2025 Baseball Season Preview
2024 Record: 24-27 (14-18 Heart)
Starters returning/lost: 5/4 fielders; 2/6 pitchers
Letterwinners returning/lost: 15/14
Notable returners:
Abel Madueno, Sr., San Bernardino, Calif.
(Heart Pitcher of the Year, 10-4, 2.86 ERA, 102 K)
Abraham Arroyo, Grad., Camuy, P.R.
(Letterwinner, .347 BA, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 16 R)
Hector Dominguez, Jr., Fontana, Calif.
(Letterwinner, .325 BA, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 20 R)
Aiden North, So., Oskaloosa, Iowa
(Letterwinner, .305 BA, 15 RBI, 5 R)
Zach Otten, Sr., Mapleton, Ill.
(Heart Gold Glove, .257 BA, 2HR, 20 RBI, 28 R)
Notable losses:
Nick George
(All-Heart)
Brian Thomas
(All-Heart)
Justin Martinez
(Letterwinner)
Notable newcomers:
Bradley Soto, Jr., Davenport, Fla.
Carlos Herrera, Jr., Bronx, N.Y.
Dreyton LaVeine, Sr., West Burlington, Iowa
Ened Perez, So., Orocovis, P.R.
Jagger Mitchell, Jr., Rock Springs, Wyo.
Keoni Young, Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.
Joseph Taylor, So., Hemet, Calif.
With the best pitcher in the league back on the mound and a promising recruiting class joining several talented returners, the William Penn baseball team is eager to hit the diamond in 2025.
Head Coach Mike Laird, in his 43nd season, is leading the Statesmen, a year after they went 24-27 overall (14-18 Heart). The navy and gold notched two victories at the 2024 Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship.
Headlining the returners are 2024 Heart Pitcher of the Year Abel Madueno (Sr., San Bernardino, Calif., Business Management) and 2023 first-team all-Heart performer Abraham Arroyo (Grad., Camuy, P.R., Master's of Sports Management).
Pitcher
Madueno looks to again serve as staff ace after going 10-4 with a 2.86 Earned Run Average a year ago. He struck out 102 batters in 94 1/3 innings of work.
Newcomers Joseph Taylor (So., Hemet, Calif., Kinesiology), Dreyton LaVeine (Sr., West Burlington, Iowa, Sociology), and Hunter Thornton (Jr., Bartonsville, Ill., Sports Management) are also projected to sit in the starting role this spring.
Andres Pineda (Jr., Colombia, Secondary Education), with 34 innings of experience in 2024, and Ryne Chamberlin (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sports Management), with nine frames, and Ben George (So., Sarnia, Ontario, Elementary Education) will be looked upon out of the bullpen.
Jack Nesje (So., Sioux Falls, S.D., Biology), Aaron Olivares (Jr., Victorville, Calif., Business Management), and Tyler Corkhill So., Costa Mesa, Calif., Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management) will vie for innings as well.
Catcher
Aiden North (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Industrial Technology) has the inside track to be on the receiving end of the battery. The sophomore hit .305 with 15 RBIs and five runs scored.
Leland Riley II (So., Victorville, Calif., Kinesiology) also returns; he hit .227 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Transfer Jagger Mitchell (Jr., Rock Springs, Wyo., Business Management) is battling for the lineup spot as well.
First Base
Hector Dominguez (Jr., Fontana, Calif., Exercise Science) headlined the Statesmen power in 2024, owning a .325 clip with four home runs, 34 RBIs, and 20 runs.
Juan Perez (Jr., Harlem, N.Y., Sports Management) is in the mix at first base as well.
Second Base
Newcomer Carlos Herrera (Jr., Bronx, N.Y., Kinesiology) is battling for second base, with returner Marco Ayala (Sr., San Francisco, Calif., New Media) managed a .228 clip with one home run, eight RBIs, and eight runs scored.
Shortstop
Ened Perez (So., Orocovis, P.R., Kinesiology) tops the list at shortstop, while Froymer Ortega (Sr., Valencia, Venezuela, Wellness and Recreation) will give him competition. Ortega hit .267 with 12 RBIs and 15 runs.
Third Base
Keoni Young (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science) enters as the frontrunner at the hot corner in his first campaign at WPU.
Outfield
Arroyo, who was an all-conference performer two seasons ago, will lead the outfielders. The graduate student posted a .347 average at the plate with three homers, 13 RBIs, and 16 runs.
Zach Otten (Sr., Mapleton, Ill.) was a Heart Gold Glove winner, while hitting .257 with a pair of home runs, 20 RBIs and 28 runs scored.
Bradley Soto (Jr., Davenport, Fla., Business Management) should also be a mainstay in the grass for the navy and gold.
Designated Hitter
Juan Perez will use a productive bat to get into the lineup in 2025.
Schedule
The Statesmen open a tough non-conference schedule Friday and Saturday with contests in Salina, Kan. It is the start of 16 bouts which will prepare WPU for a 32-game Heart schedule. The navy and gold will be home for 16 of those league matchups beginning with their home-opening series against Park on March 15-16.
WPU is seeking a spot in the Heart Championship that will be held May 2-7 in Ozark, Mo.
