The four prep baseball teams in The Trentonian’s coverage area will not have the earlier start than everyone else that they usually do this time around. While Pennington is the only Mid-Atlantic Prep League squad that will get its season underway Monday, March 24 when it hosts the Academy of the N ew Church at 4:15 p.m., so do teams from the Burlington County Scholastic League. The other three MAPL clubs will officially start Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with Colonial Valley Conference teams joining the mix as early as Wednesday, giving everyone a jump start before April arrives. Defending MAPL, NJISAA Prep A and (now-defunct) Mercer County Tournament champion, Hun graduated a lot of key players from last season’s 21-5 No. 1 team in the area. Yet, ninth-year head coach Tom Monfiletto still has plenty of talent on the Raiders’ 2025 club. “We graduated a lot of starters and contributors, so, in our first meeting, I told the guys there are lots of opportunities for them to step up,” said Monfiletto, whose team gets underway Thursday when it hosts Georgetown Prep at 4:15 p.m. “A lot of them got experience last year. They are all very capable of stepping into those shoes.” The main difference this spring is that Hun will be much younger overall (especially its pitching staff) with only six seniors on its 21-man varsity roster. Thus, leadership of all sorts will be needed from senior infielders Will Kraemer, Nico Amecangelo and Aidan Barrett, outfielders Antonio Destribats and Grant Gastaldello, as well as catcher Zach Eisenberg. Pennington came away with a 7-5 record in the MAPL in 2024, its first season playing in the seven-school league. That was the second-best record of any of its four local squads. Ninth-year head coach Steve Kowalski had four important players graduate from that team (11-11 overall), but still has a solid cast returning. This time around, the Red Hawks will be led by five seniors – right-handed pitcher/shortstop Landon Hallett, catcher/first baseman/outfielder Joe Lifsted, right-handed pitcher/second baseman Evan Glassner, plus outfielders Ben Pearlberg and Matt Passalacqua. “We’ll be looking for young guys to step up. They’ll be relied upon more than in the past. It’s a matter of how effective they can be,” said Kowalski, whose school is the only one in the MAPL that does not use postgraduates, so it has been allowed to add some eighth graders to its roster (for league play only). “Offensively, we didn’t lose much, but last year our biggest struggle was getting run support. Everyone will need to chip in.” The Lawrenceville School was 9-16 overall and 5-7 in the MAPL in 2024. Eighth-year head coach Steve LaRochelle may not have a big senior class, but it is an important one. Seniors Matei Vasiliu (infielder/right-handed pitcher), Chris Trucano (left-handed pitcher/outfielder), Gray Devine (right-handed pitcher/infielder) and Jack Devigne (right-handed pitcher/outfielder) will all play key roles toward the Big Red’s production. “The players are ready to go,” said LaRochelle, whose team will welcome MAPL foe Blair Academy at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday for its season opener. “We have our top two pitchers and our top two hitters back from a year ago. So that’s a good starting point with our returners. Other guys will have to step up.” Peddie will have one senior – outfielder Owen Piepszak – to direct its 2025 club, which is nothing all that new to the Falcons’ longtime coach Erik Treese. “One of the benefits of being in my 23rd year is I’ve played young kids before,” said Treese, whose charges open on the road at West Windsor-Plainsboro High North at 4 p.m. Friday. “I’m looking forward to it. It will be a pleasure to watch them develop as players, even if it can also be frustrating at times.” Having gone 5-12 overall last season (3-9 in the MAPL), Peddie’s 12 current players will get on the job training from start to finish this spring. “There will be growing pains because they are young,” said Treese, whose son Evan is one of four freshmen on the squad. “But, at every position, we have true baseball players. Our outfielders will go get it, and our infielders, though young, can field it.” As their pitchers and hitters get stronger and more confident, the Falcons will grow as a team. HUN SCHOOL Head Coach — Tom Monfiletto (ninth season). Assistant Coaches — Steve Garrison, Rich Volz, Joaquin Hernandez-Burt, Pat Jones, Connor Brennan. Last Season — 21-5 overall, Mercer County Tournament champs, 10-2 MAPL, Mid-Atlantic Prep League champs, 9-0 vs. Prep A opponents, NJISAA Prep A Tourney state champs, No. 1 in Trentonian Top 15. Roster — Will Kraemer (Sr., IF), Nico Amecangelo (Sr., IF), Antonio Destribats (Sr., OF), Zach Eisenberg (Sr., C), Grant Gastaldello (Sr., OF), Aidan Barrett (Sr., IF), Kerrick Shannon (Jr., LHP), Asher DeLue (Jr, LHP), Aidan Heaphy (Jr., LHP/OF), T.J. Francis (Jr., OF), John Rossman (Jr., UTL), Gaines Newsome (Jr., 1B), Terril Tift (Jr., UTL), Ben Herriott (Jr., RHP), Sam Amodio (Jr., LHP), Tyler Tejeski (Jr., IF), Zain Majeed (Jr., 1B/RHP), Jackson Staples (So., OF/1B), Jacob Lilienthal (So., C), Yanni Moraitis (So., RHP), Will Sassman (So., LHP/OF). Outlook — Coming off an amazing 2024 season, the Raiders graduated 10 and have 11 more returning. Hun will have one of the younger sides it has had in a while, but don’t mistake that to mean it won’t still be good. LAWRENCEVILLE SCHOOL Head Coach — Steve LaRochelle (eighth season). Assistant Coaches — Blake Eldridge, George Long. Last Season — 9-16 overall, 5-7 MAPL, 5-5 vs. Prep A, NJISAA Prep A Tourney state runner-up. Roster — Matei Vasiliu (Sr., IF/RHP), Chris Trucano (Sr., LHP/OF), Gray Devine (Sr., RHP/IF), Jack Devigne (Sr., RHP/OF), David Holland (Jr., SS), Jack Pintimalli (Jr., OF/RHP), Anthony Woo (Jr., RHP/IF), Ethan Wei (Jr., OF), Yushi Kamisaku (Jr., C), Michael Zampardi (Jr., IF), Matt Trucano (So., RHP), William Rue (So., C/OF), Miles Sternberg (So., RHP), Jahan Hoban (Fr., IF), Patrick Alfieri (Fr., RHP/IF). Outlook — The Big Red graduated seven players after making a run to the Prep A Final last season. Ten return, including its top two pitchers and hitters from 2024, looking to help L’ville become even stronger. PEDDIE SCHOOL Head Coach — Erik Treese (23rd season). Assistant Coaches — Pete McClellan, Ryan Crehan, Marc Herold. Last Season — 5-12 overall, 3-9 MAPL, 4-5 vs. Prep A opponents, NJISAA Prep A Tourney semifinalist. Roster — Owen Piepszak (Sr., OF), Brody Buchner (Jr., RHP/IF), Eduard Fernandez (Jr., C), Jonathan Lerner-Nunez (Jr., RHP/IF), Haruo Narita (So., IF), Jonathan Stizza (So., OF), Jaden Heble (So., OF/RHP), Nick Famularo (So., LHP/1B), Mason Kish (Fr., RHP/1B), A.J. Stover (Fr., IF), Evan Treese (Fr., IF/RHP), Shaan Heble (Fr., OF). Outlook — Six Falcons graduated and eight return, leaving them young, but with some experience. Peddie will rely on pitching and defense to keep it in games, while giving its offense time to get stronger. PENNINGTON SCHOOL Head Coach — Steve Kowalski (ninth season). Assistant Coaches — Byron Kou, Ryan Stokes, Chris Wirth-Kenyon. Last Season — 11-11 overall, 7-5 MAPL, 1-1 vs. Prep B opponents, NJISAA Prep B Tourney semifinalist, No. 11 in Trentonian Top 15. Roster — Landon Hallett (Sr., RHP/SS), Joe Lifsted (Sr., C/1B/OF), Evan Glassner (Sr., RHP/2B), Ben Pearlberg (Sr., OF), Matt Passalacqua (Sr., OF), Braeden Leeds (Jr., RHP/OF), Logan Oster (Jr., 1B), Kian Phillips (Jr., OF), Kai Itakura-Prepscius (Jr., RHP/OF), Caden Burns (So., LHP/1B), Joey Riley (So., 2B/C), Ryan Richer (So., RHP/3B), Logan Hyndman (So., RHP/IF), Patrick Frith (So., RHP/OF), Jamir Conover (Fr., SS/2B), Lorenzo Swain (Fr., RHP/OF/2B), Chase Hallett (8th, RHP/IF), Cayden Meccage (8th, LHP/RHP/OF). Outlook — The Red Hawks graduated four key players and had four not return, leaving 10 to carry on their baseball tradition. Pennington will need its offense and more pitchers to take charge this spring. ...read more read less