We had a perfect champion in Division I, a four-way race that eventually left a lone Division II survivor and a Division III winner crowned on the final night of the season.
That was the Rhode Island Interscholastic League baseball scene last June. Bishop Hendricken, Westerly and Rogers were left celebrating after taking different paths to glory.
The Hawks were dominant thanks to the two-way talents of Griffin Crain and a supporting cast filled with future college players, sweeping South Kingstown in the best-of-three championship series. The Bulldogs rode dominant pitching and just enough offensive punch to outlast East Greenwich, East Providence and Barrington. Conor Donahue was the difference on the mound while the Vikings upended West Warwick, with his second complete game in their best-of-three series closing the door.
Realignment will see Westerly and the Townies jump to the top level this season. Flexible scheduling and accumulating power points for playoff qualification has turned the division races into something of a mystery. Brackets will be revealed in late May, and a sprint through prom season and graduation will determine the next batch of champions.
We’re fortunate at this moment on the local scene. There is more talent that will take the field this spring than we can include here. Several current and future college commits won’t make this list of 10 players to watch — it’s not a referendum on their abilities.
The guys here have either made All-State teams in the past or helped their programs advance deep into the playoffs. These names could change by the time June rolls around and the real business of the 2025 season is decided. That’s part of the fun at this level — growth and development in leaps and bounds are still likely to take place right in front of our eyes.
Let’s hope for good health, sunshine and some warm afternoons in our near future. Opening Day feels like the real start of spring, not some artificial date in March. Enjoy it while you can.
Dylan Annicelli
East Providence, Senior, Pitcher
Annicelli enters his senior season a veteran of the biggest games June has to offer and a Southern Maine commit. He was a champion in 2023 and helped the Townies stretch Westerly to the brink in the 2024 playoffs. The right-hander commands multiple pitches and features enough velocity to throw a fastball by you in a key spot.
Braeden Campbell
Bishop Hendricken, Senior, Outfielder/catcher
Campbell has done a little bit of everything for the Hawks over the course of his career. Absorb a physical beating behind ...
