Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballM
Follow on Instagram- @prepbaseballmichigan

With the spring right around the corner, our staff has began preparing for the season with team previews. In this edition we highlighted four teams in Blue Water Area Conference.

All information has been provided to us through our preseason coaches questionnaire, please email [email protected] if you have not received this poll and are a varsity head coach in the state of Michigan. 

To view the full list of 2026 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

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

---

Algonac Muskrats

Head Coach: Scott Thaler

Division: 3

2025 Record: 20-16

2025 Tournament: Lost in District Final

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/5

2026 Team Strengths:

• Experience
• Pitching Depth
• Defense
• Athleticism

Key Returners:

• Cole Thaler, OF/RHP, 2026
  .340 AVG, 7 2B, 4 3B, 21 RBI, 27 R, 21 SB / 53.2 IP, 6-3, 2.74 ERA, 47 K
• Steven Walther, RHP, 2026, Adrian College
  28.1 IP, 1.48 ERA, 34 K
• Jaxon Shafer, MIF, 2027
  .261 AVG, 27 R, 6 2B, 18 SB
• Carter Ducharme, RHP/OF, 2027
  22.1 IP, 2-1, 3.01 ERA, 28K
• Colin Grove, RHP, 2026
  17.2 IP, 3-1, 3.4 ERA, 17K
• Zac Yntema, C, 2026
• Zachary Witherspoon, RHP/OF, 2026

---

Almont Raiders

Head Coach: Shane Campbell

Division: 3

2025 Record: 15-15

2025 Tournament: Lost in District Semifinals

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 8/6

2026 Team Strengths:

• Defense

Key Returners:

• Blake Lane, RHP/C/SS/OF, 2027
• Brock Murphy, 2B, 2028
• Colin Campbell, 3B, 2028
• Colten Karbel, RHP/SS/OF, 2028
• Ian Meyers, RHP/1B, 2027
• Landon Swain, RHP/INF, 2027
• Keith Geml, OF, 2027
• Justin Pape, OF, 2026

---

Imlay City Spartans

Head Coach: Mark Detwiler

Division: 2

2025 Record: 7-25

2025 Tournament: Lost in District Semifinal

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/5

Team Strengths:

• Pitching
• Speed
• Senior Leadership

Key Returners:

• Brady Detwiler, CF/MIF/P, 2026
  .307 AVG, 6 XBH, 13 SB
• Sam Edson, SS/RHP/C/OF, 2026
  .292 AVG, 6 XBH, 27 R, 13 SB
• Vincent Guerin, OF/P, 2026
  .345 AVG, 30 H, 7 XBH
• Trace Dennis, C/3B/RHP, 2027
  .280 AVG, 7 XBH, 17 RBI
• Griffin Wetzel, RHP/1B/3B, 2028
  41 IP, 50 K

2028 RHP Griffin Wetzel (Imlay City)

6-2/185

FB: 84-87 T87.3
SL: 74-77
SP: 71-74@Wetzel_1044 | #CMPAS pic.twitter.com/yHIlJS35zi

— Prep Baseball Michigan (@PrepBaseballMI) February 14, 2026

Notable Newcomer:

• Easton McKinstry, C/3B/OF, 2026

---

Richmond Blue Devils

Head Coach: Scott Evans

Division: 2

2025 Record: 22-8

2025 Tournament: Lost in Pre-Districts

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5/4

Team Strengths:

• Infield
• Hitting
• Speed

Key Returners:

• Dominic Bonnetti, SS, 2027, Notre Dame

2027 MIF Dominic Bonnetti
(Richmond)

Bonnetti wins a long AB pulling a 2K breaking ball through the left side for a lead off single

Would later swipe second base and come around to score for #TeamMichigan 👍🏻#PBFG25 | @BonnettiDominic pic.twitter.com/AT4IojhrCh

— Prep Baseball Michigan (@PrepBaseballMI) July 26, 2025

• Logan Evans, OF, 2026, Saginaw Valley State
• Cameron Murray, OF/RHP, 2026, Lawrence Tech
• Cameron Sutherland, 1B/RHP, 2027
• Gaige Towner, 1B/3B/RHP, 2026
• Joey Joudi, C, 2026
• John Swamba, MIF, 2026

Notable Newcomer:

• Jaxon Distelrath, SS/RHP, 2028

Recent Articles