With a winningest coach and a rising star, these Spartans aim to conquer the Big Ten and prove their national championship potential.
There’s no better sound than a baseball smacking leather. A pop so distinct you’d recognize it from a mile away.
America’s pastime returns at a time when unity feels rare. In a country constantly arguing about something, there’s still one thing that can bring people together: baseball. And just east of the Michigan Capitol, one team is ready to do exactly that.
The Michigan State Spartans look poised to embark on a season dripping with potential and urgency. For some, the goal is simple — a winning record and competitive weekends in the Big Ten. For me? The expectations are higher than that.
The Man in Charge
Head coach Jake Boss Jr. enters the season as the winningest coach in program history, holding a 383–332 (.536) record. Under his leadership, five of the top 10 winningest seasons in school history have occurred. The Spartans have posted seven 30-win seasons in the last 12 years, captured the Big Ten regular-season championship in 2011, and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2012.
Sustained success isn’t an accident. Boss has built something stable — and now the question is whether this group can elevate it.
The Leader on the Field
Junior infielder Ryan McKay will set the tone.
Tabbed No. 72 on Baseball Media’s Top 100 College Prospect List, McKay is coming off a sophomore season that earned him Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. He started 54 games at second base, hitting .319 — the only Spartan to hit over .300 and one of just 46 players in the entire conference to do so.
He led MSU with 20 doubles (fifth in the Big Ten) and drew 36 walks (19th in the league). Even more impressive? Just 31 strikeouts in 210 at-bats. Tough to punch out. Tough to rattle. Tough to beat.
He wears No. 1 — and this year, he’ll need to be exactly that.
Trial by Fire
The Spartans won’t ease into the season.
They open February 13 in Kentucky with a three-game series against No. 17 Louisville. After that? A trip to Austin to face No. 3 Texas in another three-game set.
Tom Izzo has always believed in scheduling tough early to prepare for March. Michigan State baseball is following the same blueprint. You can treat it as a learning curve — or as an opportunity.
Catch a ranked team off guard. Steal momentum before the iron gets hot. Find out who you are before conference play arrives.
That’s the assignment.
Coaching Staff
- Jake Boss Jr. — Head Coach
- Graham Sikes — Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
- Mark Van Ameyde — Assistant Coach / Pitching Coach
- Taylor Grzelakowski — Assistant Coach
- Tommy Merlo — Director of Operations, Technology & Pitching Development
Support Staff
- Justin Waas — Athletic Trainer
- Molli Munz — Director of Sports Science for Olympic Sports
- Melissa Tallant — Academic Coordinator
- Zach Fisher — Athletic Communications
2026 Roster
- 1 – Ryan McKay – INF – Clarkston, MI
- 2 – Cole Van Ameyde – INF – Lake Orion, MI
- 3 – Dayton Murphy – INF – Crystal Lake, IL
- 5 – Trent Rice – OF – Macomb, MI
- 6 – Davis Weeks – RHP/INF – Edwards, IL
- 7 – Carter Monke – RHP – Mount Olive, IL
- 8 – Isaac Sturgess – OF/LHP – Davison, MI
- 10 – Nick Williams – OF – Racine, WI
- 11 – Parker Picot – OF – Rochester Hills, MI
- 13 – CJ Deckinga – INF/OF – Minooka, IL
- 14 – Tommy Szczepanski – RHP – Bay City, MI
- 15 – Gannon Grundman – LHP – Howell, MI
- 16 – Brady Chambers – RHP – Lyons, IL
- 18 – Noah Bright – C – Macomb, MI
- 19 – Adam Broski – C – Harrison Twp., MI
- 20 – Josh Klug – RHP – Traverse City, MI
- 21 – Khamaree Thomas – OF – Chicago, IL
- 22 – JD Greeley – RHP – Blakeslee, PA
- 24 – Anthony Elezaj – C – Rochester, MI
- 26 – Andrew Everson – RHP – Brighton, MI
- 28 – Aidan Donovan – RHP – Commerce, MI
- 29 – Sam Beemer – RHP – Lake Orion, MI
- 30 – Jasen Oliver – INF – Almont, MI
- 31 – Ben Kochany – RHP – Bay City, MI
- 32 – Steve Fountain – RHP – West Bloomfield, MI
- 34 – Logan Pikur – RHP – West Bloomfield, MI
- 35 – Randy Seymour – INF/RHP – Frankfort, IL
- 38 – Kyle Rudolph – RHP – Peachtree City, GA
- 41 – Nolan Higgins – RHP – Wixom, MI
- 42 – Andrew Siler – LHP – Avon, OH
- 43 – Bobby Crane – LHP – Grosse Pointe, MI
- 44 – Isaiah Domey – INF – New Baltimore, MI