CCW 2025 Positional Power Rankings

As the 2025 CCW season approaches, it's time to break down how each team stacks up in key positional categories. History has shown that certain elements—especially elite pitching—play an outsized role in a team’s championship hopes. We’ve ranked each team by their strengths in various categories and wrapped up with overall power rankings.

Ace Rankings

1. Short Shorts – Myc Witty
   ​The undisputed best pitcher in CCW, Witty has been in a class of his own for two seasons.
   
   
2. Moonshots – Will Smithey
   Smithey is elite, just a step behind Witty in terms of dominance.
   
   
3. 8 Balls – Reid Werner
   At his best, Werner is unhittable, but inconsistency held him back last season.
   
   
4. Stampede – Aidan Palmer
   Palmer had his best season yet in 2024 and is poised to be a true ace on a new team.
   
   
5. Yakkers – Alec Buchman
   Buchman has taken a few years off but shows strong potential. He could rise quickly in these rankings.
   
   
6. Hounds – Jake Sprinkle
   Sprinkle is solid when available, but availability and consistency are concerns.
   
   
   

Pitching Depth Rankings

1. Stampede – Holden Palmer, Brayden Scott, Cade Luker - ​​​​Holden is arguably a top-5 pitcher in CCW, and Scott’s pedigree adds more strength.
2. Hounds – Mitch Buis, Austin Alles, Coby Taylor - Buis and Alles provide reliable innings, and Taylor has great stuff when he finds the board.
3. Yakkers – Rudy Lyon, Dalton Lewis, Kent Nims - Lyon is a strong No. 2, and Lewis can eat innings if he returns to form.
4. 8 Balls – Alex Gurtcheff, Alec Berninger, Jay Wilsey, John Mitchell - Plenty of reliable options but lacks the elite upside of teams above.
5. Short Shorts – Dustin Laugel, Byron Young, Brendan Dudas - Laugel is steady, but unproven rookies and inconsistent vets fill out the depth chart.
6. Moonshots – Ian Garavalia, Connor Young, Connor Smith - Young arms with potential but little proven performance at this level.
   
   

Top of the Lineup Rankings

1. Hounds – Dylan Jones, Austin Alles - Two elite bats with power and contact ability make this a terrifying duo.
   
   
2. Moonshots – Will Smithey, Tyler Gregory - A proven combination that has led a top offense for years.
   
   
3. Yakkers – Rudy Lyon, Thomas Hopkins - Fantastic in slow pitch and able to work counts well.
   
   
4. Short Shorts – Brendan Dudas, Myc Witty - Dudas is elite, and Witty’s offseason bulk-up could pay off.
   
   
5. 8 Balls – Reid Werner, Alex Gurtcheff - Werner is coming off a strong year, but Gurtcheff's high strikeout rate is a concern.
   
   
6. Stampede – Cade Luker, Dylan Bundy - If they return to past form, this ranking will look too low.
   
   

Lineup Depth Rankings

1. 8 Balls – Cody House, Alec Berninger, Jay Wilsey, Mike Speek, John Mitchell Depth issues from 2024 should be solved with this lineup.
   
   
2. Moonshots – Connor Young, Ian Garavalia, Connor Smith, Cody Fowler, Nolan Karwoski High upside group with breakout potential.
   
   
3. Stampede – Dalsen Murdock, Aidan Palmer, Tristan Dudas, Holden Palmer, Brayden Scott A mix of consistency and potential contributors.
   
   
4. Hounds – Coby Taylor, Mitch Buis, Jake Sprinkle, Josh Hart, Ethan New Top-heavy with some uncertainty further down the order.
   
   
5. Short Shorts – Dustin Laugel, Mitch Unversaw, Keegan Caughey, Devon Hensley, Byron Young More unproven talent than production in this group.
   
   
6. Yakkers – Sawyer Mitchell, Alec Buchman, Dalton Lewis, Colt Cantrell, Kent Nims Outside of Mitchell, this group has real question marks.

Fielding Rankings

1. Short Shorts – Brendan Dudas, Myc Witty, Devon Hensley, Mitch Unversaw Elite range and hands, Dudas and Witty are game-changers on defense.
   
   
2. Hounds – Austin Alles, Coby Taylor, Dylan Jones, Mitch Buis Alles and Taylor provide lockdown defense, Jones is a solid presence.
   
   
3. Stampede – Dalsen Murdock, Nick Bundy, Tristan Dudas, Cade Luker Solid, well-rounded defensive group.
   
   
4. Moonshots – Tyler Gregory, Will Smithey, Connor Young, Ian Garavalia Gregory leads this unit, but consistency remains a concern.
   
   
5. Yakkers – Rudy Lyon, Thomas Hopkins, Sawyer Mitchell, Alec Buchman Lyon is a strong defender, but there are depth concerns.
   
   
6. 8 Balls – Reid Werner, Alex Gurtcheff, Jay Wilsey, Alec Berninger Defensive performance will be a high-variance part of their season.
   
   
   

Overall Power Rankings
Taking all of these positional rankings into account, here’s where the teams stack up heading into 2025:​View the full team power rankings here: Power Rankings

Final Thoughts:
The CCW landscape is incredibly competitive, with elite talent spread throughout the league. As always, health, in-season adjustments, and player development will play a huge role in who actually makes the deepest playoff run. One thing is for certain—2025 is shaping up to be another thrilling season of wiffle ball.