North Muskegon – The Norse have had some of their strongest classes in recent years, and this current group of senior and junior baseball players might be their best yet. With limited departures from last season, North Muskegon’s nine in the lineup matches up with any team in the area.
North Muskegon was ranked the number one team in Division Three heading into the playoffs last season. Unfortunately for them, Montague sent the Norse packing in the district final game—a 4-1 upset where North Muskegon was only able to tally six hits and one run offensively.
The 2025 season has begun with an opening win over Mona Shores on Tuesday, 6-2. Both Carter Mieler and Logan Slimko each went 2-for-3. Slimko notched two RBIs, while Jaxon Bean and Bronson Hurst each tallied one. Kylan Nielsen dealt in the opener as he went the full seven innings and gave up just four hits on one earned run and eight strikeouts.
The Norse are managed by Garret Moyer, who is in his 4th season as the team’s skipper.
2024 Season
32-8 record
WMC Rivers Champions
Lost in the MHSAA district final
Nine all-conference players
Batting
North Muskegon’s top two leaders in BA last season, Ryan Delora and Ben Myers, graduated in 2024. However, the lineup will remain strong with returning production such as Nielsen, Mieler, Slimko, Bryce Colbert, and Jaxon Bean back on the diamond in 2025.
The junior Nielsen is one of the better two-way players in West Michigan. Last season, he had a slash line that consisted of a .408 BA, .475 OBP, and a .902 OPS. Nielsen will likely play a lot of innings at the hot corner this season when he’s not on the mound.
Colbert will man the centerfield spot in 2025. The all-conference outfielder hit .390 and picked up 17 stolen bases. Mieler will set up primarily at second base this season after a stellar junior season last year. The all-conference first-teamer hit .351 and was third on the team in RBIs with 31.
Corner outfielder Logan Slimko, backstop Bronson Hurst, and first baseman Jaxon Bean will all be key pieces of this Norse lineup.
Pitching
The staff for North Muskegon is loaded this season with five of its six pitchers from last season returning.
Senior Jaxon Bean finished the season with the second-most innings pitched. The righty offers a plus fastball with an above-average CB that he can place nicely in and out of the zone. Bean had a 9-1 record and a 2.18 ERA while punching out 65 hitters in 2024.
Flamethrower Logan Slimko returns to the rotation after posting a sub-two ERA a year ago. The junior tossed 44 innings last season and struck out an absurd 83 batters. According to Prep Baseball Report, Slimko maxes out his FB at 90 MPH and sits at around 87–89 MPH. The righty offers a changeup, curveball, and slider to go along with his blistering fastball.
Senior Ace Anderson finished his 2024 campaign with a team-leading 1.17 ERA through 31 innings and had 27 strikeouts. Nielsen, who pitched the season opener, is expected to pitch a healthy number of innings as well this season.
The Bottom Line
After the heartbreaking district final loss last season, North Muskegon is still expected to be a top-ranked team heading into the season. The frontrunner in the Rivers Division offers one of the best rotations around and a high-octane offense to complement the staff. A team filled with all-state candidates should have no problem trouncing teams in 2025.
2025 Tentative Schedule
3-25 – @ Mona Shores – Win 6-2
4-1 – @ Zeeland West DH
4-15 – @ Shelby DH
4-17 – @ Oakridge DH
4-19 – @ Caledonia DH
4-22 – @ Holton DH
4-29 – @ Hart DH
5-1 – @ Orchard View DH
5-6 – @ Ravenna DH
5-9 – Vs. Montague DH
5-13 – Vs. Mason County Central DH
5-19 – Vs. Grant
5-20 – Vs. Hesperia DH
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