The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 17, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2025 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2025 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: New Trier Trevians
Preseason Rank: 10
Head Coach: Dusty Napoleon
Classification: 4A
Conference: Central Suburban South
2024 Record (Finish): 33-4 (Lost in sectional semi)
Key Players Lost: James Novakovic (Purdue), Max Kaplan (USC-Upstate) 

 

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ROSTER PREVIEW

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 4
No. of Returning Starting Pitchers: 1
No. of Returning Relief Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Bring back two Big Ten commits in Meyers/Toft who both have started as sophomores. Will have an extremely athletic outfield and will be very deep behind the plate. Ability to steal bases and put pressure on the defense. Also anticipate the lineup having more power than last year's group.

X-FACTOR

The loss of ace LHP Max Kaplan (2024; USC-Upstate) definitely hurts, but look for RHP Henrik Conniff (2025; Columbia) to step up and be the frontline arm they need. Though he saw limited time last spring, Conniff has high-octane stuff that should be able to overpower hitters and dominate lineups, boasting a fastball that can reach the 90 mph mark with a wipeout curveball to pair. If Conniff can harness the starters role, he could be the piece that really takes this team to the next level and helps them down the stretch.

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NEWCOMER TO WATCH

One of the biggest winners from this past summer on our tournament circuit was RHP Justice Hernandez (2027), and he has a real chance to make an impact on the mound for the Trevians as only a sophomore. He has a power arm with a fastball in the upper-80s, and we expect that number to only continue to climb throughout the coming years. His curveball flashes out-pitch potential at times which will help him miss more bats, and he is working on a splitter to fill out his three-pitch mix.

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TEAM OUTLOOK

The Trevians are coming off a 33-4 season, and we really like the pieces they bring back.

Their offense is headlined by longtime varsity starters and former Future Gamers OF Trey Meyers (2025; Indiana) and OF Ben Toft (2025; Iowa).

Meyers is one of the freakier athletes in the state, and he should garner plenty of pro interest throughout the spring. Listed at 6-foot-6, 223-pounds, Meyers has big power in his right-handed swing that pairs with well above-average speed, having been down to a 6.58 in the past. Coming off a spring in which he hit .402 in 102 at-bats with eight doubles, 33 RBIs, 37 runs scored and 13 stolen bases, Meyers is undoubtedly primed for his biggest spring yet.

Patrolling the outfield alongside Meyers will be the aforementioned Toft, another high-level prospect that saw some success last year - turning in a .284 average in 88 at-bats with 17 RBIs and 28 runs scored. The left-handed hitter has an athletic swing that pairs with quality speed (6.77 runner), and he also will add premium defense to the outfield.

Looking to potentially round out the outfield will be Mason Bloom (2026), another highly athletic prospect that can get down to 6.68 for his 60. There’s a ton of strength in his right-handed bat as well, creating exit velocities north of 100 mph this past winter - and he saw some success a season ago with a .294 average in 68 at-bats.

There’s plenty of depth to go around behind the plate with Jake Bentivenga (2025; Rochester) and Nick Sichel (2025; Richmond) - both looking to be strong right-handed hitters that could also see time at third base.

Manning the middle of the infield will likely be Caiden Carpenter (2025) and CJ Donnelly (2025), a couple seniors that saw limited time last year but will surely be looking to create larger roles for themselves - with 1B Luke Mastros (2026) likely taking over the role at first base.

A couple underclassmen that could impact the lineup will be INF Jackie Ryder (2027) and Harry Resis (2027), a couple highly physical bats that will add extra thump to an already potent and strong lineup.

On the other side of the ball, backing up the aforementioned Conniff in the rotation will likely be RHP Mason Jurewicz (2025; Saint Leo) and RHP Greg Campitelli (2026).

Jurewicz is a projectable right-hander that will be an important piece for the Trevians, boasting a mid-80s fastball and four-pitch mix.

Campitelli is another quality right-hander that should help take on important innings, and he’ll work his fastball in the low-80s with a curveball/slider/changeup mix.

Along with the aforementioned Hernandez coming out of the ‘pen, the Trevians will also likely trot out LHP Justin Rausch (2025), who returns a 1.56 ERA in nine innings pitched, and James Berman (2026), a southpaw that will get into the upper-80s.

RHP Nick Bailey (2026) should also be relied on in some leverage situations, and he's yet another arm that will work into the upper-80s. 

Also look for the previously mentioned Resis and Ryder to potentially eat some innings out of the ‘pen - with Resis showing a heavy mid-80s fastball and Ryder reportedly working up to 88 mph in recent outings. 

BOTTOM LINE & DIRECTOR'S NOTE

The Trevians bring back one of the more talented lineups in the state with top-end talent that pairs with quality depth. Trey Meyers and Ben Toft should look to lead on this front and there’s a lot of other names we like sprinkled throughout the lineup. They did lose their ace from a year ago, but they have some pieces from last year’s group ready to take on larger roles, as well as some young guns ready to make names for themselves

"With the departure of one of the all-time great coaches in IHSA history, Mike Napoleon, a new chapter begins in Winnetka. Luckily for the Trevians its a familiar name and face that will be leading the charge in Mike's son, Dusty Napoleon. Napoleon, a former Division I coach, should be able to hit the ground running with one of the better top-to-bottom rosters in the state. The perrenial power should show no signs of slowing down in 2025 if all goes according to plan." Drew Locascio

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Find more information on the 2025 New Trier program below:

+ Follow them on X: @NtTrevsBaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 homepage

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Coach Napoleon Joined The Bullpen...

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