We’re still many months away from the start of the 2025 IHSA season, but it’s never too early to take a look at the shape of the upcoming high school season. 

The baseball off-season is in full effect and the opportunity for players, and teams, to improve their game over the coming months is something that we look forward to tracking. 

Those certain changes will alter the outlook of the IHSA scene come the season’s start, but our staff wanted to take some time to highlight some of the clubs that we believe will be some of the top teams in the area this year. This list is not obsolete, and there will certainly be teams not on it that have great success when next season comes to a close. 

That being said, continue reading below to learn more about a few of the teams we believe will make some noise in 1A & 2A this spring, with the 3A & 4A list set to drop tomorrow. 

**Note: Our coverage map ends up to the Springfield area**

CLASS 2A

ST. ANTHONY

St. Anthony (27-5-1) is the team to beat in 2A for our money, coming off a pretty convincing run to capture last year’s state championship trophy. C Connor Roepke (2024) and OF Beau Adams (2024) are gone, but that doesn’t leave the Bulldogs without impact-caliber talent on the roster. RHP/1B Brock Fearday (2025; SWIC) could be considered as the top performer across the state’s 2A classification with the ability to change a game on either side of the ball. CIF Brady Hatton (2025) can really swing it, adding more juice to this lineup, and RHP/INF Aiden Lauritzen (2026) was brilliant on the mound throughout the entirety of his sophomore campaign. Their title defense won’t be easy, but the Bulldogs are certainly capable of finding themselves back in Peoria next June. 

TEUTOPOLIS

If you’re looking for an early challenger in 2A, though, don’t look past Teutopolis (23-12), a program that has a storied history of consistent success. The Wooden Shoes fell to St. Anthony 2-1 in their Sectional Championship in a game that certainly had a championship magnitude to it. Teutopolis has a bonafide ace on the mound in RHP Austin Borries (2026; Lindenwood) that should give them a chance to win each game he toes the rubber. RHP Gavin Addis (2026) has budding potential on the mound too as a long, athletic, and projectable arm that’s on the precipice of breaking out. OF/LHP Davin Worman (2026) and CIF/RHP Mick Niebrugge (2025) add two more pieces to a T-Town club that’s certain to see success in 2025. 

DU QUOIN

One team to keep an eye on is Du Quoin (32-4), who dropped a 3-1 contest to Mt. Carmel in the sectional semi-finals. Multiple of their top contributors on both sides of the ball graduated, but the Indians still have some firepower, and it starts with INF/RHP Cy Craft (2027). As a freshman, Craft fanned 41 with a 2.67 ERA across 39 ⅓ innings on the mound and, while it was in a limited sample, hit .320 and swiped eight bags. He should only continue to improve as he gets older and blossom into a true impact on both sides of the ball for this club. With Craft, RHP Dedrick Melvin (2025) returns after a successful junior season, striking out 61 to the tune of a 1.70 ERA across 45 ⅓ innings on the mound. INF Jaden DeMarie (2025) returns a .414 batting average across a team-high 144 plate appearances, totaling 12 extra-base hits while stealing 25 bags. 

PLEASANT PLAINS 

You’re going to want to familiarize yourself with this Pleasant Plains (29-8) team, both now and in the future. They’re coming off a 29-8 season that ended with a 2-1 loss to Litchfield in the sectional semi-finals, though a large majority of their roster will make their return this upcoming season. Grady Grisham (2026), Cooper Shallenberg (2025) and Charlie Severino (2025) all hit over .350 in more than 110 plate appearances, with four other returners logging 90 or more trips to the plate. On top of that, Pleasant Plains brings back five different arms that threw 26 or more innings in 2024, including staff leaders Taylor Brewer (2025) and Sean Lowder (2025). As if that wasn’t enough, the Cardinals are also going to be boosted by a talented crop of incoming freshmen, such as INF Landon Maisenbacher (2028) and Andrew Potthoff (2028). 

SACRED HEART – GRIFFIN

The Cyclones (23-10) were a game away from a trip to a Super-Sectional, falling to Litchfield 2-1 in their sectional championship. Last year’s team was fairly senior heavy, but the Cyclones have some key pieces returning, most notably RHP/OF Andy Antonacci (2025; Heartland CC). Antonacci should be a big factor into what they’re trying to accomplish in 2025, with names like RHP Will Pennell (2026), INF Carson Butler (2026), and INF/OF Drew Ward (2026) also being key contributors. 

GILLESPIE

You can always count on Gillespie (24-9) to be competitive, and their 2023 team came within one game of making it to a Super Sectional. The Miners lost multiple necessary contributors at key spots across the diamond to graduation this year, but a large majority of their roster returns with the intent to keep on winning. MIF/RHP Luke Schuckenbrock (2026) should step into the star role for Gillespie on both sides of the ball, bringing back a .379 batting average and 1.93 ERA over 40 innings of work.

COLUMBIA

Few programs in 2A have won more games over the past few seasons than Columbia, who went 24-8 last season and captured another regional title before dropping a 3-0 contest to Teutopolis in sectionals. They’ll be without both of their frontline arms from last spring – LHP Brady Mathews (2024; Jefferson JC) and RHP Lucas Riebling (2024; Missouri S&T) – who combined for 108 ⅓ of their total innings. Their lineup will feature 1B Brody Landgraf (2026; Creighton), who is one of the top left-handed hitters in the state, and this Columbia program has earned the respect to be recognized as one of the top 2A teams in the area.

NASHVILLE

You can always count on Nashville (30-4) to be competitive on a year-to-year basis, as the Hornets eclipsed the 30+ win mark for a second straight season before falling in their Sectional Championship. They’ve produced several strong prospects over the years – most notably recent Western Kentucky commit RHP Trey Reinburg (2023) and INF Ian Blazier (2022; San Diego; St. Louis University) – and this year’s group will aim to replicate the success of the past. 

FREEBURG

The Midgets (18-18) didn’t have as much success last year as they’d seen in the past, but a program that’s consistently proven itself as a winner returns a strong core of players that gained another year of experience under their belt. Several of their top performers at the plate will return in 2025, with names like Max Biehl (2025), Evan Rapp (2025), Sam Rauckman (2025), and Ethan Foster (2025), and newcomer Beau Breyman (2027) eager to make an immediate impact behind the plate. Freeburg also returns its team leader in innings pitched from last season in Gabe Lueth (2025), who threw 60 ⅓ innings with 14 walks and a 2.20 ERA as a junior. Robert Fritz (2025) and Liam Scaiefe (2027) are two other capable contributors on the mound to keep an eye on for the Midgets. 

CLASS 1A

FATHER MCGIVNEY

It won’t be easy finding a roster in 1A, let alone across the Metro East, with as much talent as this Father McGivney club has entering the 2025 season. They’re absolutely loaded in all areas of the game and will look to capture that coveted state championship before making a jump up in classification next spring. 

Take a look around this Griffins’ infield and you’ll quickly see why they should be viewed as early title favorites at 1A. INF Drew Kleinheider (2025; St. Louis) has some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the area and returns a .471/.577/.605 triple-slash. Joining him are MIF Kannon Kamp (2025; SIUE), INF Justin Terhaar (2025; UMSL), and 1B Isaac Wendler (2026), all of whom are capable of beating anyone at the plate in a multitude of ways. OF Ben Sink (2026) is a popular helium candidate that’s a strong, athletic left-handed hitter who can flat-out go get it in the outfield, and OF Omar Avalos Jr. (2027) is among the state’s most talented sophomores. RHP/OF Mason Holmes (2025; Hendrix) and INF/OF Scott Phelps (2026) deepen this lineup even more so. 

What’s even more impressive for the Griffins is that almost their entire pitching staff, and their innings workload as a byproduct, are back in 2025. Kamp shouldered a team-high 56 ⅔ innings last spring, pitching to a 1.73 ERA with 69 strikeouts and just 11 walks. Holmes wasn’t too far behind, posting a 1.70 mark across 49 ⅓ innings, and he too only walked 11. Wendler had flashes of brilliance, allowing just one earned run over 21 ⅓ innings last spring, and Sink held a 0.85 ERA over 33 innings on the hill. RHP Evan Koontz (2025; John Wood CC) can be a dynamic bullpen piece with a mid-to-upper-80s fastball and two secondaries that should grab plenty of swing-and-miss. RHP Chase Kelley (2025; Spoon River JC) and LHP Dane Keeven (2025; Monmouth) are two talented depth arms with experience that can provide quality innings when called upon. 

ROUTT CATHOLIC

Routt Catholic (32-7) had an excellent season in 2024, eclipsing the 30 game win mark and a trip to state that included a third-place finish. They won’t have staff ace Conrad Charpentier (2024; Lincoln Land CC) or standout shortstop Nolan Turner (2024; Lincoln Land CC), but the pieces are still in place for the Rockets to build off their success. 

It’ll start with LHP Brady Turner (2026), who should presumably step into the role of staff ace in his junior year. Turner offers all sorts of upside on a strong, broad-shouldered, and physical frame, and he threw well as a sophomore last spring with a 2.29 ERA and 59 strikeouts over a 49-inning sample. The Rockets will also return their three other innings leaders from 2024 in LHP Eli Olson (2025), RHP Brock Runyon (2025), and RHP AJ Charpentier (2026). 

Turner and Olson are also heavy contributors to an offense that proved they were able to win in multiple ways last season. OF Bryson Mossman (2026) was key down the playoff stretch and hit .352 as a sophomore, and OF Jace Lautemann (2025) brings back 99 at-bats with a .303 batting average. 

VALMEYER 

The Pirates have a true ace in RHP Luke Blackwell (2026), who’s coming off a 0.93 ERA in 45 ⅓ innings with 80 punchouts and 16 walks. Their team as a whole last year was fairly young and the top four hitters in their lineup, on any given day, will all be back. C Chase Snyder (2026) led the team with a .372 batting average, though OF Landon Roy (2025) and the aforementioned Blackwell weren’t too far behind. INF Troy Neff (2027) saw success in his first season of high school ball, batting .308 in 98 trips to the plate. Aside from Blackwell, the Pirates three other innings leaders from last spring are all back – Jake Coats (2025), Gavin Rau (2026), and Ripkin Voelker (2026). 

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