After finishing the 2025 season with a record of 32-24 but falling short of an NCAA Tournament berth, Indiana baseball begins its 2026 season set on rebounding from a disappointing year.
The Hoosiers will showcase a veteran-filled pitching staff, while their offense is filled with younger talent.
Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer and his staff also brought in a series of transfers, headlined by former University of Missouri graduate student left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck and University of Delaware senior infielder Aiden Stewart.
The Indiana Daily Student’s baseball reporters gave their predictions for the upcoming year:
Most valuable player
ELAKAI ANELA: Sophomore Jake Hanley played all 56 games for Indiana last year. In those appearances, the first baseman led all Big Ten freshmen with a .333 batting average, cranking 14 home runs and tallying 52 RBIs. Hanley was the fourth player in program history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Indiana’s first unanimous Freshman All-American. Hanley’s growth at the plate this year will be crucial for a team filled with inexperienced hitters.
WILL KWIATKOWSKI: Sophomore shortstop Cooper Malamazian emerged as one of Indiana’s most reliable players during his freshman season and is my pick for the Hoosiers’ most valuable player in 2026. After breaking into the starting lineup early in the year, Malamazian appeared in 55 games and started 46, missing just one contest all season. He finished the year with a .320 batting average, collecting 55 hits, 17 doubles and 40 RBIs, while never seeing his average dip below .300. He also showed signs of emerging power at times, tallying four home runs on the year, two of which came in extra-inning situations.
He pairs an elite, versatile glove on the left side of the infield with a productive bat. If he continues to build on his power, Malamazian has the potential to become one of the Big Ten’s top players in 2026.
Cy Young
ANELA: Graduate student Gavin Seebold is one of the veteran names on the pitching staff. The right-handed pitcher had a successful three years at the University of Southern Indiana, where he went 7-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 71 innings pitched in 2024 before transferring to Bloomington ahead of last season. While he struggled to find consistency in his first full year as a Hoosier, I predict he will bounce back due to his versatility as a pitcher — he can work both out of the bullpen and as a starter — combined with his experience at the collegiate level.
KWIATKOWSKI: Graduate student left-hander Tony Neubeck is my pick for Indiana’s pitcher of the year in 2026. A veteran with great promise, Neubeck showed his elite potential as a freshman at Missouri, striking out 60 batters over 54.1 innings. His standout performances include a seven-strikeout outing in 2022 against the eventual College World Series champion University of Mississippi and a career-high seven innings in a dominant win over the University of Kentucky. After a long setback due to injury and a shaky return in 2025, he transferred to Indiana for a fresh start.
Neubeck brings valuable veteran experience to a Hoosiers squad loaded with young talent and transfers. If he can build on his pre-injury dominance, he has the potential to anchor Indiana’s rotation and emerge as one of the Big Ten’s top pitchers.
Best newcomer
ANELA: University of Delaware transfer senior Aiden Stewart will be a name to watch for the Hoosiers in 2026. The 5-foot-10 infielder played his freshman year at Siena University before playing his last two years at Delaware. Stewart started all 53 games for the Blue Hens last season and hit .326 with a team-high 1.044 OPS and .465 slugging percentage. He should fit in nicely as a mentor for the underclass lineup the Hoosiers will throw out for most games.
KWIATKOWSKI: Redshirt-junior outfielder Ayden Crouse is one of Indiana’s most exciting newcomers for the 2026 season. The junior college transfer arrives in Bloomington after three years at Chandler‑Gilbert Community College in Arizona, where he established himself as one of the top hitters in JUCO baseball.
In 2025, he slashed .391 with 27 extra-base hits and stole 56 bases in 62 attempts, earning National Junior College Athletic Association All-American honorable mention and All-Region honors. Crouse’s combination of contact ability, speed and defensive versatility makes him an instant offensive spark at the top of the Hoosiers’ lineup and a dynamic presence in the outfield.
Series of the year
ANELA: Indiana’s schedule, particularly to kick off the year, is tough. The Hoosiers face historically top-ranked opponents like Louisiana State University and Vanderbilt University. But the series that holds the most magnitude is the first against the preseason No. 11 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Last year, the Tar Heels won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA Chapel Hill Super Regional before losing to the University of Arizona 2-1 in the series.
This year, Indiana travels to North Carolina to face a talented group in a three-game series, with the first game Friday. Ultimately, this series will be a chance for the Hoosiers to see what their revamped group can put together out of the gate.
KWIATKOWSKI: Indiana opens its Big Ten schedule at home against Washington in what could be the team’s series of the year. While the Hoosiers will have already faced nonconference opponents to start the season, this first conference series will provide a clear look at how Indiana matches up against Big Ten competition after having some time to settle in. With three games scheduled from March 6-8 at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington, the series will be a key measuring stick for the Hoosiers.
Season predictions
ANELA: The final outlook of the Hoosiers’ season will come down to whether the younger hitters step up offensively. If they do, Indiana should be able to make a run in the Big Ten or NCAA Tournament. If not, the Hoosiers will struggle to generate any momentum as the season goes on. I believe the potential of Indiana’s offense, combined with the experience of the pitching staff, can carry the group into the Big Dance come May.
However, the less-experienced players, including the younger hitters, could struggle early on. It will be important for players like Hanley, Malamazian, Stewart and even sophomore infielder Will Moore, who started 36 games at third base last year, to steady the ship at the beginning of the year.
KWIATKOWSKI: After losing star outfielder Devin Taylor to the MLB Draft, Indiana will need its younger hitters to step into bigger roles in 2026. Luckily, the Hoosiers have the talent and depth to keep the offense humming under assistant coach Zach Weatherford, who has a strong track record of developing hitters.
With a revamped pitching staff led by new pitching coach Matt Myers and some veteran additions, Indiana could see more consistency on the mound this year. The season might start slowly with a tough nonconference slate, but as the young players settle in, breakout performances could push the Hoosiers toward a strong finish and another competitive run in the Big Ten.
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.
