Indiana University Athletics
Preseason Primer: Baseball
1/30/2026 2:30:00 PM | Baseball
2026 Baseball Preseason Primer
With a deep sophomore offensive core and a veteran group on the mound, the Indiana baseball program will be looking for a third NCAA Tournament trip in the last four seasons. The Hoosiers have won at least 32 games in each of the last three years.
Eighth-year skipper Jeff Mercer has loaded up a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare his ball club for the second season of the 17-team Big Ten. IU has road trips against North Carolina, Oregon and Nebraska this season that will present a number of RBI-boosting opportunities.
The Hoosiers are schedule to play 24 games at Bart Kaufman Field, highlighted by weekend series against Illinois, Iowa and Washington. The season kicks off in Chapel Hill on February 13th.
The Sophomore Core: IU played a deep collection of freshman position players last season. Four players made at least 35 starts with three of them making the Big Ten All-Freshman team. That entire group is back in 2026 and will take over the reins in the middle of Mercer's lineup.
First baseman Jake Hanley, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, broke on to the scene in 2025. He hit .333 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI's, becoming the fourth player in program history to earn the league's premier first-year award. He started all 56 games and was a national Gold Glove finalist.
Him, alongside shortstop Cooper Malamazian, third baseman Will Moore, catcher Hogan Denny and outfielder/pitcher Caleb Koskie are now the veteran group in Bloomington and will be the main source of production for the Hoosiers in 2026. Add in Brayden Ricketts and Cole Decker and IU's 2024 recruiting class is poised for a big two-year run on the diamond.
New Era on the Mound: After pitching coach Dustin Glant departed for a job with the Washington Nationals, Mercer replaced the post with veteran leader Matt Myers. He will usher in a new era on the bump with a talented group of arms to work with. Myers was the head coach at Western Kentucky when Mercer worked as an assistant (2012-13).
Mercer and his staff went out and brought in a collection of fourth and fifth-year arms to supplement some talented returners. Jackson Bergman (Toledo), Tony Neubeck (Missouri), Kaden Jacobi (Missouri) and Reagan Rivera (Coppin State) all have at least four years of college experience.
Gavin Seebold, Pete Haas, Brayton Thomas, Jacob Vogel and Jackson Yarberry are all back after making at least 10 appearances a season ago. Talented freshman Xavier Carrera is a name to keep an eye on for Myers' bullpen group.
Mercer Milestone: Head coach Jeff Mercer has been one of the best coaches in the Midwest over the decade. In an area of the country that is hard to win at a consistent race, Mercer has defied that notion. He needs just 16 wins in 2026 to reach 300 overall wins in his 10th year as a skipper.
Omaha Regulars: IU has been the most consistent Big Ten team over the past decade. If they qualify this year, the Hoosiers will have made 13-straight Big Ten tournaments, the longest such streak in the league. Since 2011, IU has finished short of 30 wins in a full season just once.
The Sophomore Jump: Position players under Jeff Mercer have often played well as freshmen but even better as sophomores. With four players that appeared regularly in the lineup back for their second seasons, expect the likes of Hogan Denny or Cole Decker to take off in their sophomore campaign in Bloomington.
Tough Slate: There will be no easing into the 2026 season for the Hoosiers. IU will head down to North Carolina, a super regional host in 2025, for an early three-game set. It will follow that up by playing LSU, the defending national champions, in Jacksonville. A tough conference slate that includes Oregon and Nebraska will have IU prepped for the stretch run this year.
Veteran Breakout: IU has done a great job at taking veteran arms out of the portal and molding them into pro prospects. After adding a plethora of talented arms, IU is hoping to get similar returns from its pitching staff in 2026. Expect Tony Neubeck, Michael Sarhatt and Jackson Bergman to have big seasons for the Hoosiers.
The Next Great Freshman: It's no secret that IU loves to play freshmen from the jump. A freshman position player always finds their way into the lineup. Mateo Noto and Cal Gates are talented options to get some early at-bats during the 2026 season.
With a deep sophomore offensive core and a veteran group on the mound, the Indiana baseball program will be looking for a third NCAA Tournament trip in the last four seasons. The Hoosiers have won at least 32 games in each of the last three years.
Eighth-year skipper Jeff Mercer has loaded up a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare his ball club for the second season of the 17-team Big Ten. IU has road trips against North Carolina, Oregon and Nebraska this season that will present a number of RBI-boosting opportunities.
The Hoosiers are schedule to play 24 games at Bart Kaufman Field, highlighted by weekend series against Illinois, Iowa and Washington. The season kicks off in Chapel Hill on February 13th.
The Sophomore Core: IU played a deep collection of freshman position players last season. Four players made at least 35 starts with three of them making the Big Ten All-Freshman team. That entire group is back in 2026 and will take over the reins in the middle of Mercer's lineup.
First baseman Jake Hanley, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, broke on to the scene in 2025. He hit .333 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI's, becoming the fourth player in program history to earn the league's premier first-year award. He started all 56 games and was a national Gold Glove finalist.
Him, alongside shortstop Cooper Malamazian, third baseman Will Moore, catcher Hogan Denny and outfielder/pitcher Caleb Koskie are now the veteran group in Bloomington and will be the main source of production for the Hoosiers in 2026. Add in Brayden Ricketts and Cole Decker and IU's 2024 recruiting class is poised for a big two-year run on the diamond.
New Era on the Mound: After pitching coach Dustin Glant departed for a job with the Washington Nationals, Mercer replaced the post with veteran leader Matt Myers. He will usher in a new era on the bump with a talented group of arms to work with. Myers was the head coach at Western Kentucky when Mercer worked as an assistant (2012-13).
Mercer and his staff went out and brought in a collection of fourth and fifth-year arms to supplement some talented returners. Jackson Bergman (Toledo), Tony Neubeck (Missouri), Kaden Jacobi (Missouri) and Reagan Rivera (Coppin State) all have at least four years of college experience.
Gavin Seebold, Pete Haas, Brayton Thomas, Jacob Vogel and Jackson Yarberry are all back after making at least 10 appearances a season ago. Talented freshman Xavier Carrera is a name to keep an eye on for Myers' bullpen group.
Mercer Milestone: Head coach Jeff Mercer has been one of the best coaches in the Midwest over the decade. In an area of the country that is hard to win at a consistent race, Mercer has defied that notion. He needs just 16 wins in 2026 to reach 300 overall wins in his 10th year as a skipper.
Omaha Regulars: IU has been the most consistent Big Ten team over the past decade. If they qualify this year, the Hoosiers will have made 13-straight Big Ten tournaments, the longest such streak in the league. Since 2011, IU has finished short of 30 wins in a full season just once.
The Sophomore Jump: Position players under Jeff Mercer have often played well as freshmen but even better as sophomores. With four players that appeared regularly in the lineup back for their second seasons, expect the likes of Hogan Denny or Cole Decker to take off in their sophomore campaign in Bloomington.
Tough Slate: There will be no easing into the 2026 season for the Hoosiers. IU will head down to North Carolina, a super regional host in 2025, for an early three-game set. It will follow that up by playing LSU, the defending national champions, in Jacksonville. A tough conference slate that includes Oregon and Nebraska will have IU prepped for the stretch run this year.
Veteran Breakout: IU has done a great job at taking veteran arms out of the portal and molding them into pro prospects. After adding a plethora of talented arms, IU is hoping to get similar returns from its pitching staff in 2026. Expect Tony Neubeck, Michael Sarhatt and Jackson Bergman to have big seasons for the Hoosiers.
The Next Great Freshman: It's no secret that IU loves to play freshmen from the jump. A freshman position player always finds their way into the lineup. Mateo Noto and Cal Gates are talented options to get some early at-bats during the 2026 season.
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