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College | Story | 1/30/2026

Conference Preview: SWAC

Michael Albee

2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans

For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription.

2025 Records

Teams are listed in alphabetical order*

Team	W	L	W	L
Alabama A&M	2	27	10	40
Alabama State	22	10	31	29
Alcorn State	1	29	6	43
Arkansas Pine-Bluff	17	9	19	34
Bethune Cookman	24	5	37	23
Florida A&M	25	5	34	24
Grambling State	18	11	26	28
Jackson State	16	12	30	21
Mississippi Valley State	7	23	12	29
Prairie View A&M	13	14	17	36
Southern	15	14	26	28
Texas Southern	15	15	22	31

Preseason All Conference Team

Pos.	Name	School	Stats/Notes
C	Vinny Saumell	Arkansas Pine-Bluff	Reliable backstop and offensive contributor; hit .347 last year with a .407 OBP; miniscule 9.2% K rate; could unlock some more power output with more baseballs in the air during ‘26 season.
1B	Jorge Rodriguez	Bethune-Cookman	Monstrous ‘25 that saw him hit .354/14/46 with just a 12.8% K rate; huge middle of the order bat on one of the best programs in the conference; primed for another big year and posted an absurd .348 ISO last spring.
2B	Jesus Vanegas	Bethune-Cookman	All-SWAC 1st team in ‘25; .285/.377/.566 slash last year with 16 HR and 47 RBI; played all 60 games at 2B with a .972 FP%; if he can cut down on K’s in ‘26 expect even more offensive production.
3B	Ian Smith^	Arkansas Pine-Bluff	Two massive seasons at JuCo UA Rich Mountain w/ 1.178 OPS & 10 HR last season; .402/.491/.687 slash with 25 walks; 72 total hits and 15 doubles; staggering .285 ISO.
SS	Jeter Polledo	Bethune Cookman	A really impressive redshirt freshman season in ‘25 saw him post a .940 OPS w/ 23 XBH with 6 HR and 48 RBI; staff love the improvements made across the board in the fall; .549 SLG w/ 7 SB as well in ‘25; big strides to come.
IF	Tanner Aoki	Mississippi Valley State	Refined bat to ball skills that saw him hit .354 in the SWAC last year with a .485 OBP; swiped 19 bags while collecting 45 hits and almost double his walks than strikeouts; proven hit for average ability.
OF	Andrey Martinez	Bethune-Cookman	All-SWAC 1st team in ‘25; Posted a 1.150 OPS with 20 HR’s and a low K% across a full season’s share of AB’s; projects to replicate his ‘25 this spring; proven contributor with B2B and power; tied single season HR record for his school last season.
OF	Jacoby Radcliffe	Southern	.346/6/28 in ‘25; 34 stolen bases with an OPS of 1.066 on the season; 6.1 runner and is easily a plus athlete; mans a premium position in centerfield; 1.00 K:BB ratio in ‘25.
OF	Trey Bridges	Grambling State	.305/9/77 with a 1.037 OPS in ‘25; massive offensive year with just a 16% K rate; staggering .215 ISO; primed for another huge year with his club.
DH	Armani Newton	Bethune-Cookman	.267/.387/.534 with 9 HR and 23 RBI last year; strong 6’2/200 left-handed power bat that had a career year in the SWAC last spring & is in an order full of protection; primed for another good year.
UTL	Trey Callaway^	Alabama State	Uber athletic transfer coming in from SEC school Missouri; projects to play in multiple spots and hit right away for his club; enticing athletic tools and upside who will get the chance to produce with his new club; 6.7 runner and is lauded for his bat speed.
SP	Kenney Fabian	Arkansas Pine-Bluff	All-SWAC 1st team in ‘25; chewed up 78.1 innings over 13 starts producing a 3.79 ERA; controls the zone well with a deep mix and walked only 6% of hitters last year; seasoned producer that will be the ace of his staff in ‘26.
SP	Jorhan Laboy	Alabama State	All-SWAC 2nd team in ‘25; produced 92.1 innings for his club to the tune of a 4 ERA; started 12 games and appeared in 17 total; 13.4 K-BB% and projects to be the staff’s ace in ‘26; four pitch mix and has seen velocity increase over the fall.
SP	Edwin Sanchez	Bethune-Cookman	17 starts last year with 82.2 innings tossed and 101 punchouts; allowed a measly .635 OPS with a 28.5% K%, groundball pitcher that avoids the long ball; three pitch mix into the low 90’s with lots of feel for his change-up.
SP	Jalen Porter^	Arkansas Pine-Bluff	Graduate senior with some of the best pure stuff in the SWAC; transfer from Wiley; up to 99-mph this fall with lots of strikes and three other offerings; can spin the baseball; athletic and elastic on the slope; good size and will be his staff’s ace.
RP	Jean Carlos Zambrano	Bethune-Cookman	All-SWAC 1st team in ‘25; 42.1 innings of work with a 4.2 ERA and over 8 K/9; cuts an upper 80’s heater with a good change that drew a whiff rate at a 36% clip; projects for another strong season in this ‘pen.

^ denotes a transfer from outside of the conference in ‘25

Player of the Year: Andrey Martinez, OF, Bethune-Cookman
Pitcher of the Year: Jalen Porter, RHP, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Freshman of the Year: Jaxon Baptist, RHP, Alabama State

Top Prospects

Conference top prospects by class and team by team breakdowns included with subscription

2026 MLB Draft Prospects:

Jalen Porter, RHP, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Andrey Martinez, OF, Bethune-Cookman
Pablo Torres, RHP, Bethune-Cookman
Martavius Thomas, OF, Grambling State
Breydone Divine, SS, Alabama State
Jacoby Radcliffe, OF, Southern
Trenton Shaw, LHP, Grambling State
Zach Wieder, SS, Arkansas Pine-Bluff

2027 MLB Draft Prospects:

Trey Callaway, C, Alabama State
Kanious Davis, TWP, Alcorn State
Major Spence, LHP, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Benny Bikar Jr, INF, Southern

2028 MLB Draft Prospects:

Jaxon Baptist, RHP, Alabama State
Devin Kriley, LHP, Alcorn State
Aaron Grant, TWP, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Gage Deutsch, RHP, Mississippi Valley State
Kenyon Hughes, INF, Southern

Alabama A&M:

Louis Whitlow is back for his second year at the helm of this program, looking to get the Bulldogs moving back into some of the form they saw in the mid 2010’s. They dipped in both conference play and their overall win totals last spring, with two and ten games in those columns respectively. That is the program’s lowest mark this decade. They will be shooting for double digit wins inside the SWAC for the first time since ‘21. There’s a good core of returning bats, combined with a good bit of fresh faces in the form of both transfers and freshmen across the board. It’s going to be a prolonged rebuild for Whitlow, who takes over a program that saw a peak in the ‘90s with a SIAC title in ‘93 under Thomas Wesley.

Wilmer Cuevas figures to be the starting catcher come opening day. He put up a .741 OPS last season, getting on base at a .377 clip in a solid sample size. His offensive output should be stable, and will feature as one of the more reliable options in this lineup. DeVante Wells (Jackson State) and Zak Rice (Barry) have transferred in, both with limited at-bats at their former homes. Omar Kimbrough is a true freshman from Georgia that is a part of this catching depth chart.

AJ Anderson and Isaac Castro are back and will once again be solid options in this order. Anderson hit .274 with 37 total hits last year over 135 at bats. He figures to get a full season’s share of at-bats this spring and expand his offensive production. Castro started 42 games for the Bulldogs and hit .239, swiping 11 bags and collecting 33 hits. He joins Anderson as a solid returning contributor. A trio of true freshmen in AJ Carty, Joseph Dawson and William Taylor are joining the infield depth chart this spring. The aforementioned Zak Rice has some positional versatility and can handle himself on the dirt as well. Braxton Brogan and Chris Walker return, looking to compete for playing time. KJ Stanfield showed some intriguing on base and power skills in a brief 50 AB sample last year, putting up a .954 OPS and even 7% K:BB rate. He’s a strong 6-2/210 left-handed stick and could come into some really solid results over the course of a full season. Keondre Fields (Miss. Gulf Coast) is another transfer joining this group after a limited sample of 92 AB’s over two years at his prior school. Zamar Lewis could see some run at first base.This group will rely heavily on its returning core, with new faces needing to make some strides to create impact in games this spring.

The outfield is going to be the strength coming into the ‘26 season. Brycen Hammonds is a program veteran that posted a .834 OPS over a full season in ‘24, having his ‘25 season cut short due to injury. He’s a solid bat with a track record of producing in the SWAC. Miles Jackson was the best bat the program had last season, swinging his way to a .918 OPS while hitting .356. He walked more than he struck out (18:13) and got on base a really healthy .445 clip. He is going to be the premier bat in this order. Around them are a group of transfers, all vying for playing time. The aforementioned Keondre Fields and Zamar Lewis are listed as also playing the outfield and could compete for innings in the grass. Keilon Parnell (Miss. Gulf Coast) comes over with a career .718 OPS over 84 games at his former school. He’s a 5’10/180 left-handed stick. Tarris Murray (Navarro Transfer) put up a .733 OPS last spring in 123 AB’s for his club, with a .359 OBP and 24 RBI to his credit. Charly Jones will also be competing for playing time amongst this group. It’s led by two proven players in this conference by Hammonds and Jackson, who will be in need of one more man to slot in to round the outfield out.

The arms will need to make strides this year, after the team put up a team ERA of 10.61 and walked 391 in 396 innings. Simply put, it will have to get better and everyone in the building knows it. A large group of transfers are going to be tasked with taking on a good bulk of innings to improve these numbers. Griff Minor transfers in from Stillman, starting fourteen games last year pitching to a 1.22 WHIP and 4.03 ERA over 82.2 innings. If he can fill the zone a bit more here, Minor could end up being a solid pitch to contact option as a left-handed arm. William Tarpley (Alabama Huntsville) comes in with a 5.59 ERA in his collegiate career over 28 starts and 172 innings. He’s another left-handed option. Other southpaws include the returning Rynzo Crutcher, Terence Sales and Raymond Clark. The right-handed portion of the arms this year have a blend of returners and transfers. Brady Baxter comes in from Marshall, having just one inning under his belt since ‘23. Virgil Heath (Georgia State) has a chance to be a solid arm in the SWAC, with four innings to his credit as a freshman in the Sun Belt. He spent the summer with the Saugerties Stallions in the Perfect Game collegiate league, tossing 28 innings to a 5.14 ERA over five starts with two saves. Edyn Barber transfers in from NAIA Northwestern Ohio, and true freshman Malachi Mingo lands with the program out of Morrow, Georgia. Evan Hurlburt should be a higher leverage arm this spring, as he’s thrown 56 innings for the Bulldogs in the last two seasons combined. Other returners with significant volume in ‘25 include Charlie Lazo (57.2 IP) and Antonio Torres (49 IP). Look for Jose Valerio, Avery Seaton, Bryce Dolce and Nicholas Espinoza to compete for innings.

Charles Morris got some two way run last year, putting up a .891 OPS with 27 innings on the mound. He is an ultra physical 6’4/260 and could once again see playing time at both spots. Other players listed as two ways this spring include true freshmen Kameron Vandersee and King Latley. Jordan Nolley got a lone at bat last year while tossing 36.1 innings as well.

This year will be about growth. If a large group of freshmen can impress and lock in some playing time, it would provide good building blocks for the future to build around. The arms are going to need to dial in the control to be more competitive and trim the walks. There is a reliable core of names returning on offense that will need to be supplemented by transfers or program veterans making strides to lock down a starting spot. They will be competing in the MLB HBCU Power Series against other SWAC opponents in Pearl, Mississippi February 13th-15th.

Alabama State:

The Hornets sported a 21-9 conference record last year, propelling them into the SWAC tournament before exiting after a tough defeat to Bethune-Cookman that ended their ‘25 campaign in extra innings. Jose Vazquez and company are back in ‘26 with a revamped and reloaded roster looking to win the SWAC and make some noise outside their conference. They have a reputation for recruiting well on the trail and bringing in a constant stream of talent to plug in the holes where they pop up. Alabama State is consistently in the mix as one of the top teams in the SWAC, and this year should be no different. They are on a quest to win the SWAC again like they did in ‘22, as well as securing the program’s first ever win at the NCAA tournament.

Juan Cruz (20th round, Nationals) and Kameron Douglas (20th round, Tigers) will be departing this offense, leaving behind lots of power production that will need to be replaced in the aggregate. While this would hurt any club at any level, the Hornets were able to recruit a bevy of talented athletes to patch up the holes. While the power may not be replicated in the same manner, there are still plenty of quality bats that this lineup will bring to the table 1-9.

Trey Callaway is a premier transfer into the conference, coming from SEC school Missouri in search of consistent playing time and reps. The staff lauds his athletic tools and ability, citing the fact he will play multiple positions throughout the year while keeping his bat in the order. He is a 6.7 runner with plus catch and throw ability behind the plate, combined with what the staff referred to as “elite bat speed and power to all fields”. A Top 500 recruit out of high school in the Peach state, Callaway will be getting his first extended opportunity at the collegiate level. He isn’t the only Missouri transfer on this club projected to start right away, however. Aden Malpass comes over and is slated to be the club’s starting centerfielder come opening day. A true lead-off with 6.3 speed, he is being entrusted to lead this outfield unit with talent the staff cited as “true centerfield ability”.

Breydon Divine is a junior college transfer from Southern Union that the staff raved about. He leaves no doubt that he can handle shortstop over the course of a long season, as he is a plus athlete with a 90-mph+ arm across the diamond. In addition to running a 6.4, the bat should adapt to the SWAC quickly and produce results. The staff tabbed him as one of the top newcomers to the program for ‘26, as well as the top junior prospect on the professional scale. Cale Clark and Miguel Oropeza are the other two transfers that are slated to fill in spots on this lineup card come opening day. Clark, a junior college transfer from Indian Hills, is a bat that fits atop the order with bat to ball skills. He was a NJCAA Region 11 First Team All-American in ‘25 after hitting .337 with five homeruns and starting every game in right field. Oropeza is a Talladega transfer and two time NAIA All-American. He put up video game numbers with his former program, slashing .531/.633/.966 with eighteen homeruns and eighty-two runs batted in. Those numbers have him penciled in to be the DH. The staff are expecting big things from him this spring.

Program returners Alex Espaillat (‘25 2nd Team All-SWAC), Fabian Santana, Jackson Williams and Niguel Jenkins are all projected to slot into starting roles to kick off the season. Espaillat is coming off of a productive ‘25 campaign that saw him hit .331 with a .832 OPS. He is expected to handle second base duties. Jackson Williams is coming off a redshirt season and put up a fall performance that saw him flash the most power of anybody on the roster. The staff noted he routinely posted 100-mph+ EV’s, and will be looked at to potentially recoup some of the power production lost to the draft. Niguel Jenkins is thought of in the same light, noted for his power/athleticism combination. Rounding out this group of offensive returners is Fabian Santana. He hit .290 over 152 plate appearances last year and is going to be a bit of a swiss army knife defensively for the Hornets.

When looking at arms, they have three returning pieces slotted to fill into their rotation with a freshman rounding off the group. Jorhan LaBoy is a preseason first team selection and pitchability southpaw that eats up innings and attacks the zone. It’s a four pitch mix and he has notably gotten stronger since last year. A proven contributor, he would toss over 92 innings in ‘25 with a 4 ERA and 2.4 BB/9. Esaid Pena got sixteen starts last year and is back once again. He is a workhorse starter that sits 89-92 with a firm slider. Trey Power will be sliding into the rotation for ‘26 after coming out of the ‘pen last spring. The staff are excited about his potential and noted a jump in overall stuff, citing a four pitch mix where the velocity continues to improve and his ability to spin a curveball with over 3000 RPM. Jaxon Baptist will be the program newcomer to this staff, a freshman right-handed arm from El Paso, Texas. He is squarely in the mix for a rotation spot. He has good stuff and the velocity has climbed over the fall, sitting 89-93 with the ability to maintain it in starts.

A few other notable arms to look out for include Zane Baltz, Joe Dolinshek and Camden Matthews.

Baltz is a junior college transfer from Los Medanos CC. He is slated to fill the closer role for the program this spring, and is lauded for his athleticism and high spin fastball/slider combination. Dolinshek is a 6’7 southpaw that could compete for a weekend rotation spot if he finds consistency. Matthews transferred in from Miles College as a D2 All-American, sporting a quality fastball, cutter and slider mix that will play well out of the ‘pen.

The Hornets will again be extremely competitive in the SWAC and will be looking to win the conference. They have the experience coming back in the rotation to solidify their innings, with good talent and newcomers to fill in the gaps left behind on offense. They open their season with a three game series against Eastern Kentucky, before playing the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa then heading to the Andre Dawson classic. They have a quality out of conference schedule slated for ‘26, featuring multiple Sun Belt opponents.

Alcorn State:

The Braves will be looking to make strides in the right direction over the course of the ‘26 campaign, in search of their first double digit win season since 2019. Carlton Hardy did excellent work at Savannah State prior to accepting the job with Alcorn State. This will be his second full season at the helm of the program. If there is a skipper to entrust with rebuilding from the ground up, Hardy is the man. He took Savannah State to an NCAA regional, while also guiding the program to success when they transitioned to the SIAC with three straight 30+ win seasons before coming to Alcorn State. ‘26 features a reworked roster full of junior college transfers that will be seeking to make an impact at the D1 level right away.

Three returning hitters will feature in the starting lineup come opening day, while the rest of the card will be penciled in with junior college transfers and a graduate transfer. It’s going to be a more experienced group of hitters that have performed at the collegiate level. As a club, Alcorn State produced a team OPS of .789. Adding some more thump (.395 SLG) will allow this offensive group to make big strides in ‘26.

Third baseman and leading return hitter Kanious Davis will be starting come opening day. He hit .365 last year over 76 plate appearances, He runs a 6.5 with 90-mph+ arm strength that will play from the hot corner and on the mound, where he saw a good share of innings last year. Davis was tabbed as the program’s best athlete. More slug can be unlocked with Davis once he starts getting the ball in the air more often, as he ran a groundball rate of 60% last year. Reyfield Adams III is another returning bat that is slated to handle centerfield and lead-off come opening day. He hit .305 last year and swiped 13 bases. It’s a toolsy package, as he offers great defense out at the “8” and runs a 6.5. He reworked his batted ball data, getting the ball in the air at a much more gaudy clip compared to his freshman season. Look for Adams to tap into some more pull-side power. Rounding out this group of returning bats is Clayvonje Wright. He has seen action in the last three seasons with Alcorn since ‘22, making good offensive strides yearly that culminated in an .877 OPS performance last year with a pair of jacks. He will be the starting DH.

As mentioned earlier, the rest of this offense is plug and play. Graduate transfer Jaylyn Bennett is coming over from Grambling State after posting an .899 OPS and two jacks on some volume. It’s a seasoned bat with experience and performance in the SWAC that will immediately become a contributor to this offense. Keller Rivers is a transfer from Howard CC and flashes the most tools of the new batch coming in. He is a 6.6 runner with power that can play to all parts of the field, paired with a low 90’s arm from the outfield grass. Keaton Hawk (Alvin CC) rounds out the outfield group. Look for Adrian Vallescorbo (Coastal Bend CC) to start behind the dish and provide solid defense with good catch and throw skills. Cooper Harris (Frederick CC) and Asher Friedman (Cecil CC) pencil in the last two infield spots at first base and shortstop, respectively.

To find more success in ‘26, there will undoubtedly have to be more production from the arms on this roster. Last year, the Braves posted a team ERA of 13.67. The best individual earned run average on the club last year was 9.00. Everybody in the building knows that will need to change this spring.

Projected staff ace and junior college transfer Jacob Wingard (Alvin CC) has this staff excited. He chewed up 47 innings last year while punching out 50, pitching to a 4.9 ERA. He has a four pitch mix with control and sits 89-92 on the heater. He commands the zone well and should immediately produce results. The staff is also high on freshman Devin Kriley. He is a southpaw with two put-away offerings including a solid slider and velocity in the 89-92 band. He is lauded for his competitiveness on the bump and is projected to handle the #2 duties for this staff. Another freshman in Kayden Sutton is projected to be the number three starter to open the season. Expect three pitches in the mix and a fastball that plays in the 85-88 band. Graduate transfer Garrett Oswald (Sioux Falls) is expected to round this rotation out. He is a southpaw with a three pitch mix and a fastball that has been up to 90-mph.

A plethora of transfers and freshmen will make up the rest of these innings, and it is to be seen who steps up and contributes. It would not be surprising to see young faces vaulted into the mix early on. Yoni Castro (Arizona Western CC) comes over and should provide a high leverage role immediately, providing a three pitch mix and a fastball up to 93-mph. The staff has hopes that returning arm Hunter Bell will make some strides this spring as well. Kanious Davis may once again see a good bit of innings. Jose Cherna (Southwestern) tossed 41 innings last year with an 8 K/9.

It’s all about growing once again in ‘26 for Alcorn State. Newcomers will have the opportunity to establish themselves right away. The Braves kick the season off with one game a piece versus in-conference rivals Grambling State, Prairie View A&M and Jackson State. This program did not shy away from a tough out of conference schedule either. They will be facing the likes of Mississippi State, ULM, Mercer, Ole Miss and SFA among others outside of the SWAC.

Arkansas Pine-Bluff:

The Golden Lions are in search of their first winning season since 2015. They had a good deal of success in the SWAC last year, posting a 17-10 mark. However, they got bounced early in the conference tournament. Logan Stout and company are going to be looking to build on their progress and success in the league last year, while also trying to build up their out of conference performance. There is going to be a strong contingent of new faces littered across this roster in ‘26, as the bats and arms alike are going to be suiting up for their first season with the program. For the Golden Lions to repeat their winning conference ways from last year, the new faces are going to have to step in and produce right away.

Offensive star and top prospect from the ‘25 roster Eli Gries-Smith has departed and landed with Oregon State. He was the team’s top offensive contributor with a .924 OPS. Looking at the cumulative numbers, the team OPS totaled to .743 with suboptimal power output (.377 SLG). Looking to add more extra base and over the fence pop will take this offense to a new level in ‘26. With plenty of new faces to fill out the lineup card, the Golden Lions could have new sources of the much needed power infusion.

Vinny Saumell is the leading contributor back from the ‘25 group. He is tabbed as a preseason all-conference selection for us, as he brings back a .341/1/25 line that was good for a .831 OPS. He ran a miniscule 9% K rate to go song with an 8% walk rate. If he can see the ball get in the air more this spring (51% GB rate in ‘25), there is more slugging output to unlock here. He is a switch hitting catcher with an arm the coaching staff tabbed as plus. Dane Small is the only other returning offensive piece for the Golden Lions. He will man right field after hitting .278 last year with ten stolen bases. There could be more power here to get into as well, as Small got the baseball in the air at a frequent clip last season. Outside of this pair, it will be a fresh slate of transfers to fill in the rest of the lineup card.

Easton Andrews (Redlands) and Lazaro Alvarado is a duo that is expected to be splitting time amongst each other at first base and DH. Andrews was a big slugger at Redlands, hitting .405 with fourteen jacks. He is an option that will be relied upon for some much needed juice. Konner Giddley (Rock Valley) and freshman Aaron Grant will both be getting playing time at second base. Giddey is the more proven commodity, having hit .313/4/22. The glove will look to improve this year, but he has displayed success at the collegiate level. The coaching staff is high on Aaron Grant, however. The staff tabbed him as a ‘28 draft prospect, showing low 90’s velocity on the mound with plus defense, raw power in the box and 6.5 speed. If he can hit early on, it may end up being his job - but that remains to be seen. Zach Wieder is coming over from Holy Cross in search of consistent at bats and playing time. He’s a contact bat and glove first guy at short. He got a full share of at bats in the summer with Kelowna in the West Coast League, and will be looking to post good numbers in the SWAC. Ian Smith (Rich Mountain) is projected to man the hot corner, and power is more than likely going to be expected from him. He slugged .687 while hitting .402, smashing ten homeruns last spring. With the corners proven to provide some thump, there may be more power output in the cards.

Zyon Hamilton and Weston Gingerich will round this lineup out on the field. Hamilton will plug in nicely out in left, slashing .355/.431/.610 while pumping eight homeruns for Amarillo CC. Out in center, expect Weston Gingerich to get the lion’s share of starts at the “8”. He comes by way of Purdue and Bradley, just looking for consistent playing time. He will find that here. As a whole, this offense has proven bats from multiple ranks of the collegiate world to come in and produce right away.

The arms have a chance to be very enticing this spring, as it’s a true blend of experience in the rotation. Jalen Porter is a draft arm through and through, transferring in from Wiley. He worked with a pitching coach for the first time ever this fall, and it paid dividends right away. Porter was up to 99-mph while attacking the zone with a full arsenal of secondaries to match. The staff raved about his improved strike throwing ability, and because of this, he is now slated to be the lead arm of this staff. Coming back from injury, Joe King is healthy and ready to take on his first year of college baseball. The southpaw is expected to take the number two role to open. There was high praise for his ability and from the staff in the preseason survey. Kenny Fabian is a big returning arm and a preseason all-conference selection for us. He started thirteen games last year white chucking over 78 innings to a 3.79 ERA. Expect a steady stream of innings and results from him once again. Reagan James will round this rotation out, coming in from Alvin CC. James was a quality starter that tossed 39 innings and produced a 1.13 WHIP. This is a strong rotation that has a very high ceiling if things break the right way for these guys. High upside across the board.

A few other arms of note are Ryan Lamar (Georgia State) and Jack Hasten (Odessa). Look for Lamar to land on his feet in the SWAC and get a lot more opportunity early on. Hasten worked a nice ‘25, posting a 2.28 ERA with thirty strikeouts and a 1.23 WHIP. Brandan Hamlin started eight games and ate 55 innings last year, another volume arm that is slated for a good bit of work.

This is an intriguing bunch of newcomers who are going to have the chance to prove themselves at the D1 level right away. The offense will be the biggest question mark in ‘25, but the coaching staff brought in proven contributors from the junior college and D1 ranks to fill in the holes. The arms have a lot of upside as well, as the rotation has a chance to be legitimately solid this spring. Porter has the traits to be the ace of a rotation in this conference, and he is going to be given every chance to do so. The Golden Lions open their season with two four game sets at home against Lindenwood and Stephen F. Austin.

Bethune-Cookman:

The Tigers reigned supreme in ‘25, taking home the SWAC conference title and making an NCAA regional appearance. They were competitive there as well despite dropping games to Florida State and Northwestern. The standard at Bethune-Cookman year in and year out is going to be winning the SWAC. The next step is winning games at the regional. Jonathan Hernandez and co. have done a phenomenal job building this program up and creating a winning culture. After winning 24 games in the conference last year and 37 in total, they are primed to make another run. It’s a large group of returning contributors across the board that fill out the lineup card, as well as the rotation and ‘pen.

With a club OPS of .942 and 84 total jacks last year, they return a large bunch of that offensive core in ‘26. Irvin Escobar and Manny Souffrain departed, taking reliable and consistent offensive production with them. However, the continuity of this bunch is a massive strength. Jorge Rodriguez has been tabbed as a preseason All-SWAC selection at first base, having posted a 1.147 OPS with fourteen homeruns and forty six runs batted in. He brings the typical corner infield slugger profile to the lineup card. He ran a low K% last year and gets the ball in the air often, maximizing his power potential and realizing it in game. Across the diamond at the hot corner will be Jesus Vanegas, a reliable bat from ‘25 that is shifting over from second base. He’s got power to his game, and if the strikeouts can trim down a bit in ‘26, expect even more production from the stick. He’s also been tabbed as a preseason All-SWAC selection. Jeter Polledo is coming off a really strong redshirt freshman season that saw him hit .326 with six homeruns from shortstop. The staff raved about the progression he has made over the fall with the glove. A big ‘26 could be in store for Polledo. Looking at other bats, expect both Armani Newton and Jose Fernandez to get at bats and a chance to produce.

Some new faces are transferring in to fill in some holes. Maikol Lucena (Indian River) is a really good addition to this roster and will plug in behind the dish right away. A steady producer with the bat at the junior college level, he hit .433/2/38 with nine stolen bases and more walks than strikeouts. He also sported a 54% caught stealing rate behind the dish. It’s a well polished package and the staff lauded his defensive abilities during the fall handling the staff. Erick Almonte is slated to handle second, a transfer in from UCF that needed to find playing time. A switch hitting middle infielder with plus run and good baseball IQ, he hit .317 at SCF before transferring to his former school. He lands with the Tigers and figures to be a contributor from the get go.

This outfield group is chalk full of familiar faces. The most potent offensive threat in the line-up is right fielder Andrey Martinez. After tying the single season program record of homeruns in a season with twenty, he is back and ready to once again spearhead the power of this order. Not just a slugger, he makes good swing decisions while limiting his K%, leaving it right at 14.3% last season. He is tabbed on our preseason All-SWAC team and is expected to produce yet again. Darryl Lee is back and will slot into the lead-off spot once again while handling left field. He hit .299 in the spot last year while providing some thump to all fields and solid defense in the outfield grass. He also swiped twenty three bags. He’s got experience at the top of the order with speed and some impact, a great fit and someone the Tigers will rely on to set the table. Sergio Rivera will manning centerfield, a defender the staff tabbed as “elite” with plus speed and a good arm. Not just a reliable defender, he brings with him a reliable stick. He hit .317/3/34 last year with a .470 on base percentage and thirty six stolen bases. All in all, this is a potent outfield trio and in the running for best in the conference.

Looking to the arms, the Tigers had a reliable group to chew through innings and yield results. As a unit, the ERA was a 5.27 while holding bats to a cumulative .268 batting average. While they lose Joel Core who started thirteen games last year, the remaining core of the rotation is back with junior college transfers coming in to plug up the holes.

Tanner Boccabello is back and healthy after suffering a bit of a wrist injury near the end of the last season. He has seen action on Friday nights for two seasons now, and the staff is excited to have been ready to go for opening day. It’s a three pitch mix and can land every offering for strikes, understanding how to sequence and get outs. He ate up 67 innings last year with a 4.5 ERA, pitching to contact well that resulted in a ground ball rate of 50%. He’s experienced, reliable and a strike thrower that will start double digit games this spring. Edwin Sanchez is back as well, a star left-handed arm for the Tigers last year. With three for strikes, a fastball that gets up to 91-mph and supreme feel for the change, he figures to see success again in ‘26. He got seventeen starts and ate through 82.2 innings, striking out 101 to the tune of a 3.05 ERA. All of those K’s resulted in a 28.5% strikeout clip, and all of the under the hood data looked good too. Expect Sanchez to once again be an anchor in this rotation.

Two new faces will round this rotation out to start the season, as Harbersting Abreu (Tallahassee State) and Michael Benedict (EFSC) will be tasked with the innings. Abreu comes with over 121 innings and 26 starts under his belt, producing a K/9 of 9.04 during his time at his former school. He pounds the zone at 90-92 with a full four pitch mix, showing the ability to compete in and around the zone to get outs and eat innings. Michael Benedict is coming off a really solid season at ESFC, where he started six games and had seventeen appearances with forty eight innings in total to his credit. He pitched to a 3.19 ERA, and like Abreu, has filled the zone with regularity. The staff noted he competes with a three pitch mix, sitting 90-92 with arm side run and feel for both his slider and change. Both of these new arms will be relied upon to come in and throw strikes while eating innings.

The bullpen is a point of strength as well. Pablo Torres is looking to find the success he saw in his ‘24 campaign. The stuff is surely there, as he sits 92-94 and can run it up to 96-mph. He’s a bit of a swiss army knife, as he can start games as well if needed. Torres has experience in the SWAC and has proven he can produce at a high level. Jean Zambrano is the returning SWAC reliever of the year, and will be looking to build off of his award winning junior year. He’s a strike thrower with command, and the staff cited his progression in the fall. They will be relying on him once again out of the ‘pen in a big way. Justin Morales is a quality transfer from Tallahassee State College, where he will be transitioning full time into the bullpen. He certainly has the stuff to do so. Staff noted his fastball has been up to 97-mph with life through the zone, as well as a depth-y curveball and change-up. It’s a strong stable of arms that will be producers throughout the season.

It’s really simple for the Tigers. Each year, they expect to win the SWAC. The next goal is going to be winning a regional, a challenge this entire staff is willing to take head on. The roster is chalk full of quality arms and offensive pieces, with proven junior college transfers coming in to piece together the rest of the puzzle. Bethune-Cookman is ready to make a run for the conference championship again. They start their season with a three game series against Bradley, then single contests against FIU and Yale. All will be taking place at the beautiful Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Florida A&M:

The Rattlers found lots of success in the SWAC last year, winning twenty four games and making a run in the conference tournament, falling just short in the tournament. This program is consistently competitive in the conference year over year and will be looking to maintain that level in ‘26. They start their season with a four game series at home against Eastern Illinois.

Grambling State:

The Tigers are on the hunt to repeat their success in ‘24 when they won the SWAC. Davin Pierre is back at the helm and will have his program squarely in the conversation as a contender. They have had a conference record of .500 or better (and often much better) since 2016. This offense returns over half of the bats they had last year with impact transfers littered throughout the rest of the lineup card. The arms have a mix of returnees, transfers and injury bouncebacks that will look to
make that next step forward. There is plenty of optimism on the staff that this roster will compete once again and make a run.

Chenar Brown (9 HR, 1.032 OPS), Aries Gardner (7 HR, .913 OPS), Nyan Hayes (10 HR, .911 OPS) and Keanu Jacobs-Guishard (10 HR, .839 OPS) are no longer apart of the starting lineup for the Tigers in ‘26. Thus, a good bit of power production is going to have to be replaced in the aggregate. Four transfers are coming in to do just that, plugging and playing around the other five returning bats.

Aidan Lopez (Wharton CC) had two productive years that saw linear progression before landing at Grambling. He is a contact first type with good barrel skills and a smooth swing from the left side of the plate. Paired with good defense at first base and a track record of production, it’s easy to see the attraction the staff had to his overall profile. Across the diamond and at the hot corner is Ryan Davis (UMES). He hit .312 with an OPS of .875 in the NEC paired with four jacks. It’s a seasoned profile with proven production at the D1 level. The staff lauded his athleticism, defensive hands and arm from third base. After two years in the Sun Belt with Lousiana Monroe, Hasani Johnson will be plugging right into the shortstop position. He brings a quality skillset to this program as a switch hitting shortstop with great hands. Referred to as the “point guard” up the middle of this team, the staff is quite high on his defensive abilities. Johnson will be hitting atop the order for the Tigers. The final transfer of this position player group is Julio Vasquez (Henderson State). He is a bit of a swiss army knife in terms of defensive capabilities, as he can catch, play first and left field. He is slated to see the most time at DH and first, however.

The returning offensive pieces for this program are extremely strong. The entire outfield is chalk full of big time contributors and will be a huge reason for their success in this upcoming campaign.

Chris Marcellus is a four year program veteran and a team captain. He was 2nd Team All-SWAC last year and the staff praise his abilities to produce no matter the circumstances. He brings some championship pedigree as well, being one of two players on the roster from that ‘24 club that won the SWAC title. Expect another steady eddy season from Marcellus both with the bat and the glove. Shannon Martin landed at Grambling last year after transferring out of Texas Southern provided a huge offensive boost. He would post a .918 OPS and 18% walk rate, giving staff all the confidence they need to rely on him once again this spring.

The outfield is where this lineup is going to really shine. Between Cameron Hill, Martavius Thomas and Trey Bridges, big things are expected from this trio. Their praises were sung by the staff in our surveys.

Cameron Hill was a Swingman Classic All-Star last year. He hit .322 with sixteen homeruns and a staggering 76 RBI. He figures to be one of the best returning players in the SWAC for ‘26 and has the numbers to prove it. All of that offense was good for a 1.002 OPS with a 24.6% HR/FB%. He gets to his power often. Martavius Thomas will be the centerfielder of this group. He is a plus athlete that provides good defense and reliable top of the order production. He dropped his K% by four last year and upped the wRC+ by fourteen points while swiping twenty four bags. He was a starter on the ‘24 squad that won the conference as a freshman as well. Out in right field is another offensive force in Trey Bridges. He hit .350 with nine jacks and 77 RBI, finishing the season with an OPS of 1.037. With a 16.9 K%, he brings a really good blend of bat to ball and run production to this lineup. He was also a Swingman Classic All-Star. This outfield is loaded and primed for another big spring.

When it comes to arms, it will be a hodgepodge of returners coming off injury and more experienced players expected to take that next step in their development and production. With a team ERA of 9.08 last year, this will be the biggest question mark surrounding the Tigers and how much of a step they can take in the right direction here.

Trenton Shaw was a highly touted prep coming out of Desoto, Texas back in ‘22 as the #125 ranked prospect in the country at the time. He is now slated to be the staff ace for this program. He has a pro body at 6’4/230 with a fastball that sits 89-93 and got up to 95-mph in the fall. He possesses a solid secondary in his curveball. Shaw has all the pieces to be a prospect, but the issue has been control. The staff has provided positive reports in that department, citing more consistency with his stuff and control. If he can compete in the zone, he has monstrous upside in the SWAC. Keevyn Goss (Wharton) is a quality southpaw that sits 89-92 with a good change and slider. It’s a three pitch mix for strikes, and he should provide stability in the middle of this rotation. Mohamad Harati and Taylor Dooley are both returning arms that have battled a bit of an injury bug and are slated for big innings in ‘26. Harati took a medical redshirt in ‘24 and is now ready to roll. He offers a three pitch mix with a fastball in the 88-91 band and lots of strikes. Tabbed as mature and competitive, it’s a bit of a bulldog profile and innings eater. Dooley was on and off in ‘25, but found stable health in the back half of the year. He then proceeded to spin a gem against FAMU to propel his club to the semi-finals of the SWAC tournament. The staff is hoping for more performances like that from him this spring.

Looking at the rest of the arms, it’s a similar story to the rotation. Rafael Capistran is slated for a backend of the ‘pen role after taking a medical redshirt last season. He has a low 90’s fastball paired with a tight biting slider. The staff are confident in his ability to lock down games and shut the door. Payton Allen is another arm that should see a good share of innings this year. He dealt with some arm soreness last year, but the staff tabbed him as “healthier than ever”. It’s a sidearm slot with a mid 80’s fastball that can stay off the barrel. Combine that with a good slider and change, and you end up with a high leverage arm. Hampton Phillips is another arm that got valuable experience in ‘25 and the staff have high hopes for the progression he will make this spring. Keyon Guillory and KeJuan Barnett were also notable additions.

The Tigers have the pieces to make a run once again here in ‘26. Davin Pierre and company have done a great job with this program, keeping them competitive year in and year out. Between the strong core of returners and solid group of transfers coming in, the hopes are high in Grambling for another successful season. They kick their season off with the Players Alliance Classic against Alcorn State.

Jackson State:

Omar Johnson is back at the helm with over twenty years at the program under this belt to this point. Jackson State has been wildly competitive in and out of the conference for a very long time, seeing back to back regionals in ‘13 and ‘14 as well as being regular season conference champions in ‘21. They once again finished above .500 in and out of the conference in ‘25, before dropping a pair of games to Alabama State in the SWAC tournament to end their season. With a large majority of offensive contributors coming back to Jackson, things are shaping up for ‘26 to be yet another good season for the program. It’s always a competitive roster that can go out and win a series against the best this conference has to offer on any weekend.

Jordan McCladdie (1.085 OPS) and Joseph Eichelberger (.891 OPS) are two key pieces that featured in last year’s lineup card that will not be back this season. However, there’s a large contingent of starters that will be back this spring from last year.

Looking up the middle, Hederick Torres mans things behind the dish. A Puerto Rican native who has two years of experience with the program, he is slated to handle the catching duties come opening day. He would get 130 at-bats last season over 43 games, hitting .346 and accruing a 13% walk rate in that span. The in-game juice isn’t there with Torres, but he’s got good barrel skills and can work a quality at bat often. He sported a 21% caught stealing rate as well. Ledy Alvarez is back for his third season with the program. He hit .309 with 15 stolen bases and trimmed his groundball rate as well. As a result, his slugging increased by nearly forty points. He’s run a stable BB:K ratio over the last two years in the SWAC and will be a reliable option in the order while playing second base. Shortstop Robert Tate is going to be looking to rebound a bit after he saw his offensive production sap a bit across the board after a strong freshman season that saw him hit .352. Regardless, he still posted a .361 OBP while manning a premium position nicely over the full course of a season. He would hit well in the Appalachian league this past summer, good for a .915 OPS. If he can stabilize after a bit of a sophomore slump, it would be a massive boost to this order.

The infield corners and designated hitter spots are going to be manned by a trio of familiar faces. Wilbert Perez is the premium returning power bat in this group, looking to hit in the middle of this order after hitting eight homeruns last year. He would finish the year with a .945 OPS while hitting .324. It’s a good blend of pop and feel to hit, while also providing solid defense at first base. Expect Perez to be a run producer this year. Across the diamond from him at the hot corner is going to be Tyshon Patty. After a 91 point OPS increase from ‘24 to ‘25, Patty hit .271 last year while running a solid K% of just 8%. In addition to his offense, he’s seen time on the mound in both of his first two seasons with the program. While the majority of his production for the Tigers is going to come with the bat, he’s got a strong arm at the hot corner and continues to improve with the bat in his hands. Another jump in his offense stats could be in the cards. Pierre Cabral is getting the nod at the DH spot. After a solid average season last year in the SWAC (.799 OPS), he will be stretching out his playing time over the course of a full season. He got just 99 at bats last year. He walked more than he punched out (16:15) as well. Cabral will be looking to capitalize on the opportunity.

The outfield is where a couple of new names emerge. Parker Winfield is an NAIA transfer from Spartanburg Methodist. Expected to play left field, he has real power in his bat that carried over into a strong summer ball season. This addition in the portal makes a lot of sense for Jackson State, as the lineup card is chalk full of good bat to ball guys but does lack some slugging output all in all. He hit nine homeruns in 131 plate appearances last year, good for a .879 OPS. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to D1 baseball, as he did run a higher K% last year. If he can settle in and show the ability to put the ball in play more often, it’s a nice upside addition for the program. Across from him in right is going to be Tyree Reed. Once an Oregon State recruit, Reed transferred out and landed at Central Arizona. He had a monster year last year, getting on base at a .519 clip and slugging his way to a 1.153 OPS. The former Team USA 15u member lands in the SWAC and will be looking to carry that production over. Rounding out the outfield is Isaac McClenty, who will be in center. After two years at Copiah Lincoln, it’s a bit of a wildcard play. He will be getting his first collegiate AB’s since the ‘24 season this spring. He would post a .749 OPS in his time at the junior college level.

When it comes to arms, this rotation is going to be made up of a quarter of newcomers. A real strength last season for the Tigers, this new look group is going to be a much bigger question mark. Erick Gonzalez (5.23 ERA), Brandon Haston (4.94 ERA) and Eric Elliot (3.28 ERA) are all departed from the rotation, taking with them 41 starts that are going to have to be replaced. It’s significant, quality production that this staff had to go out and patch together through the transfer portal in the off-season.

Panamanian native Derek Arrocha is coming in from Bryant Stratton. A right-handed arm that handled 55 innings last year, he has just two starts in his collegiate career so far. The staff is confident they can stretch him out for a full season atop this rotation. He pitched to a 4.85 ERA last year, collecting 74 strikeouts to 24 walks. Arrocha also had a solid summer in the Appalachian League, tossing 21 innings and posting another quality ERA of 2.95. He is primed to be the lead man of this staff. Kade Walker is a seasoned graduate transfer that pitched his last two years with St. Bonaventure. He’s a pitch to contact left-handed arm, lacking overpowering stuff and relying on pitchability. The southpaw has 11 starts in his four year collegiate career to this point. Coron Davis was a two sport athlete (Football) at Shorter University, transferring in to Jackson and locking down a rotation spot. It’s a loose and quick arm with evident athleticism in his motion and delivery down the slope. It’s a nice upside play, as the staff is banking on athleticism and added attention to his baseball skills to result in better production. Jayden Lopez rounds this group out. After two years at East Georgia and one with New Orleans, he landed in Jackson. He threw just one inning last season, so it remains to be seen what he can do in a full role at this level of baseball.

With a nice core of returning players back, the portal was hit to fill in the gaps. Jackson State recruits well and often sees its own come into starting positions over time, but they do not carry particularly big classes year over year. As a result, the portal is worked to fill in the gaps and that can be seen with the overhaul of the rotation. This order is going to hit for some average, but it remains to be seen what kind of power they can produce across a full season. The questions on the rotation will also be answered on the field in conference play. Regardless of this, Coach Johnson has shown time and time again that he fields a quality roster year in and year out. It will not be a question of whether or not they will be ready to play. Expect Jackson State to be competitors in the SWAC like always. They begin their season with the MLB HBCU Power Series and the Andre Dawson classic, with a one-off against Ole Miss sandwiched in between.

Mississippi Valley State:

The Delta Devils saw some year over year progression from ‘24 to ‘25, and will once again be looking to improve their in-conference performance in this upcoming spring. Skipper CJ Bilbrey has overseen these improvements since he took over in ‘24. He is at the helm once again and is working to get this program back to its glory days of the early 2000’s. They are a bit away from that right now, but the right steps are being taken to rebuild this program from the ground up. Not long ago, this program was one that did not win a game during the entirety of the 2020 and 2021 season. Lots of credit is due to how they have rebounded since the start of the decade.

As a program, they brought some thump to the plate last season. With a team OPS of .845 and a .456 slug, the offense was not stagnant last year. The most glaring issue was the team ERA, which sat at 10.70 on the year. That will need to improve, of course, if MVSU wants to see strides in the win column. With an entirely new look in the rotation, a set of fresh faces will be tasked with overseeing the improvements in this department. The offense is flushed out with junior college transfers as well, replacing some of the thump they lost. The top three homerun leaders from last campaign Benny Hernandez, Kade Wood and Gunner Lakins are no longer with the program. It’s a big loss that will need to be replaced in the aggregate with some new faces and returning contributors.

The top returner to this offense is Tanner Aoki. Over the course of a full season, he slashed .349/.479/.403 with just an 8% K rate and 15% walk rate. He’s a top of the order type of bat that can spray liners all over the yard. He swiped nineteen bases last year as well. Aoki is slated to start opening day at second base. He brings plate discipline and bat to ball skills to this order, as well as proven success in the SWAC. Both Jace Jones and Chris Soeder are returning bats, projected to both get work at first. Jones brings some power to the plate (7 HR) but will need to trim down on the strikeouts some while tuning the bat to ball skills. He is tabbed as the top senior of this group by the staff. Soeder is more lauded for his defense at first, and will look to improve his offensive performance on more volume. Jaxon Haynes will get some run at DH this year after a small sample of success in ‘25.

This entire outfield unit got a taste of the SWAC last year with the program, and will be expected to take strides this spring. Eric Williams had a great freshman campaign that saw him hit .344 with a .913 OPS. He is the best natural hitter on this club and is tabbed as the top sophomore in the entire program. Slated to handle left field come opening day, Bilbrey and co. are expecting big things from him. Kendall Brookins was called a “plus defender, plus runner” that will be handling centerfield duties. He hit .280 last year with sixteen stolen bases and is looked at as a mainstay in the lineup. Noah Bufford flashed some juice in just fourteen starts last year, popping four homeruns. The staff praised his power potential as he earned the starting job in right field to open the season.

Two junior college transfers in Ty Burns and Stephen Landaz will be splitting duties behind the dish and competing for the majority of starts. Burns is a physical prospect with great tools behind the dish and sub 2.00 pop times in game. If he can find his footing consistently with the bat, he has upside. Frank Estrada is coming into the program and will be the starting third baseman, praised for his plus glove and arm at the hot corner. He is going to be the club’s lead-off hitter. Cody Leming is a two time all region defender in junior college who is going to slot in immediately at short, with Dylan Hummel backing him up off the bench. It’s a group of transfers that will need to see their offense tick up in the SWAC, but the staff is confident in the tools and makeup of this group.

As outlined earlier, the arms will need to make a jump as a unit in ‘26 to see another increase in the win column. There are fresh faces through this rotation who will get the chance to bolster down and eat innings. Chris Brown is projected as the number one starter for this group, an 88-90 right-handed arm who tops out at 92-mph and holds the best fastball velocity in the program. Southpaw Erick Torrero, a Panama native, transfers in from North Central Missouri and brings a wealth of starting experience at the junior college level. Jase Jones, mentioned earlier with the offense, is a two-way player that also acts as a starter for this rotation. He saw eight innings with the program last year and is in line for a big increase in work load. Clint Lafferty rounds this group out, a right-handed arm who the staff likes due to his deep arsenal and ability to pound the zone. Logan Darnell, Park Roeder and Lucas Valencia are other arms the staff listed as names of note.

There are question marks regarding whether or not this group will improve once again. They lost some key offensive pieces, but a good group of returners are back and the holes were filled with some upside junior college transfers. CJ Bilbrey has done a good job with this program in his time leading it, and we believe in his ability to continue moving it in the right direction. If this new group of starting arms perform, this group should see another jump in conference wins again. The Delta Devils open their season on the road against Stephen F. Austin and Jacksonville State.

Prairie View A&M:

Daniel Dulin is the new skipper of this program, looking to rebuild the Panthers and guide them towards consistency in the conference for years to come. He was an assistant coach at UIC prior to his hire here. This staff will be looking to improve on a 17 win season from last year, going one game below .500 in conference and missing out on the conference tournament. Prairie View A&M has not won the conference nor been to a regional since 2012. Dulin and company will be looking to get the Panthers moving in that direction once again.

It’s going to be a hodgepodge of names that are filling out the lineup card in ‘26. A true blend of freshmen, transfers and returners, the slated opening day starters come from a variety of backgrounds. Dulin had to cast a wide net to replace the production that was lost, as Ahmar Donatto, Brayden Johnson and Landon Williams have all departed. This trio consists of the top bats from last spring, and their production is going to be difficult to replace.

A pair of Cali freshmen have hit campus and made a strong impression right away, so much so that they have locked down a starting job to open up the season. Ryland Dutson is a true freshman that is going to be handling things behind the dish. A strong 6’0/200 build with a simplistic right-handed swing, this staff raved about him; he was tabbed as the top freshman, best overall HITTER in the program (!) and the freshman expected to make the most impact. It’s high marks for Dutson, and he will be looked to for leadership and production as a nineteen year old right away. Brenton Jackson is tabbed as the third baseman to start the season. A twitchy athletic eighteen year old with lots of foot speed and versatility, he is the best athlete in the program and runs a 6.4 60-yard dash. The body has lots of room for strength, and he will be thrown right into D1 baseball to adjust and get acclimated with the bat. It’s a nice upside profile and a really good get for this program. Both of these young men will be thrust into the lineup on opening day, as Dulin has plenty of trust in his guys from his first recruiting class.

Dylan Diaz is another young freshman from Florida that is expected to handle shortstop. The staff love the glove and have him as the best defender in the program. Expect Diaz to play a solid 6, and any value you get from the bat as a freshman is gravy.

Looking elsewhere, Michael Burroughs is back for his senior year. He is a three year veteran of the program and is going to be one of the leaders for this club. His career offensive output has been a bit all over the place, as he went .814 -.985 -.736 in terms of OPS over his first three years. He still runs a consistent 11%/12% BB & K rate year over year, and is a career .311 hitter. He will play left field and is the top senior on this team. Jordan Williams has been with the Panthers for two years, hitting .240 over 50 ABs last year. The redshirt junior will be looking for a full season’s worth of production, and the staff noted the right fielder's power gains over the off-season. The marquee transfer in the program for this spring is going to be center fielder Ethan Walker. He brings with him three years of experience at the D1 level, all of which were with the University of North Alabama. He got 161 at-bats over three years, with a large share of those coming in his freshman year. He’s got a good glove and will be looking to utilize his solid plate discipline into a nice offensive season. The impact in the bat is limited, but if he can hit for average and play a good centerfield then it’s more than enough to boost this offense. Hunter Ham (Hill College) is with the program and is slated to handle first base duties. There are still some spots up for grabs leading to opening day, but Corie Lockette could get some AB’s this spring potentially in the DH spot, as he possesses the most juice in the program.

As a staff, the arms posted an ERA of 9.00 on the dot a season ago. With some of their rotation anchors not back this spring (Landyn Grant, Leonardo Bravo), new and familiar faces are going to have to step up and fill in the innings. It’s another mixed bag of names here that will be looking to find their footing and improve the marks from last spring. Beau Beaty is going to be near the top of this rotation, a 6-2/160 right-handed pitcher that will be looking to improve off his 16.1 innings from a year prior. He will be looking to make a jump, hoping to utilize his stellar command to control the zone better and limit damage. Oliver Brown is a southpaw transfer from within the conference, headed in from Southern. He has been up to 91-mph and sits in the upper 80’s, showing good life to either side of the plate and has plenty of physical projection. He has a limited track record of control and innings under his belt, so he will continue to grow into the role as the season goes on. He pitched in the Northwoods over the summer as well. Kamar Dove returns with ten starts under his belt from last season, looking to decrease his 7.09 ERA from ‘25. Dove is going to bring plenty of experience starting in this conference and will be looking to hone in the strikes to improve his overall results. Kenneth Hayes rounds this rotation out, a compact framed left-handed arm transferring in from Brookhaven College. He’s got an 11 K/9 over 52.1 innings of work in his time there, but will similarly be looking to dial in the strikes to improve his overall outlook as a starter. Kelvin Battles II will be looked at as a high leverage reliever, coming from South Arkansas CC. He’s a solid mover with plenty of arm talent, flashing a good slider at times. He got some time in the Northwoods last summer as well. A former hitter, he is still amidst his transition into pitching, but provides some upside.

There are questions to answer for the Panthers with Dulin at the helm in year one. High upside freshmen are going to get a chance to play right away, with some of the more veteran pieces of the offense looking for consistency in ‘26. The arms have to prove themselves as well, needing to fill in a healthy chunk of innings left behind. Overall, they are going into the spring as a bit of a wildcard. It’s a good litmus test, and the coaching staff will get to use it as a foundation to build upon. They kick off their season off with the MLB HBCU Power Series.

Southern:

The Jaguars are going to have their sights set on repeating the success they had in the conference back in 2021, where they would make a massive run in the conference tournament to win it all and qualify for a regional appearance. The next year, they were a game away from repeating as champions. Since then, they have been steady competitors but have been unable to reach that pinnacle again. Head coach Chris Crenshaw is a decorated skipper that took over the program in 2021, and has seen plenty of success in his time at the helm. Historically, they have been competitive in conference and above .500 every year since 2018, a trend they will look to continue once again in ‘26. This time, though, they will want to take that next step further.

Leading slugger from ‘25 Cardell Thibodeaux was selected in the 16th round of the MLB draft by the Padres after a monster season saw him post an OPS of 1.391 with 24 stolen bases. It’s significant production that will have to be replaced in the heart of this order. Taj Bates (1.070 OPS) and Jalon Mack (.974 OPS) have also departed, leaving some question marks as to who will be stepping up and filling the shoes of these past producers. However, the staff have raved about one man in particular - Jacoby Radcliffe. They tabbed him as a potential favorite to win the conference player of the year award. He was referred to as the best athlete in the program with 6.1 speed and will be manning center field to open the season. He hit .346 with eight homeruns last year, culminating in a 1.066 OPS, 34 stolen bases and an even 1.00 K:BB ratio. He is primed and expected to have another massive year inside this conference.

There is a strong contingent of returning offensive pieces as a whole to speak of. Senior Jaylon Lucky is back and will be handling first base and the three hole. He hit .288 last year on some volume and held a 16% walk rate, double that of his strikeout percentage. He’s got three years of experience now in the SWAC and is seen as a reliable piece of this offense. Senior KJ White hit .354 last year, good for an .861 OPS and a miniscule 7% strikeout clip. He also swiped 29 bags last year. Combine that with the fact he puts the ball on the ground at almost a 68% clip, the wheels are real. White is slated to be the lead-off man, and was referenced as the best overall hitter and having the best plate discipline in the program. Shortstop Beny Bikar Jr is coming off a really solid freshman season, one that saw him post a .752 OPS in 160 plate appearances and swipe twenty bases. Staff expect a nice offensive jump from him this spring. From our view, if he can drop his groundball percentage from 60%, the results will follow immediately. Look for freshmen Kenyon Hughes and Omari Johnson to make big impacts as starters. Hughes is a true frosh and is going to have the biggest impact on the program from that incoming class. Johnson took a redshirt and has made improvements across the board, enough to land him a starting job on opening day in left field.

Rounding this returning group out, look for Kameron Byrd to bolster things from the DH spot. He is projected to be the clean-up bat for this order, having three years of experience in the SWAC under his belt. He is a proven commodity at this point, and has done it for Southern in two straight years at this point. More power is starting to show as he gets the ball in the air more often. Xavier Bradley was a top 500 prospect coming out of Georgia in ‘24, and he will be splitting time behind the dish this year. Look for improvements after he got his feet wet in D1 baseball last year over 27 at bats.

There aren’t too many new faces in this starting line-up, but the staff are excited about the potential of both. Coming in from Division II Fort Hayes State, Panamanian native Luis Ayala is going to be the other half of the catcher platoon with the aforementioned Bradley. He’s a glove first guy, and the staff believe in the bat enough to have him slated for a good share of innings early on this season. The other transfer in this group is Ryan Hunter, coming by way of Memphis and then FIU. He hit the portal looking for steady playing time and at bats. He will find that here. The staff rave about the tools here and the potential if everything clicks. He lands in the SWAC and will now get every chance to be a producer in this order with some good protection around him.

As a staff last year, the team ERA was a 9.79 with a WHIP north of 2.00. Of course, these numbers will need to be shaved if the Jaguars want to be a more competitive championship squad this spring. To combat this, Coach Crenshaw and co. have brought in an entirely new look rotation, full of transfers. It’s a clean slate across the board. Nick Luckett and Renard Grace have departed, and take with them a combined 30 starts to replace. There will be question marks here, and they will only be answered as the season progresses.

Bobby Spencer has not thrown since 2024, coming from Towson. He logged thirteen innings with a 4.6 ERA in his time during the ‘24 campaign. It remains to be seen what it will look like in game action for the first time in a long time, but he’s been 92-94 and will be near the top of this rotation to start the season. Quincy Thornton comes in from UT Martin, looking to stabilize a bit and find his footing with more consistent innings. Myles Dismute has the look of a strike thrower and innings eater, coming in from Long Beach CC. He made 26 starts in his two year career there, logging 143 innings with 113 strikeouts and a 3.33 ERA. He sits 88-90 and will attack the zone with his entire mix. He could be a crucial piece to this rotation as the season progresses. Jeremiah Eneix (Coppin State) will round this rotation off. He is a 88-91 southpaw that will need to locate the zone more effectively this spring. Who and how these innings are handled is going to be the focal point of whether or not Southern can take the next step this season, but the staff have gone out and gotten their guys for the role.

Look for freshman Jayden Lawrence to get some innings, as he is 91-94 and figures to be a good piece out of the ‘pen. Caiden Stewart can fill the zone at 86-88 and will be relied upon to get outs and pitch to contact. Caleb Ellis is transferring in from UAB in search of innings and will find them here. He sits 89-91.

The Jaguars return talented offensive pieces and will once again swing it well. They may lose out on some over the fence power, but they have guys who can and will hit for average. There is plenty of proven talent 1-9 on the lineup card, as well as some younger players primed to make an impact early on. The rotation is a bit unproven, but is talented none the less and has upside if things break the right way. Southern can always make a run in the SWAC, and this year is no different. They open the season with a three game set against Miami University (OH) at Lee-Hines Stadium.

Texas Southern:

The Tigers went .500 in conference play last year and finished ten games under .500. They would go two and out in the SWAC conference tournament to end the year. They will be looking to get back on track and find more of the success they had in the ‘21-’23 campaigns. They kick off their year with the Cactus Jack HBCU classic in Houston, Texas.

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College | Story | 1/30/2026

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