Prep Baseball Report

What's in store for 2025: Director's Take


By: Andy Sroka
Managing Editor, Scouting

The ‘Hotlist’ is a series that provides weekly insight into the high school baseball scene spanning the country, curated by Prep Baseball’s state directors who are situated nationwide, with vital intel on the prospects who are in their own backyards. Each week, we’ll publish our ‘Hotlist’ on varying topics that are timeliest to the national baseball calendar at that point in time.

This week’s topic: Now that we're in our first full week of the New Year, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the things you're looking forward to in 2025 in each of your states – maybe it's the first year you'll be hosting a State Games event, or it's seeing if a high school team will win a third straight state title, or maybe it's learning if a player from your state will be drafted at the highest pick in recent history, etc. There's lots of room for creative answers here, so feel free to think outside the box on this one.

+ Learn of our directors stationed nationwide by visiting the staff directory.
+ View which Prep Baseball events are headed your way next at this page.
+ Read about previously published ‘Hotlist’ topics here.


♨️ The ‘Hotlist’ (1/10):


Alabama

“In 2024 we hosted the inaugural Yellowhammer State Games and the event was a tremendous success as we had 171 players that participated in a pro style workout and 2 games over a two day period (June 18-19). The event was held at Sand Mountain Park in Albertville as players were divided up among twelve different teams. A total of 58 players that were at the event have now committed or signed to colleges. Eighteen players were chosen to represent Alabama at the 2024 Future Games (Junior Future Games, Future Games and Senior Future Games) and one player was chosen to play in the 2024 Prep Baseball All-American Game in Miami, Florida. There were over 30 college coaches in attendance over the two day period. In 2025, we will once again be back at Sand Mountain Park on June 17-18 and hope to outdo the inaugural Yellowhammer State Games. For the first time, we will be hosting a "Select" team made up of some of the higher ranked players from across Alabama. ”

David Sharp, Deep South Supervisor


California

As a staff we are looking forward to a year of continued growth with all of our preeminent events on the calendar beginning with our California State Games. We are headed to a new location this year that will allows us to make the event better for all the participating players. We are excited about the growth the event has shown over the last four years and expect an even larger turnout this year. Given the talent in the 2027 class in California, this should be the deepest Team California we've taken to the Future Games. That depth will make our Future Games Tryouts that much better because no 2027 player in the state is going to want to miss that opportunity. Finally, we are excited about launching our California Super Sophomore Games that will take place in the fall with a workout and games over the course of a weekend on a college campus."

Les Lukach, California State Director


Colorado

“The Eaton Reds' 3A baseball program out of the Rocky Mountains has now won 4 straight state titles and has reached a 69 game winning streak. According to MaxPreps, the longest recorded HS baseball winning streak was from 2008-2012 when the Portsmouth Clippers out of New Hampshire won 89 games in a row. The Reds are now 21 games from breaking that record this upcoming spring, and adding to their already illustrious history out of Colorado. Eaton has won 15 state titles over the years and seen the likes of Walker Martin, Mitch Haythorn, Ryan Ure, Shane Dyer, Bennett Pickar, Tyler Wallace, Chris Swain, and Mike Carrasco graduate from the Northern Colorado HS. ”

Caleb Dameron, Colorado Staff


Florida

“Looking forward to the 2025 Future Games as the state of Florida is filled with extremely talented uncommitted 2027s. The 2027 class is one the deepest classes Florida has had.”

Rocco Iervasi, Managing Director


Illinois

“We are incredibly excited about our Future Games team this coming summer. Yes, it is extremely early to be thinking about that, but our 2027 class in Illinois is loaded with Power 4 caliber players. We already got a sneak-peak at what will likely make up a good chunk of our Future Games team at the Super Sophomore Games, with players such as Kaden Wasniewski (McHenry) and Jacsen Tucker (Oswego East) at the top of the class making strong impressions. Not only is the top end of the class incredibly talented, there is also a ton of depth throughout the list, which will make it quite difficult to narrow down only 25 players to bring to Georgia at the end of July, but its a good problem to have. ”

Peter Hamot, Assistant Scouting Director Illinois/Wisconsin


Indiana

“Our staff is excited for our first Freshman Preseason All-State in Indiana. We are hosting it in the Indiana University indoor facility, with already nearly 100 prospects signed up, including 50% of our initial Top 20 2028s. Each individual class having only their grad class at their respective preseason all-state will create a unique & highly competitive atmosphere.

Also - Senior RHP Matthew Fisher has a chance to be the first Indiana HS arm to be selected on Day 1 of the draft since 2015. ”

Cooper Trinkle, Indiana Scouting Director


Kansas

(7/6/24)

+ Deacon Pomeroy, C/OF (Shawnee Heights HS, 2025) | Oklahoma State:

“There is no more physically imposing presence in the Sunflower State than Pomeroy. At 6-foot-4, and 220-pounds of nearly all muscle the right-handed hitter is a treat for a 100+ mph exit velo every time he steps to the dish. Pomeroy posted a 101.8 Max EV and 93 average exit velo at the Royals Scout Team Scout Day this past summer. ”

Andy Urban, Regional Director


Kentucky

(9/12/24)

+ Owen Jenkins, C (Lexington Catholic HS, 2025) | Kentucky:

“Jenkins has long been on the radar in Kentucky and blew up the national seen last summer in a dominant way. A Prep Baseball All American Invite to Miami who put himself in day one draft consideration. Jenkins has a real chance of hearing his name called early and possible day one in July. Athletic and an easy mover wherever he plays that brings an elite bat to the table. If an organization thinks Jenkins sticks behind the plate then this has a chance to be the first player since Daylen Lile to go inside 47 picks from the Commonwealth. ”

Jamie Tessoff, Scouting Director


Louisiana

“Oak Grove High School has won four straight State Championships and return six starters from last year's championship team, including four players who have been key contributors on all four state title teams. I am excited to see if the Tigers can win their fifth straight State Championship this spring, which would be one of the greatest runs in the history of Louisiana High School baseball. ”

Alex Armand, State Director


Michigan

“Our staff is looking forward to the 2025 high school season. We have a strong 2027 class who are eager to start making their mark on their respective programs and a number of seniors who've drawn interest from professional scouts. The Mitten will be competitive in all four areas from Detroit to the Tri-Cities to West Michigan. We can't wait to continue our spring coverage of our great athletes.”

Adam Goodwin, Michigan Scouting Director


Minnesota

“Baseball Day Minnesota 2025 officially has a date and a home.

After careful deliberation following the exciting launch at Minnetonka's Veterans Field in May 2024, the Baseball Day Minnesota committee identified Waconia's Lions Field as the site for this year's event. Eight of the top teams in their respective classes will compete on what is a much anticipated event in year two. Participating teams are Duluth Marshall vs. Montevideo, Rockford vs. Perham, Maple Grove vs. Mounds View, and Chaska vs. Waconia. Some of the states top talent, programs and coaches will highlight an exciting day on May 17th, 2025 in Waconia, MN”

Andy Judkins, State Director


Nevada

“This Summer will be the first time we run a Rising Stars Games, where we will be selecting the top players from our Rising Stars events and inviting them to Rising Stars Games. From this event, we will be selecting our final team to represent Nevada at the 2025 Junior Future Games. ”

Brett Harrison, West Coast Supervisor


New Jersey

“At this point last year, New Jersey was staring down the barrel of three legitimate MLB Draft prospects. When RHP Chris Levonas blew up at the Super 60 in 2024 and carried that momentum through a successful spring, Bryce Meccage (Brewers) and Luke Dickerson (Nationals) followed suit. Dickerson and Meccage both put up historic numbers during the high school season. Dickerson became the first player in 10 years to tie Mike Trout's NJ home run record, coming just feet short of breaking it in the State Final, while Meccage had a no-hit *season* (!!). The most exciting part will be predicting what comes next for New Jersey baseball. Will Nick Becker follow the Dickerson model of right-right position player drafted on day 1? Will Coastal Carolina commit LHP Frank Cairone skyrocket up draft boards now that he's fully healthy? Or will the talented 2026 class overmatch this senior crop? Only time will tell on this one, but we're gearing up for a fun 2025 of baseball in the Garden State.”

TJ Hunt, State Director


New York

“Prep Baseball New York will be looking forward to hosting their 11th year of the NY State Games on June 24-26 with three single day sessions at the The Lumberyard in Cortland, NY.

The NY State Games has produced 23 affiliated draft picks or free agent signings since 2015. The event has served as a gateway for thousands of Empire State players to the collegiate level with as many as 1,302 and counting commits since 2020 alone. ”

Jared Carrier, NY Executive Director


North Carolina

“North Carolina has consistently produced a robust pipeline of high-caliber baseball prospects, with many entering their senior year already drawing significant attention from professional scouts. These scouts often have a clear sense of the key players to watch, but it’s not uncommon for a “late bloomer” to emerge, adding excitement and depth to the pool of potential draft candidates as the spring season progresses.

The 2025 class in North Carolina stands out as one of the strongest in recent memory. Several players are positioned to potentially hear their names called on Day 1 of the MLB Draft. While such individual achievements are notable, it is the overall depth of talent in the state that is likely to generate the most discussion among draft boards.

Notably, four players from North Carolina's 2025 class have participated in the Prep Baseball All-American Game over the past two years, and the state is set to be well-represented at the prestigious Prep Baseball Super60. This high level of competition fosters excellence, giving this group of senior prospects an opportunity to push one another to new heights throughout the spring season.

Brandon Hall, Mid-Atlantic Scouting Director


Ohio

(7/25/24)

+ Conner Cuozzo, 3B (Archbishop Moeller HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Power hitting third basemen from Archbishop Moeller. Advanced hitter with a simple set up and quiet, repeatable move into launch. Easy pop to the pull-side. Has had success against high level competition on the summer circuit. Double digit homer potential every year. ”

Kyle Weldon, Ohio Scouting Director

“2025 will be the first year we'll have a 100% uncommitted class at Future Games. Along with other states., this will be the most talented Future Games group in recent history because of the rule change. Another exciting note on 2025, with the opening of Jennings Park in Columbus we'll be centralizing and expanding a lot of our premier events like Top Prospect Games and State Games. The opportunity provides a bigger platform for more player to compete in front of schools. ”

Kyle Weldon, Ohio Scouting Director


Oklahoma

Holliday, Willits, and Brumbaugh Lead Oklahoma Draft Prospects

"As in recent years, some of the top draft prep prospects come from the Sooner State. At the top, left handed hitting SS Ethan Holliday paces the class nationally (as seen in our 2025 MLB Winter Mock Draft) with a combination of elite tools from a 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and a mature demeanor. He could be the first high school player drafted first overall since his older brother, Jackson, was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in 2022.

Eli Willits, listed as the 19th ranked prospect (MLB Draft Board First Edition) is likely the youngest player in the 2025 draft class, but the twitchy switch hitting SS has showcased game-changing ability with the bat and on the bases. Polish and athleticism give him versatility that could have his name called in the top round.

Carson Brumbaugh is another top 100 Draft Prospect that we will see at the upcoming Super 60. He has the tools to catch more helium this spring armed with elite bat speed and metrics that lead to loud contact consistently. He is another name to watch as we get closer to the spring season.”

Bret Schwartz, Oklahoma Scouting Director


Ontario

“What I'm looking forward to heading into the new year is our "Ontario Preseason Invitational" and the "Ontario Top Prospect Games". This is our first year introducing a "invite-only" preseason event (sold out) with a chance to get invited to the TPG's later in the summer with gameplay. 2025 is already shaping up to be a fun one and we can't wait to get back on the field.”

Josh Arce, Ontario Scouting Director


Pennsylvania

“The PA State games will be entering their 6th year of existence, highlighted by an additional 3rd overflow session and a venue switch.

The event has seen 1,361 and counting college commits since it's inception in 2020 along with 5 MLB draft picks (All 5 attended the 2020 Games).

In 2025, Session 1 (June 9-10), Session 2 (11-12) and Session 3 (June 17) will all be held at four fields for the first time, at In The Net in Palmyra, PA. ”

Jared Carrier, PA Executive Director


West Virginia

“The 2nd annual West Virginia State Games will be back in Clarksburg, WV on June 17-18. The inaugural event in 2024 has featured 11 college commits and counting along with several players earning invites to the Jr. Future Game and East Coast Super Sophomore Games. ”

Jared Carrier, WV Staff


Wisconsin

“Year two of the Wisconsin State Games is something the entire Wisconsin staff is looking forward to this upcoming summer. Nearly 200 players participated year one with over 80 of those players having committed to collegiate programs following the event. In year two our staff is committed expanding the event, as we feel the state is deep with talent, and making the Wisconsin State Games one of the top recruiting events in the area.”

Josh Fields, Lead Scout


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