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2025 VA/DC Preseason Power 25: No. 1

March 7, 2025
Staff
Prep Baseball Virginia/DC

 

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For the next two weeks we will roll out our Preseason Power 25. We will release three teams per day for the first week and then move to two teams per day once we reach the Top 10 next week. Voting for preseason teams centers more around the depth of talent on that team, as well as where it stacks up within their region/area, as opposed to strictly predicting schedule outcomes. Our staff weighs ten different categories (i.e. offensive depth, impact players, frontline arm, pitching staff depth, sustained program success, etc). 

Generally, larger schools and classifications have a greater depth of player talent on roster. However, once the season begins and records begin to take shape, the Power 25 will be adjusted as needed. In addition to that, we will debut our Private School Top 10 around the beginning of April and the Small School Top 10 around mid-April. This will allow teams to settle in and schedule to begin to shake out. Our first overall Power 25 update, due to the VHSL season being pushed back a week, will come Monday, March 31st. 

#1: Miller School Mavericks

          

Season Preview: 

The Miller School Mavericks are loaded once again in 2025. From top to bottom, they have the most talented roster in VA/DC, and maybe even the Mid-Atlantic region as a whole. There are maybe one or two pitching staffs that rival or are better than the Mavericks staff, but none have the backing of the offense that this roster brings. Jacob Rexrode (Ferrum), Kason Wagner, Dillon O’Connor (JMU), Matthew Bobsin (Mary Washington), Naomi Ryan, and Evan Hankins (Tennessee) round out a large portion of the pitching staff. Both freshman Drew Wade and transfer junior Lorenzo Cafferillo could see some valuable innings as well, and neither lacks the confidence or stuff to contribute to this staff. The offensive lineup returns every major piece outside of Jackson Ingram (West Virginia). While Ingram is a significant loss, John Michael Szefc (Louisiana Lafayette) is arguably the best pure hitter in the state and is a solid defender up the middle. The Mavs do lose one of their vocal leaders in Dom Cafferillo (Georgetown), but Drew Lucy (Charleston-WV) is more than capable to fill those shoes, especially when controlling the running game. Noah Gray had a breakout year as a freshman last year and junior outfielder Jackson Rosales looks to have a big spring as a potential run producer for the Mavs. Hankins, Rosales, Mandela Browman (UNC), Szefc, Gray, and Wagner will probably do some heavy lifting in the lineup, but in addition to Wade, Conner Lockhart is another freshman to be on the lookout for in the future. As is the usual, Coach Wagner and company have an extremely difficult schedule, especially early on, but make no mistake about it, the Mavericks will be primed for another trip to Shepherd Stadium in May.



Final Thoughts: 

"Year in and year out, the Mavericks play one of the toughest schedules in VA/DC, if not the toughest. Sometimes people look at their record after the first week and think a certain way about the season, but it has only proven to help them later on. This year they have a combination of arm depth and experience to go along with offensive firepower that they have not had in a few years. Hankins is just the tip of the iceberg for this loaded Miller School team. He and Wagner should be two of the bigger two-way players. Browman is a lock down centerfielders and Szefc, for me, is the best pure hitter in the state. I fully expect Coach Wagner's squad to be prepared to bring back a VISAA title to Crozet."

- Jason Burton (VA/DC Scouting Director)