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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.

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2025 Spring Team Preview: South Lyon

SOUTH LYON - The first conference championship in school history was won by South Lyon in 2024. With most of that squad back, could the first district title since 2008 be among the accomplishments ahead in the upcoming campaign?

“We are very excited about this season,” explained fifth-year head coach Erich Stephenson, who has a 49-23 record in his time in charge of the program, highlighted by a 22-2 mark in the Lakes Valley Conference last season. “We have a close, committed group of guys that enjoy being around each other. Team chemistry is oftentimes overlooked but is an X-factor when it comes to success. This group all have baseball as their number one sport which is rare for a high school team. Their passion for the game makes it easy to show up to the field daily.”

While it is a program that is “not very rich” in history according to Stephenson, things are headed in the right direction.

“I would say our program values commitment and accountability,” noted the South Lyon mentor. “We preach giving your best effort and working through your mistakes, all while understanding that one play will not define us as a team or you as a player. When you put in the work and time to do something, results will leave you smiling.

“On the field we take pride in our defense. In my two seasons on varsity we have averaged 3.6 runs allowed per game. This is a testament to the hard work our guys put in during the season to always make the right play. Offensively, our guys do a great job playing complimentary ball. ‘Pass the torch’ is a term they hear often and they do just that. In my two seasons we have a team OBP of .395 and average about 6.3 runs a game. You won’t see massive power numbers from us but we consistently find a way on base.”

A roster filled with college commits makes the 2025 season one with a lot of promise for the Lions.

“We will have 12-plus seniors on the team and half of them have been on varsity since sophomore year,” Stephenson related. “The experience will help us come playoff time.”

It starts on the mound with pitchers Ryan Walters and Chris Mathis along with two-way standouts Luke Stevens and Aiden Robinson. A Saginaw Valley State commit, Walters is the 16th-rated senior left-handed pitcher in Michigan who was 5-1 with 59 strikeouts in 46.2 innings earning all-conference honors a year ago. Mathis, the 147th-ranked 2025 in the state who will play next year at Heidelberg, was 7-0 with 54 Ks in 51 innings with a 1.51 ERA, earning conference and district recognition a year ago.

Stevens, a Grand Valley State commit ranked third among senior third basemen in Michigan, was all-conference, district and region in 2024 after going 1-0 with 22 strikeouts in 14.2 innings with a 2.86 ERA, while averaging .434 with 20 extra-base hits, driving in 35 runs and scoring 36. Robinson, the eighth-rated senior outfielder in the state, was 5-2 on the hill last year with a 3.20 ERA, striking out 45 in 43.2 frames.

“We will have four starters that sit in the high-80s with multiple years of varsity experience,” pointed out Stephenson, who also has high hopes for sophomore Daniel Lohmeier, who can play third base as well as pitch. “We have 10 guys that can be trusted on the mound to eat innings and keep us in the game.”

Putting runs on the board is expected this season, with a large number of returnees. Sam Stoll, the 12th-ranked senior third baseman in Michigan, can play corner infield and catch. A Madonna commit, Stoll hit .386 with 27 runs and 32 RBIs last year earning all-district honors. Braden Fox, an Indiana Tech commit, is back to play middle infield following a .293 season at the plate with 18 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.

Gavin Crowley, a Henry Ford signee, is back to play centerfield after batting .292 with 24 runs, 18 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 2024. Lawrence Tech commit Gavin Martinkowski also returns to the outfield and brings another strong stick to the line after hitting. 320 with 27 runs and 18 stolen bases a year ago. Andrew Verona-Kerley is back to catch following a .392 season batting cleanup with 11 extra-base hits and 29 RBIs.

“If our pitching staff stays healthy and on their game, we will be a tough out come postseason,” explained Stephenson, who lost two key players to graduation in Aidan Miller (.403, 50 runs, 27 RBIs, second team all-state) and Connor Hayden (LHP, 5-1 3.19 ERA). “Our experience of losing those close playoff games makes their fire burn a little hotter.

“We also expect to do well in the LVC … a top three team and probably the favorite. However, this group wants more. Our sights are set on winning a district and making a deep run in June.”

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