It was another successful season for the East Carolina Pirates in 2026. ECU won 38 games, took the American Baseball Championship title, and won two games in the NCAA Tournament. Ultimately, the school was bounced by eventual 2026 runner-up North Carolina in the Regional. Now, the school will look for a return trip back to the tourney with several notable bats back.
The Returnees
Braden Burress, now a junior for the East Carolina Pirates, quickly turned into one of DI’s best hitters in an instant two years ago. For 2026, Burress lived up to his reputation as a top bat for ECU.
Last season, Burress slashed .361/.460/.482 with 90 total hits, which ranked in the top 20 among Division I hitters. No, he didn’t bat .390 like in 2025. But it was nonetheless an impressive season from the East Carolina outfielder.
East Carolina also returned three other of the school’s top hitters from the 2026 season: now-senior Colby Wallace, Davin Whitaker, and Grady Lenahan.
Wallace finished third on East Carolina with 72 hits last season. Whitaker had a team-best 10 home runs last season for the tourney-bound school from 2026, while Lenahan was one behind him as a freshman. Lenahan walked 17 times and was hit 18 times, the latter of which led the school.
Other notable returning bats are senior catcher Walker Barron, senior infielder Nick Parham, and sophomore outfielder Brayden Bachman.
As for the pitching staff, Joseph Webb and Ethan Norby are gone, as is reliever Gavin Van Kempen. Junior Sean Jenkins is the big arm back. Jenkins, as a reliever, struck out 54 over 41 innings and posted a stellar 2.61 ERA for the Pirates last season. Mid-90s fastball that ran up to 97 MPH during the AAC tourney, as well as a slider that was used very regularly.
Other pitchers back are Luke Payne, Brett Antolick, Colby Weber, and Charlie Hoagland. Antolick is an interesting arm. A former Texas A&M transfer, Antolick was up to 97 MPH during the post-season tourney last May. He struck out 30 over 19.1 IP out of the bullpen during the 2026 season.
The Newcomers
This is a very young roster, overall.
East Carolina’s 2027 roster has 14 freshmen: position players Shane Monaghan, Josh Mozibgo, Braeden Martin, Braeden Lipoff, William Benson, Jack Woda, Janeson Steele, Jack Reese, and Kellen Smith. Plus, pitchers Jack Stoner, Landon Turman, Jason Kruczek, Jason Sproull, and Carter Perdue.
Westin Boyle was a leader for the Purdue Boilermakers last spring. As a freshman, Boyle had 59 hits, plus eight stolen bases, for a Purdue team that won 37 games and played well in the Big 10 tourney last May. Boyle himself had two hits and three walks during the tourney in Omaha.
Saxon Roberts came over from Auburn. The junior only appeared in one game last year for the Tigers, which came back in March against Texas. Overall, he appeared in just two games in two years, walking five over .2 IP.
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