Top 10 Stories of 2025: #1 - 2025 Prep Baseball KY High School Invitational

The day has finally arrived, our final story of 2025! As we close the book on another memorable year for Prep Baseball Kentucky, we finish our Year in Review with the #1 story of the year: the inaugural Prep Baseball KY High School Invitational.

Held in late March, this three day showcase of high-level high school baseball set a new standard for high school competition in the Commonwealth. Ten talented programs from across the state met for a weekend that delivered elite matchups, standout performances, and a preview of what would eventually shape the postseason landscape. By the time the dust settled, six of the ten teams would go on to reach the KHSAA State Tournament, including both state finalists in Trinity and Pleasure Ridge Park, underscoring just how strong the field truly was.

Taylor County, Sayre, Lyon County, Pikeville, Ryle, Pleasure Ridge Park, Trinity, Corbin, Lexington Catholic, and host Somerset combined to produce one of the most complete weekends of baseball we’ve ever seen with Prep Baseball KY. From the opening pitch to the final out, it was a fitting choice to stand atop our Top 10.

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Gameplay began with defending 2024 state champion Pleasure Ridge Park making an early statement in a 9–2 win over host Somerset. 2025 Kobie Howard (Rend Lake JC) wasted no time, recording a base hit on the first pitch of the entire event, while 2025 Grayson Roll was dominant on the mound, tossing a complete game with seven strikeouts and just two earned runs allowed. 2025 Brayden Bruner (Bellarmine) provided the exclamation point with a three-run blast, while Somerset’s 2026 Kole Grundy (Georgia Southern) battled through seven strikeouts on the mound against a loaded PRP lineup.

Game two featured a highly ranked Sayre squad taking on Corbin, with 2026 Banks Heinrich delivering a strong 5.1 inning start with 8 Ks and 2 ER to earn the win. 2025 Pierre Kauffmann (Centre) closed the door with a 1.2 inning save, while Corbin’s 2025 Noah Cima (St. Johns River State JC) left the yard with a solo homer in a competitive opener.

Day two opened with Ryle’s 2025 Dylan McIntyre (San Jacinto JC) putting together one of the most complete performances of the weekend. The right-hander spun five shutout innings with eight strikeouts against Taylor County, while also contributing two hits and two runs scored in a 5–0 victory. 2025 Josh Caudill (Southwest Tennessee CC) added two doubles and RBIs, and 2027 Nik Carter sealed it with five strikeouts out of the bullpen.

Pleasure Ridge Park followed with the most dramatic comeback of the weekend, erasing a six-run deficit to stun Lexington Catholic by a score of 12–11. 2026 Brendan Bratcher drove in four runs, including a clutch 2-out, game-tying double, while 2025 Deuce Harris capped the rally with a walk-off RBI single as PRP scored seven unanswered for the W.

Ryle returned to action later in the day, falling to Pikeville behind a strong start from 2025 Isaac Duty (Gulf Coast State JC), who struck out 10 over six innings. 2025 Bradyn Hall (Walters State CC) powered the Panther offense with a homer, while 2026 Anthony Coppola (George Washington) manufactured Ryle’s lone run on the other side.

Top-seeded Trinity continued the day with a strong win over Sayre, as 2027 Gray Davis (Clemson) struck out nine over six innings in a fantastic start. 2027 Max Phillips (Wake Forest) closed it out with a 1-2-3 inning to slam the door, while Sayre’s 2025 Jaxson Howard (Bellarmine) impressed with four scoreless innings in relief.

Saturday night delivered another back-and-forth thriller, with Lexington Catholic outlasting Lyon County in an 8–7 win. 2025 Cody Decker (Bellarmine) drove in a pair of runs for the Knights, while underclassmen 2028 Baird Woodall and 2028 John Crandall continued to impress both offensively and defensively. Lyon County leaned on senior arms 2025 John Bingham (Eastern Kentucky) and 2025 Peyton Williams (Kent State) to keep things close throughout.

Sunday opened with Pikeville securing a 4–0 win over Corbin behind 2025 Jackson Hall, who went 3-3 at the plate and struck out six over 4.2 shutout innings. 2028 Gage Burgett earned the save, while Corbin’s 2025 Will Freeman turned in a complete-game effort with six strikeouts and no walks.

Taylor County followed with an 8–0 win over Lyon County, highlighted by 2026 Cole McLean (Kentucky) delivering a dominant 6.0 IP, 11 strikeout shutout as part of his National Player of the Week performance. His outing earned him Pitching MVP honors for the event as well, in addition to him going 3-4 at the plate with a monster homer. Offensively, 2028 Reace Vaughn and 2028 Kaysen Thompson added to the charge.

The weekend closed with Trinity powering past Somerset by a score of 9–2. 2027 Max Phillips (Wake Forest) collected three hits including two doubles, while 2026 Grayson Willoughby (Kentucky) struck out nine in the win. 2027 Hudson Meredith (Virginia) fanned all six batters he faced in relief, and 2026 Nolan Hosking (Louisville) capped an electric weekend by going 3-6 with an insane three home runs and seven RBIs, earning Offensive MVP honors. Somerset’s 2026 Griffin Loy (Virginia) battled on both sides, striking out four and launching a two-run homer in the loss

The inaugural Prep Baseball KY High School Invitational delivered everything we hoped for with elite talent, meaningful competition, and a glimpse into the season ahead. Seeing this event come to life was a rewarding moment for our staff, and we’re grateful for the additional coverage from Prep Baseball Indiana, the hospitality from Somerset head coach Phil Grundy, and the programs that made the weekend special! If this first edition was any indication, we can’t wait to run it back in 2026!