With Opening Day slated for Monday, March 14, the 2022 high school baseball season is upon us, and that means it’s time to release the PBR Kentucky/Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association Preseason Power 25.

After hours of combing through returning players and impactful newcomers, we will release the Preseason Power 25 with an in-depth look at five teams at a time. Today, we release the teams ranked No. 1-5.

CLICK HERE to view the teams ranked No. 6-10

CLICK HERE to view the teams ranked No. 11-15

CLICK HERE to view the teams ranked No. 16-20

CLICK HERE to view the teams ranked No. 21-25

The Power 25 will be updated weekly throughout the season.

1. St. Xavier

Outlook: Simply put, the Tigers are loaded on the mound and return two of their top three arms from last season’s 28-11 squad who lost in the 7^th region finals to state champion Trinity. 2024 RHP Jake Gregor (Louisville) will look to build off a stellar freshman season that saw him post a 1.96 ERA in 46.1 innings of work. 2022 RHP Luke Lantz (Yale) returns his 6 wins and 2.30 ERA, and look for big things from 2022 RHP Ben Tedesco (Gulf Coast State) and 2023 LHP Ty Starke who is the top uncommitted lefty in the state. Keep an eye on 2023 RHP Benton Purnell who made a big velocity jump during the off-season.

The offense may be a question mark, as the Tigers only hit .281 as a team last season, but with the quality and depth of their arms, they’re not going to have to score a lot of runs to win games. 2022 C Jake Bennett (San Jacinto) returns as the Tigers leading hitter from last spring after hitting .333 with 9 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 home runs. Two Division I commits, 2023 IF Cooper Smith and 2023 IF Landon Akers (Bellarmine) return after producing solid results as full-time starters in 2021.

2.  Danville

Outlook: Losing their top two arms and bats from last year’s 40-4 squad that lost in the State Semifinals, you might think there would be a drop off this season for the Admirals. Think again. This team is still loaded on both sides of the ball, including four Division I arms that will shut down opposing offenses, led by 2022 RHP Logan Smothers (Eastern Kentucky) who posted an 8-1 record with 2 saves and a 2.35 ERA last spring. 2022 RHP Brady Morse (Bellarmine) won 8 games of his own with a 2.23 ERA, and 2022 RHP Brady Baxter (Marshall) had a 6-0 record and a 1.79 ERA. As if that trio wasn’t enough, 2023 RHP Sam Mattherly (Bellarmine) will look to play a much larger role on the mound for Danville this spring.

Offensively, Baxter, Morse, and 2022 SS Preston Barnes all hit double digit home runs playing in the short porch of Danville’s field, and look for a breakout season for 2022 1B KJ Stanfield.

3. Trinity

Outlook: Gone is 2nd round draft selection Daylen Lile who posted video game numbers last spring, but the Trinity lineup should be in good shape led by another potential early-round MLB draft selection in 2022 OF Korbyn Dickerson (Louisville) who hit .412 with 12 doubles, 5 triples, and 12 home runs for the Rocks in 2021. 2022 C Matt Klein (Louisville) returns to the middle of the lineup after posting a .459 average with 13 doubles, 5 triples, and 7 home runs, and look for 2022 OF Brady Willis (Bellarmine), 2022 IF Robbie Reed (Ohio Northern), and 2024 SS Jake Schweitzer to provide big offensive output for the Rocks. 2022 OF Paul Osting (Bellarmine) has all the tools to be a difference maker in the Trinity lineup, and should get his first chance to play full-time with the graduation of Lile.

On the mound, Trinity is going to need some arms to step up after losing 25 wins to graduation. 2022 LHP Garrett Brunstetter (Western Kentucky) returns his 4-1 record and 2.65 ERA from last season, and look for seniors Reed, Thomas Nettles, and Nate Tencza, who combined for 9 wins last season, to see their roles increase. Schweitzer will also log a significant increase in innings as one of the top arms in the 2024 class. Keep an eye on 2024 lefty Tyce Powers who has the stuff to play a key role.

4. Frederick Douglass

Outlook: The Broncos recorded the best season in the short history of the school last year with a 28-9 record, advancing to the 11^th region semifinals, and return nearly their entire roster this spring. Back to lead the charge on the mound is 2023 RHP Thomas Howard (Louisville) who posted an 8-1 record with a 2.46 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 54 innings. 2022 LHP Gavin Faulkner (Eastern Kentucky) returns his 4-1 record and 1.95 ERA as he racked up 77 strikeouts in 46.2 innings, and 2024 LHP Leighton Harris (Kentucky)  is coming off posting a 2.30 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 21.1 innings as a freshman. 2023 RHP Terrique Hicks (Eastern Kentucky) is back after missing most of last season with an injury, and 2023 RHP Braxton Burse returns his 5-1 record and 1.25 ERA.

On the offensive side of the ball, Harris returns as last year’s leading hitter after posting a .420 average with 7 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 home runs and began to show a power side to his offensive game late in the season. Look for Howard, 2023 C RJ Parks, and 2023 IF Cameron Dunn, coming off solid offensive seasons, to provide plenty of highlights at the plate for the Broncos. Keep an eye on 2024 OF Jeremiah Lowe whose 6.3 60 speed makes him a threat to the defense at the plate and on the bases.

5. McCracken County

Outlook: Coming off a 35-6 record that culminated in a State Runner-Up finish, the Mustangs lose some key pieces from last year’s squad but return plenty to be excited about for the 2022 season. 2024 RHP Ross Aldridge (Louisville) returns after a stellar freshman season saw him post an 8-1 record and 1.53 ERA. 2022 RHP Jack Bennett (Western Kentucky) and his 1.75 ERA from 2021 should step into the No. 2 spot in the rotation and look for a very strong 2024 class to contribute heavily on the mound led by RHP Miller Green , LHP Caleb Ehling, and RHP Davis Beale. Watch for 2023 LHP Zach Sims to have a breakout season for the Mustangs.

2023 OF Nathan Lang returns as the team’s leading hitter after hitting .358 with 5 doubles, 3 triples, and 3 home runs last spring. Bennett will provide plenty of offensive firepower after posting a .344 average with 9 doubles, 1 triple, and 3 home runs, and 2024 1B Eli James has plenty of pop and returns his 9 doubles and 2 home runs from the 2021 campaign.