THURSTON
■ Coach: Dennis Minium
■ Last year: 26-4 overall, 18-0 to win Midwestern League title. Lost to Canby, 2-0, in the state semifinals.
■ Outlook: The Colts have won seven straight league titles dating to 2018 and are favored to add to that list. The Colts won state in 2023 and ’24 before falling one game shy of reaching the title game last year. Senior Grady Saunders, a star at the plate and on the mound who has committed to play at Oregon State, returns after earning Class 5A player of the year honors last season. Senior shortstop Brock Johnson, who suffered a torn ACL last summer, is healthy to start the season after earning first-team, all-state honors last year. Cam Nosack and Bryson Bowser are back in the outfield and Jackson Lane is a top utility player. Junior Parker Edwards, a transfer from Sheldon, will play first base and third base in addition to pitching.
SPRINGFIELD
■ Coach: Kyle Casperson
■ Last year: 3-23 overall, 2-16 in Midwestern League, tied for sixth place.
■ Outlook: The Millers return four starters in Casperson’s second season, including senior catcher Ryan Letsom, who has committed to play at Simpson University next season. Senior Jack Sperry returns in the outfield and will also pitch. Junior Trevin Moore will also pitch and play shortstop. Junior first baseman/pitcher Abe Rhoades returns after missing last season with a torn ACL. Junior Devin Kremers is a transfer from Thurston who will play on the left side of the infield.
COTTAGE GROVE
■ Coach: Aaron Merrill
■ Last year: 7-19, 0-12 in Sky-Em League, fifth place.
■ Outlook: Merrill, a 1988 Springfield graduate, takes over a rebuilding project that he hopes will be his final coaching stop. He spent four years as the head coach at Springfield from 2017-21 and spent the past two seasons as an assistant at South Eugene. He inherits a young roster including sophomore Nolan Spear, who will pitch and play shortstop. Junior Colton Cogburn will also pitch and play the infield. Senior left fielder Evan Emmick and senior third baseman Elijah Cushman are also returning starters for the Lions.
CRESWELL
■ Coach: Kevin Feist
■ Last year: 16-13, 10-5 in Mountain Valley Conference, second place. Defeated Joseph/Enterprise, 3-2, in the first round of playoffs and lost 10-4 to Cascade Christian in the second round.
■ Outlook: The Bulldogs made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2009 and look to get back with 11 returnees, including seven starters. Senior Matthew Jenkins, a left-handed pitcher and outfielder, earned first-team, all-state honors as a utility player and was an all-conference outfielder. Junior shortstop Colton Hartman was a first-team, all-Mountain Valley infielder and will also pitch. Junior Jaxon Pelham was a first-team, all-conference pitcher who also plays in the outfield. Senior Kayden Roberts was a second-team, all-conference infielder and senior catcher Cody Winn also earned second-team, all-conference honors. Junior Colden Clark returns at first base and will also take on more pitching duties. Junior Zak Hermansen arrives as a transfer from Lowell who can play multiple positions and pitch. Junior Landon Vaughn is a transfer from Cottage Grove who can play a variety of spots for Creswell.
PLEASANT HILL
■ Coach: Boone Casarez
■ Last year: 13-14, 8-7 in Mountain Valley Conference, fourth place.
■ Outlook: The Billies, who have won 19 league titles in school history, look to get back to the postseason after a rare miss last year. Junior Gabe VanOrdstrand had a 2.10 ERA last year and will also play the infield. Sophomore infielder Judah Kelso earned second-team, all-league honors last year when he batted .296 with five doubles and 19 RBIs. He was also 4-1 with a 3.40 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings pitched. Sophomore catcher Wyatt Krauss missed most of last season due to injury but went 5-for-10 with two RBIs in four games.
