After nine straight seasons of hovering at or under the .500 mark, the Hillsdale College baseball team has the pieces in place on paper to pursue a program-changing campaign in 2026.

After struggling with health in each of the last two seasons, the Chargers are hoping to receive in full the dividends of a youth movement in 2024 and 2025 that saw freshmen and sophomores thrown into critical everyday roles in the lineup.

Many of those players are now juniors with multiple seasons of collegiate baseball under their belt, giving Hillsdale a strong and experienced core to build around in 2026.

Five starters return, including all four infield players, led by returning second-team All-G-MAC second baseman Billy Porotsky, and third-year starters Rocco Tenuta at third base and Aaron Jasiak at shortstop. All three players were major contributors offensively, and to one of the best defenses in program history in 2025, along with returning sophomore first baseman Will Lehman, who tied for the team lead in doubles with 12 and finished second on the squad with 40 RBIs.

In the outfield, Gaard Swenson returns after a strong freshman campaign for the Chargers that included 18 extra base hits, and Hillsdale also looks forward to the healthy return of sophomore Tyler Sowers, who missed the last month of the season with injuries but would have led the Chargers in virtually every hitting category if he'd stayed healthy and kept up the levels of production he had before his injury.

Two spots are open in the field for the Chargers, as G-MAC All-Tournament honoree Tyler Turner will battle Jake Figman, Dylan Whitfield, and incoming freshmen for the last outfield spot, and St. Leo transfer Logan Dichler, freshmen Ryan Wiehe and Jack Kilmer, and returning redshirt Robert Matteson will compete for playing time at catcher.

In addition, Hillsdale also brings back another promising infielder who saw his 2025 season cut short due to injury in redshirt Carson Tucker, who will push the incumbents hard for playing time. Freshmen Jonah Borchardt, Drew Law and Nolan Coppens give the Chargers a deep bench that will give Hillsdale coach Tom Vessella plenty of options in games, and also allow the Chargers to better weather injuries if they occur in 2026.

Hillsdale will look to continue to improve its pitching staff in 2026. Despite significant injury trouble in 2025, the Chargers posted a 5.49 ERA, the team's best mark since 2018, but still behind four G-MAC foes, including the top two teams in the overall G-MAC standings, Northwood and Ashland. Taking the next step and closing the gap to the conference favorites will be critical for Hillsdale in 2026.

The Chargers must replace All-G-MAC pitcher Brandon Scott, but return three every day starters in juniors Daniel Higdon and Jacob Pallo and sophomore Gibson Cary, all of whom showed significant promise and won at least four games in 2025. Hillsdale also welcomes back top relief arms Hayden Hoffpauir, Logan McLaughlin, Patrick MacLean and Winston Delp, while Jasiak also is an option on the mound as an effective two-way player for the Chargers. 

Reinforcements are coming to the Hillsdale staff, as several players who missed last season with an injury will look to make an impact this year, including sophomores Luke Miller and Josh Novak, and redshirt freshmen Mana Nicholas-Bublick, Nate Albanese and Brodie Romnek. Hillsdale also welcomes four freshmen pitchers who all will compete for regular spots in the rotation and bullpen as well.

Hillsdale will play another tough schedule that includes southern trips in the first two weekends of the season to play at Montevallo in Alabama and Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee, and a four-game neutral site set at regional power Grand Valley as well as a trip to Missouri for three games against Missouri-St. Louis. The Chargers also play another tough GLIAC squad in Wayne State for two midweek contests. 

In G-MAC play, Hillsdale will get its shot at the two league powerhouses, Northwood and Ashland, who are expected to contend for the conference title this spring. The Chargers will look to insert themselves in the race as well as Hillsdale aims for its first winning season since 2016.

You can find Hillsdale's full 2026 schedule here.