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: Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs
Head Coach: Nic DiFilippo
Preseason Rank: No. 23
Classification: 3A
Conference: Apollo Conference
2024 Record (Finish): 28-9 (Super Sectional loss)
Key Players Lost: Finn Randolph (Wabash), Alec Bergman (Parkland), Cade Starrick (Parkland), Noah Butler

 

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ROSTER PREVIEW

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 6
No. of Returning Starting Pitchers: 3
No. of Returning Relief Pitchers: 2
Team Strengths: Returning core from their 2024 Super Sectional run, experienced pitching.

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X-FACTOR

Miles Woolsey (2025; Purdue Northwest) looks poised to step up in a big way for Mahomet-Seymour in 2025. With two departures from the Bulldogs 2024 rotation, the senior looks to get his first crack in the rotation this spring after an impressive season out of the bullpen in 2024. Woolsey features an intriguing 3-pitch mix with plenty of spin and feel for the zone to go around for all three offerings. His mid to high 80s fastball features buzzing arm side run that can get some sinking action when placed low in the zone. The RHP also offers a low to mid 70s slider that has some slurvy action and depth. Perhaps his best offering, however, is his changeup that is thrown to left-handed hitters consistently with heavy fade and horizontal action. Mahomet-Seymour will look to Woolsey to play a big role in making another playoff run in 2025.

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Despite losing two rotation pieces that helped take them to the Super Sectionals, Mahomet-Seymour is in a good position to make another run in the postseason this year thanks to many other talented arms returning this season. The Bulldogs are likely to look to LHP Mason Orton (2025; Northern Illinois) to lead the rotation after a dominant season last year in which he went 5-0 with a 1.73 ERA and 75 Ks in 48.2 innings. On the mound, Orton pitches with tempo and throws out of a low ¾ slot. The southpaw features a mid 80s fastball that gets up to 89 with some arm-side run. He will also mix in a tight, mid 70s curveball that comes with horizontal action, as well as a low 80s changeup with some arm fade.

In addition to Mason Orton and the aforementioned Miles Woolsey, RHP Max Young (2026; Uncommitted) is also likely to see innings in the rotation after finding success out of the bullpen last season. The junior features a three pitch mix that is expected to take a leap forward this spring. He features a mid 80s fastball with some slight arm side run, pairing with a hard biting curveball with shorter 11/5 action.

To round out the pitching staff, Coach Nic DiFillipo will likely look to LHP Kyle Popovich (2026; uncommitted), Nolan Johnson (2025; uncommitted), Ray Long (2025; Rock Valley), and Cam Heinold (2025; Southwestern Illinois) to fill innings for the Bulldogs. With the experience and talent that this Mahomet-Seymour pitching staff brings to the table, don’t be surprised if they ride the pitching wave to a fourth consecutive Apollo Conference title.

Offensively, the Bulldogs will bring an experienced group of hitters to the plate in 2025.

The team is led by LHH OF Gavin Bailey (2025; Southwestern Illinois JC). In 139 plate appearances, the senior slashed .421/.554/.766 with 9 HRs and a team leading 46 RBIs en route to being named to the IHSA 3A All-State team last season. The outfielder exhibits easy power to the middle/pull-side with a smooth left handed swing. He will likely anchor the Bulldogs offense in the middle of the order and hope to continue his success following an incredible 2024 campaign.

It will be tough to fill the hole that Noah Butler left the Bulldogs at catcher, but look for Tyson Finch (2025; Uncommitted) to potentially be a guy that finds meaningful innings behind the dish. The Bulldogs will also continue to lean on 1B/RHP Ray Long and INF Cam Heinold (2025; Southwestern Illinois JC) to lead the offense.

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Bottom Line & Director's Note

With plenty of experience and talent returning on both sides of the ball, the Bulldogs are in a good position to continue their reign of dominance that they have had in the Apollo Conference for the last three seasons. Despite some losses to the rotation, they should be able to count on Mason Orton to take charge along with a number of talented arms to fill in innings. With Gavin Bailey leading the charge offensively, the Bulldogs are bringing back a strong crop of players that lead us to believe they have a chance at repeating as the Apollo Conference Champions and also have a shot at a deep IHSA playoff run.

"Led by Orton, Coach DiFilippo, should have plenty of arms to lean on this spring as the Bulldogs have one of the deeper staffs in the Central Illinois area." Drew Locascio

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Find more information on the 2025 Mahomet-Seymour program below:

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

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Coach DiFilippo Joined The Bullpen...

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