2025 Program Previews: Palo Verde
January 7, 2025
The 2025 Nevada 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 throughout the Silver State.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons by raising the 2025 NIAA State Championship trophy, 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 individual teams throughout Nevada and will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Top 10 Rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.
Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our Players of the Week and updating the Top 10 Rankings.
Our 2025 preseason coverage continues today.
High School: Palo Verde
Head Coach: Dustin Romero
NIAA Classification: 5A
2024 Record (Playoff Finish): 28-11 (Class 5A State Champions)
Returning Pitchers: 5
Returning Position Players: 6
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS
- Ethan Clauss - (SS, 2025, Louisiana State University) 2023 Prep Baseball All-American, 2x Prep Baseball ProCase Attendee
- Tanner Johns - (1B/ OF/ LHP, 2025, Grand Canyon University) 2023 Future Games Attendee, 2024 Prep Baseball ProCase Attendee
- Brady Dallimore - (C/1B, 2025, Texas Christian University) 2023 Future Games Attendee, 2023 Prep Baseball ProCase Attendee
- Luke Herrera - (INF, 2025, Uncommitted) 2024 West Coast Games Attendee
- Jace Jefferies - (OF, 2025, Uncommitted) 2024 West Coast Games Attendee
- Karsen Smaka - (OF, 2027) 2023 Junior Future Games Attendee, 2024 Future Games Attendee
UNDER THE RADAR PROSPECTS
- Andrew Suitor - (2025, RHP) Will get an opportunity to eat up innings after graduating top 2 starting pitchers in Zach Bender (LMU) and Mayson Reichartz (CSN)
- Hayden Lucibello - (2025 LHP) Went 7-0 last season on the mound
- Dane Keener - (2026, C) A middle of the order bat that has flashed power, especially to the pull side and will back up Dallimore behind the plate, DH and play OF.
TOP NEWCOMERS
- Kyle Johnson - (2026, RHP/INF) Johnson will have an opportunity to contribute an
FRESHMEN TO FOLLOW
- Noah Knudson - (2028, IF) Prep Baseball Nevada Rank - #1, Prep Baseball National Rank - #20
TEAM OUTLOOK
In just his first year at the helm, Coach Romero took a sleeping giant of a program from 12-18 record in 2023 to raising the 2024 State Title trophy with a 28-11 record in 2024 and they seem to have their sights set on a repeat in 2025. This group brings back the heart of their lineup that features three Division 1 signees surrounded by high level, Uncommitted bats that made their presence known as they represented Nevada at both the Future Games and West Coast Games. On the mound is where Palo Verde may have the only question marks as their #1 and #2 arms both graduated, but each year, the Panthers seem reload, not rebuild, at each position, so their is little doubt that arms like Tanner Johns and Hayden Lucibello will ascend into the big game roles.
With Ethan Clauss, Tanner Johns and Jace Jefferies leading the way on the offensive side of the ball for a majority of the 2024 Season, Luke Herrera and Karsen Smaka are primed for big years at the plate as TCU signee, Brady Dallimore, will make arguably the biggest impact after missing a majority of last season due to injury. This stout lineup also adds the #1 ranked freshman, Noah Knudson, who we expect to announce his presence early this coming Spring.
The present talent on this team and the State Championship experience that a majority of this roster has should play a vital role in their run to repeat.
Find more information on the program below:
+ Follow Palo Verde Baseball on X: @panthers_pvhs
+ Prep Baseball Nevada, Top 10 Team Rankings Homepage
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Upcoming Events
Showcase | State | Date | Location |
Las Vegas Preseason ID - Session 1 | NV | 01/21 | UNLV - Las Vegas, NV |
Las Vegas Preseason ID - Session 2 | NV | 01/22 | UNLV - Las Vegas, NV |
Reno Preseason ID | NV | 02/02 | University of Nevada - Peccole Park |