year’s team was ousted in the districts to finish 27-8 on the season.

“Over the last three years we have had a very strong core group of senior leadership,” explained Vaughn, who has a 78-33-1 record at the school entering this season. “We have had a very strong pitching staff as well. That should not change much this year.”

Junior Kaden Jominy and Liam Walsh along with seniors Kellan Wilder and Preston Shackelford are back to lead the way on the mound. Jominy is the third-rated 2026 right-handed pitcher in Michigan, while Walsh was 2-0 last season with a 0.368 ERA in 19 innings on the mound. Wilder gives Vaughn a left-handed hurler, with Shackelford back following a 2-1 season in which he threw 19.2 innings with a 1.424 ERA.

The infield is anchored up the middle by junior Nolan Jominy and senior Troy Scarff, with Tyson Stratton, an Earlham College commit, behind the plate. Jominy batted .277 last season as a sophomore while Stratton hit .318 with 19 RBIs. Shackelford is another infielder for the Wildcats.

Brody Houseman will be in the outfield with Kaden Jominy also filling in when not pitching. 

Three juniors are being counted on to have extended roles this year in Patrick Daugherty, Evan Koning and Maxx Vanantwerp. Daugherty is an outfielder/third baseman while Koning is the 132nd-rated 2026 right-handed pitcher in the state who will also play infield. Vanantwerp a first baseman.

“We will have a lot of depth defensively and pitching this year,” noted Vaughn, whose biggest losses via graduation were Connor Walsh (Eastern Michigan) and Brendan Garza (Ball State). “We return almost 70 percent of the innings thrown last season this year. Our power may be down some, but we should also be pretty quick on the bases.”

Vaughn is hopeful a big season awaits.

“Playing solid defense will be our key this year,” Vaughn explained. “Our pitching is ready to take us to the next level.”

The Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference will be another challenge in 2025.

“We should contend for the league championship,” Vaughn said. “But the conference will be solid as it normally is.”

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