As we get into the start of the 2024 HS baseball season. We will be previewing our preseason Power 25 teams for Washington. 

Stay locked in on Prep Baseball Washington for consistent scores, reports and video throughout the entire season

We kick off our countdown of team previews with the #1 Puyallup Vikings

WASHINGTON POWER 25 TEAM PREVIEWS

PUYALLUP VIKINGS

High School - Puyallup

Head Coach - Marc Wiese

Classification - 4A

2023 Record - 24-5

Last Year’s End - Lost in state semi’s

Key Players Lost - RHP Hunter Grasser, LHP Brett Ellingson, OF Donte Grant

Top Returners - ‘24 C Kai Halstead (Oregon State), ‘24 1B Jackson Copeland (Pierce College), ‘25 INF/RHP Mason Pike (Oregon State), ‘25 SS Gage Thompson (Oregon State), ‘24 INF/OF Tristan Ringrose (Pierce College), ‘25 OF Riley Sanoy (Uncommitted), ‘24 LHP Michael LeJeune (Gonzaga)

Key additions (if applicable) - ‘27 INF Max Hemenway (Tennessee), ‘27 INF Brayden Landry (Uncommitted), ‘26 RHP Max Schweyen (Uncommitted), ‘24 OF/LHP Keenan Masters (Washington), ‘26 INF/RHP Cyrus Cline (Uncommitted)

What To Watch For - After back to back appearances in the state semi’s, the Puyallup Vikings look primed for another deep playoff run with what is arguably the most talented roster HC Marc Wiese has had in 29 years of coaching. The line-up is filled with college commitments and could boast as many as 6 Division 1 commits at the same time. Youth is a major component of the roster with only 7 seniors in total. That being said, there’s plenty of experience amongst the underclassmen and they’ve been tested in high leverage games plenty over the last few seasons. One thing to keep an eye on is hard throwing ‘25 RHP Mason Pike (Oregon State) and his transition to more of a consistent starting role on the mound. An ultra-talented prospect with tremendous arm talent. He will likely accrue more innings than previous seasons as his pitching development has just hit another gear as of late.

‘25 Mason Pike with a loud inning of work for @VikingBaseball_ tonight

FB 88-92 with life. Turns over some nice CHs here at 83-84. Struck out all 3 batters faced @BeaverBaseball commit @Masepike3 | @ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/CF07TGA6sB

— Prep Baseball Washington (@PBR_Washington) March 12, 2023

New addition ‘24 OF/LHP Keenan Masters (Washington) brings another D1 bat to the line-up as well as a polished LHP who can throw strikes and manipulate speeds. The freshman and sophomore classes are strongly represented with standouts ‘26 OF Noah Benedict, ‘26 INF/RHP Cyrus Cline, ‘26 RHP Max Schweyen, ‘27 INF Max Hemenway (Tennessee), ‘27 INF Brayden Landry) and ‘27 C/INF Keagen Soliza. Schweyen could explode this season on the mound based on recent reports of a velocity jump into the upper 80s and touching 90-91. Hemenway is currently our 12th ranked player in the country for his class with Landry also in the Top 100. 

Simply put, this is the most talented and complete roster in the state. Puyallup will have the chance to compete in the 2024 NHSI and face some of the top teams in the country later in April. That experience should bode well for preparing the Vikings for the playoffs yet again.