Meet the 2025 All-Orange Observer baseball teams and Player of the Year

Now that the 2025 spring high school sports season — along with the 2024-25 school year — officially has come to an end, it is time to take a look back and celebrate the amazing season West Orange and Southwest Orange teams had on the baseball diamond.

Along with a state championship team — The First Academy Royals — the area saw six programs reach the regional playoffs and a plethora of players receive postseason recognition, such as selections to various all-star games. 

To put a bow on the tremendous performances area high school baseball fans saw in 2025, meet the All-Orange Observer baseball first and second teams and the Player of the Year.

Editor’s note: Players are listed by position, then alphabetically by last name.

FIRST TEAM

Player of the Year

OF Remo Indomenico, The First Academy, senior

Despite only picking up the sport in high school, The First Academy’s Remo Indomenico was the most dangerous bat in all of West Orange and Southwest Orange in 2025, hitting for an average of .466 (48-for-103) with an on-base percentage of .562. 

The 6-foot, 185-pound Oklahoma State signee — and possible 2025 MLB Draft selection — not only hit for average, but also brought an explosive element to the Royals offense, hitting 11 home runs, driving in 44 runs and scoring 49 runs. He also posed a threat as a baserunner, stealing 27 bases. 

Along with a lineup full of dangerous hitters and as deep of a pitching staff as it comes, the Chicago-native helped lead the Royals to a 30-4 record, the No. 8 slot on the season’s final MaxPreps national high school ranking and the Class 2A state championship.

C Austin Pierzynski, The First Academy, senior.

The son of former Big League pitcher A.J. Pierzynski, Austin Pierzynski led the Royals on the field from the behind the plate and in the batter’s box — hitting for an average of .333 (29-for-87) with a .500 OBP, 31 runs, 33 RBIs, three home runs, 23 stolen bases and a .986 fielding percentage. He also was a leader for the area’s lone state title team.

INF Miguel Acosta, West Orange High, junior

In his first season as a member of the Warriors program, Acosta established himself as a vital piece of the club’s success, leading West Orange with 30 hits, a .353 batting average, 24 runs scored and 18 stolen bases. The junior infielder also added 15 RBIs and two home runs on the season, helping the Warriors to a 20-9 record — the program’s best record since 2017.

INF Jose Massanet, Horizon High, senior.

With a team-high batting average of .385 (30-for-78) and 27 runs scored — along with 13 runs batted in and five stolen bases — Massanet helped lead the Hawks to the program’s first regional playoff appearance and the most wins in its history.

INF Casey Nipper, Central Florida Christian Academy, senior. 

As the Eagles top hitter and pitcher, Nipper was one of the most dynamic players in the area this season. From the plate, he hit for an average of .481 (26-for-54), scored 23 runs, drove in 22 runs and stole 29 bases. As CFCA ace pitcher, he struck out 80 batters in 35 innings pitched and held opponents to a .071 average.

OF Kinon Bastian, The First Academy, sophomore.

After playing in just eight games last season, the sophomore outfielder broke into the Royals starting lineup and became a big-time contributor to their championship run. From the plate, Bastian hit for an average of .397 (31-for-78), scored 35 runs, drove in another 18, hit four homers and stole 21 bases.

OF Blake Fields, The First Academy, senior.

Along with Indomenico, Fields was one half of the dynamic one-two punch that led the Royals offense, hitting for an average of .439 (43-for-98), scoring 46 runs, driving in 26 runs and hitting four homers.

OF Randy Ruiz Jr., Windermere High, junior.

In his third season of varsity ball, Ruiz Jr. continues to show why he’s one of the top prospects in the area. 

With a team-leading eight homers, 34 runs scored and 31 hits — for an average of .365 — to go along with 23 RBIs and seven stolen bases — the son of a former Big Leaguer led a young Wolverines teams with a new coach to a 22-8 record, a West Metro Conference championship, a district championship and an appearance in the 7A regional playoffs.

P Sims McClusky, West Orange High, senior.

As the ace of a loaded Warriors pitching staff, McClusky was vital to West Orange’s success in 2025, holding the opposition to a .199 batting average and striking out 50 batters across 52 innings pitched. McClusky finished the season with 5-0 pitching record and a 2.15 ERA.

P Kyle Hopper, The First Academy, senior.

With a 9-1 pitching record, a 1.90 ERA and 74 strikeouts across 62.2 innings pitched, Hopper was lights out as the Royals lead arm during their championship run. 

P Thomas Achey, The First Academy, senior.

The Stetson signee was as clutch as it came in 2025, serving as TFA’s series-closing pitcher, getting the win in both Game 2 of the Regional Championship series and the State Championship game. In 42.1 innings pitched, Achey threw 70 strikeouts, maintained an ERA of 1.32, held opposition batters to an average of .164 and finished the season with an 8-1 pitching record.

SECOND TEAM

• C Jose Taveras, Foundation Academy, junior. 
  • .341 batting average (31-for-91), 10 runs, 24 RBIs and two home runs.
• INF Serico Allen, Ocoee High, junior. 
  • .388 batting average (26-for-67), 36 runs, 21 RBIs, two home runs and 13 stolen bases.
• INF Diego Diaz, Dr. Phillips High, junior. 
  • .425 batting average (34-for-80), 19 runs, 13 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.
• INF Samuel Grande, Olympia High, sophomore. 
  • .345 batting average (29-for-84), 20 runs and 16 RBIs.
• INF Dublin Warren, Windermere High, senior. 
  • .357 batting average (25-for-70), 16 runs, 27 RBIs and three home runs.
• OF Ethan Rathmann, Olympia High, junior. 
  • .364 batting average (30-for-77), 30 runs, three home runs and 20 stolen bases. 
• OF Barak Boston, Foundation Academy, senior. 
  • .453 batting average (24-for-53), 23 runs, 15 RBIs, one home run and 19 stolen bases.
• OF Dwight O’Neal, Ocoee High, senior. 
  • .414 batting average (29-for-70), 22 runs, 18 RBIs and 26 stolen bases.
• OF Alex Galan, Horizon High, senior. 
  • .365 batting average, (31-for-85), 36 runs, 13 RBIs, four home runs and seven stolen bases.
• P Michael Surane, Foundation Academy, senior. 
  • 49.2 innings pitched, 42 strikeouts, 2.40 ERA and .180 opposition batting average.
• P Connor Fink, Windermere High, senior. 
  • 50.2 innings pitched, 63 strikeouts, 2.76 ERA, 3-3 pitching record and .240 opposition batting average.
• P Michael Singer, Horizon High, sophomore. 
  • 47 innings pitched, 61 strikeouts, 1.79 ERA, 4-0 pitching record and .207 opposition batting average.