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2025 Spring Team Preview: Cardinal Mooney

February 25, 2025
Bruce Hefflinger
Michigan Senior Writer

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With 2024 now in the past, Prep Baseball Michigan is eagerly anticipating bringing the state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2025. Starting in February, we began releasing team previews for squads across the state. Ahead, we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way.

To view the full list of 2025 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2025 Team Preview, click here.

Interested in attending a Prep Baseball Michigan event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2025 Spring Team Preview: Cardinal Mooney

MARINE CITY - The philosophy of “one pitch at a time” has resulted in enormous success for Cardinal Mooney and the 2025 season looks to be no different under second-year head coach David Bowen.

“We get players to understand that we play the game one pitch at a time,” explained Bowen, who led the Cardinals to the Final Four a year ago in his first year in charge of the program after serving four seasons as an assistant. “Every pitch is a different situation and that is how we approach the game from a defensive and offensive perspective.”

Cardinal Mooney finished the 2024 campaign at 23-11, tying Divine Child for first place in the Catholic AA Division with a 15-5 record.

Four college commits headline the current edition of the Cardinals, which enter this year off a trip to state that ended with a 3-2 loss to Norway in the Division 4 semifinals.

“I think this team will have a deeper pitching staff this year as well as a more consistent lineup 1-9 on offense,” related Bowen, who pointed to defense as another strong point of this year’s squad, with speed considered the biggest weakness. “Throwing strikes, consistent defense and hitting will be the keys to success.”

Avery Brohl and Mason Martin are expected to lead the way on the mound for Mooney, which must fill the shoes of ace pitcher George Szepp (10-1, 1.427 ERA, 68.2 innings, 102 strikeouts). Brohl, a Lawrence Tech commit, was 8-3 with a 2.541 ERA in 52.1 innings last season while Martin, the 22nd-rated sophomore right-handed pitcher in Michigan, was 4-1 with two saves in 37.2 innings, striking out 46 with a 1.50 ERA.

The big returnee at the plate is Cameron Spezia, who led the Cardinals in batting with a .354 average, driving in 26 runs and scoring 27 with three home runs. The 112th-rated 2025 in the state, an Oakland commit, also had 11 stolen bases.

Joe Doddy brings more firepower to the infield, which must replace shortstop Ty Boedeker (Macomb CC) and catcher Anthony Girling (Adrian College). Doddy, the eighth-ranked junior third baseman in Michigan, had a .307 average with 17 RBIs and 19 runs scored a year ago.

Brohl hit .263 with 15 RBIs and 22 runs and Daniel Rice, a Lansing Community College recruit, batted .228 with 16 RBIs, 21 runs and a dozen stolen bases. Another returnee is Rochester commit Lorenzo Merpi.

Infielder Jacob Michaux is a newcomer being counted on for a program that has won six district titles and four regional crowns since 2018 with two Final Four appearances in the last four years.

“Again we should be in one of the most competitive leagues in the state,” Bowen said. “Last year five out of the six teams in our league made it to the regional semifinal or final and we had to beat one of them to make it to the Final four. Liggette is also in our league this year which just raises the competition even more.

“It is going to be a hard league to win this year, but my main focus will be on getting this team ready to make another run in the playoffs and trying to finish the one goal we have left and that’s winning a state title.”

2025 Spring Team Preview: Cardinal Mooney

Team Name: Cardinal Mooney
Head Coach: David Bowen
Division: 4
2024 Record: 23-11
2024 Tourney Finish: State Semifinals loss
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 9/5

Coach Outlook: "With a deep returning pitching staff we should be able to make a good run in the tournament."

2025 Team Strengths:

  • Leadership
  • Starting Pitching
  • Defense

Top Returning Players:

Cameron Spezia, SS, 2025 Oakland recruit

Avery Brohl, IF/P/OF, 2025 Lawrence Tech recruit

Daniel Rice, OF, 2025 Lansing Community College recruit

Class of 2025 Prospects:

Quinn Addis, INF/RHP

Class of 2026 Prospects:

Joseph Doddy, 3B

Jacob Michaux, MIF

Nick Oginsky, RHP/OF

Class of 2027 Prospects:

Mason Martin, RHP/OF

Brady Boedeker, MIF

Trevor Langbeen, OF

Landan Maas, 2B/OF

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