Shenandoah Valley's Brayden Lutz fires a pitch during the annual Russ Rothermel Baseball Tournament at Minersville's Del Hauck Field.

The 2025 Schuylkill League baseball season is set to begin Tuesday with a revamped Division II that features an intriguing mix of returning programs and rising contenders.

While the names and faces change every so often, familiar goals remain for each local team. Each team will look to compete in the Schuylkill League playoffs, which expand this season to six teams: the top three squads from Division I and the top three teams from Division II. Each division champ will receive a bye into the semifinals.

“Adding the second and third team in Division II gives us an opportunity to try to make that Schuylkill League Tournament now,” new Shenandoah Valley skipper Frank McCole said. “To me, it’s an opportunity, and maybe a little easier opportunity than before. There are a lot of talented teams. The Schuylkill League definitely has some good baseball.”

With the departures of Lehighton and Jim Thorpe to the Colonial League, the Schuylkill League transitioned from three divisions to two for the 2025 season. As a result, Tri-Valley and Panther Valley were elevated to Division I, leaving eight teams to compete for the Division II crown: Mahanoy Area, Marian, Minersville, Nativity, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley, Weatherly and Williams Valley.

Schuylkill Haven enters the season as the defending Division II champion, having won the division in 2024 before falling to Tamaqua in the Schuylkill League semifinals. The Hurricanes bring back several key pieces from last year’s squad and are expected to once again be a force in the division under the guidance of veteran coach Scott Buffington and his experienced staff.

One team aiming to dethrone Haven is perennial contender Minersville. The Battlin’ Miners return a solid core of experienced players. With their mix of strong pitching and fundamentally sound play, Minersville is expected to contend for the division title.

Shenandoah Valley, Mahanoy Area and Nativity will also be looking to make waves, with several underclassmen stepping into bigger roles this spring. The Hilltoppers are coming off a season that saw them miss the league playoffs but capture the first District 11 Class A championship in the program’s history. Meanwhile, Marian and Weatherly both bring back young but promising rosters. Each program is looking to take the next steps, building off their 2024 seasons.

“The seniors this year are stepping up to the plate,” Nativity coach Ben Kreiger said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys stepping in as well, sophomores and juniors. For them, it’s about understanding their roles on the team, and understanding what varsity baseball is about. We’ve got three or four sophomores stepping up, and our junior class is the same way.

“I think we have nine seniors this year, and they have to contribute in a big way. A lot of those guys last season didn’t get a lot of playing time, but they played. They have some varsity field time, and now being everyday guys, they’ve got to step up.”

As mentioned, there are some new faces in head coaching ranks around Division II. McCole is at the helm for the Blue Devils, with John Petrilyak the new skipper at Marian, Kris Bet back for his second stint as coach at Mahanoy Area, while Daniel Peters takes over at Weatherly.

In a division where every game matters, early-season matchups could carry big playoff implications. Schuylkill Haven opens the league slate Tuesday at home against Weatherly, while Williams Valley hosts Marian. Minersville travels to Mahanoy Area, and Nativity heads to Shenandoah Valley.

With just three spots available among eight Division II teams in the Schuylkill League playoffs, every pitch, every inning and every game will matter more than ever. As the season begins, one thing is clear: This group of teams is ready to compete, and the road to the league playoffs is wide open.

After all, in Schuylkill League baseball, anything can happen once the first pitch is thrown.

Schuylkill League Division I Capsules

Mahanoy Area

Coach: Kris Bet

Roster: Levi Terry (sr., P, INF), Justin De La Rosa (sr., P, INF), Ian Schock (sr., 1B), Donovan Herman (sr., P, INF), Ryan Bickowski (sr., 1B), Mikey Oblas (sr., Utility), Brody Noroka (jr., P, INF), Derek Alvarado (jr., OF), Owen Ogrodnick (jr., Utility), Joe Rick (jr., C, INF), Jordany Oviedo (jr., INF), Colin Lynch (soph., C, INF), Nate Shandle (soph., 1B), Isaiah Rios (fr., P, INF), Mike Gambone (fr., C, INF)

Marian

Coach: John Petrilyak

Roster: Jacob Berlanda (soph., P, Utility), Wade Eroh (soph., OF, P), Nate Davidovich (sr., OF, P), Yan Rojas (soph., C), Kody Gruver (soph., 3B), Alex Diaz (soph., INF, P), Tyler Rebarcheck (soph., OF, 2B, P), Chase Grier (soph., C, P, OF), Cole Defrancisco (jr., OF, P), Rocco Griguoli (soph., Utility, P), Derek Yurkanin (soph., P, INF), Chase Quinn-Gutsie (fr., OF, P), Noah Bauder (soph., Utility, P), Jimmy Cannon (soph., 1B, P), Jayden Santana (fr., 2B), Brayden Grant (soph., Utility, P), Noah McGinley (fr., INF), Cole Jordan (fr., C, P, INF), Ethan Ladenburg (jr., C), Mitchell Knock (fr., Utility), Nolan Marsch (soph., OF), Jason Ashfield (soph., OF), Kadyn Sharbuno (soph., P, INF), Jon Derr (jr., P, 3B), Liam Zabolcki (fr., OF), Peter Marsicano (soph., C), Darren Paulino (jr., OF, P), AJ Merenda (fr., 2B), Andrew Reaman (fr., CF), Loegan Joseph (fr., OF), Nicholas Palakovic (fr., INF, P), Kaden Krajcirik (soph., INF, P), Colin Yurkanin (fr., INF)

Minersville

Coach: Shane Spotts

Roster: Logan Rizzardi (sr., INF, P), A.J. Halford (sr., INF, C, P), Logan Hutsko (sr., OF, 1B, P), Owen Fortna (sr., INF, P), Easton Schultz (sr., INF, P), Nolan Plesnarski (jr., 1B, P), Garrett Sukeena (soph., INF, P), Dante Carr (jr., OF), Cam Rogers (soph., Utility, P), Matt Dube (jr., OF), Aidan Ryan (soph., OF, P), Nate Halupa (fr., Utility), Jayce Rizzardi (soph., INF, OF), Jason Correll (fr., 1B, OF, P), Sheldon Fickes (fr., Utility), Jude Plesnarski (jr., INF, P), Colby Leshko (soph., INF, P), Luke Toth (fr., 1B, P, OF), Justin Cutler (soph., INF)

Nativity

Coach: Ben Kreiger

Roster: Nick Wagner (sr., SS, P), Nate Cooper (sr., P, OF), Gavin Frie (sr., C, 3B), Andrew Verchick (sr., 1B, P), Zeno Rugh (sr., Utility), Barry Jenkins (sr., OF), Tommy Bartashus (soph., C), Ryan Grabowski (jr., INF, P), Stephen Karinch (soph., OF, P), Marc Lutzkanin (soph., Utility), Jack Gherghel (sr.), Mateo Ariaudo (sr.), Nick Clarke (soph., OF), Eric Buchinski (soph., C, Utility), Cooper Felty (fr.), Ryan Examitis (soph., C, P, Utility), Derek Hu (jr.), Jorge Sullivan (soph., 1B, P), Gavin Strausser (fr.), Jasir Jones (sr.), Jackson Daubert (jr., 1B), Levi Frehafer (soph., OF), Nick Steele (sr., OF)

Schuylkill Haven

Coach: Scott Buffington

Roster: Hunter Correll (sr., INF, P), Brayden Fasnacht (sr., OF, C), Jonathan Fessler (sr., OF, C), Spencer Krause (sr., OF), Adam Malinoski (sr., INF, OF), Talan Spittler (sr., INF, P), Gavin Wade (sr., INF, OF, P), Brandon Neith (jr., INF, OF), Michael Terefencko (jr., INF, OF, P), Alan Evans (soph., INF, OF, P),  Chase Maley (soph., INF, P), Ethan Tracey (soph., INF, OF, C), Landon Trostle (soph., INF, OF, P), Bradyn Diehl (fr., INF, OF, C), Louis Muriel (fr., OF, P), Chase Yoder (fr., INF, OF, P)

Shenandoah Valley

Coach: Frank McCole

Roster: Brayden Maksimik (sr., INF, P), Johnny Burke (sr., OF), Brayden Lutz (sr., INF, P), Brandon Boris (sr., OF, P), Jeremy Thomas (sr., INF, OF, P), Tristian Karosis (sr., OF), Landon Monaghan (sr., INF, P), Chase McCole (jr., INF, P), Haden Kechula (jr., C, INF, P), Ethan Bench (fr., INF, P), Frederick Gradwell (soph., INF, OF), Jormany Morel Ventura (fr., INF, P), Xavier Hernandez Torres (fr., INF, OF), Rodney Knittle (jr., INF, P),  K’vyonn Christopher (fr., OF, C), Ethan Arevalo (fr., OF), Gabriel Saba (soph., OF), Jostin Lajara (jr., C, OF, P), Cade Preneta (fr., OF, C), Adveil Rodriguez (sr., OF), Clifton Williams Jr. (fr., OF), Josewal Lajara (fr., INF, P)

Weatherly

Coach: Daniel Peters

Roster: Matt Adler (soph., OF), Trent Higgins (sr., OF), Noah Mayernick (fr., 2B), Jeremiah Donadi (soph., SS, P, LF), Remi Hunsinger (fr., Utility), Vincent Paisley (sr., INF, OF), John Puzzetti (sr., DH, OF), Bradlee Connors (soph., INF, P), Kolton Reiner (fr., INF), Isiah Cruz (soph., Utility), Kyler Reiner (fr., P, 1B), Niko Suarez (fr., 3B, C), Kameron Jacoby (soph., INF, P), Dominick Kokinda (soph., 3B, OF), Joey Esposito (fr., P, 1B, SS), Raymond Montz (jr., C, P, SS) Michael Davies (sr., CF, P), Emilio Valenzuela (soph., Utility), Corbin Wagner (jr., Utility), Frankie Schoch (jr., Utility)

Williams Valley

Coach: Steve Barner

Roster: Peyton Adams (sr.), Xzavion Tennis (jr., C, OF), Owen Mace (soph., OF), Ethan Lebo (jr., 2B), John Rautzahn (jr., SS, 2B, P), Nic Martin (sr., OF), Cody Boehmer (sr.), Nolan Schaeffer (soph.), Brady Shomper (jr., SS, P), Fletcher Thompson (fr., C, OF, P), Xander Ulsh (sr., 1B), Noah Mihalick (soph.), Cam Berger (fr., 3B, SS, P), Evan Achenbach (sr., OF), Gavin Deiter (jr., 2B), John Bordner (soph., Utility), Kayne Bani (jr., OF), Mason Bowser (fr., P), Collin Berger (jr., OF), Gavin Trawitz (fr., 1B, P), Chase Deibert (sr.), AJ Barr (jr., OF, P)