2025 Times All-Area Baseball Team

A collection of 40 of the top prep baseball players this past spring from across The Times’ 13-school coverage area, we’re proud to present the 2025 Times All-Area Baseball Team, as voted on by The Times Sports staff.

First Team

Braden Behringer, Sandwich, P/SS, jr.

A unanimous selection, Behringer batted .410 with nine doubles, three triples, two home runs and 40 RBIs, while going 6-1 with a save on the mound, a 2.01 ERA and 62 strikeouts.

Behringer was named to the Kishwaukee River All-Conference Team and was voted the league’s Player of the Year. He was also an honorable-mention pick to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 2A All-State Team. He was on The Times All-Area Second Team in 2024.

Noah Brandt, Somonauk, SS/C/P, sr.

A unanimous selection, Brandt led the Bobcats at the plate with a .491 batting average with seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, 19 RBIs and 21 stolen bases.

Brandt was a unanimous selection to the Little Ten All-Conference Team and named to the IHSBCA Class 1A All-State Team. He was honorable mention Times All-Area in 2024.

Anthony Couch, Marquette, 2B/P, jr.

A unanimous selection, Couch posted a .368 batting average with 10 doubles, a triple, four home runs and 40 RBIs for the Crusaders. On the mound he went 6-2 with a 2.47 ERA and struck out 76 batters in 51 innings.

Couch was a Tri-County Conference honorable mention pick and earned second-team Times All-Area honors in 2024.

Griffin Dobberstein, Marquette, SS/2B/P, so.

Dobberstein had a great second season for the Crusaders, batting .349 with six doubles, four triples, three home runs and 22 RBIs. On the hill, he went 8-1 with a 1.53 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 55 innings.

Dobberstein was voted to the Tri-County All-Conference second team and was also a The Times second-team selection in 2024.

Paxton Giertz, Seneca, CF/P/1B, sr.

A unanimous selection, Giertz finished off a tremendous prep career hitting .354 with five doubles, two triples, a home run and 10 RBIs for the Fighting Irish. On the mound, he fanned 36 batters in 25 innings.

Giertz was a Tri-County All-Conference second-team honoree. He was a The Times All-Area second-team pick in 2022, and a first-team pick in 2023 and 2024.

Jake Hagie, Streator, P/CF, sr.

A unanimous selection, Hagie registered a solid 2.46 ERA in 51⅓ innings for the Bulldogs. He hit .253 with four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs. On the bump, he

Hagie was a The Times All-Area second-team pick in 2023 and first-team selection in 2024.

Jordan Heider, Fieldcrest, 2B/P, sr.

A unanimous selection, Heider batted an eye-popping .534 with 11 doubles, eight triples, three home runs, 19 RBIs and 30 stolen bases for the Knights. On the mound he went 4-3 with a 3.72 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 32 innings.

Heider was named to the Heart of Illinois All-Conference first team and IHSBCA Class 2A All-State Team. He was a The Times All-Area second-team selection in 2023 and first-team honoree in 2024.

Eastin McBroom, Newark, P/SS/2B, fr.

A unanimous selection, McBroom burst onto the scene going 7-1 with an amazing 0.46 ERA and 70 strikeouts and just six walks in 46 innings for the Norsemen. He also hit .279 with a double and 16 RBIs.

McBroom was a unanimous selection to the Little Ten All-Conference Team and makes his first appearance on The Times All-Area Team.

Sam Mitre, Marquette, 1B, sr.

A unanimous selection, Mitre finished off a sensational prep career hitting .463 with 17 doubles, three home runs and 43 RBIs for the Crusaders.

Mitre was a unanimous selection to the Tri-County All-Conference Team and was named to the Class 1A IHSBCA All-State squad. He was a Times All-Area first-team pick in 2022 and 2024, and received honorable mention in 2023.

Alec Novotney, Marquette, P/SS/2B, jr.

A unanimous selection and the 2025 Times Player of the Year, Novotney was once again one of the top pitchers in 1A, going 11-0 with a 1.00 ERA, 119 strikeouts and just nine walks in 63 innings. The Crusaders leadoff man also batted .415 with 11 doubles, two triples, a home run and 22 RBIs.

Novotney was voted to the Tri-County All-Conference first team, the league’s Pitcher and Player of the Year and was an IHSBCA Class 1A All-State Team honoree. He was a The Times All-Area second-team selection in 2023 and first-team honoree in 2024.

Beau Raikes, Serena, P/SS, sr.

A unanimous selection, Raikes went 3-5 on the hill with a solid 2.00 ERA. He struck out a single-season program record 102 batters and allowed just 17 hits with a .100 batting average against in 52⅓ innings for the Huskers. He took no-hitters into the fifth inning three times.

Raikes was a unanimous pick for the Little Ten All-Conference Team and was a Times All-Area first-teamer in 2024.

Jacob Rosetto, Ottawa, SS/2B, sr.

A unanimous selection, Rosetto hit .369, had an on-base percentage of .492 and drove in 17 runs for the Pirates.

Rosetto was named to the Interstate 8 All-Conference first team and was a Times All-Area honorable-mention pick in 2024.

Adam Swanson, Ottawa, P/C, jr.

A unanimous selection, Swanson batted .396 with 10 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 31 RBIs for the Pirates. On the mound he went 3-3 with a 4.40 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 55 innings.

Swanson was voted to the Interstate 8 All-Conference first team and was a Times All-Area first-team honoree in 2024.

Cole Winterrowd, Streator, 1B, jr.

A unanimous selection, Winterrowd hit .416 with 13 doubles, a triple, four home runs and 29 RBIs for the Bulldogs.

Winterrowd was named to the Illinois Central Eight All-Conference Team and was a Times All-Area first-team selection in 2024.

Second Team

Brady Andrews, Somonauk, CF/P, so.

Jeffery Ashley, Sandwich, C, jr.

Aaden Browder, Earlville-Leland, P/1B, so.

Clay Christoff, Streator, P/3B, jr.

Keaton Davis, Marquette, C, sr.

Lucas Farabaugh, Ottawa, P/3B, jr.

Brendyn Fuchs, Ottawa, 1B, jr.

Jaxsen Higgins, Marquette, RF/P, jr.

Brayden Matsko, Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell, 3B/P, fr.

Nick Michalek, Sandwich, P/SS/CF, jr.

Drew Overocker, Fieldcrest, 3B/P, so.

Jace Veith, Ottawa, RF, sr.

Jackson Walker, Newark, IF/P, sr.

Isaiah Weibel, Streator, P/IF/OF/C, sr.

Honorable Mention

Joey Arnold, Seneca, C, so.

Colin Byers, Streator, P/OF, so.

Grant Dose, Marquette, CF/P, jr.

Layten Gerdes, Fieldcrest, SS/P, jr.

Grady Harp, Earlville-Leland, LF, sr.

Luke Hartsell, Somonauk, 3B/P/SS, so.

Landon Johnson, Somonauk, OF/P, so.

Aldo Resendez, Somonauk, P, sr.

Sam Schmitz, Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell, 1B, sr.

Cam Shriey, Seneca, SS/P, so.

Griffin Somlock, Sandwich, CF/P, jr.

Toby Steffen, Newark, SS/P, sr.