Mt. Vernon is a program that has been plenty successful since the turn of the decade, winning 20+ games in the 2021, 2022, and 2023 seasons, respectively. Injuries hampered them throughout last spring, but they return several players that were regulars from last year’s team and have their eyes on competing for the South Seven conference title. 

Starting with a strong core of seniors, the Rams have their staff ace from a year ago returning in RHP Cale Maurer (2026). A 6-foot-6 basketball standout for Mt. Vernon, Maurer punched out 67 batters over 45 ⅔ innings of work last spring with a 3.07 ERA. We saw him on a handful of occasions throughout 2025, most notably at one of our showcases this summer, where he was up to 87.7 on his final pitch, pitching at 84-86 mph and spinning a low-70s slider. He also contributed at the plate, hitting .307 in 75 at-bats, driving in 12 runs. Another year of reps under his belt on the mound will only allow Maurer to continue syncing up consistently, and the uncommitted senior right-hander has a chance to build off his all-conference junior campaign even more so in 2026. 

Cale Maurer

The Rams have three other regulars in their senior class that return from last season. OF Nolan Mast (2026) earned first team all-conference honors after hitting .330 in 88 at-bats, plating 15 runs and swiping 11 bags. RHP/UTL Eli Prost (2026) is another all-conference honoree, hitting .304 over 79 at-bats and turning in 25 ⅓ strong innings on the hill with just nine walks. OF Ty Pierce (2026) has started on varsity for this program since his freshman year and is a 6-foot-2 athlete that runs a 6.6 runner and can flat-out go get it in the outfield. 

Mt. Vernon was without standout INF/RHP Trevor McClure (2027) for the entirety of last season, but the Rams’ star returns and is ready to help this team on all levels. As a freshman in 2024, McClure hit .331 with 13 extra-base hits in 118 at-bats and he pitched to a 2.56 ERA ini 57 ⅓ innings on the mound, punching out 68 while walking just 18. He’s as talented as they come on both sides of the ball, with an impactful right-handed barrel, a clean, sure-handed glove on the infield, and an upper-80s arm from the right side that spins a sharp top-to-bottom breaking ball with swing-and-miss upside. McClure’s return immediately makes this team better and, although there will likely be an adjustment period in the early going, he’s ready to build off the numbers he put forward in his freshman campaign. 

Trevor McClure

Another junior that intrigues our staff is MIF Ryker Perigo (2027), a switch-hitter with a clean swing from both sides of the ball that was an everyday regular as a sophomore last spring. Perigo took 112 trips to the plate and walked 26 times, compared to 15 strikeouts, while leading the team in stolen bases with 13. The experience he gained last year as an underclassman on varsity should only help him in his long term development and he will be a name to keep an eye on as a potential all-conference honoree. 

Ryker Perigo

One reason we like this Mt. Vernon club internally is what we think they’ll be able to do on the mound, and a pair of sophomore arms in RHP Maxwell Nowak (2028) and RHP Owen Burke (2028) are a big reason why. Another basketball player, Nowak, who’s 6-foot-6, struck out 44 over 39 ⅔ innings in his freshman spring, pitching to a 3.88 ERA. He’s a lanky, long-levered athlete with a low-80s fastball and big, bendy breaking ball that will continue to sync his levers up more consistently as he adds more strength to his frame. Burke pounded the strike zone in his opportunities last season, walking only five batters over 20 innings of work to a 1.40 ERA. He’s a 6-foot, 175-pound right-handed hitter that can also contribute at the plate. Another sophomore that saw regular playing time as a freshman last spring of note is 6-foot-2, 205-pound 3B Bronx Hefner (2028). 

Maxwell Nowak