Idaho 2025 Season Thread

[LT]

The Steelheads come into the 2025 season with positive vibes for the near future. The 2024 campaign saw the team improve from 63 to 70 wins, only the second time in franchise history that the 70 win mark was reached. The 2024 season continued to graduate some of the young talent this organization has accumulated as a reward for being so bad for so long.

Pitching
Zach Anderson continued his successful career to date, reaching the 50 win mark, with a 14-12 record with a 3.76 ERA and a 4.9 WAR. He is the ace of the staff and should be the rock of the Steelhead pitching for several years to come.
Jim O'Brien improved on his rookie year to win the Idaho MVP for 2024. 14-11 3.01, 5.7 WAR.
Jim Fish had a strong rookie year. 8-14 3.97 ERA, 1.9 WAR. He looks to build on that start to his career in his second season.
Eric Osborne had a successful first half season as closer, 23 saves and 4 blown. He figures to start the year as the closer.

Hitting
Bingham Klebel hit .331 with 71 walks. He did miss 40 games, but will be back amongst the batting leaders if healthy in 2025.
Mike McKinney struggled out of the gate in 2024, but finished strong with 32 home runs and 96 RBI (franchise record). He will man first base this year and likely becomes the DH in 2026.
Ed Cameron had a strong rookie season in RF. A fast riser through the Idaho system, he bullied his way into the starting lineup with a .279-10-41 season.
LF David Pegas also forced his way into the lineup - a .309 average with 29 steals in just under 500 plate appearances, he looks like a tremendous FA find for Idaho.

New Comers
Dan Dixon played half a season and improved tremendously in the latter part of the season. At 21 he is the catcher of the present and future.
Mike Minor, another young catcher, will be the backup.
Antonio Vasquez, a middle infielder was acquired from Virginia and he figures to be the primary backup at 2b, 3b, SS.
Vic Taylor will make his AFBL debut unless he has a tough spring. A 2020 5th rounder, the 23 year old Taylor is poised to be the #5 stater.

On the Farm
AAA
2021 #1 overall pick Brad Allen is knocking on the door - he is slated to start 2025 in AAA, but he showed improved power in 2024 and is likely to take over for Steve Atherton at the hot corner at some point in 2025.
Pitcher Cesar Farias figures to be promoted from AAA in 2025 as well. The 21 year old had a good season in AAA and will start there to get a little more seasoning before being promoted.
Young pithcers Tim Farley and Jim Smitjh are also knocking on the door.

AA
2022 second overall pick Loren Dobson has steadily improved while working at SS and looks to have his best minor league season. With some big league talent ahead of him at 2B, SS figures to be his best route to the big leagues.
Outfielders Reggie Hetrick and Juan Martinez are looking to build on successful 2024 seasons.

A
1B Harry Read exploded out of the gate in 2024 then suffered a torn back muscle. He looks to get back on track in 2025.
LF Jesus Hernandez and CF Jose Arroyo are young players looking to blossom in 2025.

Outlook
The ownership and management expect another jump in 2025 from 70 wins to break through the team record 72 and look for a .500 season or better. There are lots of good young talented kids coming and the immediate future is exciting in Idaho.

[LT]

Long time 2b/3b Steve Carr has been released by the Idaho Steelheads. Carr had asked for a trade in the prior 2 seasons, but no trading partner could be found.

Steelheads GM LT 'Steve was a key member of our franchise in the early seasons and was always a positive influence even during the tough seasons. He came to me asking for a trade and we tried to accommodate his wishes, but there was no real market for him. Instead of sending him down to AAA, we are granting him his release and hope he catches on with another club.'

Carr played in 982 games for Idaho, posting a .260 average. He leaves the club with the franchise lead in VORP, doubles, and walks. 

LT completed the press conference by saying 'This is a tough one for me, Steve played for me in Illinois, so there is a long history between us. I wish him the best as he continues his career and I hope he will come back to Idaho to coach or be part of the management structure when his playing days are over.'

[LT]

Idaho completed a 12-16 spring and had several tough decisions on cut down day.

Tough Cuts
- Steve Carr was released. The longtime 2b/3b just had no place on the roster any longer.
- Longtime starting catcher Alex Perry was sent to AAA. Idaho is going with young catchers Dixon and Minor.
- 1B Dana Little is a solid hitter, but with hulking McKinney at 1B and a capable and more versatile Ron French as the backup, Little is back in AAA. Look for a potential resurgence next year when the DH is added.

Surprises
- The biggest surprise is CF, 1st round pick Dan Pelletier making the opening day roster. He had a solid spring and offers depth in center field and left. He will pinch hit and pinch run as well. Given Klebel's injury history, Pelletier may be pressed into service sooner rather than later.
- Bernardo Pulla and Pat Meyer were both candidates to be returned to AAA, but Derek Boyd was so bad in ST he had to be returned. He has reached bust status after being the 4th overall pick in 2018.

Lineup
LF - Davis Pegas
CF - Bingham Klebel
SS - Steve Lord
1B - Mike McKinney
RF - Ed Cameron
2B - Mal Parks
C - Dan Dixon
3B-Steve Atherton

Pitching Staff
1-Zach Anderson
2-Jim O'Brien
3-Jim Fish
4-Cesar Hernandez
5-Vic Taylor

Closer-Eric Osborne

Bullpen:
Jake Howard
Kal Bishop
Ronald Jasperse
Bernardo Pulla
Pat Meyer
Pat MacDonald

[Chappy]

I'm pleased to announce that I'll be giving Carr another shot at life in the big leagues!

[LT]

The second overall pick in the 2022 draft has be called up to the AFBL. Idaho GM LT made the call late last evening. "Our team is really struggling, especially at the shortstop position. Dobson has been improving at that spot and we hope he can continue to grow and improve at SS. We know he was drafted as a 2B, but Mal Parks is doing well in that spot and Dobson has the work ethic and dedication to his craft to become a solid SS. The time is now for the #2 overall prospect in the AFBL."

The Steelheads are off to a brutal start at 11-19 and need a shot in the arm. Dobson needs to improve his plate discipline and is still developing his power potential, but should offer speed to a lineup that needs something.

LF David Pegas and RF Ed Cameron have struggled out of the gate after a very promising rookie years. Steve Lord has only just snapped out of a very poor start to the season.

Look for 2021 #1 overall pick Brad Allen to debut as the season moves along, especially if the Steelheads continue their struggles...

[LT]

The promise the Idaho showed at the end of the 2024 season did not carry over in 2025. A brutal start followed by a couple of key injuries and the Steelheads returned to the land of 100 losses.

The offense is still a major problem for this team. Following years of strong bullpen performance the 7 man pen struggled in 2025.

The Good

Mike McKinney had a strong year with 32 home runs and 100 RBI. First Steelhead ever to 100 RBI.
Mal Parks continued his statistical improvement and hit .276-13-71. He has improved each year and is a solid 2B.
22 year old catcher Dan Dixon hit .277-11-55 with 37 doubles.
David Pegas finished strong hitting .267 with 41 doubles and 31 steals.
Ed Cameron had a solid second half and set a career high in HR with 15.
Bingham Klebel played 154 games and hit .285.

Jim Fish 12-11 2.96 ERA in 191 IP, 20 QS in 31 starts. The 23 year old should be a rock at the top of the rotation for the next decade.
Zach Anderson 11-12 3.77, still solid.
Jim O'Brien struggled. Good ERA and almost 60% QS, but took 19 losses this season.
Dan Butler came off a severe arm injury and pitched well, 5-9 4.24. 12 QS in 20 starts.
Eric Osborne 36 saves only 5 blown.
Jim Smith had a great rookie year out of the pen. 2-4 3.67 ERA in almost 70 IP.

The Bad
Steve Lord .232-10-56. Just never got it going in 2025.

Tim Farley and Doug O'Brien struggled mightily in their rookie seasons in the bullpen.

The Ugly

Vic Taylor 2-12 before an arm injury took him our for 9 months. Hopefully he will bounce back from the injury.
5-18 record in July...yuck.

A Look Ahead to 2026
Loren Dobson and Brad Allen made debuts in 2025. Dobson moved from 2B to SS and struggled to a .225 average, 9HR and 28 RBI in 103 games. He also made 23 errors. Allen came up in August and was quite productive. In 29 games he hit .289-2-17 with 12 walks. Also played stellar defense.
Edgardo Serrano 4-10 in limited time, may be a DH option and defensive replacement at 1B.
Young CF Dan Pelltier struggled at the plate but is a solid depth OF and may get additional playing time against righties when Klebel DHs.

Cesar Farias made 6 starts, 1 CG, 3 QS. Looks like a keeper.
Cesar Hernandez started and relieved. 4-8 4.61 in 52 games, 8 starts.

Projected Rotation:

Anderson
Fish
O'Brien
Farias
Butler

Projected Lineup versus RHP

LF Pegas
CF Klebel
1B Serrano
DH McKinney
2B Parks
RF Cameron
C Dixon
SS Dobson
3B Allen

Project Lineup versus LHP

LF Pegas
CF Klebel
2B Parks
1B McKinney
3B Allen
C Dixon
RF Cameron
DH Lord
SS Dobson