MORAN — Marmaton Valley High has an unusual dichotomy on the baseball diamond.

While the Wildcats will have a small roster of only 12 — seven if you take away dual-sport athletes splitting time with the track squad — Marmaton Valley will have an abundance of the key commodity at any level of baseball: pitching depth.

“Everybody who’s a full-time baseball player is a pitcher,” Wildcat head coach Adam Barth said.

That should give MV a leg up with the state now allowing teams to play up to 26 regular season games, up from 20 two years ago.

“If we do what we need to do, we’re gonna be in good shape,” Barth said. “We have a really good group of kids out there. It’s an exciting time.”

There’s plenty to build on from last season, where Marmaton Valley rebounded from an 0-7 start, ending the regular season on a 10-game winning streak.

Several of the pitchers saw plenty of action in 2024, including senior Dominic Smith, juniors Tyler Lord and Garrett Morrison and sophomore Andi Carr, who has again signed up to play baseball since softball was again a no-go at Marmaton Valley.

“Dominic did a great job hitting in the 2-hole last year,” Barth said. “We’ll probably use him a lot out of the bullpen.”

Lord, meanwhile, split time between shortstop and the pitching mound, and shined on the basepaths, going a perfect 34 of 34 on stolen base attempts.

Brothers Chris and Mason Ferguson made an impact in the lineup. Chris Ferguson, a junior, will play the outfield. Mason, a sophomore, will handle corner infield positions.

Brendon Newman saw plenty of action in the outfield as a freshman last season.

“He had probably the biggest growth from the beginning of the season to the end,” Barth said. “And he’s picking it up this season where he left off.”

Junior Brevyn Campbell adds another capable bat in the outfield. “He’ll play anywhere in the outfield or at second,” Barth said.

Some incoming freshmen will look to make an immediate impact. Thomas Allee already looks versatile enough to play pretty much wherever he’s needed. Kaden McVey will likely see plenty of time behind the plate.

Newcomer Todd Stevenson offers an enticing blend of speed and athleticism. On top of seeing action in the outfield, Stevenson gives the Wildcats a left-handed pitcher on the mound.

Also, perhaps, in the mix is senior Kele Michael, who is working his way back from a football injury.