NewsTribune baseball preview: 5 storylines to watch in 2025

With baseball season getting underway Monday, here are five storylines to watch in the NewsTribune area this season.

Will Hall continue its run of postseason success?

Hall has been the area’s top program in recent years.

Since 2017, the Red Devils have won five regional titles, two sectional titles and the 2018 Class 2A state championship.

The Red Devils will look to keep that postseason success going behind a strong pitching staff, led by Izzaq Zrust (6-2, 2.02 ERA last season) along with sophomore Luke Bryant and junior Braden Curran.

Coach Tom Keegan said the Red Devils’ offense will be “a work in progress,” but the pitching staff should keep Hall in most games.

“Our goals are the same every year, to compete, grow together as a group, learn and execute roles and to be playing our best baseball come May,” Keegan said.

Can St. Bede repeat as regional champions?

St. Bede won a regional championship and advanced to a sectional final last spring, but lost a talented group of seniors from that squad.

However, the Bruins also return a strong core of players, led by senior Alan Spencer and junior Gino Ferrari, who will headline a talented pitching staff.

Offensively, junior Gus Burr led the area in runs with 42, while Ferrari, Spencer and sophomore Geno Dinges also contributed last season.

“As with every team, we are awaiting warmer weather and will be building to be playing our best baseball at the end of May into June,” said St. Bede coach Bill Booker, who is 151-112 as he enters his 10th season leading the Bruins and is 526-378 entering his 30th season as a head coach.

Can La Salle-Peru end a long drought?

L-P coach Matt Glupczynski listed the Cavaliers’ goals as winning 20 games, a conference championship and a regional title.

If the Cavs accomplish those feats, they’ll be ending long droughts. L-P last won a regional title in 2013 and last had 20 wins in 2014.

The Cavs lost a strong group of players from last year’s 15-16 team, but do return some veterans in three-year varsity players Jacob Gross Kaedin Bond and Adrian Arzola.

“We are a young team when it comes to varsity experience, but they are a hungry group that loves to compete,” L-P coach Matt Glupczynski said. “I feel this will be our strength because this group wants to be great and prove something to themselves. The players are working really hard. Every position is wide open.”

Can Putnam County, Bureau Valley and Fieldcrest take a leap forward?

Putnam County, Bureau Valley and Fieldcrest both finished below .500 last season.

While the Panthers and Knights took their lumps in 2024, they gained valuable experience that could pay off this spring.

Putnam County brought back nearly its entire roster from last year’s squad that went 7-19.

“Experience will be something we rely on this year,” PC coach Chris Newsome said. “Our guys have shown a willingness and hunger to put in the work to get better so that we can put out a product that is competitive every time we take the field.”

Bureau Valley returns eight starters from a squad that was 11-16. The Storm also are making a move to the Lincoln Trail Conference.

“It’s a nice group of guys that were motivated to put in the work in the offseason and I think we learned a lot as a group last year from the highs and lows, so if we can learn from our mistakes and play a more aggressive brand of baseball this season this will be a pretty dangerous team,” BV coach Ryan Schisler said.

Fieldcrest brings back eight starters from a team that went 11-13.

“Many of the juniors and seniors have started the previous two seasons,” Brown said. “There should be very little they haven’t seen. Not that this guarantees more wins by any means, but they will be prepared for what the season brings.”

Which players will rise to the top?

NewsTribune Baseball Player of the Year Nathan Husser, of St. Bede, graduated, as did Hall all-state pitcher Max Bryant.

With those two gone, who will emerge as the area’s top players?

Seven NewsTribune All-Area first-team players are back this spring. Some possible NT Player of the Year candidates are Hall sophomore Luke Bryant, Max’s brother, Henry-Senachwine junior Carson Rowe and Fieldcrest senior Jordan Heider.

Bryant had a strong debut season last spring as he topped the area in doubles (13) and ranked top five in runs (32) and batting average (.440) while also recording 16 RBIs.

Rowe has been an impact player since his freshman season when he helped the Mallards place second in Class 1A. Last season, he was named all state after he went 4-3 with a 2.11 ERA on the mound while ranking top 10 in batting average (.422), doubles (nine), triples (two), RBIs (20), runs (22) and steals (13).

Heider is the top returning player for a Fieldcrest squad that welcomes back eight starters. He was top 10 in the area batting average (.427), runs (24), home runs (three), triples (two) and steals (13) as a junior.

Seven NewsTribune All-Area second-team picks also return.