2026 KY High School Team Previews: #25-21

March 9, 2026
Prep Baseball KY Staff

We are just ONE WEEK from opening day for the 2026 KHSAA season! The Prep Baseball KY staff has been hard at work ranking the top 25 teams in the Bluegrass State. We are now previewing our top ranked teams as part of our Power 25 countdown. Our next round of preview belongs to #25-21!

#21: Boyle County Rebels

Region 12 | District 45
Head Coach: Adam Blair
Twitter/X: @BoyleCoBaseball

2025 Recap
Boyle County put together an impressive 28–9 campaign in 2025, capturing the 12th Region title behind a veteran lineup and a talented core in the 2027 class. With a steady mix of experience and emerging young impact pieces, the Rebels once again proved why they’re a consistent contender in Danville and across Central Kentucky.

Key Departures

2025 Austin Bodner
2025 Jacob Kenney
2025 Landon Parnass
2025 Carson Rowe
2025 Collin Wise

Returning Core

2026 Ethan Milburn
2026 Caleb Branam
2027 Kyler Claunch - Eastern Kentucky commit

2027 Logan Perry

2027 Caeden Patterson - Troy commit

2028 Cole Jarnagin

2028 Andrew Holder

New Contributors

2029 Merrik Cornelius

Schedule Highlights

Mar 27-29: Prep Baseball KY High School Invitational - Somerset, KY
Apr 8-11: Spring Break - Knoxville, TN
Apr 23: vs. Sayre
May 1: vs. Madison Central
May 8: vs. St. Xavier
May 15: @ Sayre

#22: Highlands Bluebirds

Region 9 | District 36
Head Coach: Brian Benzinger
Twitter/X: @BirdsBaseball

Fresh off a Region 9 Championship, Highlands begins 2026 with major turnover but retains elite baseball IQ and proven culture.

2025 Recap
The Bluebirds finished 27–8, winning the 36th District, 9th Region, and qualifying for state before falling in extra innings to South Warren.

Key Departures
Graduated nine seniors, including multiple everyday starters.

Returning Core

Brooks Hendrix, SR, OF/P – Hit .537 in 2025

Noah Lahner, SR, INF/P
Finn Bouldin, SR, INF
Kai Anderson, JR, C

New Contributors

Sam Ruschman (SR, OF)
Braden Glaser (JR, P/OF)

Ronan Thaler (JR, P)

Team Identity
Highlands remains disciplined, intelligent, and competitive, with veterans leading a wave of newcomers expected to contribute early.

Outlook
Expectation level is three.

Schedule Highlights

Mar 21: Hot Rods Classic - Bowling Green, KY
Apr 18: @ Beechwood

#23: North Oldham Mustangs

Region 8 | District 29
Head Coach: Erik Phelps
Twitter/X: @NOHSbsb

2025 Recap
North Oldham finished the 2025 season at 19–16 with a difficult strength of schedule and made an impressive run to the 8th Region championship game before graduating a large senior class. The Mustangs will showcase one of the more exciting pitching rotations in the area this year, as well as bringing in intriguing young talent and a trio of notable 2027 transfers as they look to battle once again at the top of a tough region.

Key Departures

2025 Ryan Sanders
2025 Brooks Cargould
2025 Elliott Roberts
2025 Gray Schmittel
2025 Carson White

Returning Core

2026 Kaden Dickhaut - Thomas More commit

2026 Jackson Bowen - Frontier commit
2026 Logan Cox - Olney Central commit

2027 Gabriel Kuerzi

2027 Ryan Seely

New Contributors

2027 Hayden Barnett - Eastern Kentucky commit
2027 Beckett Labar

2027 Drake Graeter

2027 Jonathan Oxender
2027 Grant Steed
2027 Madden Moskwa
2028 Corbin Floyd
2028 Sam Lye
2028 Jack Yarka

Schedule Highlights

Mar 21: @ LaRue County
Apr 20: vs. South Oldham
Apr 22: @ South Oldham
May 1: @ Trinity
May 4: vs. St. Xavier

#24: South Oldham Dragons

Region 8 | District 29
Head Coach: Ryan Wheat
Twitter/X: @SouthBSBL

2025 Recap
South Oldham went 13–15–1 in 2025, with their season ending in a tough opening-round loss to eventual 8th Region champion Spencer County. Now under first-year head coach Ryan Wheat, the Dragons look poised for a step forward with a wave of young talent and the return of 2026 Louisville commit Luke Belardo to anchor one of the most dangerous offenses in the area.

Key Departures

2025 Caleb Jones
2025 Davis Larsen
2025 Cooper Robertson
2027 Hayden Barnett
2027 Beckett Labar

Returning Core

2026 Luke Belardo - Louisville commit
2026 Boone Dillon
2026 Ryker Buran
2026 Jair Funes - Lindsey Wilson commit
2027 Keith Mitchell - Memphis commit

2027 Peyton Layne

2028 Jake Dillon

New Contributors

2027 Lance Wilding

2028 Gabriel Donnelly

2028 Eli Szydlowski

Schedule Highlights

Mar 16: vs. Trinity
Apr 7-9: Elizabethtown Spring Break Classic - Elizabethtown, KY
Apr 20: @ North Oldham
Apr 22: vs. North Oldham
May 1: vs. Pleasure Ridge Park
May 7: vs. St. Xavier
May 8: vs. McCracken County

#25: Henry Clay Blue Devils

Region 11 | District 42
Head Coach: Jordan Tarrence
Twitter/X: @HCHSbaseball26

2025 Recap
Henry Clay finished 18–17 in 2025, with their season ending in a one-run district tournament loss to eventual 11th Region champion Sayre. With an enormous senior class returning and a pitching staff built to compete in the gauntlet of the 11th Region, the Blue Devils will look to build momentum against another particularly challenging schedule in 2026.

Key Departures

2025 Branden Caballero
2025 Brandon Calvert
2025 Caleb Mitchell
2025 Ian Rone

Returning Core

2026 JT Ritchie - Frontier commit

2026 Turner Sparks - Frontier commit
2026 Bryce Ferguson
2026 Alex Elmadolar - Transylvania commit

2026 Parker Mays - Transylvania commit

2026 Phearson Oepping
2026 Nathan Ranson
2026 Jaxon Vires
2026 Cohen Draper
2026 Chandler Spivey
2026 Garrett O'Donnell - Hanover commit
2027 Luke Jackson
2027 Henry Morgan

New Contributors

2028 Brayden Brand

2028 Tanner Ross

Schedule Highlights

Mar 21: @ Taylor County
Mar 26: vs. Madison Central
Mar 28-29: Prep Baseball KY High School Invitational - Somerset, KY
Apr 14: @ Frederick Douglass
Apr 15: vs. Frederick Douglass
Apr 21: @ Sayre
Apr 22: vs. Sayre
Apr 25: @ Trinity
May 1-2: Mustang Classic - Paducah, KY