2026 College Baseball Mid-Major Preview: Northeast Region
A state-by-state breakdown of the top College Baseball teams in the Northeast that belong to the under-covered Mid-Major conferences.
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College baseball’s national spotlight often gravitates toward the power conferences.
Still, year after year, it’s the mid-major programs that quietly build winners, develop draft talent, and shake up the postseason. Just last year, we saw the Murray State Racers become America’s Team on their insane run to Omaha.
These teams don’t always get the attention they deserve. Yet, they consistently produce 40-win seasons, host regionals, send players to the big leagues, and knock off nationally ranked opponents when it matters most.
As the 2026 college baseball season approaches, we wanted to make sure those programs, and the coaches and players behind them, get highlighted.
This five-part series is designed to highlight the mid-major teams you need to be watching in 2026, broken down by region. From the West Coast to the Northeast, we’re focusing on programs with momentum, returning talent, strong player development pipelines, and real postseason upside.
Mid-Majors to Watch Series (2026):
- Mid-Majors to Watch: West
- Mid-Majors to Watch: Southwest
- Mid-Majors to Watch: Midwest
- Mid-Majors to Watch: Northeast
- Mid-Majors to Watch: Southeast
Let’s dive into the Northeast!
Connecticut
Fairfield University – MAAC
2025 Overall Record: 39-19
2025 Conference Record: 21-8
Five years removed from their historic 39-5 campaign, Head Coach Bill Currier and the Fairfield Stags continue to raise the bar for Northeast college baseball.
Fresh off another 39-win season and MAAC title they clinched with a dramatic 7-6, 10-inning victory over Rider, Fairfield enters 2026 with expectations as high as ever, eyeing yet another run at a conference championship and a return to the NCAA Tournament.
Losing a standout infielder like Dean Ferrera certainly stings. The senior graduated in the spring of 2025 after a terrific final campaign, hitting .374 with eight home runs, 14 doubles, and 21 stolen bases while starting all 58 games.
Still, the Stags bring back the core of their offense in outfielder Matthew Bucciero, infielder Luke Nomura, and catcher JP Kuczik. Bucciero and Nomura combined for a whopping 29 home runs last spring, while Kuczik added a steady presence behind the plate with 50 hits of his own. Another key bat returning is TJ Schmalzle, an outfielder who launched eight home runs and posted a .910 OPS, giving Fairfield’s lineup plenty of proven firepower entering 2026.
Fairfield’s offense was as balanced as any in the MAAC in 2025, posting a .291 team batting average to go along with 69 home runs and 95 stolen bases.
On the mound, the Stags will need to replace two-thirds of their weekend rotation with Bowen Baker and Kyle Lesler graduating. Still, they have a clear anchor at the front in Ben Alekson, now a junior with 152.2 career innings already under his belt. Alekson owns a 3.34 career ERA and showed his big-game ability last spring, allowing just three runs over 5.1 innings against national runner-up Coastal Carolina.
Matthew Grabmann, the former Oregon Duck, could slide into one of those open rotation spots after a productive 2025, as the right-hander logged 52.1 innings and picked up six wins. Fairfield is also bullish on youngster Jack Sheldon, who showed flashes of his potential during his freshman campaign and could be in line for a bigger role this spring.
Coach Currier dipped heavily into the transfer portal, landing Luke Spencer after a standout year at Division III Wilkes, in which he hit .353 with seven home runs. They added more pop with the arrival of power threat Zach Stephenson from Endicott and bolstered the bullpen by bringing in graduate reliever Joseph Chambers from Dartmouth.
Dom Camera, a transfer from Hofstra, adds valuable depth behind the plate with more than 160 Division I at-bats to his name. Meanwhile, Alex Frank, a lengthy right-hander coming over from Hobart, gives Fairfield’s bullpen another arm with intriguing upside.
With a proven track record under Bill Currier, Fairfield once again enters the season as a program built to win now. A balanced, power-and-speed offense returns much of its core, while an experienced ace and an influx of portal talent provide both stability and upside. (Sam Fosberg)
UConn Huskies – Big East
2025 Overall Record: 38-21
2025 Conference Record: 17-3
Head Coach Jim Penders has a history of winning, and 2025 was not different. The Huskies absolutely dominated the Big East, finishing 17-3 and nearly eclipsing 40 wins overall. Despite a winning season, the Huskies missed the postseason for the first time since 2017. They’ll try to use that as momentum for another dominant season.
The Huskies begin their 2026 schedule primarily on the road, as they typically do, being a team from a cold-weather state. They start with the MLB Desert Invitational, followed by games against Arizona State and Arizona.
They continue their demanding non-conference schedule at North Carolina and then hit the West Coast to take on Portland, Cal, Santa Clara, San Jose State, and San Diego State. They’ll finally play their first home weekend series on March 27th. Penders likes to test his team on the road, and this season is no different.
As for the talent they bring to the field, the UCONN offense expects to be as potent as it usually is, as All-Big East shortstop Rob Rispoli’ll lead it at the top of the lineup. Then you’ve got Tyler Minick, who was an absolute stud for them last year.
Minick slashed .355/.437/.734 with 11 2B, 22 HR, 74 RBI, and 15 SB. He was a major reason this offense thrived last year, and it will likely be no different in 2026.
The rotation looks like it’ll be a problem in a good way for UCONN. They return lefty Charlie West, who posted a 2.58 ERA while punching out 59 over 52.1 innings. They also bring back Oliver Pudvar, who tossed 70 innings while striking out 73 batters to the tune of a 3.60 ERA. UCONN also has Cayden Suchy, who they expect will be healthy this year.
There are more question marks in the bullpen, especially with them having to replace former closer Brady Afthim, who was absolutely dominant in 2025. Either way, this team will be a fun one and will be knocking on the door of the postseason once again. (Jared Perkins)
Yale Bulldogs – Ivy League
2025 Overall Record: 31-14
2025 Conference Record: 16-5
I know Columbia punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament, but don’t let that fool you into thinking the Yale Bulldogs weren’t one of the best teams in the league. They finished atop the Ivy League with a 16-5 record and a 31-14 overall record.
The Bulldogs improved significantly from their 2024 and 2023 seasons, when they went 18-23 and 17-23, respectively. It shows the amount of work Head Coach Brian Hamm has put into improving this program since taking over in 2022.
If it isn’t apparent from last year, Yale’s biggest strength is on the mound. The Bulldogs posted a 3.59 Team ERA, and they just absolutely dominated. That success was, of course, highlighted by Jack Ohman, who put together a stellar rehsman year.
Ohman’s numbers were video game-like. He posted a 1.34 ERA and 0.88 WHIP. Yes, you read that right. 0.88 WHIP. He also struck out 87 batters in 73.2 innings.
He’s got some serious swing and miss stuff that features a 93-96 MPH fastball, slider/cutter, and change-up. He’s able to execute the entire arsenal for strikes as well. He’s in store for an even better sophomore campaign. The best news for Yale is that he’s not eligible for the MLB Draft until 2027.
While they lose their second most reliable starter in Colton Shaw, they return Daniel Cohen, who enters his senior season. He posted a 4.23 ERA while striking out 50 in 61.2 innings. He’ll likely slot behind Ohman.
Another senior, Tate Evans, could also make some noise for the rotation. He posted a 3.19 ERA last year while striking out 53 batters in 48 innings. He served out of the bullpen, notching some saves, but also serving in multi-inning roles. He could be in the same role or possibly slide into the rotation to fill Shaw’s spot.
They also return righty Alex Hwang and Ben Winslow, who both logged significant innings, 50 total between the two of them. Hwang posted a 3.60 ERA and Winslow a 3.55 ERA.
The offense was the question mark, but aside from lacking pop, this team did pester opponents with lots of contact. They do lose some serious firepower with Jake Williams, Max Imhoff, and Alec Atkinson all graduating.
The biggest returner is outfielder Kaiden Dossa, who slashed .329/.424/.514 with 8 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, and 30 RBI. Returners Jack Dauer and Garrett Larsen could also make some noise, as both played significant roles for the Bulldogs last year.
If Yale can replace the offensive production they lost, this team could easily make a run at another Ivy League regular-season title. This squad fell just short of a regional and likely has a chip on their shoulder as motivation to get in 2026. (Jared Perkins)
Maryland
Navy Midshipmen – Patriot
2025 Overall Record: 26-25
2025 Conference Record: 14-11
Not only do the Navy Midshipmen have some of the coolest uniforms in college baseball, but they also have plenty of talent on the field. While they finished tied for second in the Patriot League with a 14-11 record, they’ve continued to show progress over the last couple of years, finishing above .500.
That’s their second 2nd place finish in a row under Head Coach Chuck Ristano. The Midshipmen are aiming to return to a place where they are winning Patriot League Championships, as they did for five straight seasons from 2015-2019.
The good news on the offensive side is that they return three of their mainstays in the lineup in catcher Ty DePerno, infielder Evan Brown, infielder Brock Murtha, and outfielder Andrew Manning.
DePerno led the team with an .877 OPS while driving in 32 in 50 games. He was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year and was an All-Patriot League Second Team catcher in 2025. Not only does he bring some firepower to the plate, but he also does a great job leading the staff. A lot of their leadership came from a freshman.
Outfielder Andrew Manning was also an All-Patriot League Second Teamer thanks to his 11 doubles, six home runs, and 28 RBI. He was a mainstay in the heart of the order for the Midshipmen and should continue to do the same in 2026.
Outside of those two, infielder Evan Brown will continue to be a run producer, and Brock Murtha and outfielder Mason Ceccarelli should play more of a table setter role for the Midshipmen.
On the mound, Navy returns its ace Brady Bendik. He posted a 3.95 ERA while striking out 62 batters in 73 innings pitched. Right-hander Matt Archibald also returns after posting a 3.64 ERA in 47 innings. He will likely have the upperhand for a rotation spot
Overall, this Navy team has strong veteran leadership. While recruiting might be challenging at the Naval Academy, most players return due to their commitment to the academy. They’ve got some solid arms who have another year on their belt, and they could find themselves atop the Patriot League. (Jared Perkins)
Massachusets
Holy Cross Crusaders – Patriot
2025 Overall Record: 31-27
2025 Conference Record: 17-8
In 2025, Holy Cross finished over .500 for the first time since 2016, winning 31 games and capping the year with an unforgettable 8-7 thriller over Army to claim the Patriot League Championship.
Although the Crusaders were bounced early in the NCAA Tournament, they proved they belonged on the national stage. Holy Cross led the Patriot League in batting average, while its pitching staff kept things tight against heavyweights North Carolina and Nebraska, dropping hard-fought 4-0 and 4-1 decisions.
Even with the early exit, the 2025 season marked a significant step forward for head coach Ed Kahovec and his program, signaling that Holy Cross baseball is finally trending in the right direction.
Speed kills, and the Crusaders weaponized it in 2025. Holy Cross swiped 123 bases last spring, 38 more than any other team in the Patriot League, turning pressure on the basepaths into a defining part of its identity.
Outfielder CJ Egrie led the charge with 35 stolen bases, starting 55 games, and posting a .944 OPS. The now senior captain will take advantage of a fifth year of eligibility at North Carolina for the 2026-27 season.
Junior Gianni Royer emerged as another major threat, stealing 24 bases as a sophomore, while now-graduated senior Jimmy King chipped in 20 of his own.
The Crusaders will, however, have significant offensive production to replace. Chris Baillargeon paced the lineup with a .997 OPS and 18 doubles before moving on to Creighton for a graduate season. Additional transfer portal departures include table-setter Connor Peek (.331, Georgetown), two-way Sean Scanlon (Richmond), and pitcher Luke LeMond (George Washington).
The other two captains for the 2026 season appear set as well. Outfielder John LaFleur, a junior from Longmeadow, Massachusetts, emerged as a steady middle-of-the-order presence in 2025, hitting .292 with seven home runs and 48 RBI.
Whereas on the mound, senior right-hander Jaden Wywoda will be tasked with stepping into the ace role vacated by Danny Macchiarola, who was selected by the Mariners in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft this past July.
Wywoda logged 84.1 innings last season and turned in an impressive 3.63 ERA with 79 strikeouts, positioning him as the anchor of the Crusaders’ rotation moving forward.
Pitching was not the Crusaders’ calling card during their championship run, as eight different arms finished the season with ERAs in the double digits. Still, Holy Cross posted a 5.91 team ERA, which ranked third in the six-team Patriot League and proved good enough when paired with its quick offense.
Two sophomore arms to keep an eye on are left-hander Derek Volz and right-hander Jake Lenahan. Both logged 44+ innings as freshmen in 2025 and now project as candidates to grow into weekend starter roles.
Volz stands out with a good offspeed mix, while Lenahan has shown increased velocity this fall, touching 91 mph, giving Holy Cross intriguing upside to its future rotation. Pedro Leon and Marco Citro, two more sophomore right-handed arms who hail from New York, should continue as contributors as well.
Overall, this Holy Cross team will have to rely on younger players to step up, but that isn’t out of the norm for most teams from New England. I’m hopeful they can use their success from last season as a momentum boost for 2026. (Sam Fosberg)
Northeastern Huskies – CAA
2025 Overall Record: 49-11
2025 Conference Record: 25-2
Spoiler alert – this team isn’t winning 27 games in a row again next spring. Streaks like that just don’t happen very often in college baseball.
Still, Mike Glavine and the Huskies head into 2026 coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history. Northeastern capped the year with a CAA Championship and earned a two-seed in the Tallahassee Regional, cementing itself as the class of the league.
Glavine did lose a ton of talent. Assistant coach Frank Holbrook is now Head Coach at Brown, while shortstop Jack Goodman (Tigers) and outfielder Cam Maldonado (Giants) moved on to pro ball, along with pitchers Jordan Gottesman (Giants), Cooper McGrath (Giants), Aiven Cabral (Braves), Charlie Walker (Padres), and standout southpaw Will Jones (graduation).
The good news? CAA Co–Player of the Year Harrison Feinberg is back to right the ship. I saw him this fall, and it looks like he’s added a good 10 pounds of muscle.
Veteran infielder Carmelo Musacchia also returns, giving the lineup a steady presence with real experience.
While plenty of young players will need to step up in 2026, there’s no shortage of intriguing pieces. Junior outfielder Ryan Gerety is a name I’ve circled.
The flashy playmaker popped five home runs in 2025, added 12 doubles, posted a .406 OBP, drew 41 walks against 36 strikeouts, hit a pair of triples, and swiped 26 bags. His calm presence in the box, paired with elite defense, makes him a breakout candidate you can feel confident betting on.
Question marks arise at the power positions, but for good reason. Matt Brinker, who posted an .814 OPS with six home runs a year ago, looks like another lineup staple. Will Fosberg fits that mold as well, as a backstop who plays great defense and logged 125 at-bats as a freshman.
Eric Cha has shown impressive exit velocities, while Division III RPI transfer Ian Oehlschlaeger emerged as a real standout during fall ball. All told, Coach Glavine has no shortage of options at first base, catcher, and designated hitter.
As for the pitching staff, the Huskies have a massive workload to replace. Northeastern posted a 3.06 team ERA in 2025 behind Jones, Cabral, Walker, McGrath, and Gottesman, and with that core gone, plenty of arms will have the chance to carve out meaningful roles this spring. There doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut “ace” entering the season, meaning someone will have to emerge and seize that spot.
When I saw Northeastern this fall, sophomore righty Andrew Rogovic got the start. Despite shaky command early against UMass Lowell, the former lightly used arm (just 2.1 career innings) showed legitimate, eye-catching stuff. It’s easy to see why the staff is high on his upside.
Additional arms worth monitoring include flamethrower right-hander Jack Cropper, UMass transfer Robbie O’Connor, Georgetown transfer Matt Sapienza, lefty David McSweeney, RIT transfer Luc Rising, and right-hander Andrew Wertz from Salve Regina. There’s depth, versatility, and real velocity throughout the group; it’s just a matter of how it all shakes out.
Even without last year’s historic run or a defined ace atop the rotation, Northeastern enters 2026 as a program that still sets the standard in the CAA. The roster turnover creates uncertainty, but it also opens the door for new contributors to establish themselves on a big stage. (Sam Fosberg)
New York
Columbia Lions – Ivy League
2025 Overall Record: 30-19
2025 Conference Record: 16-5
Two Ivy League teams in one article? Oh yeah. It was a strong year for Ivy League baseball in 2025, and Columbia was right up there with Yale. Unfortunately, only one team could make the tournament, and the Lions took that Regional spot after winning the Ivy League Conference tournament.
They were even able to pick up one win in the Regional against Southern Miss. While their season ended with a double-elimination in the Hattiesburg Regional after that win, there was a lot to be excited about for the future of the Columbia Lions.
The winning ways are nothing new to Columbia either, as Head Coach Boretti has led them to winning seven of the last 11 Ivy League titles and eight overall. They’ll have some gaps to fill coming into this year, but they still look strong.
On the offensive side, one of those gaps is Sam Miller. After an insane season with video-game numbers in the Ivy League, Miller transferred to the University of Florida. They also lost outfielder Anton Lanzits, who was second on the team in HRs and RBI.
The good news is that they return Cole Fellows for his senior season. Fellows was a unanimous First-Team All-Ivy League selection thanks to hitting .326 while tallying 14 2B, 5 HR, and 39 RBI.
Senior infielder Jack Kail and junior infielder Hunter Snyder also return and should continue to play a prominent role for the Lions. They also bring in a transfer, Jack McWilliams, who provides some two-way potential on the mound and in the outfield.
McWilliams comes from San Diego, where he only made 14 appearances on the mound and struck out 12 batters in 10.2 innings. It’ll be interesting to see what role he plays for Columbia.
Speaking of the mound, that is where the Lions struggled most last year, posting a team ERA of 6.64. Jagger Edwards, Thomas Santana, and Joe Sheets logged most of the starts, and only one of them returns.
Santana is the returner, and he posted a 5.84 ERA while striking out 60 in 61.2 innings. Who joins Santana in the rotation seems up in the air right now. Junior Baylor Hicks is a name to watch as he posted a 4.36 ERA in 33 innings pitched.
Alex Sotriopoulos and Will Harrigan also return to this team. Harrigan worked strictly out of the bullpen, but Sotriopoulos did notch three starts. He also led the team in saves. Evan Kleinhans and Brendan Murphy are also names to watch.
They’ll have some big holes to fill offensively, but they have some key returners that could easily step up and make up for that lost production. The mound is where the question mark lies, but if their returning arms can take things to the next level, Columbia will be at the top of the Ivy League yet again. (Jared Perkins)
Long Island Sharks – Northeast
2025 Overall Record: 35-23
2025 Conference Record: 24-6
Long Island has finished well over .500 in four of its last five seasons and is coming off a brutal 12-inning, one-run loss to Central Connecticut in the 2025 NEC Tournament final.
After capturing the NEC crown in 2024, the Sharks came agonizingly close to going back-to-back, falling just short of another NCAA berth.
With that disappointment still fresh, head coach Dan Pirillo enters the spring firmly focused on getting Long Island back to the top of the conference and turning sustained success into another championship run.
LIU hit .272 as a team last season, fourth best in the NEC, and paired it with a 5.47 team ERA that ranked second in the conference, underscoring the Sharks’ ability to win games in multiple ways.
Offensively, senior infielder Ryan Rivera will be the tone-setter. Rivera started 58 games last spring and emerged as one of the NEC’s most complete hitters, batting .357 (fourth in the league) with a .908 OPS.
He consistently found gaps with 14 doubles, added three home runs, swiped 16 bags, and reached base at a .419 clip, making him the engine that drives the LIU lineup.
Losing Jacob Pipercic will be hard, as the graduate student set a single season stolen base record in 2025, stealing 31 bases. He also scored 57 runs, third in NEC play, along with smoking six triples and an OPS north of .900. Standout lineup presence Jack Power graduated as well.
Joe Durso will bring back veteran leadership. The senior backstop smacked 11 doubles, five home runs, and a .797 OPS over 225 plate appearances in 2025. Mason Breton returns too, he collected 20 bags with an .848 OPS as a freshman.
2025 NEC Pitcher of the Year, Garrett Yawn, threw 105.1 frames with a sub-4 ERA. Although he’s gone, Justin DeCastro and Nicholas Finarelli should be a very valuable one-two punch this spring, as they combined for 180.2 IP last season.
Although the Sharks lost some key pieces from last year’s squad, they do bring back tons of experience, a solid heart of the lineup, and two polished starting pitchers. Expect them to make NEC playoff noise one again, with a shot at the NCAA Tournament
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Rams – Atlantic 10
2025 Overall Record: 31-22
2025 Conference Record: 23-7
The Rhode Island Rams, man. I was all in on this team when I was locked in on their series vs. the Oregon Ducks. They gave their ranked opponent fits in every single game but one. They took one of three from the series, but they definitely had every opportunity to take the series.
The Rams arguably had their best season in decades in 2025. They nearly won 40 games and pulled off a 22-8 record in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They couldn’t be stopped, and no weekend seemed like it was a challenge for them.
They won their regular-season and conference tournament championships, earning an appearance in the Baton Rouge Regional.
It was just an impressive showing from Head Coach Raphael Cerrato’s team. While their season ended in the regional, they are obviously looking to continue that momentum in 2026.
Pitching was the biggest struggle for the Rams in 2025, and they lost their two starters who logged the most innings, Trystan Levesque and Jeremy Urena. The good news is that they bring back several players who could hopefully fill the void.
Joe Sabbath is one of the primary returners who posted a 3.95 ERA while striking out 43 in 41 innings pitched and notching eight saves as the team’s closer.
Jake Cullen also returns, and he served as the team’s Sunday starter. The numbers last year weren’t spectacular, and he struggled with walks. The hope is he can hone his command on the mound and be a reliable arm in the rotation this year.
On top of those two, they brought in a couple of transfers that could provide some intrigue on the mound in Luc Laviguer out of Maine and two-way player Connor Groyohann out of Rutgers. Groyohann was with the Rams in 23 and 24 before transferring back to URI.
Offense is the Rams’ strong suit. They broke so many team records. The Rams lost senior infielder Anthony DePino, who has a significant part of this Rams lineup. He hit 20 HRs and 71 RBI last year.
The good news is they return two massive offensive pieces in Reece Moroney and Jack Hopko. Moroney hit .356 with 12 2B, 42 RBI, and 24 SB. The kid is an absolute tablesetter type. Hopko hit 16 bombs and drove in an insane 83 RBI. Just incredibly impressive.
They got one intriguing transfer player in Brian Connolly from Wake Forest. He may serve as a utility type as he can play all over the infield.
Overall, this Rams team looks like it’ll be strong again, especially on the offensive side of the ball. They’ll need some guys to step up on the mound, but they found ways to win even with their struggles on the mound. Look for the Rams to be at the top of the Atlantic 10 in 2026. (Jared Perkins)
Bryant Bulldogs – America East
2025 Overall Record: 36-19-1
2025 Conference Record: 18-6
Bryant has won at least 25 games in every non-COVID season since 2006, a remarkable feat that firmly cements the Bulldogs as a staple of Northeast college baseball.
Head coach Ryan Klosterman returns for his seventh season at the helm, still likely carrying a sour taste after Bryant’s heartbreaking 6-5, 11-inning loss to Binghamton in the 2025 America East Championship.
The Bulldogs will have to replace star shortstop Drew Wyers, who transferred to Mississippi State via the portal. The 2025 America East Player of the Year was electric at the plate, hitting .407 with 11 home runs across 45 games last spring.
However, the Bulldogs return plenty of thump in the middle of the order with standout sluggers Brandyn Durand, Zac Zyers, and Cam Papetti, who combined for 31 home runs a season ago.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Charlie Saul is also back on campus. The six-foot-one athlete collected 46 hits in 2025, batting .286 with 79 total bases and a .374 on-base percentage.
Speed was not a major part of Bryant’s offensive identity in 2025, and there are few proven base-stealing threats returning from last year’s roster. Unless new players emerge, this figures to be a lineup built on power and timely hitting rather than pressure on the bases.
Jacob Gaudreau is a dark-horse contributor who didn’t qualify statistically last season, yet still put together an impressive campaign. The fifth-year graduate student hit .310 and showed a strong eye at the plate, drawing 17 walks and posting a .484 on-base percentage, the second-best mark on the team. Gaudreau worked his way into the starting lineup midway through the 2025 season and could be poised for a larger role this spring.
On the mound, Bryant will be led by 2025 America East Rookie of the Year Michael Belcher. The right-hander from Prospect, Connecticut, posted a 4.52 ERA across 65.2 innings, the fifth-best mark among qualifying conference starters.
Continuity is a strength for the Bulldogs, who return all five of their ERA leaders from 2025: Belcher, Owen Birchard, Bradley Lewis, Sean Zaslaw, and Jackson Vanesko.
Bryant did lose some meaningful innings, as Toby Scheidt transferred to Kansas after posting a 3.58 ERA over 27.2 frames, while key contributors Clay Robbins, Luke Delongchamp, and Kyle Rizy graduated. Still, there are intriguing arms poised to step into larger roles.
One name to watch is Johnson & Wales transfer left-hander Aidan Vining, who owns a career 3.06 ERA across 258.2 innings with the Wildcats and brings valuable Cape Cod League experience.
Sophomore Ty Davis is also a name to keep tabs on after leading the Bulldogs in fall velocity following a fantastic summer in the Futures League. Liam Chamberlain, a six-foot-four senior, is no slouch either, as evidenced by his 3.06 ERA across 17.2 innings in 2025.
Even with key departures, Bryant once again profiles as one of the most complete teams in the America East. The Bulldogs blend proven power in the lineup with continuity on the mound, and the return of their core pitching pieces gives them a strong foundation to make another run. (Sam Fosberg)
Washington, DC
Georgetown Hoyas – Big East
2025 Overall Record: 16-40
2025 Conference Record: 3-18
You may be wondering why we are writing about a team that went 16-40 last year. To me, this was a fluke season. Before last year, the Hoyas went 36-21 in 2024 and 30-27 in 2023.
Coach Edwin Thompson has had considerable success since taking over the Hoyas’ baseball program. This team last year just struggled to find it on the mound. Which is never usually the case, as they’ve been known for developing arms like Jake Bloss and Everett Catlett, who were taken in the MLB Draft
The pitching staff posted a 7.25 ERA last year. Both the starters and the bullpen just seemed lost. I got to see the Hoyas this fall, and they clearly looked to solve that problem in an effort to bring themselves back to the top of the Big East.
For starters, they bring back RHP JT Raab, who, in my eyes, should’ve been the Big East Pitcher of the Year. Raab posted a 3.63 ERA with striking out 77 batters in 74.1 innings pitched. He should slot in as their Friday night guy.
On top of Raab, they brought in LHP Spencer Seid. The lefty comes over from UC San Diego as a Grad Transfer. He posted a 4.79 ERA while striking out 71 batters in 56.1 innings last year and dominated in the Cape Cod League this summer.
Another transfer, Trajan Lee from Trinity University, and returner Kai Leckszas should also play significant roles for the Hoyas. Leckszas posted a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings last year.
The offense will be the biggest question for the Hoyas. They lost backstop Owen Carapellotti and Kai Caster upon graduation, and Blake Schaaf, who transferred to Wake Forest. Those were the offensive leaders last year.
Look for the likes of Ashton Gilio and Connor Price to step up. Gilio hit .280 with six home runs and 39 RBI. Other names to watch are Dante Pozzi, who transferred from Catholic, and Connor Peek, out of Holy Cross. They should make up the left side of the infield.
The Hoyas’ success will likely depend on their offense. They seem to have the arms they were missing last year, and if a few guys can step up at the plate, look out for Georgetown in the Big East. (Jared Perkins)