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2025 Spring Team Preview: Van Wert Cougars

March 18, 2025
Dylan Hefflinger
Prep Baseball Ohio Editor in Chief/Advanced Scout

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With 2024 now in the past, Prep Baseball Ohio is eagerly anticipating bringing the Buckeye 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 Ohio event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2025 Spring Team Preview: Van Wert Cougars

Team Name: Van Wert Cougars
Head Coach: Charlie Witten
Division: IV
2024 Record: 11-10
2024 Tourney Finish: Sectional Finals loss to Bryan
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/5

Coach Outlook: "The Van Wert Cougar Baseball Team will look to be very competitive this year. We have a good core group of players returning from our team last year."

2025 Team Strengths:

  • Pitching - balanced and deep pitching staff
  • Experience
  • Hitting - again balanced and deep group of hitters

Top Returning Players:

  • OF/P Briston Wise*** SR .213 avg, 5 rbi, 13 runs 39 ip 3-2 record 48 K 2.87 ERA Honorable Mention WBL
  • OF/P Sam Houg*** SR .373 avg 13 RBI 13 runs 39.2 IP, 3-4 record, 34 Ks, 1.94 ERA 2nd Team WBL
  • C/P Case Stegaman** SR .300 avg 8 rbi 13 runs 5.1 IP 2.63 ERA
  • 1B/P Hayden Davis** SR .361 avg 12 rbi 11 runs 31 ip 4-1 record 1.36 ERA 19 Ks 2nd Team WBL
  • 2B/P Nate Gearhart* SR .282 avg 7 rbi 7 runs 8 ip 4.38 ERA 1-1 record 1 save
  • OF Donovan Winkeljohn* SR
  • 3B/P Hayden Dowler SR * .214 avg 13.1 ip 4.20 ERA 7 K
  • C/OF Trevor Halker JR * .222 avg
  • SS/P Griffin McCracken JR* .217 avg
  • 3B/DH Cam Werts JR* .083 avg

Class of 2025 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

  • Case Stegaman
  • Hayden Davis
  • Sam Houg
  • Hayden Davis
  • Briston Wise

Class of 2026 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

  • Griffin McCracken
  • Cam Werts

Class of 2028 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

  • Wyatt Scott, P/OF

A Look Back At The 2024 Season:

To view the 2024 Team Previews, click here.

To view the 2024 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here.

To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

To View the 2024 PBR All-State Teams, click here.

    To view the 2024 Preseason All-State Teams, click here.

    To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:

      To view the 2024 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here.

      A Look Back At The 2023 Season:

      To view the 2023 Team Previews, click here.

      To view the 2023 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here.

      To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

      To View the 2023 PBR All-State Teams click below:

        To view the 2023 Preseason All-State Teams, click below:

        To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:

          To view the 2023 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here.

          A Look Back At The 2022 Season:

          To view the 2022 Team Previews, click here.

          To view the 2022 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here.

          To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

          To View the 2022 PBR All-State Teams click below:

            To view the 2022 Preseason All-State Teams, click below:

            To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:

              To view the 2022 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here.

              A Look Back At The 2021 Season:

              To view the 2021 Team Previews, click here.

              To view the 2021 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here.

              To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

              To View the 2021 PBR All-State Teams click below:

              To view the 2021 Preseason All-State Teams, click below:

              To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:

              To view the 2021 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click below:

                        A Look Back At What Would've Been The 2020 Season:

                        To view each of the parts to the No 'Last Dance' Series, click below:

                        To view the 2020 Team Previews, click here.

                        To view the 2020 Preseason All-State Teams, click here.

                        To view the 2020 Virtual Ohio High School State Tournament/Preseason Team Rankings, click here.

                        A Look Back At The Last Decade:

                        To view the Ohio High School All-Decade Team 2010-2019, click here.

                        A Look Back At The 2019 Season:

                        To view the 2019 Team Previews, click here.

                        To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

                        To view the 2019 All-State Teams, click below.

                        To view the 2019 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

                        A Look Back At The 2018 Season:

                        To view the 2018 Team Previews, click here.

                        To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

                        To view the 2018 All-State Teams, click below.

                        To view the 2018 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

                        A Look Back At The 2017 Season:

                        To view the 2017 Team Previews, click here.

                        To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

                        To view the 2017 All-State Teams, click below.

                        To view the 2017 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

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