The countdown to the summer is on and we’re excited to announce another loaded Canes Baseball roster ready to compete for championships. We have 28 players who are among the best from across the country and who are prepared to make their mark on the rich history of the organization, which has well over 400 players selected in the MLB Draft and nearly 4,500 who have earned the opportunity to play college baseball over the previous 20 years. “This is a really exciting group of players this year,” Bryson Massey, the National Scouting Director for Canes Baseball, said of this year’s team. “It’s a lot of guys who are just real baseball players, and that’s how we built this roster. We have a bunch of really talented guys that just want to win. We have a lot of competitors, a lot of selfless guys and it’s a really high-caliber team from top to bottom.” Just as in the past, we have a decorated team of players who have been with us in the Canes organization for multiple years, and some of the top players from across the country are also going to put on our jersey for the first time this summer.

One of the primary leaders on the team is shortstop Dylan Seward, a returning member of the Canes and the player we believe is best in the country. “We have a great amount of talent on the team,” Seward said. “I’m personally really looking forward to playing with a group of guys who have a similar mindset as me and at the same level. I’m looking forward to competing at the highest level with one of the top teams in the nation under a prestigious coaching staff and organization. It’s an honor.” Taking one of the spots in the corner outfield is Drake Hawpe (Argyle, Texas/Liberty Christian), a left-handed hitting slugger from the Lone Star State. Hawpe, ranked as the No. 27 player in the country, is committed to play for the current College World Series champions, LSU. “He’s a plus left-handed power bat that can really run,” Massey said. “He has a plus arm in the outfield and his dad was a big league all-star. We’re looking forward to a big summer from Drake.”

Sometimes behind the plate, sometimes at first base, KJ Anderson (Cookeville, Tenn./Cookeville) is going to be an important bat in the lineup. A left-handed hitter, Anderson is considered the No. 39 player in the country by Perfect Game and will play his college ball at Auburn. “He’s a great backstop,” Massey said. “He really came on the scene last summer and showed a lot of power in the bat, which garnered him a lot of interest going into the recruiting period. He’s going to bring a lot of power to the lineup and versatility because he can play first base as well.”

A catcher, Jace Moran (Live Oak, Fla./Suwannee) is also looking to add some punch to the batting order. Moran, ranked as the No. 72 player in the country by Perfect Game, is staying in his home state to play his college ball at Florida. “He’s great behind the plate,” Massey said. “He’s new to the team, but he can really hit. He’s a plus defender back there who really works well with his pitchers.”

An outfielder, often patrol centerfield, Finnian O’Loughlin (Jersey City, N.J./Delbarton) has impressive power and serious arm strength. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder is the No. 10 player in the country and will play his college ball at Alabama. “Fin’s a center fielder who came to our team in the fall of last year,” Massey said. “He really showed out last year and hit probably the farthest ball I’ve ever seen in Jupiter. He showed the power towards the end of the summer last year. He’s a centerfielder with real bat-to-ball with a lot of power.”

A player with some versatility on the infield is Trip Ostergard (Charleston, S.C./James Island), who will continue his career collegiately at North Carolina. A native of beautiful Charleston, S.C., he is ranked as the No. 163 player in the country by Perfect Game. “He’s another new guy to the team and he’s just a true baseball player,” Massey said. “He’s really gritty with a really good glove. He’s also got some real bat-to-ball skills that are going to be vital in the lineup.”

From one coast to the other, outfielder Ira Rootman (Los Angeles, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) is sure to be an impactful bat in the lineup. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Los Angeles will play his college baseball at Texas. Rootman is ranked as the No. 91 player in the country and the 28th-best outfielder. “He really jumped onto the scene last year and he’s another player with great bat-to-ball skills that can really hit,” Massey said. “We went after a lot of guys who can truly hit, and he’s someone who hit all last summer and fall in all of the big events.”

While we believe he’s the best player in the country, shortstop Dylan Seward (Eastvale, Calif./Norco) is ranked second nationally by Perfect Game. A native of Eastvale, Calif., Seward brings all of the tools of the trade to the game, and is committed to play his college baseball at Tennessee. He’s also a switch hitter and it’s a safe bet you’ll see him often in the leadoff spot in the order. “In my mind, he’s the number one player in the country,” Massey said. “He has elite speed, he’s a true shortstop with a plus glove. He’s also the leader of this group, and he really wants that role and can thrive in that role.”

Another versatile player from a defensive standpoint, infielder Braylon Sheffield (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot) is ranked as the No. 107 player nationally and the 26th-best shortstop. A commitment to Virginia, the 6-foot, left-handed hitter is someone we expect to see on base a lot this summer. “There are a lot of people who have spoken very highly of him in the baseball world,” Massey said. “He’s another guy who’s just a true baseball player who can really hit. He’s very versatile on the dirt, is going to play multiple positions for us, but the biggest thing is what he does so well at the plate.”

The first thing that jumps out about corner infielder Christian Spivey (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) is his power at the plate. A left-handed hitter, Spivey is ranked as the No. 352 player in the country by Perfect Game. A commitment to the in-state Gamecocks, Spivey could find his way into the middle of the order for the Canes. “Christian comes from a great high school program with Brian Hucks,” Massey said. “We brought him on because he knows how to play the game and he’s going to bring some thump into the lineup. He has great power to all fields and has real plus hitting ability.”

One of the players right there with Spivey in terms of adding power to the lineup is outfielder JJ Utash (Bosque Farms, N.M./Williams Field). Ranked as the No. 33 player in the country, this will be Utash’s first year with the Canes, and he’s committed to play collegiately at Texas. “He busted onto the scene at the end of the summer last year,” Massey said. “He hit some of the hardest balls all year last year on the scouting scene. He looks like a big leaguer in his uniform and some of the balls he hit last year – he was just the hottest hitter on the circuit there for about three months.”

A corner infielder by trade and someone who will also see time as a pitcher, Markus Chandler (Omaha, Neb./Westside) will bring speed and line drives to the lineup. He’s also got a fastball on the mound, another place he’ll play a significant role, that will climb into the mid-90s. A right-handed hitter committed to play at Kansas State, Chandler is ranked No. 266 nationally by Perfect Game and is considered the 20th third baseman. “He’s a true two-way guy that will get to 95 on the bump,” Massey said. “He really performed on the scene last summer and fall. We’re looking to have a big summer out of him. He’s not really a highly-known guy, but he’s going to be a big piece of this lineup and his two-way ability.”

The only Class of 2028 player on the roster, Keelan Zumwalt (Lees Summit, Mo./Summit Christian), is undoubtedly one of the best in his class. He’s ranked by Perfect Game the No. 6 player in the country and best first baseman. He’s currently uncommitted but he, like Chandler, will play a significant role as a two-way player. “We haven’t had many underclassmen on this team in a while,” Massey said. “He’s going to step on the mound and be 90 on the bump, but he’s also one of the top five players in the 2028 class who can hit too. We’re looking for him to be a very integral part of the offense and will slide him around in the outfield with a little bit of first base also.”

Shifting focus exclusively to the mound, right-hander Calum Andersen (Calgary, Alberta Canada/Vauxhall Academy) comes to us from our neighbors to the north. He’s ranked as the No. 14 player in Alberta and is committed to play baseball at Oklahoma. “He came onto the scene kind of late and performed really well at an event in Canada,” Massey said. “He’s 89-92 with real pitchability. We’re looking forward to having him join us this summer.”

While he may currently be uncommitted, right-handed pitcher Simon Brutskiy (Apex, N.C./Apex) is one of the best in the country at what he does. Ranked as the No. 271 player nationally, Brutskiy has a breaking ball that is going to generate a lot of swings and misses. “He probably has the realest breaking ball in the class,” Massey said. “It’s a plus-plus breaking ball that you’ll see from him. He’s a real bulldog on the mound but I’d call him the Spin Doctor.”

One of the most powerful arms in the country is right-hander Soren Etheridge (Phoenix, Ariz./Phoenix Country Day School), whose fastball might reach as high as his Perfect Game ranking, which is No. 96 nationally. A commitment to Wake Forest, the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder is considered the 12th-best right-handed pitcher in the country. “Soren got the chance to pitch for Jeff in Jupiter under the lights this past year and really made a name for himself,” Massey said. “His fastball will get to 95, and it’s a real fastball. He’s one of those guys who wants the ball in big moments and can really thrive in them.”

Right-handed pitcher Chris Grasso (Lafayette Hill, Pa./St. Joseph’s Prep) returns to the Canes this year and is considered the No. 307 player in the country regardless of position by Perfect Game. A member of the Canes now, he’s also going to play for the Canes at the collegiate level with his commitment to Miami. “He’s one of our returning players, and he’ll be 89-92 with his fastball, but he can really spin the slider,” Massey said. “He’s one of those true starting pitchers. He’s someone that we feel like we can really rely on this summer.”

A first-time member of the Canes this year, right-handed pitcher Braydin Jones (Humboldt, Tenn./University School of Jackson) is someone expected to fill up the strike zone every time he takes the mound. Ranked as the No. 490 player in the country, Jones will make the short drive from western Tennessee to Ole Miss to play college ball. “He’s another new guy to the staff and he had great numbers all summer last summer,” Massey said. “He lives in the strike zone at 89-92 and he’s the type of guys that we love around here because he is consistently in the zone attacking hitters.”

Our hardest thrower on the roster, right-handed pitcher Cole Kuhn (Elkins Park, Penn./St. Joseph’s Prep) is ranked as the No. 111 player in the country by Perfect Game and the 15th-best player at his position. Don’t be surprised when the Duke commitment hits triple digits on the radar gun. “We are incredibly excited to have Cole back with the Canes,” Massey said. “He has a truly electric arm with a fastball that has been up to 101 this spring., With the deception of his delivery paired with the velocity, we see him giving hitters a hard time this summer.”

Right-handed pitcher Luke Langhorne (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) has a familiar name as his brother, Miles, pitched with us six years ago. Standing 6-foot-4, Luke has the competitiveness and four-pitch mix that’s going to help us this summer, and Pittsburgh where he’ll play his college baseball. “He’s coming up from our American team from last summer,” Massey said. “He really performed well for that group. His younger brother, Miles, played for us. Luke is a real competitor and he’s going to go out there and give you everything he has every time he gets the ball.”

Right-handed pitcher Jett Little (Bedford, Mass./Dexter Southfield) is on pace to bounce back strong after an injury last year set him back, and we’re confident that he’s going to regain his shutdown ability this summer. The 6-foot-4, 195-pounder is currently uncommitted. “He is coming off of an injury and was 89-91 prior to his injury,” Massey said. “He’s always had a really lively fastball paired with a good slider. With this arsenal we look for him to give us great innings this summer.”

There’s a real skill with left-handed pitcher Lawton Littleton (Lake Charles, La./Alfred Barbe) as he features one of the best one of the best breaking balls on the roster as well as a fastball that has made a significant jump. Ranked as the No. 241 player in the country, he’ll fit in perfectly with us as well at in-state LSU. “The first thing that comes to mind with Lawton is that he has a real breaking ball,” Massey said. “He’ll be 90-92 and fills the zone up with three pitches. He’s a true starter and has that profile with a curve ball that’s going to get a lot of people out.”

Right-handed pitcher Brady McCormack (N. Chesterfield, Va./Monacan), who stands 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, is one of those guys you want leading you off the bus. Big and strong, McCormack is ranked as the No. 408 player in the country and is bound to play his college ball at Ole Miss. “Brady is another guy who really fits the mold of what we like here in that he really lives in the strike zone,” Massey said. “He’ll be 89-91, fills the zone up. He hasn’t been on the scene a whole lot but is a true pitchability guy.”

Whenever the lights are shining the brightest, left-handed pitcher Griffin McKain (Fort Mill, S.C./Charlotte Catholic) is one who has a great chance to take the ball. McKain, a long-timer with the Canes, always rises in big moments. Ranked as the No. 70 player in the country and ninth-best left-handed pitcher, McKain is committed to Clemson. “Griffin has pitched on some of the biggest stages,” Massey said. “He’s pitched for Team USA and has been with us his entire career. He’s the ultimate competitor that’s going to fill the zone up. His best moments are when the lights are bright.”

Speaking of first off the bus, right-handed pitcher Gavin McMillan (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista) is one of those guys, and also the first choice when playing pickup basketball. Standing at 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds, McMillan is considered the No. 100 player in the country and 13th-best right-handed pitcher. He’s committed to play baseball at Ole Miss. “The guy is a monster on the mound but he’s also a big-time basketball player,” Massey said. “He’ll be 91-93 on the mound and has a feel for three pitches. Gavin has a starter’s profile and has won some big games for us. He really performed well down in Jupiter this past fall.”

The expectation for right-handed pitcher Steven Pannullo (Essex Fells, N.J./Delbarton) is to pitch in big moments. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder playing in his first summer with the Canes thrives in those spots. He’s ranked as the No. 221 player in the country by Perfect Game. “Steven will be 90-92 on the mound for us and really competes well at the highest level,” Massey said. “He is one of those guys who wants the ball in big spots and he’s going to be getting the ball for us this summer.”

A returning member of the Black and Gold, right-handed pitcher Kam Smith (Girard, Kansas/Girard) would meet the moment with our 16U team last year. Ranked as the No. 277 player in the country, the Arkansas commitment is very reliable when it comes to being in the strike zone. “Kam was one of our go-to guys this past year for us on the 16U team,” Massey said. “He has a starter profile, the fastball will get up to 92 and he has three pitches. He’s another one of our guys who really throws a lot of strikes. He’s got the bloodline, too, as his dad is a former big leaguer also.” One of the players making the most rapid improvement of late is right-handed pitcher

James Venick (Los Angeles, Calif./Harvard-Westlake), who’s worked hard for a big jump in his fastball. He’s a booming prospect from the west coast and will stay close to home to play his college baseball at Southern Cal. “James made a big jump in the fall,” Massey said. “He’s been up recently to 95. He goes to a really good high school that has great baseball. We’re looking for a big step from him this summer from where he was last summer, and we’re really excited for him and what he can become. He can also really spin the breaking ball.”

To finish off our roster of pitchers is a returner and one of the top arms not only on our staff, but in the entire country. Right-hander Brady Buenik (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) has a mid-90s fastball and another who loves to live in the strike zone and challenge hitters. Ranked as the No. 74 player in the country, Buenik will play his college baseball at Tennessee. “He’s a big time arm who is up to 95 and pitched in some really big games for us,” Massey said. “He’s one of the top right-handed pitchers in the class, he’s got a bright future ahead of him and we’re looking forward to seeing what he has this summer.”

The summer is coming quickly, and the anticipation is building for the opportunity to compete against some of the top travel programs in the country with one of the best rosters we’ve ever assembled.