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2025 New England High School Team Previews

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2025 Spring Team Preview: Austin Prep (MA)

READING, Ma. - For the second time in three seasons Austin Prep finished the year with an undefeated record.

The 19-0 season in 2024 moved head coach Jonathan Pollard to 82-6 in his four years at the helm, including a 26-0 mark in 2022.

“Our program is known for playing a very clean brand of baseball in all facets of the game,” explained Pollard, whose squad a year ago picked up notable wins over the likes of Stony Brook School, Dexter, Phillips Andover, Phillips Exeter, Hamden Hall, Belmont Hill, Lawrence Academy and St. Sebastian’s. “Our controlled aggression provides us a style of play that allows for a lot of athletic freedom and decision making, while also having a humble intelligence that prevents us from making unnecessary mistakes that could put us in a position to beat ourselves.”

With 15 seniors from a year ago gone, including 13 that moved on to play college baseball, there are certainly a few holes to fill for the 2025 campaign.

“With having so many new faces, our depth should position us to have balanced responsibilities in terms of production and overall success,” Pollard explained. “Our depth will also undoubtedly create a very competitive practice environment day in and day out. Beyond our depth, we are a very well rounded, skilled, and athletic team up the middle of the field, which will provide invaluable big game experience to a collectively young roster.”

Pollard points to third-year starting catcher Bradley McCafferty and staff ace Chase Edgar as key returnees this season. McCafferty, the 35th-ranked junior catcher in the nation, is a Duke commit while Edgar, the sixth-rated 2026 RHP in New England, is an Elon recruit.

Nick Genese, a St. Anselm signee, brings another arm back to the rotation as the 19th-ranked senior left-handed pitcher in New England, while Lucas Sarno, the number one sophomore shortstop in New England, is back to anchor the infield.

The outfield returns intact led by center fielder Ryan Moreschi, the top-rated junior outfielder in New England. Alex Fernandes is back in left field with Mike McCarthy in right.

“Our strengths will be the depth of both our pitching staff and lineup,” Pollard related. “Complimenting that depth will be our physicality as our varsity roster will be composed of players who are both strong and fast. Our pitching staff will be the most diverse it has been in program history with a great balance of right handed and left handed pitchers of varying arm slots and pitch makeup.”

But the losses of players like Jake Zawatsky (UMass Lowell), David VanderZouwen (Bentley), Jake Harring (Hofstra), Lukasz Rondeau (Dayton), Matt Doherty (Trinity), Jack Sweeney (Brandeis) and Evan Ventura (West Point) bring questions to the season.

“Our weaknesses will be our lack of experience due to being a very young group,” Pollard said. “Our greatest area of inexperience will be our pitching staff, with Chase Edgar being our only arm with sizable innings pitched in 2024. Though very talented on paper, we must prove ourselves before we can confidently say our youth will not be a weakness or create challenges.”

Pollard points to junior first baseman Nick Ranaldi along with sophomore right-handed pitcher Zach Floyd and freshman right-handed pitcher Dylan Cunningham as newcomers to watch. Ranaldi is the top-ranked 2026 first baseman in New England and Cunningham the second-rated 2028 RHP.

“The keys to our success this season will be how quickly we can create an identity and brand of baseball for this particular group,” Pollard noted. “Obviously, with so many new pitchers set to throw sizable innings, their success at the varsity and/or NEPSAC level will very much impact our success.” 

The successful head coach looks forward to what lies ahead for the Cougars this year.

“We are very excited for the 2025 season,” Pollard concluded. “With so many talented players throughout our program and an incredibly demanding schedule against many of the best teams throughout the Northeast, we are eager to get out on the field to compete and find out who we are and what we are capable of doing.”

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