Cincinnati’s baseball program did well in 2025. The Bearcats secured a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament last May and were very competitive in a tight Knoxville Regional. Heading into 2026, Cincinnati returns several key performers from 2025.

The Returnees

In our 2025 Big 12 preview this past February, we noted that the Bearcats were able to create a lot of chaos in 2024. That chaos turned into consistent baseball, which helped Cincinnati reach the NCAA Tournament.

Several players took steps forward last year, including ex-Rutgers catcher Jack Natili. Natili accrued regular playing time as a sophomore in Piscataway two years ago but left in the summer to head to the Big 12. The move worked out very well, as Natili hit .338 with nine home runs and 24 extra-base hits.

Natili continued to produce in the wood-bat Cape Cod League, as he finished second in the circuit with six home runs.

The 20-year-old Natili was one of several transfer additions who shook up a strong Cincinnati offense. Cal Sefcik, from Indiana, finished 2025 with the third-most hits (61) on the year. Sefcik hit seven home runs and 18 extra-base hits.

Freshman Quinton Coats, now a freshman, was another big piece for the Bearcats. Coats hit .315 with six home runs and 13 extra-base hits. He’s now a sophomore, and coming off a 10 extra-base hit summer in the Northwoods League.

Coats will be joined by Derrick Pitts, who hit four home runs over 93 plate appearances last year.

As for the pitching staff, Nathan Taylor came into 2025 with expectations. Taylor threw over 70 innings as a freshman two seasons ago. As a sophomore, he struck out 91 over a team-high 87 frames and posted a sub-4.00 ERA.

Taylor will headline a deep pitching staff, one that’ll also include returning pitchers Adam Buczkowski and Hudson Johnson, two pitchers who logged a lot of innings out of the bullpen last year.

Tommy Boba, who was on the original 2025 roster but didn’t pitch, is back for his redshirt junior campaign.

The Newcomers

After four years with the Bearcats, Kerrington Cross left the program as an MLB Draft pick. San Diego selected Cross in the seventh round. It is a significant loss, though expected, given that he hit .396/.526/.647 last spring with Cincinnati.

Cross was part of, as noted above, a strong offense that also included power-hitter Landyn Vidourek. Vidourek, as a 21-year-old junior, hit 14 home runs for Cincinnati and earned himself a third-round selection by the Dodgers last July.

Cincinnati will hope some of the transfer additions can help with those losses.

Conlan Daniel, a Cincinnati native, will return home for his sophomore campaign. Daniel, with 2025 Cinderella school Wright State, hit .314 with six home runs in Dayton.

He’s one of several new transfer hitters. Daniel will be joined by ex-Bradley infielder Jackson Smith. Smith hit .331 in the Prospect League this past summer after a strong campaign with the Braves.

Cincinnati was also one of several schools to raid North Dakota State in the summer. Pitcher Logan Knight, who threw 83.1 IP for the Bison in 2025, is now on the Bearcats’ roster.

Lastly, there are 13 true freshmen on the roster. Perhaps the most notable name among that group is Illinois prepster Joe DuSell. DuSell showed big power on the showcase circuit as an outfielder. The arm is also very strong; he hit the low-90s in the Perfect Game showcase circuit in 2024.

Dusell got work in this summer down in the Appalachian League. He only hit .135 and struck out 26 times over 24 games. However, he took his walks, as DuSell received 15 free passes.

Summary

The Cincinnati program is trending upwards.

Last season, the Bearcats had a lot of firepower, and that deep lineup helped propel Cincinnati to the NCAA Tournament. For 2026, the goal will be to put together a strong, well-rounded team.

On paper, the Bearcats have a chance to do just that. Between the new additions and the existing infrastructure, Cincinnati has the potential to do a lot of damage come next season.

Check out more of our college baseball coverage, including looks at Big 12 rivals Arizona State and TCU.

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