The baseball season starts this week. Check out our five players to watch in the Northwest Herald area for the 2026 season.

Can McHenry's baseball team repeat last year's success, which included a berth in the Class 4A state title game? The Warriors return several top hitters, including LSU commit Kaden Wasniewski. Which teams will win conference crowns? Here are five storylines to watch this spring.

Take a look back at some of the top sports stories from McHenry County in 2025.

Fox Valley Conference baseball coaches Brian Bogda of Crystal Lake South and Brian Rockweiler of McHenry have been named to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Cary-Grove graduate Quinn Priester will start for the Milwaukee Brewers against the Cubs in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. The Brewers lead the best-of-five series 2-0.

The Cubs have been one of the best teams in Major League Baseball this summer, and 'Locked On Cubs' podcast partners Matt Cozzi and Sam Olbur, both of whom grew up in the Chicago suburbs, have kept fans up to date after every game

Cary-Grove graduate Quinn Priester is enjoying a breakout season with the Milwaukee Brewers and has a been a key contributors as the Brewers battle the Cubs for first place in the National League Central Division.

Casey Hintz realized a life-long dream when the Seattle Mariners selected him in the 16th round of last week's MLB draft. Hintz, who grew up in Crystal Lake and Lakewood, signed his first professional contract over the weekend. "It finally came true."

Cary-Grove graduate Quinn Priester started the Milwaukee Brewers’ second-half opener Friday night and struck out 10, including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the first inning, and completed six scoreless innings in a 2-0 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.