Harvilla drove in 45 while slashing .287/.420/.446 with 16 doubles and four homes runs, and Kamerer had more of a tablesetter approach. Jackson Halter also returns to the outfield, and he should be a key part of the top of the order. 

Ethan Murdoch and Akron transfer Evan Bottone could round out this outfield. Murdoch was second on the team in home runs with 10, behind Niu. Bottone put up some really intriguing numbers at Akron, slashing .281/.413/.378 with 13 SBs in 2025. 

The biggest question for the Herd is whether they can replace some of the thump in their lineup that they lost. They have a bunch of grinder types who can make contact and work at bats, but will they have the production? 

The Thundering Herd will likely find it somewhere, and with the pitching staff looking so strong, Marshall could finish near the top of the Sun Belt Conference again in 2026. (Jared Perkins)

Arkansas State Red Wolves

You usually don’t expect a write-up on a team that finished 14-16 in conference and 26-28 overall, but it feels like Arkansas State has been doing a lot of the right things to get itself back to prominence of late. 

They’ve had years of really bad teams and haven’t been to an NCAA Regional since 1994, but Head Coach Mike Silva took over the program last year after leading Nicholls to back-to-back regionals, and they ended with one of their best finishes in a long time. 

The school is investing in the program as well. They recently announced they are moving forward with plans for a transformative 40,000 square-foot baseball Player Development Center overlooking right field at Tomlinson Stadium. 

The two-level facility is set to include a full turf infield, batting cages, pitching tunnels, weight room, meeting spaces, and premium seating, giving the Red Wolves year-round player development resources and a major recruiting boost. This should only help Coach Silva moving forward. 

As for 2026, Arkansas State brings back some really key returners, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The biggest headliners for them are infielder Patrick Engskov and outfielder Ashton Quiller. Both were top producers for the Red Wolves in 2026.

Engskov hit 13 doubles, nine home runs, and drove in 35 runs. Quiller slashed .318/.371/.479 with 12 doubles, five triples, three home runs, and 30 RBI in his freshman year. Getting these two back is huge for Arkansas State. 

They also return outfielder Cross Jumper, infielder Cason Campbell, catcher Kaden Amundson, and outfielder Jake Henry Williams, all of whom started significant games last year. That’s 6 of 9 returners on the offensive side. 

In terms of the transfer portal, they did bring in Evan Griffis from Stetson and Cougar Cooke out of Utah Valley, who could play a role for this team in 2026. 

On the mound, the biggest name returning is freshman Jack Hibbard, who posted a 4.95 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. He started 12 games for the Red Wolves. Colin Maloney also returns and he posted a 4.46 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 42.1 innings and started nine games. 

Senior Jack Nelson also comes back, and he is one of the most productive returners, posting a 3.86 ERA last year in 49 innings. 

They also brought in some intriguing transfer portal arms, including Wes Pritchard from Mississippi State, Houston Tomlinson from Texas A&M, and Ryan Ashford from Miami. 

Between the offensive returners and firepower, the return to the mound, the Red Wolves seem primed to improve on their 2025 season. Will the offense be able to take that next step in production? That remains to be seen, but all the pieces of the puzzle are there for Arkansas State to improve its Sun Belt Conference standings. (Jared Perkins)

Top 2026 MLB Draft Prospects

PlayerPositionSchoolCam FlukeyRHPCoastal CarolinaHayden JohnsonLHPCoastal CarolinaColby AllenRHPSouthern MissDominick CarboneLHPCoastal CarolinaRoss NormanRHPCoastal CarlinaThomas CrabtreeRHPSouthern MissHunter BaynesRHPOld DominionDylan AlonsoRHPTroy