A New Season, A New Shot: MSU Baseball’s 2026 Schedule Is Here

Just imagine it: a day when the snow finally melts, the frigid temperatures rise like a phoenix from the ashes, and it’s time to trade in the sled for mitts, snowshoes for cleats, and snowballs for baseballs.

It may seem many moons away, but as December kicks into holiday turbo mode, we’ll be past the new year in a blink. Then it’s just six more weeks of hibernation before emerging from our caves to that unmistakable sound — a baseball smacking the center of a glove. The pop off the bat. The vibes of the boys reuniting for another grueling season.

Jake Boss, entering his 15th year as Michigan State’s head coach, looks to push the Spartans toward not just another winning record, but a deep run toward Omaha.

MSU was a powerhouse early in Boss’ tenure, posting eight consecutive winning seasons from 2010–2017 and remaining a perennial contender. But in 2018, the slide began. Excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Spartans endured four straight losing campaigns. While they’ve finished above .500 in two of the last three seasons, the Big Ten remains the hurdle. Michigan State hasn’t posted a winning conference record since 2016 — nine straight seasons of frustration.

But the past is the past. This 2026 squad is new, hungry, and ready to rewrite the story.

The Spartans will be without two major contributors from last year’s roster:

Big shoes to fill — but there’s talent ready to take the leap.

Picot finished last season second on the team in home runs (8), RBIs (38), first in triples (5), and fourth in hits (49).

Before transferring to MSU, Picot spent one season at Alabama, earning SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll honors and collecting one hit in two at-bats across three games.

A star at Rochester Adams High School, he was Michigan’s 2023 Mr. Baseball, a two-time first-team All-State selection, and led Adams to a district title. His breakout potential this season is enormous.

McKay led the Spartans last year in hits (67), doubles (20), batting average (.319), and was second in total bases (104). He also tied for fourth in home runs (5).

He earned CSC Academic All-District honors in 2025 and was named Second-Team All-Big Ten. He was one of just 46 players in the conference to hit over .300.

As a freshman in 2024, McKay quickly became one of the toughest hitters to strike out in the nation (13.5 AB per strikeout), hitting .302 with 31 RBIs over 47 games. With a 16-game hitting streak and hits in 36 of his appearances, consistency has never been an issue. He enters 2026 as MSU’s most reliable bat and a cornerstone of the lineup.

MSU’s rotation will lean heavily on:

Higgins went 3–6 last year with a 7.04 ERA, finishing third on the team in strikeouts (49) and second in innings pitched. While he eats innings, he’ll need to improve command after leading the team in walks (39), earned runs (48), and hits allowed (69).

Donavan showed promise as a freshman, going 2–3 in eight starts with a 4.70 ERA. He’s expected to take a significant step forward in year two.

If Michigan State wants to jump into the Big Ten’s upper tier, these arms will be pivotal.

The Spartans open the season February 13 against Louisville and play through May 16 before gearing up for the Big Ten Tournament.