PBR Kansas POWER 25

The Kansas high school baseball season kicked off on March 17th, opening day for regular season action under KSHSAA regulations. Leading up to opening day, we published our team previews ahead of and during the beginning of the 2024 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, leading into the official PBR Kansas Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

While much of the initial lists are weighted on previous performances, prospects, and projections, updates will be inherently tied to the production on the field. Simply put: wins, level of competition, and prospects matter. A human element to the list will still provide important information on the nuances and intricacies that the season bestows. Whether it is a close loss in a rivalry game, a five-game in three days gauntlet, or a bout of sickness that depletes a lineup, you can count on PBR to critically examine the playing field at all times.

Following Opening Day, our scouts will be out and about covering the 2024 season and will be publishing scout notes and additional in-season content along the way, like Power 25 updates, Diamond Notes, Scout Blogs, and Player of the Week awards.

No. 1
It might raise some eyebrows that the two time defending 6A State Champion or defending 5A State Champion Bishop Carroll doesn't top our list, but we just couldn't get over the amount of talent and experience that Shawnee Mission East will have on the field this spring. With 11 seniors and 7 juniors, the Lancers have unmatched talent and experience as they head into the spring. Offensively, the Lancers will roll out arguably the most talented and deepest lineup in the state. Leading off will be 24' SS Scotty Fegan (Hutchinson) followed by  25' OF/LHP Carter Rose . The middle of the lineup will feature two top hitters in the state in 24' 1B Jack Jones (Tennessee) and 25' 3B Colton Simms (Vanderbilt). One the mound, 24' RHP Weston Lyerly (Indiana State) will lead the staff with 3 years of varsity experience along with junior Carter Rose.  25' RHPs Michale Winter and Nate Sholte both make their return to the mound this spring and have shown impressive stuff this preseason. 24' Util Jake Miller (Fairleigh Dickinson), 24' OF Luke Hull (Northwest Missouri State) and 25' OF/RHP Cole Chinnock will add even more talent and depth for the Lancers. 

No. 2
Blue Valley West fills our second spot as they look to make it an unprecedented 3 championships in a row at the 6A level. Click HERE for their full season Preview.

No. 3
De Soto like Shawnee Mission East returns almost everyone form a year ago where they fell just short of a 5A state championship. On the mound, the Wildcats will be lead by four seniors, including Jack Millman (Iowa Western) who looks to pick up where he left off in an impressive 2023, along with  Will Burger (Neosho) , Max Thurman (Northwest Missouri State), and Nathan Mall (Fort Scott) who have proven they can really pitch. Additionally, three talented juniors will have the stuff to give fits to any lineup, Brad Janes (Nebraska), Pheonix Thompson,  and Noah Thompson.  Along with the Thompson brothers and Millman, who will play both sides of the ball, the De Soto offense will be bolstered by 25' INF Cade Martines, '24 INF Cole Heitmann, and 24' OF Will Hudelson (Northwest Missouri State), 

No. 4
Blue Valley North went deeper than many expected last post season after an up and down regular season and they return 7 of the starter that helped them do it along with some talented new pieces. Click HERE for their full Season Preview. 

No. 5
Bishop Carroll enters our rankings at No. 5, but nobody in the state will be surprised if they rise up our rankings sooner than later. Carroll lost one of the top SS in the state and a talented C from a year about along with three arms who threw big innings that they will need to replace, but they always find a way to reload year after year.  24' RHP Shane Holman (Butler CC) will lead the the Carroll pitching staff. Offensively, 24'OF Austin Selenke (Iowa Western), 24' OF Nathan Tajchman  and 26' Cal Purvis will lead the Golden Eagles. 

No. 6
St. Thomas Aquinas will be lead by one of the top two-way players in the region in '24 OF/RHP Blake O'Brien (Kansas).  Other impact players will be a pair of brothers in '25 SS Westin Boyle (Purdue) who is one of the top defenders in the state, his younger brother '26 OF/RHP Lincoln Boyle (Arkansas) an explosive two-way player. '25 1B/LHP Cru Huenfield will likely be limited to just swinging the bat this year, but remains one of the top hitters in the state. '24 RHP Yale Griffith (lenoir-Rhyne College) also features impressive stuff on the mound. A host of '26 players will also play big roles for the Saints this spring and add needed depth.

No. 7
Free State plays winning baseball year in and year out, but this year they have more talent than in the recent past and could make another deep run into the state tournament. Click HERE for their full season preview.

No. 8
Olathe South starts at 8 on our list, but has a strong argument to be in the top three and are in no way a dark horse to win a 6A state championship this year. There was a time a season ago where Olathe South was not only the top ranked team in the state, but high in our overall national rankings as well. They will rely on many of the same faces on the mound this year in '24 Gavin Blachowicz (Nebraska), '24 Noah McCombs (Hutchinson CC), and '24 Austin O'Gorman (Northwest Missouri State) and all three are offensive weapons as well. Leading the offense will be '24 Quinton Coats (Cincinnati) and '24 SS Colin Guerra (Chipola CC) who is also arguably the best defender in the state. If a solid group of sophomores can get up to speed quickly, the Falcons will be one of the toughest teams to beat yet again.

No. 9
Blue Valley is one of the most interesting teams to try and rank this year. They will feature three arms in the rotation that are talented enough to each end up being the pitcher of the year if they pitch to their potential. '24 Hudson Byrd (Kansas State) has made one of the biggest jumps on the mound in recent memory, recently up to 94 at this year's Super 60.  '25 Grady Westphal (Texas A&M) has been into the low 90s and spins one of the best sliders in the country. '25 Jack Schwab (Arkansas) is one of the top left-handers in the region and has also been into the low 90s with his fastball. 24' Porter Starnes (Pittsburg State) and Nolan Haas (Benedictine) will also make a big contribution on the mound. will sloOffensively, the Tigers will need '24s  3B Nathan Rose , '25 C Camden Morris, '26 SS Ethan Carswell,  '27 OF Grant Westphal to have big years with the bat to have consistent success. 

No. 10
Olathe West has not received as much buzz as other teams in our top 10, but we think they are poised for a solid year. On the mound, '24 Jack Dilly (Barton) has had a meteoric rise now sitting in the low 90s and spinning a solid breaking ball to go along with 24' Ty Miller (Nebraska) and '26 RHP/OF Max Hamilton giving the Owls three experienced front line arms that have a chance to win every night out.  The Owls will lean on '25 C/3B Micah McGavran, '26 C/3B Roy Rosmond, '24 INF Jarren Hay (Butler CC), and '27 OF Carter Taldo along with Hamilton to supply the bulk of the offense. '24 SS Ethan Krueger (Central Missouri) gives them a captain on the defense as one of the top defenders in the state. 

To keep up with our extensive coverage of the spring season, follow us on our social platforms: 

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RANK	HIGH SCHOOL	Class
1	Shawnee Mission East	6A
2	Blue Valley West	6A
3	Desoto	5A
4	Blue Valley North	6A
5	Bishop Carroll	5A
6	St. Thomas Aquinas	5A
7	Free State	6A
8	Olathe South	6A
9	Blue Valley	6A
10	Olathe West	6A
11	Wichita Northwest	6A
12	Lansing	5A
13	Life Prep Academy	NA
14	Olathe East	6A
15	Derby	6A
16	Blue Valley Southwest	5A
17	Mill Valley	6A
18	Mulvane	4A
19	Gardner Edgerton	6A
20	Wichita-Kapaun Mr. Carmel	5A
21	Hesston	3A
22	Maize South	5A
23	Basehor-Linwood	5A
24	Topeka Seaman	5A
25	St. George-Rock Creek	4A

Power 25 Rankings Week by Week

Click here to see all of our Spring Previews (more coming in every day)