The high school baseball postseason is heating up across the Greater Taunton region, with three local programs — Taunton, Bridgewater-Raynham and Dighton-Rehoboth — having secured spots in the MIAA tournaments.
Taunton, the reigning Hockomock Kelley-Rex champion for a third straight season, entered the Division 1 bracket as the No. 7 seed, while Bridgewater-Raynham, unbeaten in league play and crowned the inaugural Pioneer Athletic Conference champion, earned the No. 30 seed. Dighton-Rehoboth, meanwhile, captured the No. 16 seed in Division 3.
Stars on the rise
For Taunton, senior first baseman Joey Benoit stands out as a Brown commit who leads the team in batting average, hits, doubles, RBIs and home runs. Outfielders Jeremy Knief and Corbin Melo, both seniors headed to Endicott and Amherst College for football, respectively, add speed and power, while shortstop Dylan Keenan, a Tufts football recruit, anchors the infield. Young pitchers Eddy Travers, Ryuji Fantasia and Logan Severino, along with freshman Javien Nunez, give the squad a deep and promising rotation.
Bridgewater-Raynham’s senior left fielder Ty Strausbaugh, a St. Joseph’s commit, tops the team in batting average, hits, doubles, RBIs and runs, while senior center fielder Ryan Mahoney leads the club in singles and stolen bases. Junior second baseman Cam Knudsen is batting .340, and contributors Nick Cappiello, Gavin Ross and Max Jackson provide depth at the plate. On the mound, senior pitcher Liam Spry, a Westfield State commit, anchors the rotation.
Dighton-Rehoboth relies on junior pitcher Cole Viveiros, a two-way standout, and senior center fielder Jordan Castro and junior catcher Connor Silva, both noted for strong batting. The team also receives consistent production from Jack Lynch, Gavin Hayden, Bryce Bouchard and Nolan Marichal, while Ben Roth and Gavin Smith form a key piece of the pitching rotation.
Beyond high school competition, several of these athletes have already locked in college destinations. Joey Benoit will join Brown University, Jeremy Knief heads to Endicott College, Corbin Melo will attend Amherst College, and Dylan Keenan is bound for Tufts University. Other commitments include Ryan Mahoney’s future at Westfield State University and Liam Spry’s path to Westfield State as well.
With a blend of seasoned seniors and emerging underclass talent, the three Greater Taunton programs are poised to make deep runs in the MIAA tournaments. The mix of offensive firepower, defensive versatility and pitching depth suggests that the region could see multiple champions emerge before the season’s end.