SEASON PREVIEW: Youthful Eagles Ready to Bounce Back in 2026

SEASON PREVIEW: Youthful Eagles Ready to Bounce Back in 2026

2/11/2026 1:00:00 PM | Baseball

With 14 true freshman and 25 new players, the Eagles look to use their clean slate to surge forward in 2026.

Every collegiate program in the country has a history that reads like a storybook. For the Diamond Eagles themselves, that book began being written in 1920. 106 years later, the 2026 season marks a new chapter in this historic tale as while a few careers are coming to a close, a new era, both on and off the diamond, is coming to J.I. Clements Stadium to write their story this spring.

THE RUNDOWN

The 2025 season saw the Eagles start hot, winning five of their first seven weekend series that included their first two in Sun Belt play over Georgia State and a sweep of App State. However, they would only take two of their final seven weekend sets to just scrape into the conference tournament as the nine seed and a 13-17 conference record. In Montgomery, the Eagles would explode in the opening round, plating 13 runs past Arkansas State before falling to the eventual National Runners Up in Coastal Carolina and Louisiana to finish just 28-31. It was a team filled with 17 seniors, and with so many players to replace heading into 2026, a fresh coat of paint needed to be applied.

Although 25 new faces adorn the Blue and White for the first time this spring, some major contributors return to chart the course and lead the Eagles back to prominence as contenders in a loaded Sun Belt Conference. Six seniors return for their final year on the squad (the second-fewest in the conference behind Louisiana), including four who have spent their entire careers playing at J.I. On the flipside, the Eagles have 16 freshmen on the roster (the most in the Sun Belt), with all but two of them undergoing their first collegiate season. However, the talent level of the newest class has never been higher as newer additions to the program off the diamond have boosted the recruiting tenfold.

THE INFIELD

The first base position is where the most variety of Eagles and experienced players will spend their time at. Although he could realistically play anywhere on the diamond, including the mound, senior transfer James McCoy brings his experience and athleticism to the lineup as one of the most powerful bats on the squad. Although the staff rarely brings in players as experienced at bigger programs, the former 2025 Clemson All-Regional member has already proved himself as a leader and high-caliber player on the squad.

"The great thing about James is his versatility," Coach Hennon said of the senior transfer. "He's been in big situations and has a level of maturity that he brings with him and he's an incredibly talented player. We had a pretty good feel for his background coming in and so it felt like it would be a good fit. It has been and we're glad he's here."

Another Power Four transfer is Lukas Farris, who most recently was a Georgia Bulldog in 2024. As a true freshman at Western Kentucky, he would be a starter in 50 games with a .544 SLG and a team-high 13 homers to earn C-USA All Freshman team nod. Although spending 2025 nursing an injury, Farris could also spend his time in the DH role when healthy.

With Cade Parker and Luke Odden both graduating last year, the middle infield roles are up for grabs. Making a few stars there last season, now sophomore Jack Myers looks to transition as the everyday second baseman. Last season he hit .270 in 21 appearances and eight starts while also having a five-game hit streak to boot. This offseason, he improved his fielding tremendously while adding some power at the plate.

The shortstop job will primarily be handled by Grant Jordan, one of many JUCO transfers. Jordan comes in as a winner, having won back-to-back National Championships at both Tampa and Pasco-Hernando. Last season, he hit .366 for PHSC with 15 multi-hit games.

Redshirt-freshman Max Prozny could also be mixed into the middle infield, adding a splash of quickness and pop at the plate to the lineup when inserted. The former Virginia Cavalier is still awaiting his collegiate debut, but his presence provides a great spark into the lineup and a bat that can make some noise.

The hot corner will stay the same from a year ago with Nico Senese's defensive prowess back for his second year in Statesboro. A 2025 Gold Glove Finalist, Senese was one of two Eagles to start every game last year. He has a knack for delivering at the plate when it matters most and used the offseason to get stronger and add more power at the dish.

THE CATCHERS

The signal caller behind the plate is led by the captain and senior leader in Sean White, with Coach Hennon calling him " the most intelligent player he's ever had." Now in his fifth year with the team and having made over 100 starts, he will try to exceed his .288 average last year that went along with a 15-game hit streak midway through 2025.

Sammy Leis also could see a handful of games behind the plate after playing in eight games last year. Coach Hennon noted Leis', and the rest of the catchers, improvement this offseason on their ability to eliminate stolen bases.

THE OUTFIELD

The outfield spots are where many Eagles are competing for playing time heading into the season. Along with McCoy and Prozny in the mix, more returners in Bryson Trammell and Jonathan Jaime are back to get more spotlight in 2026. Jaime started 29 games last year and his only long ball of the season came in his first at bat of 2025, launching a fastball over the right field wall in Conway. Trammell was a 17-game starter a season ago and provided opportune hitting and a defensive breath of fresh air into the outfield.

However, some freshmen are looking to insert themselves as commonplace in the lineup, highlighted by Mason Gazaway, John Davis and Kaden Thompson. A Marietta HS prospect, Gazaway was a top-25 outfielder in Georgia and has the single season record at Marietta with his 42 hits and 32 stolen bases. Another top-25 outfielder in the Peach State, Davis was a three-time 1-6A Player of the Year and also could see some stints on the rubber when not in the outfield. Thompson, an All-State member and top-ten outfielder in Georgia, brings his football background to the diamond with his unique mix of power and speed.

THE PITCHERS

Veteran arms return this season for the Eagles and are poised to make even bigger impacts this year on the mound. The likes of Brady Pendley, Will Robbins and Carter DeGondea all return as they combined for over 140 innings of work in 2025. Pendley had the best ERA in the Sun Belt midway through conference play while DeGondea himself had a team-best 3.72 ERA with a 4-1 record.

After getting through their freshman years, the trio of Jax Lewis, Thomas Burke and Alex Mason all are back for an even better second season in Statesboro. Burke was the Sunday starter to begin 2025 and got nearly 30 innings of work while Lewis had the third most appearances on the squad with his 17. Mason was used sporadically in 2025, but capitalized on his opportunities, striking out the side against Campbell and Coastal Carolina.

Adding on to the cast of returners is a slew of transfers that are looking to raise the bar from last season. Craig Kalkbrenner made the most appearances by a Mercer Bear in 2025 with his 26, bringing loads of experience with him as just a sophomore. A transfer from Alabama, Jansen Kenty is ready for his first outing since the 2024 season, appearing in ten games for the Tide two years ago. Finally,
Chase Davis comes in from Sun Belt foe South Alabama where he made seven starts for the Jaguars last season.

The JUCO transfers into Statesboro are still going strong as a good amount of arms are ready for their Division I debuts. Daniel Hartley comes in after two seasons at the State College of Florida with just a 2.55 ERA last year. Holden Wade followed his teammate Jordan in where he had a perfect 5-0 record last year, including the W in the NJCAA Division II National Championship.

A few freshmen may also see significant innings this season on the rubber. A name Eagle fans may need to know is Dayson Griffis. The true freshman from Baxley has shown some serious velocity this offseason and could even be poised to be a weekend starter right out the gate.

THE SCHEDULE

The Eagles are not shying away from competition this year when creating their 2026 opponents. Just in Sun Belt Play alone, the Eagles have the second hardest schedule in the league. The conference slate this year includes two top-25 teams and the top four spots in the preseason poll in Coastal Carolina, Southern Miss, Troy and Marshall. Fortunately for the Eagles J.I. will be the host for all of them besides a trip to Hattiesburg to end the season.

Non-conference play is also just as tough with series' against a 2025 Super Regional squad in West Virginia, USF, a USC Upstate squad that won the Big South Tournament last year and a pair of midweek games against preseason top-five Georgia Tech. The 2026 overall slate is the 50th toughest in all of Division I and the fourth hardest of any non-Power Four school.

The season kicks off Friday night against the Mountaineers with first pitch set for 6:30 at J.I. Clements Stadium.