Completed Event: Baseball versus Marshall on May 1, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 3
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James Madison
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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Baseball Welcomes 17 New Dukes for 2027 Season
10/9/2026 4:25:00 PM | Baseball
HARRISONBURG, Va. - James Madison baseball welcomes 17 student-athletes as part of the 2026 fall signing class.
This signing class is a dynamic addition to our squad, Head Coach Marlin Ikenberry noted. With a great mix of skills and experience, they will be crucial to our development as a program this season.
The class boasts five transfers and 12 first-year players. Eight new Dukes played their high school baseball in Virginia while others hail from Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Texas.
Name: Landon Bauer
Class: First Year
Position: INF
Height/Weight: 6-0 | 180lbs
Hometown/High School: Purcellville, Va. | Loudoun Valley HS
Accolades: 2026 District Player of the Year, First Team All-Region (3B), First Team All-District (Dulles) (3B)…2025 First Team All-Region (SS), First Team All-District (SS)…2024 First Team All-Region (2B), First Team All-District (2B), Second Team All-State (2B)…2023 Second Team All-District (2B)…National Honor Society, honor roll…Father, Mark, played football & baseball for four years at Greensboro College
Name: Alex Bellovich
Class: First Year
Position: C
Height/Weight: 5-10 | 180lbs
Hometown/High School: Wyckoff, NJ | Ramapo HS
Accolades: 2026 First Team All-League, Third Team All-County, advanced to sectional final…2025 First Team All-League, Second Team All-County, Third Team All-State, won sectional championship, broke team record for RBIs in a season (ranked fifth in state)…2024 Second Team All-League…2023 Third Team All-League…Honor roll
Name: Zach Bocock
Class: First Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-4 | 220lbs
Hometown/High School: Salem, Va. | Salem HS
Accolades: 2026 First Team All-River Ridge District, Second Team All-Region 4D, Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame, Ray Bellamy Player of the Year nominee…2025 All-River Ridge District honorable mention…also competed on varsity swim and golf teams…National Honor Society, French Honor Society, B'nai B'rith nominee
Name: Christopher Desiderio
Class: First Year
Position: LHP
Height/Weight: 6-1 | 205lbs
Hometown/High School: Garden City, NY | Garden City HS
Accolades: 2026 All-County…2025 All-County… played for Next Level Baseball…Principal's List…also played varsity football (2024 & 2025 First Team All-State)
Name: Callum Early
Class: Third Year
Position: MINF
Height/Weight: 6-0 | 185lbs
Hometown/High School: Richmond, Va. | James River HS | Liberty | Texas
Accolades: 2024 All-Region (SS), ranked 8th in PBR Virginia Baseball, set James River stolen base record…2023 All-Region (SS)...2022 All-State (2B), All-Region (2B), All-Metro (2B), set James River record for doubles by a sophomore…National Honor society, junior marshall…Brother, Connelly, is a LHP for the Washington Nationals
Name: Ty Fredo
Class: Fourth Year
Position: INF
Height/Weight: 6-0 | 200lbs
Hometown/High School: Caldwell, NJ | Caldwell HS | Mount St. Mary's University
Accolades: 2026 Second Team All-MAAC (3B), team captain...2025 MAAC Player of the Week…2023 First Team All-Super Essex Conference (American Division), Perfect Game Northeast Region Preseason All-Region…Honor roll…Dad, Jim, is in the Rutgers Newark Baseball Hall of Fame
Name: Aiden Gallagher
Class: First Year
Position: C/RHP
Height/Weight: 6-4 | 215lbs
Hometown/High School: Oak Hill, Va. | Paul IV HS
Accolades: 2026 State Player of the Year, First Team All-State, First Team All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, Virginia Max Preps Player of the Year…2025 First Team All-State, Second Team All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference…also played football and basketball
Name: Ryan Grzesiak
Class: Fifth Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-6 | 210lbs
Hometown/High School: Chantilly, Va. | John Champe HS | Virginia Tech | Florida Southwest
Accolades: 2022 All-District, Team MVP…2021 All-District
Name: Connor Hilliard
Class: First Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-3 | 210lbs
Hometown/High School: Luray, Va. | Luray HS
Accolades: 2026 Bull Run District Player of the Year, First Team All-District P & SS, Region 1B Player of the Year, First Team All-Region (P), Second Team All-Region (SS)…2025 First Team All-Bull Run District (P), Second Team All-District (SS), First Team All-Region 2B (P), Second Team All-Region 2B (SS)…2024 First Team All-Bull Run District (2B), First Team All-Region 2
B (2B)…2023 Second Team All-Bull Run District (2B), Second Team All-Region 2B (2B)…also played varsity basketball (2026 First Team All-Region 1B, First Team All-Bull Run District)...National Honor Society…Dad, Ethan, played baseball at Eastern Mennonite University
Name: Evan Hogg
Class: First Year
Position: INF/C
Height/Weight: 6-0 | 175lbs
Hometown/High School: Denver, NC | Southlake Christian Academy
Accolades: 2026 All-State, All-Metrolina Conference, Southlake Christian Academy Male Athlete of the Year, finalist for Charlotte Slugger of the Year, Team MVP, two-time Charlotte Observer Player of the Week nominee, team captain…2025 All-Metrolina Conference, finalist for Charlotte Slugger of the Year, Charlotte Observer Player of the Week nominee, Team MVP, team captain…2023 Charlotte Rising Star of the Year nominee…finished on top-10 list for career hits at Southlake Christian Academy…also two-year captain for football team…played summer baseball for RBC National and CBA National
Name: Jack Kelleher
Class: Third Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-6 | 235lbs
Hometown/High School/Previous School: Haverhill, Mass. / Haverhill HS / Northern Essex CC
Accolades: 2026 NJCAA D3 First Team All-American, JBP All-American, Region 21 Pitcher of the Year, Regional 21 Tournament MVP, First Team All-Region 21, 2x NJCAA D3 Pitcher of the Week, 2025 Region 21 Pitcher of the Year, All Region 21…2024 All Merrimack Valley Conference Second Team, Team Captain…2022 Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association All-State, All Merrimack Valley Conference First Team, Eagle Tribune All-Star Team…Haverhill Team Captain…played for Seacoast Pirates…National Honor Society, Honor roll
Name: Colon Lebel
Class: Second Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-2 | 195lbs
Hometown/High School: Virginia Beach, Va. | Cape Henry HS | George Washington University
Accolades: 2026 All-Rookie Team…2025 TCIS Player of the Year, First Team All-State…2024 First Team All-State, First Team All-TCIS…2023 State Champion…2022 State Champion…played in the Cape Cod league (Harwich Mariners)...National Honor Society, honor roll…spent time with the Great Britain National Baseball Team
Name: Christopher Marano
Class: First Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 5-10 | 180lbs
Hometown/High School: North Haledon, NJ | DePaul Catholic HS
Accolades: 2026 First Team All-Passaic County, Third Team All-State, county champion…2025 All-Big North Conference honorable mention…2024 All-Big North Conference honorable mention…2023 All-Big North Conference honorable mention …Theology award
Name: Christian McCleary
Class: First Year
Position: INF/LHP
Height/Weight: 6-2 | 240lbs
Hometown/High School: Houston, TX | Second Baptist HS
Accolades: 2026 First Team All-State, All-District, Vype Houston Baseball Player of the Year nominee, Vype First Team All Private School, state semifinalist…2025 All-District, All-State honorable mention, state semifinalist…2024 TAPPS State Champion/MVP, All-District, Vype Houston Private School Player of the Year nominee…2023 All-District, Playoff All-Tournament Team, state semifinalist…played for Hunter Pence Baseball…National Honor Society
Name: Aiden Ogando
Class:First Year
Position: INF
Height/Weight: 6-0 | 180lbs
Hometown/High School: Rochelle Park, NJ | DePaul Catholic HS
Accolades: 2026 First Team All-County, First Team All-Conference…2025 First Team All-County, First Team All-Conference…2024 County Champion…2023 County Champion…Honor roll
Name: Caden Stoops
Class: First Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-4 | 195lbs
Hometown/High School: Traverse City, Mich. | Traverse City HS
Accolades: 2025 First Team All-Big North Conference, TC Record-Eagle Pitcher of the Year, TC Record-Eagle Dream Team, TC Record-Eagle Athlete of the Year runner-up, district champion…2024 First Team All-Big North Conference, TC Record-Eagle Dream Team…2023 All-Big North Conference honorable mention…National Honor Society…Dad, Jim, played collegiate baseball at South Carolina University, signed with San Francisco Giants & played with Colorado Rockies
Name: Matthew Swanson
Class: First Year
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-5 | 205lbs
Hometown/High School: Williamsburg, Va. | Walsingham HS
Accolades: 2026 DIII Virginia State Player of the Year, Tidewater Baseball Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference (TCIS), First Team All-Tidewater, First Team PBR All-State, participated in the Tidewater All-Star game…2025 First Team All-State, participated in Tidewater All-Star game…2024 First Team All-State, Second Team All-Conference, Underclass VA PBR All-State, participated in Tidewater All-Star game…played for Virginia Venom…National Honor Society, Honor roll
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