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Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association "A" (MIAA)

Archbishop Spalding Cavaliers  

2025 Record: 23-13

The Cavaliers enter the 2026 campaign with high hopes of returning to the mountain top of the MIAA “A” Conference, and a loss in the semi-finals last year can assure you that Spalding is hungrier than ever to regain their title. A roster littered with Division 1 commits and impact players throughout the 2026-2028 classes, the depth on both sides of the ball has our staff extremely excited to watch this spring. 

On the pitching side, Coach Palumbo will have the luxury of turning the ball over to a slew of highly talented arms, most notably, his senior “ace” in Arian Vargas (Alabama). Behind the explosive righty, look for junior Camden Hunter to likely cement himself as a #2 starter, followed by sophomore standouts Caleb Lambert, Ashton Taylor, and Ryan Waugh to add depth throughout the rotation/bullpen. Seniors Tyler Portch (Lynchburg) and Reese Bauer (Hood) will also look to add reliable innings on the bump, rounding out a deep and highly talented bunch of arms at Coach Palumbo’s disposal. 

On paper, this is the most talented and experienced offense in the conference, led by arguably the best middle infield tandem in the state in senior Braeden Martin (East Carolina) and junior Judah Shirlen (Vanderbilt). Seniors Cruz Luna (Salisbury), Michael Thompson (UNC Greensboro), and Noah Vasey (Fairmont State) will provide leadership, experience and plenty of thump in the middle of the order, with a highly intriguing junior class vying for a larger impact this spring highlighted by Anthony Badillo (Virginia Tech), Brady Mamula, and Tyler Jones. The number 1 sophomore in the class in Jason Marll looks to have a larger role this spring for the Cavaliers, with a handful of fellow highly talented sophomores in Imani Ukiteyedi, Lucas Rocha, Maddox Butts, James Worrall, and Caleb Lambert all vying to add depth offensively. An embarrassment of riches for Coach Palumbo to turn to offensively, and it will be interesting to see how he navigates the lineups throughout the spring. 

How does Spalding take back the MIAA “A” title?

 - Arian Vargas transitions smoothly into the “Ace” role
 - Sophomore arms perform as advertised
 - Judah Shirlen backs up his standout ‘25 summer
 - Sophomore bats provide reliable depth

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Loyola Blakefield Dons  

2025 Record: 10-16-1

It was a disappointing 2025 campaign for Loyola, as the Dons battled injuries and couldn’t quite find their rhythm throughout the spring. Turn the page to 2026, and this roster is again filled with talent on both sides of the ball that should make some noise throughout this conference. 

2025 Joe Nottingham has graduated and is now at Georgia pumping upper 90s at the collegiate level, so Coach Kelly will need to rely on his rising seniors to make an impact on the bump. No shortage of talent, as the rotation is exciting, especially at the top led by Jacob Caponi (New York), Tanner Robertson (UMBC), Trenton Mueck (Mount St. Mary’s), and Ethan O’Neill (Ursinus). Look for junior Davis Champion to add some reliable innings on the back end and be a real difference maker for this staff in 2026. This pitching staff needs to be better in 2026, and the bulk of these arms need to step up and compete. The talent is certainly there, and it will be exciting to watch all spring long.

At the plate, look for seniors Colby Shilling (Anne Arundel CC) and Lucas Springer (Neumann) to lead the offensive outpouring, with a highly intriguing junior class adding depth throughout the lineup in Elias Gibbs, Ben Francis, Nate Shepherd, Will Kelly, and Davis Champion. Sophomore Will Stark is a name to keep eyes on this spring, as a breakout season is on the brink and could elevate this Dons lineup to new heights in 2026. 

How does Loyola rebound in 2026?

 - The pitching staff needs to live up to the hype
 - Junior bats need to provide consistent impact

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McDonogh Eagles  

2025 Record: 16-11

The Eagles have rolled through the “B” Conference in recent years, and Coach Rowe sees his squad elevated into the “A” Conference in 2026. This roster is a ton of fun to dive into, and talent spread across on both sides of the ball has our staff excited to see what McDonogh can do against the “big dogs” of the “A” Conference this spring.

Headlined by southpaw Leo Antwerpen (Duke), the staff at Coach Rowe’s disposal is certainly rich in talent and should provide some pitcher’s duels this spring. Junior right-handers Anderson Lambert (Alabama) and Chase Ginsberg round out a really nice three-headed monster for McDonogh and give the Eagles a chance to win each time they’re on the bump. The question mark will be what comes after them. Sophomore JA Stephens looks to provide some depth on the bump and we look for additional depth to be provided game-by-game. 

Offensively, the number one ranked 2027 in the state will be relied on heavily, as Anderson Lambert (Alabama) will need to be his usual self in producing runs and creating havoc on the bases. Look for Antwerpen to provide his usual thump in the middle of the order, and sophomore JA Stephens to have a much larger role in offensive production this spring. Seniors Max Rose (Hobart), Austin McNair, and Cooper Chasm look to add depth throughout, with juniors Landon Pape, Whitney Reid and sophomore Andrew Buseck adding key at-bats throughout the spring as well. Our biggest question is what will the role be for freshman standout Sam Lerner, the number one ranked 2029 in the class. The talent is certainly there and the physical maturity allows Lerner to make an impact immediately. A tall task for a Freshman in the “A” conference.

How does McDonogh find success after moving from the “B” to the “A”?

 - Leo Antwerpen “Pitcher of the Year” type season
 - Anderson Lambert needs to be Anderson Lambert
 - Chase Ginsberg, Lambert, and JA Stephens need to be a strong core behind Antwerpen on the bump
 - JA Stephens and Sam Lerner impact players on both sides of the ball

 

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Mount St. Joseph Gaels  

2025 Record: 16-12

A roster that is a ton of fun to really dive into, the Gaels enter the 2026 spring with high hopes of competing for a championship. This senior class is arguably the deepest and most talented across the conference, and will need to be relied on heavily if Mount St. Joe looks to make a run.

On the pitching side, the Gaels watch impact arms in Andrew Kummer (USC Upstate), Collin Park (Columbia), and Peyton Youngbar (Salisbury) all graduate, however, this staff still has plenty of firepower at its disposal. One of the strongest three-headed monsters on the bump will be a tough opposition to face any given night, as Seniors Colin Harrison (West Virginia), Michael Bahouth (Rensselaer Polytech Institute), and Carson Kelm (Lehigh) will look to lead the staff. Fellow senior Peyton Wholey will add depth and look for some younger underclassmen to fill some holes behind him. 

The offense will be led by the senior class as well, as catcher Michael Goldsmith (Iona) looks to repeat a strong junior campaign and lead this offense. A really nice senior tandem in the outfield should put up a ton of runs on their own offensively, as Carson Byers, Evan Bodensiek, and Evan Whipp (Stevenson) should be penciled in everyday. Fellow seniors Braden Ashburn and Trevor Mentz should provide depth throughout the lineup as well. An intriguing junior class looks to fill a larger role this spring, led by highly-athletic Yaniel Excalera at shortstop, followed by Maison Walsh and Chase Robey. A dark-horse to follow for our staff is sophomore Chase Nemec, a free-swinging left-hander who has impressed immensely at showcases in the past. 

How do the Gaels make a serious run in 2026?

 - Starting pitching needs to be as advertised and work deep into games
 - Bullpen pieces need to step up
 - Senior position players need to fire on all cylinders