As the prep baseball season begins Monday, here are a handful of top storylines to keep an eye on from the Daily Journal area.

Wilmington eyes another deep postseason run

Wilmington was a game away from back-to-back Class 2A state appearances last spring, and while a senior class anchored by All-State aces Lucas Rink and Kyle Farrell has graduated, the cupboard is anything but bare for coach Mike Bushnell and his Wildcats.

Senior Ryan Kettman will move up in the starting rotation after posting a filthy 0.72 ERA as a junior and also man the shortstop position for his fourth varsity season. Classmates Zach Ohlund behind the plate, OF Dierks Geiss, who had a team-high .356 average last year, and 1B Bobby Phillips are also back. A talented junior class that includes slick-fielding 3B Cooper Holman, OF Declan Moran and slugging OF/SS Brysen Meents are also back to fill larger roles.

Bishop McNamara looks to defend All-City title

After snapping a decade-long drought in 2025, Bishop McNamara isn’t in any hurry to give the title back to crosstown rivals Bradley-Bourbonnais or Kankakee. And a return to the Class 2A sectional championship round is probably where their postseason goals begin.

Former assistant Aaron Fuerst is the new Fightin’ Irish head coach, and although an all-time senior class has graduated, the expectations haven’t. Notre Dame commit and four-year starter Callaghan O’Connor is back, as are senior classmates Coen Demack (OF) and Logan Popovich (P/1B), while senior right-hander Ian Irps is back after spending his junior season at Bradley-Bourbonnais, giving the Irish senior leadership to pair with a deep junior class and potential star in sophomore IF/OF Gavin Jones.

Bradley-Bourbonnais approaching regional three-peat

In a talent-rich subsectional that’s pumped out multiple MLB Draft picks, it’s been Bradley-Bourbonnais who’s emerged with back-to-back Class 4A regional championships. Their own ace, 2025 Daily Journal Player of the Year Cody Freitas, OF/P Mason Shaul, OF/1B Ty Alderson, C Cayden Arbour and INF Kason Bynum were all starters of both of those teams that have since graduated, but a new core is eager to fill their shoes.

Seniors Liam Martin, Lucas Garrett and Eric Rainbolt give the Boilermakers a pair of talented arms atop the rotation, with Rainbolt also offering a solid presence at first base. Another senior, Jace Boudreau, is a veteran presence in the middle of the infield, giving the Boilers plenty of senior firepower.

Kankakee eager to take step forward

After two seasons with at least 20 wins in the prior three seasons, Kankakee went 10-22 in a bit of a rebuilding year with first-year coach Nick Crowe. But the Kays were able to enter the offseason with some positive takeaways after nearly taking down eventual Class 3A sectional semifinalist Morris in the regional semifinals.

Senior southpaw Jacob Vinardi was one of the two pitchers to keep the Kays in that 1-0 tilt last spring and will serve as their ace. He’s got a talented new backstop to throw to in Bishop McNamara transfer Devin Arbour, and the senior core also includes IF/P Bryce Deany and OF/3B Bryce Arseneaux to pair with a large group of underclassmen that will look to get the Kays back on track.

Co-RVC Players of the Year both return

If a conference’s Player of the Year returning is a rarity, then the talent back in the River Valley this year might be considered unbelievable.

The RVC split last year’s POY award, and both winners are back in Clifton Central senior P/IF Blake Chandler and St. Anne/Donovan C Brandon Schoth. Both are seniors looking to help their programs continue upward trajectories. Chandler and the Comets are defending RVC champions after the two-way threat went 6-3 with 2.71 ERA, 72 strikeouts and 15 walks over 62 innings, and also hit .316. Schoth was the biggest offensive threat for a Cardinals team that had its winningest season in more than a decade when he slashed .419/.519/.532.