By Zach Durham
PALM SPRINGS, Calif – The Palm Springs Power will begin the 2025 season coming off back-to-back California Premier Collegiate League championships. It will be the 21st season in franchise history.
Last season came to an end after Noah Blythe’s walk-off homer against the San Diego Waves in Game 3 of the CPCL Championship series. The blast capped off an offensive explosion for the Power in 2024, finishing with the third highest winning percentage (.946) in franchise history and hitting the most home runs (19) in a single season since 2017.
Several players are returning for the 2025 campaign, representing programs from NCAA Division I to junior college. Manager Casey Dill said he’s looking forward to having experienced players back in the clubhouse.
Brothers Cato and Casey Kleinman return to the roster after last appearing in 2021. Both represent Virginia Commonwealth University in Division I. Casey hit .280 across 96 games over the past two seasons for the Rams.
Mark Kirkland is back after hitting .368 for the Power last summer. The former Cal Baptist player made 26 Division I appearances in 2024 and just finished his graduate year at the University of Redlands. He enters the season ranked fifth in Power franchise history in plate appearances.
Naun Haro returns to the Power from 2023. The Palm Desert High School product spent two seasons at the College of Southern Nevada before transferring to the University of Kansas.
Dill is seeking his 600th win as a manager, a milestone he is eager to reach in Palm Springs.
“I think it shows a lifetime and career commitment to success,” he said. “That would be 400, 500 and 600 [wins] all in a Power uniform, so I’m proud of that.”
While he looks forward to the milestone, Dill said he’s even more excited about coaching a couple returning players he considers like family.
Richie Amavizca and Dalton Thomas are returning for their third seasons in Palm Springs. Dill said the duo exemplifies what it means to wear a Power uniform and serve as leaders on and off the field.
“Having returning players step up as leaders is super valuable, and I love having guys like them around,” Dill said. “They can stop problems before they become problems.”
Amavizca inherited a bases-loaded jam in Game 3 of the 2024 CPCL Championship Series and escaped by striking out the side in the ninth inning — setting the stage for Blythe’s walk-off. The high-pressure performance earned Dill’s trust and cemented Amavizca’s role as a clubhouse leader.
Thomas and Dill have known each other for five years during Thomas’ progression through the Power Summer Collegiate League and his time at College of the Desert.
“He changed the trajectory of my baseball career, so it means a lot that he speaks so highly of me.” Thomas said of his relationship with Dill. “I know he’s coached some really good players so it’s an honor.”
Thomas has won back-to-back CPCL championships with the Power and said the team’s confidence never wavered.
“We never panicked. We knew somebody was going to pick us up when we needed it,” he said of the 2024 title run. “We weren’t leaving without any hardware.”
That same mentality, Thomas said, will carry into the 2025 season.
There is also potential for additional returning players to join the roster as the season progresses.
The Power will open the 2025 season at 6:30 p.m. on May 30, hosting the Utah Labs at Palm Springs Stadium.
