The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The lineup card will look a lot different for the Millikan Rams this season, but the program’s standards and expectations remain as high as ever.
And why shouldn’t they? The Rams have won three of the last four Moore League baseball titles–including the last two with a combined league record of 23-1–along with a CIF-SS championship as recently as 2021.
The graduating class from last year’s team was special, and while their departure leaves a big hole for head coach Ron Keester to fill, it also left a valuable impression on the next generation of Rams ready to take their place and keep Millikan as the top program in the city.
“Last year’s group still has an imprint on this group, because of what they were able to do,” said Keester of that big graduating Class of 2025. “And a lot of the guys who were on the team last year that are still on this team, they’re able to follow what they’ve established and what they were doing.”
Keester expects some trial by fire with a good number of young players stepping into key roles, particularly on the infield. After the luxury of having three-year starters at multiple key spots around the diamond, there will be some sophomores and juniors getting their first real taste of the varsity level with important at-bats ahead.
Perhaps the biggest question mark for this year’s squad is how they’ll play defensively. Keester said he’s confident in his team’s ability to manufacture runs–even with less power in the batting order–and the Rams’ pitching staff looks strong once again, but with new starters at catcher and every infield spot, defense will be the key to Millikan’s success.
The team’s experience will be in the outfield, with senior returners Xavier Kennard and Shane Wally in left and right field, respectively. Both guys have productive bats to slot in the heart of the order, and Keester has been particularly impressed with Kennard’s improvement from last season, and expects him to help make the Rams’ lineup go.
“He can do a lot of different things. He’s probably going to hit third for us, and he’s just so dynamic with the speed that he has,” Keester said of Kennard. ”He’s able to hit the ball over people’s heads for triples, but he’s also able to put a bunt down and steal second and third to get there. He’s a quiet kid, but he’s one of our leaders, and he makes sure that kids are doing things the right way.”
In center field, on days when he’s not pitching, you’ll find senior Daunte Bell. The University of Houston commit is the returning ace of the pitching staff, but the southpaw has always fancied himself a two-way player, and he’s ready to do some damage at the plate and in the field for his final high school season.
“We had Anthony Pack there last year, who was as good a center fielder as you can get, and Bell is probably just a smidge below that, like he is really good in the outfield,” said Keester, referencing last year’s All-American who is now starting as a freshman at the University of Texas. “And his arm plays out there, too. You’ll see it when he’s not on the mound. It’s electric.”
Bell’s main contribution to the Rams will be as a frontline starter who ticks every box you could hope for. He’s 6-foot-3, left-handed, has great stuff, loves to compete, and he now has a year of experience as “the guy” under his belt. Now he’s stepping into a leadership role as one of the most experienced players on the team, and it’s no surprise he’s excelling at that, too.
“I’ve definitely just tried to step into that leader role, because I’ve seen over the years all the seniors carry that mentorship,” Bell explained. “I want to take that and show that to the younger guys and welcome them with open arms, but also know that this is fast, this is the real deal. I just want everybody to play hard at the end of the day.”
As a junior, Bell put up crazy numbers, posting a 1.72 ERA in his 12 appearances. But what’s most exciting is his ability to generate whiffs and rack up strikeouts. In just 57 innings he collected 94 strikeouts compared to 19 walks. He posted double-digit punchies in four separate outings–with a season-high 13 in a shutout of Long Beach Poly–and had eight or more K’s in eight of his 11 starts last season.
Keester said the goal this offseason has been to focus on Bell’s consistency, not getting too high or too low within a start. Bell acknowledged that part of becoming an elite pitcher is being productive on days when you don’t have your best stuff, and making sure to trust his squad to back him up.
“I’ve definitely focused more just on the mental game of this. I’m not gonna have my best stuff every game,” said Bell. “I’ve just got to know that I’ve got a good defense behind me, and it’s all about trusting everybody and just being one team, one sound. So I’ve definitely told myself that if the bad games do come, just always look towards the next inning and just be ready to fight. Be ready to compete and win for your team.”
Behind Bell in the pitching staff is a senior Austin Brett, who will play at Hope International next season. He was third on the team in innings pitched last season, striking out 30 batters in his 20 innings on the bump with a live arm and a high spin-rate curveball in his arsenal.
There’s a three-way battle for playing time behind the plate, with seniors Connor Cassidy and Gavin Reyes, plus sophomore Jacob Amado, vying to replace Connor Patton as the starting catcher. Cassidy has the best arm of the bunch, while Reyes is probably the best defender at the plate, and Amado brings the most offensively. So it could be a mix-and-match situation throughout the year.
Senior Lucas Heilig brings experience at first base and could also DH. Sophomore AJ Nonato is also challenging for playing time in both of those spots and will also contribute on the mound and possibly in the outfield.
Senior Adrian Ramirez held down first base last season but has been out with a knee injury. Once he’s healthy, he’ll be right in the mix for a corner infield or DH spot, adding a proven lefty bat to the lineup.
The Rams will be a little inexperienced up the middle with junior Ethan Briones at second and junior Alan Machado at short, but Keester thinks both guys will grow into their roles well and be all-around contributors.
Senior Ethan Barrientos is a solid defender and contact hitter at third base, with an exciting 10th grader in Colin Red Eagle right behind him.
Looking at the schedule for the Rams, they’ve got some marquee non-league matchups scheduled at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, taking on Fountain Valley (Mar. 4), Warren (Mar. 6) and Arlington (Mar. 23).
Millikan will also be playing the nightcap in the first Moore League doubleheader of the season, taking on their co-league champs from a season ago, the Wilson Bruins, on Mar. 20 under the lights at Blair.
Projected Starters:
C: Connor Cassidy (Sr.) / Jacob Amado (So.) / Gavin Reyes (Sr.)
1B: Lucas Heilig (Sr.) / AJ Nonato (So.)
2B: Ethan Briones (Jr.)
SS: Alan Machado (So.)
3B: Ethan Barrientos (Sr.) / Colin Red Eagle (So.)
LF: Xavier Kennard (Sr.) / Marco Marchionni (Sr.)
CF: Daunte Bell (Sr.) / Xavier Kennard (Sr.)
RF: Shane Wally (Sr.)
DH: AJ Nonato (So.) / Lucas Heilig (Sr.) / Jacob Amado (So.) / Colin Red Eagle (So.)
P: Daunte Bell (Sr.) / Austin Brett (Sr.) / Maison Crommie (Sr.) / AJ Nonato (So.)
