23 Newcomers Join the Team at Alexander Field

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The new school year is underway on campus and Purdue Baseball has announced its new additions to the roster, a group of 23 that will compete for the program during the 2026 season this spring.

The Boilermakers are slated to start their eight-week fall practice calendar the week of Sept. 15. Open scrimmages are tentatively set for Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at Alexander Field. The fall ball schedule features two exhibition games vs. Division I opponents (one home, one away) and the Black & Gold Series in late October. Fall dates for gameday action open to the public will be announced in the coming weeks.

After having 20 graduates in the Class of 2024 and 17 more this past spring, restocking the roster has become an annual endeavor for Purdue’s coaching staff. This year’s influx of newcomers is a mix of transfers from all levels plus the freshmen, replenishing all areas of the team in the process.

Under seventh-year head coach Greg Goff, Purdue has won 30 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2010-12. The 2025 team enjoyed an 18-2 start and won twice at Alexander Field via walk-off home runs. The 2024 team’s program-record 11-game Big Ten win streak vaulted the Boilermakers into first place in the Big Ten in May during a season in which they hit a record 75 home runs. Attendance records have been set at Alexander each of the last three years.

Two NJCAA All-American pitchers from the 2025 recruiting class signed on to play professionally in July. Luke Fernandez (Wallace State JC), Perfect Game’s 2025 JUCO Pitcher of the Year, was selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the 16th round of the MLB Draft and opted to sign. Peyton Niksch (Kankakee JC) chose to sign with the Milwaukee Brewers as an undrafted free agent. They were Purdue’s first incoming signees to choose the pro ball route since Bishop Letson, an 11th round draft pick of the Brewers in 2023.

RECRUITING CLASS BREAKDOWN
• 23 Total Newcomers
• 5 Freshmen
• 18 Transfers (8 Four-Year, 10 Junior College)
• Players from 13 U.S. States plus 1 from Quebec
• By Position: 11 Pitchers (6 RHP, 5 LHP), 7 Infielders, 2 Outfielders, 2 Catchers, 1 Utility

#9 Ali Banks, Infielder/Outfielder – Stone Mountain, Ga. (Parkview/Georgia Highlands JC)
• Athletic utility man capable of playing center field and the middle infield
• .379/.503/.534 slash line across 309 at-bats over two seasons at Georgia Highlands, which compiled a combined 101-22 record
• Batted .429 with 18 XBH, 49 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 2025
• Played in the 2024 NJCAA Division I World Series, starting all five games in left field and hitting a three-run homer in a victory

#5 Jackson Bessette, Catcher – Bartlett, Ill. (South Elgin/UIC)
• Two-year starting catcher at UIC, starting all 101 games in which he played the last two seasons
• .296/.412/.506 slash line across 438 career at-bats for the Flames
• Batted .319 with 12 doubles, eight homers and 49 runs scored in 2024; connected for nine homers while drawing 46 free passes in 2025
• Enjoyed a multi-homer game at Alexander Field in 2025 and a five-hit game at Northwestern in 2023

#22 Jacob Boland, RHP – Cincinnati, Ohio (Fairfield/Chipola JC)
• Pitched 30 innings across 14 appearances (2 starts) in his freshman season at Chipola College in Florida, recording 29 strikeouts vs. nine walks and a 1.33 WHIP
• Reliable starter for the Greenville Yard Gnomes of the Coastal Plain League in the summer of 2025, working 37 1/3 innings over nine appearances
• Did not allow an earned run over 13 innings while winning consecutive starts for Greenville in late July
• Struck out 12 over six innings in his finest start as a high school senior, earning FHS Athlete of the Week honors

#6 Westin Boyle, Infielder – Overland Park, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
• First Team All-State shortstop with a high contact rate and the athleticism to be a long term middle infielder
• Helped lead St. Thomas Aquinas to back-to-back KSHSAA Class 5A state titles and a combined 50-11 record as an upperclassman
• Ranked as Kansas’ No. 1 shortstop in his graduating class by Perfect Game; batted .391 as a junior
• Shared KHSB-TV’s Hy-Vee Athlete of the Week honors in 2025 with his younger brother Lincoln, a two-way standout in the Class of 2026

#25 Jimmy Dionne, First Baseman – Quebec City, Quebec (Academy of Baseball Canada/Howard JC)
• 2025 NJCAA Second Team All-American after hitting 22 home runs in his second year at Howard College in Texas
• Lefthanded power hitter can also play the outfield
• .410/.455/.800 slash line in 305 career at-bats at Howard, batting over .400 both years and powering up for 45 XBH and 79 RBI in 2025
• Played summer ball for Kelowna of the West Coast League in 2025 and Amsterdam of the Perfect Game League in 2024

#1 Dylan Drake, Infielder – Sacramento, Calif. (Christian Brothers/Sacramento City JC)
• Batted .395 with 16 XBH in his second year at Sac City College, missing all of April with a broken collarbone before returning to the lineup for the 3C2A Super Regionals
• .354/.460/.497 slash line in 288 career at-bats at Sac City
• Batted .521 as a high school senior to win San-Joaquin Section North Player of the Year accolades
• Played summer ball for the Mankato Moondogs of the Northwoods League in 2025

#31 Zach Erdman, LHP – Keller, Texas (Keller/Texas Tech)
• Three-year letterwinner at Texas Tech made 28 appearances and seven starts while throwing 61 2/3 innings
• As a sophomore, pitched well in starts vs. Arkansas, Stanford and Oklahoma State (at the Big 12 Tournament)
• First Team All-District 4-6A and TSWA/Blue Bell 6A honorable mention All-State as a high school senior
• Played summer ball in the California Collegiate League in 2023 (Santa Barbara) and 2025 (Arroyo Seco), posting a 1.29 ERA and 21 strikeouts vs. three walks across six starts this past summer

#23 Jarvis Evans, LHP – Buford, Georgia (Georgia Premier Academy/South Carolina)
• Three-year letterwinner in the Southeastern Conference, pitching 107 2/3 career innings for South Carolina (2025) and Georgia (2023-24)
• Quality start at Tennessee (6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, BB, 5 K) headlined his four SEC starts for South Carolina, working 47 1/3 innings across 13 appearances overall
• 72 strikeouts vs. 54 hits allowed in 60 1/3 innings for Georgia, making 10 starts and pitching in an NCAA Regional final in 2024
• Went 9-2 with a 0.78 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings as a high school senior
• Played summer ball in the MLB Draft League (West Virginia, 2022) and Valley League (Charlottesville, 2023; Purcellville, 2022)

#34 Tro Fellings, LHP – Kalamazoo, Mich. (Kalamazoo Central)
• Two-time MLive.com Kalamazoo-area Dream Team selection as a two-way standout at KCHS
• MHSBCA East-West All-Star Game selection to earn the right to play in the state showcase at Comerica Field
• Enjoyed a breakout season as a junior, giving up just eight hits and one earned run while striking out 49 over 29 2/3 innings – posting school records for ERA (0.24) and batting average against (.082)
• Had over 100 career hits at the plate for KCHS

#10 Noah Filer, RHP – Wayzata, Minn. (Wayzata)
• MSHSBCA Class AAAA Player of the Year and a finalist for Minnesota Mr. Baseball as a senior
• Went 7-0 with 67 strikeouts vs. 26 hits allowed in 47 innings, posting a 0.87 ERA for WHS team that went 26-1 and finished third at state in 2024
• Selected to pitch in the Minnesota Twins High School All-Star Baseball Series in 2025
• 12-1 career record at the varsity level

#7 Sam Flores, Infielder – Lufkin, Texas (Lufkin/Kansas State)
• Corner infielder played in 37 games in his lone season at Kansas State, posting a .283/.348/.424 slash line with eight XBH and 17 RBI in 99 at-bats
• Played in the 2024 NJCAA Division I World Series during his two years at McClennan Community College
• Enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, batting .316 with 68 RBI as a First Team All-Conference and two-time conference Player of the Week honoree
• District 15-5A Offensive Player of the Year and UIL District 16-5A Offensive MVP after batting .500 as a senior at Lufkin HS

#28 Kaden Frei, Infielder – West Orange, N.J. (Seton Hall Prep)
• High IQ middle infielder with elite instincts and speed
• Batted .388 with 21 RBI and 23 stolen bases in 80 at-bats while leading Seton Hall Prep to a 22-2 record (10-0 in conference) as a senior
• Also stole 19 bases during his junior season
• Selected to represent Team New England at the 2024 Prep Baseball Futures Games

#11 Lucas Grant, LHP – Joliet, Ill. (Joliet Academy)
• Prep Baseball First Team All-State and East Suburban Catholic Conference Pitcher of the Year as a senior
• Dominated as a senior, racking up 116 strikeouts vs. 13 walks in 66 innings while posting a 1.00 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and .125 batting average against
• Struck out 18 in a one-hit shutout in a 2025 IHSA Class 3A Regional championship game victory
• Also struck out 15 over six shutout innings in a victory vs. a top-10 ranked team in the state

#37 Jackson Greer, RHP – Dallas, Ga. (North Paulding/Georgia Highland JC)
• Key arm in the bullpen during his lone season at Georgia Highlands, helping GHC post a 45-12 record
• Earned five saves and two wins in 22 appearances, racking up 41 strikeouts vs. 33 hits allowed in 34 2/3 innings (10.6 K/9, 1.18 WHIP)
• Georgia Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team after closing out the semifinal and championship game victories on consecutive days, recording nine strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings of three-hit ball
• Georgia Dugout Club first team all-state in 2023 at NPHS, racking up 78 strikeouts in 64 innings while posting a 1.23 ERA and 0.82 WHIP

#14 Ross Highfill, Catcher/Outfielder – Madison, Miss. (Madison Central/Mississippi State)
• Athletic utility man played in 88 games primarily as a catcher at Mississippi State, but can also play center field
• At MSU, Racked up eight doubles and nine homers in 121 at-bats as a freshman in 2023; stole 12 bases while making 35 starts in 2025
• Played summer ball for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Code League in 2023
• Helped Madison HS win the 2021 Mississippi Class 6A state title, batting .400 with a .504 OBP and 45 RBI

#42 Thomas Howard, RHP – Lexington, Ky. (Fredrick Douglass/John A. Logan JC)
• Great Rivers Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year during his lone season at John A. Logan College; redshirted in 2024 at Louisville
• Registered a 2.69 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 73 strikeouts while posting an 8-2 record in 2025, helping his team post a 49-10 record
• All-state in baseball and football at Frederick Douglass HS, recording 66 strikeouts in 51 innings as a senior and a 1.48 ERA as a junior
• Ranked as Kentucky’s No. 3 player and No. 1 righthanded pitcher in his graduating class by Perfect Game

#16 Trevor Kester-Johnson, LHP – Morgan Hill, Calif. (Live Oak/Santa Barbara City JC)
• Pitched two seasons at Santa Barbara City College after a redshirt year at UC Santa Barbara in 2023
• Made 19 appearances in 2025, posting a 1.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 6.1 hits per nine innings
• Earned three victories and a save while recording 23 strikeouts vs. 16 hits allowed in 23 2/3 innings
• Pitched four innings of one-hit relief over two appearances in the 3C2A Southern California regional playoffs vs. Fullerton

#30 Graham Kollen, RHP – Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead/Huntington University)
• Workhorse and two-time all-conference honoree as a four-year letterwinner at NAIA Huntington University, earning 20 wins while pitching 256 innings over 59 appearances (39 starts)
• Strikeout rate improved to 11.0 K/9 (94 K in 77 IP) as a senior
• Also had 94 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings as a sophomore while posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.14 WHIP
• Played summer ball in the Northwoods League (Kalamazoo Growlers, 2024 & 2025) and Prospect League (Lafayette Aviators, 2023)

#55 Jake Kramer, RHP – Greensburg, Pa. (Hempfield/California University [Pa.])
• Two-time NCBWA All-American closer at Division II California University (Pa.)
• Set team and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference records with 27 career saves while also earning 11 victories in 59 appearances over three years
• Earned four wins and 10 saves while posting a 1.47 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and .155 batting average against in 2024; had four wins and 11 saves the following year
• Played summer ball in the Coastal Plain League (Morehead City Marlins, 2025) and Prospect League (Johnstown Mill Rats, 2023), registering an immaculate inning for Morehead City

#8 Quincy Malbrough, Outfielder – Loomis, Calif. (Del Oro/Folsom Lake JC)
• Two-year starting outfielder at Folsom Lake College
• Posted a .359/.475/.516 slash line with 41 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 2024
• An extended illness impacted his sophomore season but still finished with a .325 average and .425 OBP in 292 career at-bats at Folsom
• Played summer ball for the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League in 2025

#17 Trey Swiderski, Outfielder – Joliet, Ill. (Joliet Academy/John A. Logan JC)
• Posted a .335/.408/.623 slash line with 26 homers, 62 XBH and 35 stolen bases in his two seasons at John A. Logan College
• All-Conference and Gold Glove winner in 2025, collecting 19 doubles and 59 RBI while helping his team post a 49-10 record
• Originally signed with Louisville as a high school senior, transferring at the semester break during the 2023-24 school year; made an immediate impact for John A. Logan with 14 home runs and 61 RBI while going 19 of 20 in stolen base attempts that spring
• Player summer ball for the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods League in 2024

#2 Charlie Vercruysse, Infielder – Bloomington, Ill. (University/Notre Dame)
• Versatile middle infielder redshirted as a true freshman at Notre Dame in 2025
• 2025 All-Star and Player of the Week honoree during successful summer ball season with the Lima Locos of the Great Lakes League
• Posted a .364/.477/.420 slash line with 21 RBI and eight steals in 88 at-bats for the Lima Locos
• Three-year First Team All-Conference honoree at University HS, setting a school record with 137 career hits

#15 Zach Zychowski, Infielder – Cedar Lake, Ind. (Hanover Central/Southwestern Illinois JC)
• Two-year starting shortstop at Southwestern Illinois College, batting .367 with 29 XBH, 80 RBI, 58 walks and 41 stolen bases
• Posted a .376/.465/.495 slash line with 13 doubles and 23 stolen bases in 2025
• Played summer ball for the Normal CornBelters of the Prospect League in 2024 and 2025
• Batted .324 with a .452 OBP, 17 XBH and 31 RBI in 176 at-bats in 2024 for Normal