The Big Ten named three Indiana baseball players to its preseason players to watch list Wednesday, according to a release from the Big Ten. The conference also announced the 2026 preseason coaches’ poll, in which the Hoosiers ranked fifth.
The three players selected to the watch list were sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley, sophomore catcher Hogan Denny and senior right-handed pitcher Jackson Bergman.
Hanley was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an all-conference selection last year. He hit .333 with 14 HRs and 52 RBIs, while starting all 56 games at first base. He also finished as a national finalist for the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Gold Glove.
Denny was also part of the Hoosiers’ opening day lineup in 2025. He hit .292 last year, becoming one of four Indiana freshmen with 40 hits on the season. The 6-foot Mooresville, Indiana, native played in 50 games with 39 starts in the outfield, at second base and catcher. He appeared in 25 games as a designated hitter.
Bergman transferred to Indiana from the University of Toledo during the offseason. The right-handed pitcher threw 132.2 career innings in three seasons with the Rockets. His pitch arsenal features mid-90 mph pitches, along with impressive command showcased in the fall with the Hoosiers.
Indiana was picked to finish fifth in the conference in the coaches’ poll behind No. 1 UCLA, Oregon, USC and Nebraska.
The Hoosiers start their season with a three-game road series against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this weekend. The first game is at 4 p.m. Friday on Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium.
Follow reporters Elakai Anela (@elakai_anela and eanela@iu.edu) and Will Kwiatkowski (@WKwiatkowski_15 and wdkwiatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
