2024 College Baseball Season Preview: Big 10

The Big 10 will look considerably different come 2025, thanks to the impending addition of several Pac-12 schools. But before then, the 2024 campaign in the Big 10 is set to feature some premier talent looking to do damage in the collegiate scene. Here’s our 2024 Big 10 baseball season preview.

Illinois

We start off our 2024 Big 10 baseball season preview with Illinois. Illinois finished with a .500 record (12-12) in Big 10 play last season but just a 25-27 record overall.

Catcher Camden Janik, who hit .308 for the Fighting Illini in 2023, is back for 2024. The same can be said for pitchers Joe Glassey and Julius Sanchez, the latter of whom started 11 games in 2023 but owned an ERA of 6.79.

Indiana

If there’s one team that could have a “Cinderella” run out of the Big 10 in 2024, it’s Indiana. The Hoosiers’ pitching staff includes junior Luke Sinnard, who struck out 114 over 86 frames for Indiana last season. And after a strong freshman season, outfielder Devin Taylor was recently named to the Golden Spikes Preseason watch list.

Indiana also had a strong recruiting class join the Hoosiers. Outfielder Andrew Wiggins (#37 in Perfect Game’s Class of 2023), infielder Jasen Oliver (#142), and left-hander Ryan Rushing (#215) all joined Indiana for 2024.

Iowa

If preseason rankings are any indication, the Iowa Hawkeyes appear to be the early favorite to win the Big 10 in 2024. Iowa did make several preseason top 25 lists, thanks in large part to the presence of hurlers Brody Brecht and Marcus Morgan.

Brecht is a first-round talent, thanks to a plus-plus fastball that sits in the upper 90s. He didn’t do great in his brief time at the Cape but Brecht struck out 109 over 77 frames with Iowa last year. As for Morgan, he’s got his command problems but does have very good stuff.

Maryland

Reigning Big 10 champion Maryland has been a powerhouse for years in the Big 10 but the Terrapins will look very different in 2024. Not only are Matt Shaw, Jason Savacool, and Nick Lorusso gone but former manager Rob Vaughn joined the Alabama Crimson Tide after a very successful stint in College Park. Ian Petrutz, who hit 14 home runs for Maryland last season, followed him to Alabama.

Matt Swope was promoted to head coach and he’ll be working with a roster flush with freshmen. One of those names is infielder Jordan Crosland, rated #283 by Perfect Game among the Class of 2023 prospects.

Michigan

Michigan’s first season without Erik Bakich didn’t go too bad, as the Wolverines finished 2023 with the sixth-best conference record at 13-11. Second-year manager Tracy Smith does have two-way threat Mitch Voit back, who hit well in his freshman season and made the Collegiate Baseball Freshman Team. Pitcher Kurt Barr and infielder Jonathan Kim are also back for 2024.

One of the new faces at the University of Michigan is first baseman Collin Priest. The freshman was rated #252 by Perfect Game in the Class of 2023.

Michigan State

Like Illinois, the Michigan State Spartans finished with a .500 record in Big 10 play in 2023. The Spartans, though, had the better overall campaign at 33-22. Much of their success was thanks to Brock Vradenburg, who was drafted by the Marlins in the third round last July after hitting .400 last spring.

Left-hander Joseph Dzierwa, who led the Spartans in strikeouts (60) as a freshman, is back for 2024. Outfielder Jack Frank, who finished fourth in hits (61), is also back.

Minnesota

The 2024 season will be the end of an era in Minnesota, as head coach John Anderson announced back in December that he will retire after the end of the year. Anderson is entering his 43rd season as Minnesota’s head coach.

Left-hander Tucker Novotny, who led Minnesota in strikeouts (80) last season, returns in 2024. One of the new notable names for 2024 is P/OF Kyle Remington, the 300th-best high school prospect from the Class of 2023 per Perfect Game.

Nebraska

Nebraska had two of the nation’s best bats last spring in Max Anderson and Brice Matthews. The two are now in the pros after Anderson (2nd, Tigers) and Matthews (1st, Astros) were drafted last July. Emmett Olson, who led Nebraska in strikeouts last spring, was selected in the fourth round by Miami.

Sophomore Dylan Carey, who finished behind Anderson and Matthews in the team lead in hits, is back for 2024. One of the new faces is pitcher Ryan Harrahill, rated #201 in the Class of 2023 by Perfect Game.

Northwestern

Last season was a difficult one for Northwestern. Northwestern finished with the worst record (4-20) in Big 10 play last season and won just 10 games overall in the 2023 campaign.

It won’t be easy come 2024. Pitcher Matt McClure and outfielder Griffin Arnone are among the notable returning players.

Ohio State

Ohio State finished with the third-worst record in Big 10 play in 2023, ahead of only Penn State and Northwestern. Arguably Ohio State’s best pitcher from last season, Isaiah Coupet, was drafted by the Rockies in the fourth round last July.

Infielder Henry Kaczmar and catcher Matthew Gravline, the top two hit-getters for Ohio State in 2023, are back for 2024. Left-hander Gavin Bruni, who led Ohio State in strikeouts (73) last year, is also back.

Penn State

Penn State has a new head coach, as the Nittany Lions surprisingly were able to pry away Boston College’s Mike Gambino, a BC grad who just signed a multi-year extension before the move to Happy Valley.

Gambino built a strong program at Boston College and he’ll look to do the same with Penn State. This year’s roster features several notable returners, including outfielders Johnny Piacentino and Bobby Marsh, the latter of whom hit well (.310 AVG (.982 OPS), six HR) in his freshman season.

Purdue

Purdue finished the 2023 campaign with the third-worst winning percentage in the Big 10. And, it won’t be easy come 2024. The Boilermakers lost several of the team’s relied-upon bats after last spring. And, pitcher Khal Stephen transferred out to Mississippi State after last season.

Couper Cornblum, who finished second last season among Purdue hitters in hits, returns for 2024.

Rutgers

We end our 2024 Big 10 baseball season preview with one of the better stories in college baseball over the past few years: the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Rutgers has been a force over the past two seasons but the team from Piscataway lost Drew Conover and Ryan Lasko to the pros this past summer.

Head coach Steve Owens does have Trevor Cohen and Josh Kuroda-Grauer back for 2024. But arguably the biggest name to watch is right-hander Christian Coppola, who was named to the USA collegiate team last summer. The sophomore struck out 71 over 66 innings as a freshman.