Baseball Preview: Solid Mound Corps Bolster Chippewa Expectations

Cole Prout (left) and Zach Knowlton are among the lineup regulars who return to the Chippewas in 2026.

Photo by: Julia Bice '22,M'24 - @jb.jpg10

Baseball Preview: Solid Mound Corps Bolster Chippewa Expectations

2/11/2026 10:57:00 AM | Baseball

By: Andy Sneddon

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Year 3 of the Jake Sabol era of Central Michigan baseball gets underway on Friday.

There has been incremental progress under Sabol and, naturally, the 2026 Chippewas are looking for more, beginning with the head coach.

"We've done some good things from year one to year two to improve, but nowhere near where we know we need to be," said Sabol, who led CMU to an 11-19 Mid-American Conference finish and a win from a league tournament berth a year ago. "I don't think our goals really have ever changed. We want to continue to get better, that's the No. 1 thing.

"Championships are things that we're going to talk about every year," said Sabol, whose team finished seventh in the MAC preseason poll, released today. "We're not going to shy away from that. We talk about the history and tradition of our program and we do that often. I want our guys to know the importance of putting on that uniform every day.

"This is a new year. It's a new group of guys. It's their year. It's their opportunity. And that's our focus right now. It's a good buzz about this group. But to be honest, we've got to go do it between the lines. That's the mindset. … We're looking to get better in a hurry. I think there's no reason why we can't."

As is always the case in baseball, the conversation starts on the mound. The Chippewas return plenty of strong arms, beginning with starters Hayden Bailey and Jared Hanson, both veteran right-handers. Bailey will be on the hill when the Chippewas open the season on Friday at West Georgia.

Sophomore Cayden Smith and freshman Luke Neiswonger are penciled to make starts this weekend. Smith, one of the top young players in the MAC, is likely to return to his starting spot at shortstop when he isn't on the hill.

Neiswonger is one of a trio of hard-throwing freshman right-handers – Cameron Niehaus and Ben Kolton are the others – expected to contribute immediately, while veterans Liam Stumpf, transfer Gavin Moczydlowsky (Michigan State), Carter Campau and Jake Brown are among the first up out of the bullpen.

Senior Nate Ross returns as the closer and sophomore left-hander Max Hammond is a bullpen stalwart.

Smith, along with first baseman Brady Krzciok and outfielders Cole Prout and Zach Knowlton, are top- and middle-of-the-order veteran hitters who will anchor the everyday lineup.

Senior Spencer Verburg along with redshirt freshman Logan Keilen are battling for the starting catching spot after an injury to incumbent Aydin Wright, who led the Chippewas with a .345 batting average a year ago.

The Chippewas, like every program in the country, lost players to graduation, injury, and the transfer portal. But the portal gives as much as it takes, and infielder Drew Loikits, who hit .347 as a Chippewa freshman two years ago, returns to Mount Pleasant after a year at Wofford.

"It opened up a unique opportunity for us to bring back somebody who left on good terms, who we liked as a player, and is versatile," Sabol said of Loikits. "Now, if there's some character issues or whatnot, it's a different story. But he's a hard worker. He can play two or three different spots. He's a good offensive player."

While Loikits is not a newcomer per se, he is one of a number of Chippewas looking to get acquainted and find a role. Among the others is pitcher Tyson Potts (Wayland Baptist), outfielder Joey Milto (Bellarmine), and infielders Miguel Correa (Thomas More) and Jonathan Fleaka (Illinois-Chicago).

"We have a pretty good mix of four or five freshmen with a handful of transfers and we weren't just going to take you because you were talented or whatnot," Sabol said. "You have to fit into what we're trying to build year after year.

"I want guys who want to win. I think when we go through the recruiting process, if you don't mention winning being an important thing, it's probably not a really good fit. I want guys who every single day are pulling the same way because they care more about putting championships on the outfield wall than their individual performances."