The Hillsdale College baseball team finalized its coaching staff for the upcoming 2027 season earlier this month, adding two new coaches to the program while promoting a returning assistant.

Former Hillsdale College baseball great Cody Kanclerz, now in his fourth season as an assistant with the program, will step into the team's hitting coach role and direct the team's offense for the first time while serving as head coach Tom Vessella's lead assistant.

An every-day starter at third base for four straight seasons during his playing days with the Chargers, Kanclerz joined the staff in 2024 after graduating and has spent the past three seasons working with Hillsdale in an assistant coaching role, helping lead the team to the program's first back-to-back G-MAC Tournament appearances in its history in 2025 and 2026.

"Cody's been involved with the program in one form or another for eight years, and it's been so exciting to watch him rapidly develop as a leader and a coach during that time," Vessella said. "He's more than earned this opportunity, and I'm thrilled to be able to elevate him into this position.

"As a great hitter at the college level himself, Cody has a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw on, and we're excited to see what he does in the role this season."

In addition to Kanclerz's new responsibilities, the Chargers also are adding two assistant coaches to the staff, one a newcomer and one a familiar face.

Matt Schepel joins Hillsdale College as an assistant coach, working primarily with the team's outfielders while assisting Kanclerz with hitters. Schepel was a decorated baseball player at the NCAA DIII level with Calvin University, earning four All-MIAA honors and setting multiple school records for the Knights. After graduation, he also spent four successful seasons as an assistant coach at Calvin from 2015 to 2018, then embarked on a successful high school coaching career at East Grand Rapids and Kenowa Hills High Schools in west Michigan. In 2025, he guided Kenowa Hills to the Division 1 regional finals and was named district coach of the year. He's also the husband of current Hillsdale women's basketball head coach Brianna Schepel.

"Matt brings a wealth of coaching experience at both the college and high school levels to our staff, and he's been successful everywhere he's been," Vessella said. "We're excited to see what he can bring to the table for us and really looking forward to having him on staff."

A former Chargers assistant, Kevin Kidder, also returns to the staff far a second stint. Kidder, who also worked with the 2023 team at Hillsdale, will serve as the team's mental skills coach and focus on improving the team's mindset and performance.

A retired U.S. Army paratrooper who completed six deployments in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pentagon, Kidder also was a head baseball coach at St. Frances Cabrini High School and with the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League's Michigan Monarchs, blending a deep knowledge of baseball with leadership and real-world experience from his time in the military.

"Kevin's a great guy and someone who can speak to our players on multiple levels, using all of his experience both with the sport of baseball and with all of his real-world accomplishments as well," Vessella said. "He's got an extremely valuable skill set for what we're trying to accomplish and we can't wait to put him to work to help our program."

Hillsdale opens the 2027 season on Feb. 12, kicking off a four game set down south against the University of Alabama-Huntsville. The Chargers' first home game in Lenda and Glenda Hill Stadium will be on March 20 as Hillsdale hosts G-MAC foe Thomas More for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. You can find the Chargers' full schedule here.