The 2026 boys’ baseball season officially kicks off today. Area teams range from having some of the top rosters in the region to being in the middle of rebuilds. Here’s a look at what to expect from each team.
Apollo: It is a new era for Apollo baseball, as Heath Hicks was named the new head coach for the 2026 season.
“I’m not trying to rewrite everything, redo everything, or change everything dramatically,” Hicks said. “Being in this position feels comfortable. It has been a few years, and I’m excited to get back to it.”
Despite losing five seniors to graduation, the Eagles still return plenty of talent, including four pitchers who all had sub 3.00 ERAs a year ago in Ross Milburn (2.24), Jackson Carder (0.94), Ryleigh Logan (0.68), and Isaac James (0.38).
Fresh off hitting .393, with four homers, and 18 RBIs, Logan anchors a lineup that returns Gunnar Hendricks, Ty Lillpop, Geordyn Stevens, and Jagger Pate.
“I told the boys from the get-go we set our values and our structure and put those in place from day one,” Hicks said. “To come out and battle. We have a gauntlet of a schedule. To not take days off. To not take innings off. To not take pitches off. That is really our goal.”
Daviess County: A year ago, the Panthers season came to a heartbreaking end in the 9th District Tournament. They pushed Owensboro to the limit, bringing the winning run to the plate in the seventh inning, but were unable to pull off the comeback.
Losing eight seniors from a year ago, this season marks a youth movement for the Panthers.
“We have a good group,” Daviess County Head Coach Austin Clay said. “It is a young group, but talented and they have a lot of good attitudes. It has been pretty fun.”
Weston Lawrence (3.44 ERA, 23 Ks) and Cameron Rickard (11 Ks) will be leaned on to anchor the pitching staff and will be joined by Ben Watkins, Nolan Johnson, Bradyn Morris, and John Rue.
“We have a lot of depth and a lot of talent,” Clay said. “It just is guys that haven’t done it on the varsity level yet.”
Gavin Howard was one of the team’s top bats a year ago, driving in 15 runs and drawing 18 walks.
“I like our chances this year,” Clay said. “If you can throw it and field it, you give yourself a shot. I think we have the depth on the mound to give compete and make a run.”
Hancock County: Only losing three seniors from a year ago, the Hornets return the majority of their 2025 roster. Fresh off signing with Southern Indiana University, Porter Hay enters the season healthy after battling injuries over the last few years. A cornerstone in the lineup, a year ago he hit .348, with two homers and 12 RBIs, while posting a 1.15 ERA across 18 1/3 innings on the mound.
“Anytime I have Porter Hay on the mound, I like our chances,” Hancock County Head Coach Tony Banta said.
He is joined by seniors Jack Roberts, Jacob Shultz, and Dylan Mucker.
“Dylan really played well for us and is a kid who can play multiple positions,” Banta sid. “He can catch. He can play middle infield. Anything we ask him to do.”
With five seniors on the team, they will be supported by rising young talent in Tripp Hager, Grant Smith, and Landis Pate.
“I want the kids to get better, especially the younger kids,” Banta said. “I want the older kids to provide leadership and show the younger kids how to play and how to work. I want the young kids to learn. I want them to learn how to compete.”
McLean County: The Cougars enter the year looking to reach 20+ wins for a third straight season.
“I feel that we have four quality seniors that we are going to be able to put on the field,” McLean County Head Coach Darren Lynam said. “Three of those have played extensively in Jaelin Groves, Corbin Martin, and Layden Bozarth, and Brooks Lynam is back as a veteran sophomore who has three years of varsity experience.”
Needing to replace Connor Mitchuson, H.B. Whitaker, and Ayden Rice’s production in the lineup, the Cougars have a plethora of juniors who have been waiting in the wings in Nash Lee, Jordan Bailey, Kaysen Bozarth, and Zach Albin. According to Lynam, sophomores Will Gatton, Reid Gatton, Treyson Blades, and Brennan Dant could all possibly see time at the varsity level this year.
On the mound, Layden Bozarth is a year removed from going 4-1, with a 1.18 ERA, and 52 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings. Behind him in the pitching staff is Groves, Martin, Lee, and Bailey.
“We would like to compete again for the All A, and we didn’t get a chance to do that last year with the flood,” Lynam said. “Obviously, we want to have a winning season. This would be our fourth consecutive winning season. Then, we want to get through the district and reach the region and try to make some noise there.”
Owensboro: Last year’s season didn’t end the way the Red Devils were hoping, bowing out to Meade County 11-0 in the semi-finals of the 3rd Region Tournament. Owensboro lost eight seniors from a year ago, and is also without Evan Hampton, who is currently at Vanderbilt University for early enrollment.
“We did lose a bunch of really good guys, great leaders, and good baseball players, but we return our catcher Eli Hampton,” Owensboro head Coach Jake Fiorella. “He’s been our vocal leader for the most part of the last couple years.”
Arguably the Red Devils most productive bat a year ago, Eli Hampton, hit .386, with eight homers, and 32 RBIs. He is joined in the lineup by fellow senior Brayden Toler, junior Ty Ashley, young outfielders Dane Pulliam, Jordan Quesnell, and Dax Garrison, and up-and-comer Brody Glenn.
“Brody Glenn is for sure an up-and-comer that no one has heard of, that we are expecting to have a really good year for us,” Fiorella said. “We’re not expecting him to hit .500 and be the Regional Player of the Year, but we are expecting him to be a consistent outfielder and be able to help move our offense and score runs.”
Having lost three of their top pitchers from a year ago to graduation, the Red Devils pitching staff will be nine deep, led by Ashley, Toler, Landon Wink, Jaxon Fogle, and Nash Miller.
“My goal is for us to figure out who we are and who we need to be able to compete at the highest level,” Fiorella said. “The 9th District is really tough, and obviously, the 11th District is really tough too because they were in the 3rd Region Championship last year. All four 9th District teams have strengths that vary, but all four of them are capable of winning the 3rd Region. That means six times a year we have a really stiff opponent that has something to play for.”
Owensboro Catholic: Last year, the Aces were runners-up in the All A, before dropping a heartbreaker to Breckinridge County in the 3rd Region Tournament semi-finals.
A balanced team, Owensboro Catholic boasts a deep rotation, led by Lane Hudley (1.79 ERA, 38 Ks), Barrett Evans (0.86 ERA, 33 Ks), and Jaxson White (2.21 ERA, 31 Ks). The trio is joined by Gentry Atwell, Mason Russelburg, Myles Grant, Walker Crabtree, and Chase Keller.
White (.343), Evans (.359), and Jake Murphy (.347) all hit over .300 a year ago, and behind them in the lineup are Jude Evans, Tucker Evans, Alex Hood, and Mason Moser.
“I just want them to come out and have fun, play as hard as they can, and let the chips fall,” Owensboro Catholic Head Coach Jody Hamilton said. “…We like to think we will come out in the All A, 9th District, and 3rd Region and compete. Hopefully, we will come out on top.”
Trinity (Whitesville): In his second year at the helm of the Raiders, Matt Wright continues to implement a new team culture.
“We instituted some new things this offseason,” Wright said. “The boys actually played some summer ball, so they kept playing over the summer. We also implemented a new weightlifting program where they worked on it throughout the entire offseason instead of starting in the winter.”
Losing only one senior, the Raiders return a lineup that had three other players hit over .300 in Cale Boarman (.306), Harrison Barnett (.339), and Rylan Cecil (.317). Freshman Nate Terry is expected to take over behind the plate, while freshmen Keaton Abbott is in line for a big year after taking over at second base last season. They are all joined by junior Grant Howard and sophomore Isaac Hernandez.
Having all thrown innings last year, the Raiders’ pitching staff returns Cecil, Boarman, Howard, Barnett, Hernandez, and Kayin Howard.
“My main goal is to get us to double-digit wins,” Wright said. “Last year we were close with eight, and I think we can improve on that. I also really want to compete in away games. “For whatever reason, last year’s away games were abysmal. We need to improve on that.”
