GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Stony Brook (23-29, 14-16 Colonial) vs. Purdue (24-29, 11-13 Big Ten)
4-Game Series / Friday to Sunday, Feb. 16 to Feb. 18
Constellation Field / Sugar Land, Texas
Series Opener: Friday, Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. ET
Doubleheader: Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. ET
All-Time Series: First Meetings
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Jordan Morales (Grad, LHP) vs. SBU'S Eddie Smink (So, RHP)
Saturday Game 1: Jonathan Blackwell (Sr, LHP) vs. SBU's Ty Saunders (Grad, RHP)
Saturday Game 2: Kyle Iwinski (Sr, RHP) vs. SBU's Colton Book (Jr, LHP)
Sunday: TBA for Both Teams
SUGAR LAND, Texas – The season-opening weekend has brought Purdue Baseball back to a Triple-A stadium in Texas for the fifth year in a row as the Boilermakers host first-time foe Stony Brook to begin the new campaign.
It's a four-game series with a Saturday doubleheader as the Boilermakers take on a Colonial Athletic Association opponent for the first time since playing at UNC Wilmington in March 1985. First pitch is set for Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (all times ET).
Constellation Field is the home of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Houston Astros Triple-A affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. Purdue has compiled a 7-1 record at Constellation Field since 2022, sweeping South Dakota State two years ago and winning three of four vs. Holy Cross last season.
The Boilermakers are 4-0 in season openers under fifth-year head coach Greg Goff. They've also won six of their last seven openers since 2017. Purdue is opening its season in the same location for the first time since 2009-13, when the Big East/Big Ten Challenge was an annual event in the Clearwater-St. Petersburg area of Florida's Gulf Coast.
Purdue's 40-man roster features 23 returnees and 17 true newcomers. Most of the Boilermakers' experience is among its pitching staff, welcoming back eight pitchers that threw at least 20 innings last year. Of the 17 newcomers, 10 have prior Division I experience. Freshman pitchers Brayden Olson and Easton Storey were both among D1Baseball.com's top 20 Freshmen to watch in the Big Ten.
Graduate transfer Jordan Morales has earned the Opening Day start on the mound. The lefthander from suburban Philadelphia previously pitched at Penn State (2022-23) and La Salle (2020-21). He's set to become Purdue's first lefty since Jordan Minch in 2014 – and just the second this century – to be the team's Opening Day starter on the mound. The 2014 season also marked the only time this century in which Purdue started a lefthanded pitcher in its first two games of the season. With Jonathan Blackwell slated to pitch game 2 this weekend, it's in line to happen again a decade later.
Located on Long Island, Stony Brook made the move to the Colonial league in time for the 2022-23 school year. Longtime head coach Matt Senk led the Seawolves to the College World Series in 2012 when SBU was a member of the America East Conference.
PURDUE'S LEADERS IN SUGAR LAND
Among Active Boilermakers
2023 VERSUS HOLY CROSS
• Mike Bolton Jr.: 5-for-14, HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, HBP, 5 R, 3 SB
• Couper Cornblum: 4-for-15, HR, 5 RBI, HBP, 4 R, 2 SB
• Jo Stevens: 3-for-12, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
• Keenan Taylor: 2-for-3, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 R
• Camden Melvin: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, HBP, 2 R, SB
• Jonathan Blackwell: Win, 5 IP, 4 H, R, BB, 2 K
• Aaron Suval: Win, 4 IP, 2 H, R, 4 BB, 2 K
• Jackson Dannelley: 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
• Kyle Iwinski: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K
• Griffin Lohman: Save, 3 IP, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 5 K (2022 vs. South Dakota State)
2022 & 2023 COMBINED
• Mike Bolton Jr.: 9-for-25, 2B, 3B HR, 6 RBI, 9 BB, 3 HBP, 12 R, 7 SB
• Ty Gill: 2-for-7, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, HBP, 2 R, Sac Fly
• CJ Backer: 7 1/3 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, BB, 7 K
• Carter Doorn: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K
PURDUE'S TEXAS TIES
• Couper Cornblum (Sr, OF) – Hometown: Woodway, Texas
• Jackson Dannelley (Sr, RHP) – Hometown: Colmesneil, Texas; Played JUCO ball at Panola College (Carthage, Texas); Pitched for the University of Houston in 2022
• Chase Brown (Jr, RHP) – Hometown: Austin, Texas; Played JUCO ball McLennan College (Waco, Texas)
• Keenan Spence (Jr, OF) – Played JUCO ball at Howard College (Big Spring, Texas)
• Davis Pratt (Sr, RHP) – Played JUCO ball at Temple College (Temple, Texas)
NOTABLE STREAKS FROM 2023
• Connor Caskenette – 25-game on-base, 18-game hit (Purdue's longest since 2011), 18-game on-base at home (active), 16-game hit at home, 11-game hit in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 20-game on-base (active), 13-game hit, 13-game hit at home (active)
• Jo Stevens – 12-game hit
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 15-game on-base, 9-game on-base (active)
STATISTICAL MILESTONES & NOTABLES FROM 2023
• The Boilermakers went 6-2 on Fridays in Big Ten play, winning three consecutive series openers twice from March 24 to May 5. Purdue's April 21 series-opening win at Maryland made the Boilermakers the first visiting team to win on a Friday in College Park since May 2019.
• Mike Bolton Jr. (74) eclipsed Purdue's all-time stolen base record on April 26, breaking a mark that had stood since 1991. He led the Big Ten with 28 steals, helping Purdue lead the league with 99 steals through the end of the Big Ten Tournament. Bolton and Couper Cornblum (26) teamed up for 54 steals, the second most by teammates in team history. Bolton has 17, 28 and 28 steals the last three years to put him in a select group with three straight seasons of 15-plus steals and consecutive campaigns of 25-plus.
• Purdue had three players – Connor Caskenette, Couper Cornblum, Jo Stevens – with hit streaks of at least 10 games each for the first time since 2019.
• Purdue used the same weekend rotation – Khal Stephen, Jonathan Blackwell, Kyle Iwinski – for every Big Ten series for the first time since 2009 and only the fourth time since 2001. They were a big reason why the Boilermakers won five of six weekend series from March 31 to May 7. Stephen opted to transfer to Mississippi State in July and was announced as MSU's Saturday starter to open the season.
• The April 15 doubleheader sweep of Penn State at Alexander Field gave Purdue a third straight Big Ten series win at the midpoint of the conference season. The Boilermakers swept a Big Ten doubleheader at Alexander Field for the first time ever and rallied to win a Big Ten series at home after dropping the first game since April 2009. Aaron Suval closed out both one-run wins, making him the first Boilermaker with two saves in one day since the final day of the 2018 regular season. Purdue had not won a pair of one-run Big Ten games on the same day since May 2005.
• Kyle Iwinski shined at home all season, compiling a 2.06 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and .214 batting average against over 35 innings. He pitched at least six innings in all five starts and the Boilermakers won four of the five games. He accounted for the best ERA at home by a member of the weekend rotation since 2016.
Stony Brook (23-29, 14-16 Colonial) vs. Purdue (24-29, 11-13 Big Ten)
4-Game Series / Friday to Sunday, Feb. 16 to Feb. 18
Constellation Field / Sugar Land, Texas
Series Opener: Friday, Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. ET
Doubleheader: Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. ET
Series Finale: Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. ET
All-Time Series: First Meetings
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: Jordan Morales (Grad, LHP) vs. SBU'S Eddie Smink (So, RHP)
Saturday Game 1: Jonathan Blackwell (Sr, LHP) vs. SBU's Ty Saunders (Grad, RHP)
Saturday Game 2: Kyle Iwinski (Sr, RHP) vs. SBU's Colton Book (Jr, LHP)
Sunday: TBA for Both Teams
SUGAR LAND, Texas – The season-opening weekend has brought Purdue Baseball back to a Triple-A stadium in Texas for the fifth year in a row as the Boilermakers host first-time foe Stony Brook to begin the new campaign.
It's a four-game series with a Saturday doubleheader as the Boilermakers take on a Colonial Athletic Association opponent for the first time since playing at UNC Wilmington in March 1985. First pitch is set for Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (all times ET).
Constellation Field is the home of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Houston Astros Triple-A affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. Purdue has compiled a 7-1 record at Constellation Field since 2022, sweeping South Dakota State two years ago and winning three of four vs. Holy Cross last season.
The Boilermakers are 4-0 in season openers under fifth-year head coach Greg Goff. They've also won six of their last seven openers since 2017. Purdue is opening its season in the same location for the first time since 2009-13, when the Big East/Big Ten Challenge was an annual event in the Clearwater-St. Petersburg area of Florida's Gulf Coast.
Purdue's 40-man roster features 23 returnees and 17 true newcomers. Most of the Boilermakers' experience is among its pitching staff, welcoming back eight pitchers that threw at least 20 innings last year. Of the 17 newcomers, 10 have prior Division I experience. Freshman pitchers Brayden Olson and Easton Storey were both among D1Baseball.com's top 20 Freshmen to watch in the Big Ten.
Graduate transfer Jordan Morales has earned the Opening Day start on the mound. The lefthander from suburban Philadelphia previously pitched at Penn State (2022-23) and La Salle (2020-21). He's set to become Purdue's first lefty since Jordan Minch in 2014 – and just the second this century – to be the team's Opening Day starter on the mound. The 2014 season also marked the only time this century in which Purdue started a lefthanded pitcher in its first two games of the season. With Jonathan Blackwell slated to pitch game 2 this weekend, it's in line to happen again a decade later.
Located on Long Island, Stony Brook made the move to the Colonial league in time for the 2022-23 school year. Longtime head coach Matt Senk led the Seawolves to the College World Series in 2012 when SBU was a member of the America East Conference.
PURDUE'S LEADERS IN SUGAR LAND
Among Active Boilermakers
2023 VERSUS HOLY CROSS
• Mike Bolton Jr.: 5-for-14, HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, HBP, 5 R, 3 SB
• Couper Cornblum: 4-for-15, HR, 5 RBI, HBP, 4 R, 2 SB
• Jo Stevens: 3-for-12, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
• Keenan Taylor: 2-for-3, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 R
• Camden Melvin: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, HBP, 2 R, SB
• Jonathan Blackwell: Win, 5 IP, 4 H, R, BB, 2 K
• Aaron Suval: Win, 4 IP, 2 H, R, 4 BB, 2 K
• Jackson Dannelley: 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
• Kyle Iwinski: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K
• Griffin Lohman: Save, 3 IP, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 5 K (2022 vs. South Dakota State)
2022 & 2023 COMBINED
• Mike Bolton Jr.: 9-for-25, 2B, 3B HR, 6 RBI, 9 BB, 3 HBP, 12 R, 7 SB
• Ty Gill: 2-for-7, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, HBP, 2 R, Sac Fly
• CJ Backer: 7 1/3 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, BB, 7 K
• Carter Doorn: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K
PURDUE'S TEXAS TIES
• Couper Cornblum (Sr, OF) – Hometown: Woodway, Texas
• Jackson Dannelley (Sr, RHP) – Hometown: Colmesneil, Texas; Played JUCO ball at Panola College (Carthage, Texas); Pitched for the University of Houston in 2022
• Chase Brown (Jr, RHP) – Hometown: Austin, Texas; Played JUCO ball McLennan College (Waco, Texas)
• Keenan Spence (Jr, OF) – Played JUCO ball at Howard College (Big Spring, Texas)
• Davis Pratt (Sr, RHP) – Played JUCO ball at Temple College (Temple, Texas)
NOTABLE STREAKS FROM 2023
• Connor Caskenette – 25-game on-base, 18-game hit (Purdue's longest since 2011), 18-game on-base at home (active), 16-game hit at home, 11-game hit in Big Ten play
• Couper Cornblum – 20-game on-base (active), 13-game hit, 13-game hit at home (active)
• Jo Stevens – 12-game hit
• Mike Bolton Jr. – 15-game on-base, 9-game on-base (active)
STATISTICAL MILESTONES & NOTABLES FROM 2023
• The Boilermakers went 6-2 on Fridays in Big Ten play, winning three consecutive series openers twice from March 24 to May 5. Purdue's April 21 series-opening win at Maryland made the Boilermakers the first visiting team to win on a Friday in College Park since May 2019.
• Mike Bolton Jr. (74) eclipsed Purdue's all-time stolen base record on April 26, breaking a mark that had stood since 1991. He led the Big Ten with 28 steals, helping Purdue lead the league with 99 steals through the end of the Big Ten Tournament. Bolton and Couper Cornblum (26) teamed up for 54 steals, the second most by teammates in team history. Bolton has 17, 28 and 28 steals the last three years to put him in a select group with three straight seasons of 15-plus steals and consecutive campaigns of 25-plus.
• Purdue had three players – Connor Caskenette, Couper Cornblum, Jo Stevens – with hit streaks of at least 10 games each for the first time since 2019.
• Purdue used the same weekend rotation – Khal Stephen, Jonathan Blackwell, Kyle Iwinski – for every Big Ten series for the first time since 2009 and only the fourth time since 2001. They were a big reason why the Boilermakers won five of six weekend series from March 31 to May 7. Stephen opted to transfer to Mississippi State in July and was announced as MSU's Saturday starter to open the season.
• The April 15 doubleheader sweep of Penn State at Alexander Field gave Purdue a third straight Big Ten series win at the midpoint of the conference season. The Boilermakers swept a Big Ten doubleheader at Alexander Field for the first time ever and rallied to win a Big Ten series at home after dropping the first game since April 2009. Aaron Suval closed out both one-run wins, making him the first Boilermaker with two saves in one day since the final day of the 2018 regular season. Purdue had not won a pair of one-run Big Ten games on the same day since May 2005.
• Kyle Iwinski shined at home all season, compiling a 2.06 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and .214 batting average against over 35 innings. He pitched at least six innings in all five starts and the Boilermakers won four of the five games. He accounted for the best ERA at home by a member of the weekend rotation since 2016.
| 2024 ROSTER BREAKDOWN | |||
| RETURNING STARTERS | |||
| Boilermaker (Year) | Position(s) | Hometown | Notables |
| Mike Bolton Jr. (5th) | OF | Chicago, Ill. | 3-year starter; All-Big Ten in 2021 |
| From the Countdown: The fastest & longest-tenured Boilermaker has 32 XBH & 74 steals in 141 career games as a member of the program since the fall of 2019. Bolton also ranks top 10 all-time in triples, HBP & OBP (.438) as an electric leadoff man. The Big Ten's active career leaders in steals is 44 of 45 in conference play. | |||
| Couper Cornblum (Sr.) | OF | Woodway, Texas | Team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, his first year at Purdue after transferring in from Wichita State |
| From the Countdown: Purdue's ironman & Mr. Consistency in center field. Cornblum ranked third in the Big Ten with 26 steals while leading the team runs scored. The Academic All-Big Ten honoree was 1 of 2 Boilers to start every game in 2023, finishing the season riding a 13-game hit streak at Alexander & 20-game on-base streak overall. | |||
| Connor Caskenette (Sr.) | C | Duncan, B.C. | Started 21 of the 24 Big Ten games behind the plate, including 17 in a row while Purdue won 5 of 6 weekend series (March 31-May 7) |
| From the Countdown: Loved the instant impact Caskenette made in 2023 as a constant behind the plate & presence in the middle of the lineup. His 18-game hit streak was our longest since 2011. The Academic All-Big Ten honoree was clutch on weekends, producing 5 of his 6 HR & 24 of his 35 RBI in league play (both team highs). | |||
| Jo Stevens (Sr.) | 3B | Mount Colah, Australia | Doubled & tripled in his first 2 at-bats while playing a starring role with 3 RBI in the series-opening win vs. Rutgers |
| From the Countdown: As 1 of 3 Boilermakers to play in all 53 games of 2023, Stevens served as Purdue's starter at the hot corner for 49. He impressed with his baseball instincts, specifically his defensive consistency & base running. The Australian posted a 12-game hit streak & did not commit an error in the first 9 as well as the final 19 games of the season. | |||
| RETURNING WEEKEND STARTERS ON THE MOUND | |||
| Boilermaker (Year) | RHP/LHP | Hometown | Notables |
| Jonathan Blackwell (Jr.) | LHP | Charleston, W.Va. | 58 Ks vs 22 walks in 72 innings in his first year at Purdue after transferring in from Coastal Carolina |
| From the Countdown: Purdue's most consistent starting pitcher in 2023 as the only Boilermaker to start on the mound all 14 weekends. He worked at least 5 innings in his first 9 starts & 12 of 14 overall. Blackwell's streak made him just the third Purdue pitcher to do it in the Alexander Field era (2013-Pr). The lefty earned wins vs. Minnesota, Penn State & Rutgers in Big Ten play. | |||
| Kyle Iwinski (Jr.) | RHP | Griffith, Ind. | Moved into the rotation in time for weekend No. 3 & excelled as Sunday starter in Big Ten play |
| From the Countdown: Iwinski enjoyed pitching at Alexander Field in a big way, working into at least the 7th inning in all 5 of his home starts in 2023. His 2.06 ERA in 35 innings at home made him Purdue's most effective starting pitcher at Alexander since 2016. The NW Indiana product pitched his way into the weekend rotation & was a National Pitcher of the Week after a 1-hit shutout in his first start as a Boilermaker. | |||
| EXPERIENCED RELIEF PITCHERS | |||
| Boilermaker (Year) | RHP/LHP | Hometown | Notables |
| Aaron Suval (Sr.) | RHP | Agoura Hills, Calif. | 43 Ks vs 40 hits allowed in 44 2/3 innings in his first year at Purdue |
| From the Countdown: Made an immediate impact in 2023, emerging as the team's relief ace & Newcomer of the Year. He registered 4 of his 5 saves in Big Ten play & pitched more than an inning in 12 of his 20 relief appearances. The SoCal native became the 1st Boilermaker since 2018 with 2 saves in 1 day & also struck out 6 of 10 batters faced while closing out a win vs Nebraska. | |||
| Jackson Dannelley (Sr.) | RHP | Colmesneil, Texas | Team's Mr. Boilermaker award recipient for his positive attitude |
| From the Countdown: The team's most-used reliever in his first season as a Boilermaker, taking the ball multiple times in 6 series (4 Big Ten) while leading the team with 25 appearances. He registered 41 Ks vs 35 hits allowed in 39 innings, leading the team with a 9.4 K/9 clip. The Academic All-Big Ten honoree gave Purdue at least 5 outs in 13 of his appearances. | |||
| CJ Backer (Sr.) | RHP | Newburgh, Ind. | 56 K vs 17 walks in 54 2/3 IP in 2022, finishing 2022 as a series-opening starter |
| From the Countdown: Backer was a versatile & effective member of the staff in his first 2 seasons at Purdue (91 IP over 33 App). He had a 2.70 ERA over 30 innings in March & April last year after opening the season in the weekend rotation. Backer pitched his way into the rotation in 2022, helping the Boilers set a pair of team records for strikeouts & earning a start at the Big Ten Tournament. He's healthy & ready to go after a season-ending injury in mid-April of 2023. | |||
| Avery Cook (Sr.) | RHP | Utica, N.Y. | Top reliever for most of April 2021 returned from Tommy John surgery in 2023 & is now working as a sidearmer |
| From the Countdown: A respected veteran presence in the bullpen, Cook is the longest-tenured member of the pitching staff – sharing the distinction with Griffin Lohman. When he took the mound in game 3 of the 2023 season, we all smiled as it marked his return from TJ. The 3-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree was closing games for us in 2021. | |||
| Davis Pratt (Sr.) | RHP | Albuquerque, N.M. | Established himself in a long relief role in his first year at Purdue in 2023 |
| From the Countdown: Pratt was a valuable member of the bullpen in 2023, giving Purdue 5+ outs in 14 of his 20 appearances & taking the ball in 12 of the 14 weekends. He rolled up a team-high 8 ground ball double plays in 42 innings & pitched fewer than an inning only twice. The Albuquerque native had a 1.54 ERA in the MLB Draft League in the summer of 2022. | |||
| Carter Doorn (Jr.) | RHP | Schererville, Ind. | Pitched in 14 games in 2023 after making just four appearances as a fresman |
| From the Countdown: Doorn earned a larger role as a sophomore & finished the season as Purdue's primary midweek starter. He struck out 5 of 10 batters faced in his 2nd outing of 2023 & didn't give up a walk until April. The summer of 2022 saw the NW Indiana native win Pitcher of the Year honors thanks to elite numbers – 0.88 ERA & 0.93 WHIP in 41 innings – in the Great Lakes Collegiate League. | |||
| Cal Lambert (Sr.) | LHP | Peoria, Ariz. | Made an appearance in 12 of the 14 weekends in 2023 |
| From the Countdown: Cal Lambert was our most-used lefty in his 1st season as a Boilermaker, taking the mound 19 times to rank 4th on the team overall. He wasn't just a LOOGY either, giving us 7+ outs 5 times. DJ Lambo serves as the heartbeat of the bullpen, most memorably with a clutch inning-ending K in T-10th vs Northwestern to set the stage for Lukas Cook's walk-off HR. | |||
| Griffin Lohman (Sr.) | RHP | Fishers, Ind. | 6-foot-6 reliever was among team's most improved in 2022 before an injury sidelined him last year |
| From the Countdown: Getting Griffin Lohman back on the mound can boost the bullpen in a big way. The 2-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree averaged 10.5 K/9 as a sophomore to help Purdue set a pair of strikeout records. His biggest punchout of 2022 closed out a rubber game win vs. IU at Alexander. He also got the final outs of the season-opening win for his collegiate save. | |||
| RETURNEES READY FOR MORE AT-BATS IN 2024 | |||
| Boilermaker (Year) | Position | Hometown | With the Program Since |
| Ty Gill (Jr.) | 2B/SS | Valparaiso, Ind. | Fall 2021 |
| From the Countdown: A hit in 5 consecutive pinch-hit at-bats last season. An XBH in his 1st AB each of the last 2 years. Gill has been ready when called upon & this spring could be the year his name is in the lineup every day. He was a team-best 7-for-15 as a pinch hitter in 2023, adding up to a .320/.357/.520 slash line in 25 total ABs. The NW Indiana native has also enjoyed Summer Ball success in the Great Lakes & Valley Leagues. | |||
| Keenan Taylor (Sr.) | 2B/OF | Westfield, Ind. | Fall 2022 |
| From the Countdown: Keenan Taylor doubled & homered as a pinch hitter in his first 2 Purdue at-bats early in 2023. After another double in his first start, an injury in that game impacted his season. He's hit at every level – high school, JUCO, summer ball – so don't be surprised if his bat finds an everyday role in our lineup. He batted .400 with 63 RBI in his All-American season at Parkland College & homered in both Northwoods League playoff games for the Madison Mallards this past summer. Plus, he upgraded his number (from 37 to 13) for year 2 at Purdue. | |||
| Camden Melvin (Jr.) | OF | Avon, Ind. | Fall 2023 |
| From the Countdown: Always Ready. That was the case for Melvin's potent lefthanded bat when his number was called in 2023. He batted .311 with a .392 OBP & 9 RBI in 45 ABs, reaching base safely in 9 of his 23 PAs as a pinch hitter. Cam represented Purdue on the Academic All-Big Ten & Big Ten Baseball Sportsmanship teams. He was All-State at Avon high school & All-Region in his lone JUCO season. | |||
| Weston Gingerich (Sr.) | OF | Carmel, Ind. | Fall 2020 |
| From the Countdown: Gingerich earned himself a larger role in 2023, proving himself as a defensive upgrade in the outfield & the primary pinch runner. He doubled in his 1st Purdue at-bat & caught the final 2 outs in RF in the big series-opening win at Maryland. Wes is 1 of 4 active Boilermakers that have been with the program since at least the fall of 2020 & he'll graduate this spring as a 3-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. | |||
| Lukas Cook (Sr.) | SS/2B/1B | Knoxville, Tenn. | Fall 2023 |
| From the Countdown: Cook's walk-off homer to lead off the 10th inning of the rubber game vs. Northwestern was certainly Purdue's most memorable moment of 2023. Two days later, he hit another dramatic game-tying blast in the late innings vs. Evansville. Along with becoming just the 2nd Boilermaker to hit a walk-off HR at Alexander, the Knoxville native also started games at all 4 infield positions (in a span of 8 games). | |||
| REDSHIRTED AS TRUE FRESHMEN IN 2023 | |||
| Boilermaker | Position | Hometown | High School |
| Brody Chrisman | OF | Zionsville, Ind. | Zionsville |
| From the Countdown: Chrisman's official Boilermaker debut could come as a starting corner outfielder in the 2024 season opener. That's because the left-handed hitting outfielder has impressed everyone at Alexander going back to the fall of 2022. He tore up (.385/.472/.564, 17 2B, 55 RBI) the Prospect League for the Cape Catfish over the summer & was an All-State performer at Zionsville High School. | |||
| Luke Gaffney | C/1B | Danville, Ky. | Boyle |
| From the Countdown: Gaffney brought a big bat with him from Kentucky & is ready to contribute in year 2 as a Boilermaker, perhaps at first base after learning the position at Purdue. He batted .446 with 23 doubles, 17 HR & 95 RBI across his upperclassman seasons at Boyle County High School, earning first-team all-state honors as a senior. The valedictorian of his HS class has a 3.67 GPA as a mechanical engineering major at Purdue. | |||
| Corbin Malott | OF/INF | New Castle, Ind. | New Castle |
| From the Countdown: Malott can contribute in a big way with his speed, glove & bat. After his redshirt season last spring, he batted .300 with a .481 OBP in summer ball for Olney in the Cal Ripken League. He was the 2022 Area Player of the Year by both the New Castle Courier Times & Muncie Star Press as a 2-way standout at New Castle High School. | |||
| Parker Dean | RHP | Russiaville, Ind. | Western |
| From the Countdown: Dean has proven he's the kind of well-rounded ballplayer every pitching staff needs. It was great to see him back from injury & already on the game mound this past fall. Parker was a 2-way standout at Western High School, registering a 1.60 ERA & 49 Ks while batting .419 with 15 XBH & 26 RBI as the 2022 IHSBCA District Player of the Year. He has compiled a 3.36 GPA as a Selling & Sales Management major at Purdue. | |||
| NEWCOMERS WITH D-I EXPERIENCE | |||
| Boilermaker (Year) | Position | Hometown | Transferred From / Played D-I At |
| Jordan Morales (Gr.) | LHP | Souderton, Pa. | Penn State (2022-23) / La Salle (2020-21) |
| From the Countdown: Morales gives Purdue another veteran lefty who could start or be a key part of the bullpen. He's averaged 10.4 K/9 over 150 collegiate innings. He compiled a 3.64 ERA while ranking top 10 in the Big Ten in appearances (26) in 2022, helping lead PSU back to the Big Ten Tournament. Friday he's set to become the first southpaw to make a season-opening start for the Boilermakers since 2014. | |||
| Luke Wagner (Sr.) | LHP | New Cumberland, Pa. | Georgia |
| From the Countdown: As an elite & experienced lefty, Wagner helps strengthen & lengthen Purdue's rotation. He started SEC Opener, SEC Tournament & NCAA Regional games for Georgia, pitching 111 innings over 54 career appearances (17 GS) in Athens. He was a 2-way standout for a state championship team at Red Land High School in Pennsylvania & earned ABs at UGA as well. His dad & uncle were selected in consecutive years in the MLB Draft after playing at Wake Forest. | |||
| Breck Nowik (R-Jr.) | 1B | Lake Forest, Ill. | UIC |
| From the Countdown: Nowik is set to make an instant impact as a middle of the order run producer & a projected starter at first base after returning from a broken hamate bone that will sideline him until mid-March. The Chicagoland native was a Freshman All-American & All-Horizon League performer at UIC, racking up 23 doubles & 15 HR in 330 at-bats over the last 2 years. He achieved a 5-hit game, 14-game hit streak, 1.000 OPS season & won a team Triple Crown (.335, 9 HR, 42 RBI). | |||
| Aaron Dolney (Gr.) | C/DH | Plymouth, Mich. | Eastern Michigan (2022-23) / Nebraska (2020) |
| From the Countdown: Every team is in search of a left-handed hitting catcher with power – it provides such a boost to a lineup's length & depth. At Eastern Michigan, Dolney posted a .299/.403/.537 slash line in 98 career games. He batted .344 in 2022 & then hit 10 HR with 38 RBI & 13 steals in 2023. | |||
| Thomas Green (Gr.) | SS | Courtenay, B.C. | Oakland |
| From the Countdown: Intelligence & durability, Green brings both to the table as a capable captain of the infield. The grad transfer SS from Oakland University racked up 10 doubles, 10 HR & 10 steals while starting all 60 games in 2023. The Golden Grizzlies reached the final day of the Horizon League Tournament both years he was their starting SS. The B.C. native earned his bachelor's with a 3.81 GPA. | |||
| Enas Hayden (Jr.) | RHP | Indianapolis, Ind. | Purdue Fort Wayne |
| From the Countdown: Hayden joined the Boilermakers in the fall after pitching in 20 games over 2 seasons at Purdue Fort Wayne. He was a 2023 Prospect League All-Star for the Danville Dans, using his devastating slider to rack up 45 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings (13.6 K/9). He has also pitched for the Indiana Nitro & in the Collegiate Summer League at Grand Park. | |||
| Camden Gasser (R-So.) | SS/2B | Huntingburg, Ind. | Michigan |
| From the Countdown: Gasser was a 2-time IHSAA state champion & 3-sport standout at Southridge High School before beginning his college career at Michigan, starting a pair of games during U-M's season-opening weekend a year ago. He batted .546 with 46 steals (both teams records) as a senior on Southridge's 3A state title team. On the gridiron, he was the conference MVP & a state champ. | |||
| MORE TRANSFERS | |||
| Boilermaker (Year) | Position | Hometown | Previous College |
| Keenan Spence (Jr.) | OF | Caroline Springs, Australia | Howard JC |
| From the Countdown: Power potential is off the charts for Spence. He racked up 35 HR & 29 steals in 101 games across his 2 JUCO seasons, posting a 1.150+ OPS both years & enjoying a big 2023 with 23 HR & 63 RBI. The Aussie was also a 4-time President's List student at Howard JC in Texas. | |||
| Logan Sutter | 3B/1B/DH | Loomis, Calif. | Folsom Lake JC |
| From the Countdown: Sutter is a premier import with a power bat from the Sacramento area. He was the 2023 Player of the Year in both Cali's Big 8 Conference (JUCO) & the Appalachian League (PDP Summer Ball) – putting up big numbers for Folsom Lake College (.390/.488/.707, 11 HR, 69 RBI) & Appy League champion Johnson City (.363/.427/.575, 48 RBI). | |||
| Chase Brown (Jr.) | 2B/SS | Austin, Texas | McLennan JC |
| From the Countdown: Native Texan Chase Brown brings athleticism, speed, range, a strong arm & big bat to the middle infield. He helped McLennan JC take the title at 2021 NJCAA DI World Series as part of a 47-win season. A 1.000 OPS made him the District Newcomer Player of the Year in 2019 at The Colony High School. | |||
| TRUE FRESHMEN | |||
| Boilermaker | Position | Hometown | Previous College |
| Brayden Olson | RHP | St. Croix Falls, Wis. | St. Croix Falls |
| From the Countdown: Olson is poised to have an instant impact on the mound. The 2-way standout was a 2-time Wisconsin D3 Player of the Year as an upperclassman. In 3 high school seasons, he racked up 307 strikeouts in 168 innings while batting .423 with 100 RBI. Brayden led St. Croix Falls High School to the 2023 state title after a runner-up showing the year prior. | |||
| Easton Storey | LHP | Brighton, Mich. | Brighton |
| From the Countdown: Storey is a pitcher with the dynamic potential to have an early impact. The Michigan native came back from TJ in a big way, earning all-state & County Player of the Year honors after registering 88 Ks & a 1.30 ERA in 54 innings for Brighton HS in 2023. He was ranked as Michigan's No. 1 lefty in his class by Perfect Game. Great baseball name, too!! | |||
| Cole Van Assen | RHP | Tinley Park, Ill. | Brother Rice |
| From the Countdown: From the Countdown: Cole Van Assen racked up 90+ strikeouts in each of his upperclassman seasons at Chicago's Brother Rice High School, earning all-state honors both years as the ace of the IHSA state qualifiers. He was an All-American & Catholic League Pitcher of the Year in 2023 after compiling a 13-0 mark as a junior. | |||
| Amir Gray | 1B | South Holland, Ill. | Brother Rice |
| From the Countdown: Gray also joined the Boilermakers from Chicago's Brother Rice High School, where he was all-state as a junior after batting .413. The 2-time All-Catholic League infielder batted over .350 with 120 hits & 80 RBI during his 3-year varsity career as Brother Rice was an IHSA Class 4A state qualifier in consecutive seasons. | |||
| Will Briggs | C | Shakopee, Minn. | Academy of Holy Angels |
| From the Countdown: A backstop from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Briggs was Minnesota's No. 1-ranked catcher in his class by Perfect Game & an MSHSL All-Star Series selection. His bat and arm project well as a player that can contribute in future seasons after doing his part to help the bench and bullpen this spring. | |||
| Mac Lewis | 2B/SS | Vienna, Va. | James Madison |
| From the Countdown: An infielder from Virginia, where all his James Madison High School teams did was win. As a senior, he had a .473 OBP as the starting SS for the Class 6A state champions. On the gridiron, he threw for 2,400 yards with 29 total TDs while leading his team to the state title game. Mac was selected for the 2023 VBCA High School All-Star Game. | |||
| Will Moore | RHP | Creve Couer, Mo. | Ladue Horton Wakins |
| From the Countdown: Moore joined Purdue from the Show Me State, where he was standout on the mound & on the soccer pitch for STL's Watkins HS -- all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA to rank among the top 10% of his class. He struck out 16 over 7 innings in a 17U travel ball game & pitched for Team Missouri at the PBR Futures Games. | |||