KCL 2025 Season Preview

With the 2025 KCL season about to kick off, four teams are gearing up for their shot at the title. The Ground Sloths roll into the Corn Crib looking to defend their crown behind a reliably deep rotation. After last year’s letdown, the Bobcats are fired up to prove themselves, and the Blue Caps are banking on a mix of veteran bats and fresh arms to return to their championship winning ways. Stung by last summer’s close call, the Merchants are hungry for redemption and have the pieces to win their first KCL Championship. Here’s a preview of the top pitchers, hitters, and under-the-radar contributors who could define this KCL season.

After back-to-back disappointing seasons with a combined record of 25-31, the Bobcats are hungry for a strong campaign, and they have the roster to do it. 

Marshall Ingold is a returning name to watch for the Bobcats. Ingold threw 19 innings with a 4.05 ERA for the Bobcats last year and appeared in 5 games for Illinois Wesleyan this season with a 2.08 ERA and 10.38 K/9.  The Bobcats have also signed three new extremely talented pitchers for the 2025 season. Andrew Tay is a Southeastern CC commit who sports a high 80s fastball that touches 90, as well as a firm curveball in the high 70s. Tay also throws a low-80s changeup that can be an effective weapon against both lefties and righties. Brady Backes is another name to watch for the Bobcats. Backes’ high 80s fastball that has reached 91.6 mph with 2400 RPM should allow him to get ahead in counts and generate whiffs at the top of the zone. Backes also throws a quality curveball with an 11-5 shape. 

Sammy Driscoll is perhaps the most exciting Bobcats newcomer. Driscoll throws a high 80s fastball with tail and a low 70s curveball with big break. With a 97 mph exit velocity and a 6.6-second 60-yard dash, Driscoll is also a talented outfielder. Kaileb Hackman will look to build on a strong 2024 summer with the Bobcats, where he slashed .286/.375/.476, and a 2025 spring with Augustana College, where he slashed .338/.440/.504 with a 13% walk rate in 35 games. The Bobcats are also adding Nick Guidici, who slashed .290/.438/.532 as a freshman at Parkland College. With a strong combination of returning players and exciting new talent, the Bobcats will look to hoist their first-ever KCL championship.

Following a successful 2024, the Blue Caps are seeking to maintain their winning record from last season at 15-13. The former 2021 and 2023 KCL champions, the Blue Caps, have a lot to look forward to for this upcoming season. Ranging from returning players to upcoming stars, we will be highlighting some players who we believe will be league-altering difference makers.

The Blue Caps’ statistical best hitter, Cal Darling, will be returning for the 2025 season. In 43 at-bats last season, Darling slashed .419/.468/.581, which led the team in all three of those categories amongst returning players. I would make sure to look for him to be a key contributor towards the Blue Caps’ chase for their third championship. Trey Blanchette is another key returning player who possesses a fantastic hit tool and showed it off last season during the KCL as he slashed .340/.426/.509 in 53 at-bats. I would bank on Blanchette building off this impressive season and being a key contributor for this offensively loaded Blue Caps. In addition, he led the team in home runs last year as well, so look for him to generate the power for this Blue Caps squad.

The newcomer and Illinois State commit Zach Bava is sure to bring a complete offensive package to the league. He has participated in the prep baseball future games and has registered impressive swing data. I can confidently declare him an early MVP favorite for the Blue Caps and maybe even the entire KCL. Most impressively, in the three Perfect Game showcases Bava has participated in, he has only two strikeouts in 64 at-bats, proving his elite discipline and contact skills.

On the pitching side of the team, Dominic Panozzo will be a new contributor who has an electric arsenal that contains a low 90s fastball that tops at 94, a curve that sits in the high 70s and has over 3000 RPMs, a changeup, and a sharp slider. If I were a fan, I would be sure to bring my binoculars to the game when he’s on the mound. Patrick Kennedy, another new face to the Blue Caps, has a fastball that sits in the high 80s and an effective curveball and changeup. Fans can expect an impactful season from Kennedy, who will look to showcase his talent as the Blue Caps search for their third title in the KCL. 

The Ground Sloths are gearing up to defend their KCL championship, blending a few returning players with a talented crop of newcomers. The pitching staff, in particular, boasts a trio of arms ready to dominate this summer.

Leading the rotation is Braden Deverman from Normal University, committed to Saint Leo. His arsenal of a fastball sitting in the upper 80s to low 90s, an 82 mph slider, and an 82 mph changeup gives him the tools to post standout numbers and anchor the staff. Mason Orton, a lefty from Mahomet, Illinois, brings a fastball topping out at 88 mph and a polished changeup-slider mix. His high strikeout rate in high school suggests he’ll continue to overpower hitters as he prepares for Northern Illinois. Rounding out the pitching spotlight is Tate Wesbecker from Kalamazoo Valley Community College. With a 4.43 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over 20 innings, Wesbecker’s 11-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio and zero home runs highlighted his ability to keep hitters guessing.

On offense, the Ground Sloths are retooling to sustain their dominance with a mix of proven and fresh talent. Returning star Benett Summers from Heartland is a key figure to watch. His .350/.440/.413 slash line over 102 plate appearances marks him as a potential MVP candidate and a driving force in the lineup. Among the newcomers, outfielder Gavin Bailey, committed to SWIC, brings serious power. His .421 average and 9 home runs as a high school junior signal he’ll deliver clutch at-bats. Brandon Schultz, committed to Eastern Illinois, adds elite athleticism with a 6.62-second 60-yard dash, 97 mph exit velocity, and 72 mph bat speed, making him a dynamic prospect to watch.

Coming off a heartbreaking championship loss to the Ground Sloths in 2024, the Merchants have a promising slate of new talent, along with a notable KCL veteran looking to continue his success. Brooks Neuhoff returns to the Merchants after an accomplished season at Lincoln Land Community College, where he slashed .293/.419/.557 with 9 home runs in 46 games. 

The Merchants are looking for a resurgence from Jacob Blunck, who rolled D3 opposition at Monmouth College in his 2024 freshman year with a batting average of .307. Blunck is looking for a bounce-back summer with the Merchants after an up-and-down 2025 season. Jaxson Grubbs is another standout at the college level, delivering solid numbers for Campbellsville University in the 2025 season and recording an impressive .429 on-base percentage across 50 games.

Merchants fans will get a first look at Lawson Alwan, an incoming freshman at Rock Valley College, who brings exciting offensive upside to the Merchants. In his senior year at Peoria Notre Dame High School, Alwan slashed .466/.621/.753 for an OPS of 1.374 while swiping 18 bags in 30 games.

The pitching staff is headed by Jack Piper, who threw a strong 39.1 innings for Carroll University this past year. He struck out 23 batters and only allowed 4 walks, leading to a strong WHIP of 1.27 and an ERA of 4.58 in an offense-heavy CCIW.

Preseason Power Rankings

Authors: Noah Lippman, Wyatt Sherman, Max Quirk, Cameron Cischke, Charlie Keglovitz