The Dallas Baptist (DBU) Patriots had a strong overall 2025 season. Led by fantastic pitching and power, DBU won 41 games and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, the draw was not kind to the Patriots, as DBU lost two games, one to Little Rock and one to eventual champion LSU, to bounce out of the Regionals. Dallas Baptist will look for another tournament berth in 2026 with a different-looking roster.

The Returnees

Pro pitchers Ryan Johnson and James Ellwanger have been recent success stories for a program that’s produced solid pitching talent over the years. Another one, Luke Pettitte, could be joining them in the pros come 2026.

The 20-year-old Pettitte, the son of longtime Major Leaguer Andy Pettitte, only pitched in six games last season due to injury. However, he pitched well in those games, as he struck out 13 over 11.1 IP and posted a clean 0.00 ERA.

Pettitte then had a good overall summer in the Cape despite seven home runs allowed over 24.1 IP. The right-hander struck out 33 in the wood-bat circuit.

The Patriots also retained senior Ryan Borberg, the innings leader for DBU last season. Borberg struck out 79 over 80 innings last season, third most on the team.

Other notable returning pitchers include Liam Watt, Ashton Branson, and sophomore Athan Kroll.

The offense, meanwhile, will have a lot of new faces come 2026. Three notable ones from 2025, though, are back.

Senior Jake Bennett hit 12 home runs for the Patriots last season. Formerly of San Jacinto College, Bennett amassed that total in only 32 games.

Fifth-year player Chayton Krauss is also back. Krauss hit .332 with 15 home runs and 34 extra-base hits for the Patriots last season.

Dallas Baptist also got back senior catcher Adam Berghult. Bergult only hit .214 last season but hit seven home runs, which tied him for fifth on the team.

The Newcomers

As noted earlier, the Patriots will look very different come 2026.

Nathan Humphryes turned in a fantastic 2025 campaign, as Humphryes hit .353 with 17 home runs for Dallas Baptist. It didn’t earn him a spot in the MLB Draft. However, he was signed as a UDFA by the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Mariners, meanwhile, took C/OF Grant Jay in the 12th round. Jay was a force over his three years with the Patriots despite high strikeout numbers.

As for the pitching staff, the Patriots lost, arguably, their two best pitchers. James Ellwanger was picked by the Twins in the third round last July, while Micah Bucknam followed him in the fourth. Bucknam, a New Zealand native, was picked by the Blue Jays.

The losses create new opportunities for those still on the roster and the newcomers.

Among the newcomers is ex-Vanderbilt catcher Mac Rose. Rose, a 20th-round pick by the Rangers in 2024 out of McClennan CC in Texas, declined to go pro and instead played for Vanderbilt. Rose didn’t have a big year, though, as he slashed .250/.393/.326 for the Commodores.

Rose got on base a lot in Vandy. However, he had just six extra-base hits over 45 games and hit just .100 in the Cape.

Dylan Cupp comes over from Mississippi State. Cupp hit .282/.451/.424 with nine doubles and one home run for the Bulldogs last season.

Tate Hess, formerly of Louisiana-Lafayette, struck out 65 over 58.2 IP last season. Hess worked as both a starter and a reliever.

Pitcher Jared Schaeffer struck out 79 over 85.2 IP for the Akron Zips in the MAC.

The Patriots also have six true freshmen, including catcher Reagan McCluskey and pitcher Max Luzarraga.

Summary

This is Dallas Baptist’s final year in the C-USA. Starting in 2027, the Patriots will play alongside Oregon State, Washington State, Gonzaga, Texas State, Fresno State, and San Diego State in the newly-aligned Pac-12. That move was made official this past summer.

It won’t be an easy year, schedule-wise — which is a good thing. DBU will have matchups against UTSA, Oklahoma, TCU, and Oklahoma State this season, plus in-conference matchups against Liberty, New Mexico State, and Sam Houston State.

However, the Patriots have a good team heading into 2026. Which should give Dallas Baptist a chance to do damage in the C-USA one last time.

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