Michigan State Spartans: 2026 Season Preview
Jake Boss Jr. is in his fifteenth year in East Lansing, and the question is no longer whether he can keep Michigan State competitive — it is whether he can push the Spartans past the line that separates respectable from relevant. A 28-27 season in 2025 was the program in miniature: tough, functional, never quite enough. The talent is there to break through. The margin is razor-thin.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Won 28 games despite a brutal Big Ten schedule — 13 conference wins showed fight
Zach Iverson hit .312 with 8 HR as the lineup anchor
Ryan Szczepaniak posted a 3.41 ERA as the Friday starter, the staff's most reliable arm
Stole 55 bases — Boss's aggressive baserunning philosophy remains a program staple
Swept Indiana in a midseason series that represented the season's high-water mark
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Zach Iverson
OF · Sr.The best bat in the Spartan lineup. A patient hitter with plus power who covers ground in center field. His ability to set the table and drive in runs makes him the offensive engine.
Ryan Szczepaniak
RHP · Jr.Friday starter who commands a four-pitch mix. Competed in every Big Ten start and showed he can handle the front of a rotation. A full offseason of strength work should add velocity.
Trent Farquhar
C · Jr.Athletic catcher with a strong arm and developing bat. Controls the running game and handles a young pitching staff with maturity beyond his years.
Jack Frank
3B · So.Physical corner infielder who showed raw power as a freshman. The swing has length, but when he connects, the ball carries. A breakout candidate.
Derek Hahn
LHP · Jr.Left-handed reliever with a devastating slider. Moved into high-leverage spots midseason and thrived. Could push into the rotation or serve as the closer.
Transfer Portal Additions
Cole Harberts
SS · Jr.Athletic shortstop with Big Ten experience. Adds speed and defensive range to the middle infield. His stolen base numbers will fit Boss's aggressive style.
Brady Marcum
RHP · R-Sr.Strike-throwing right-hander with MAC Pitcher of the Year buzz. Pitches to contact with a heavy sinker and sharp slider. Slots into the weekend rotation immediately.
Myles Austin
OF/DH · Jr.Power bat from the MAC who crushed in-state pitching. The jump to Big Ten arms is the question, but the bat speed and raw power translate.
Gavin Weiss
LHP · So.Young lefty looking for more innings after a limited role. Has a clean delivery and a changeup that neutralizes right-handed hitters.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Ryan Szczepaniak (6-5, 3.41 ERA) is the Friday anchor, and his ability to pitch deep into games saves a bullpen that cannot afford to be exposed early. He does not overpower hitters — he outcompetes them. Pitch-to-pitch, he is one of the most reliable arms in the Big Ten.
The Rotation
Brady Marcum (from Iowa, 3.28 ERA) adds a veteran Saturday starter with Big Ten experience and a ground-ball approach. Derek Hahn (3.88 ERA) is the leading Sunday candidate, though Boss may keep him in a high-leverage relief role. Gavin Weiss (from Indiana) provides left-handed depth that the staff lacked in 2025.
The Depth
The bullpen was the weak link in 2025 — a 5.12 ERA in relief appearances tells the story. If Hahn stays in the pen, he becomes the closer. The Spartans need two or three freshmen arms to develop quickly, because the margin for error in late innings is non-existent.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Zach Iverson (.312, 8 HR) is the one hitter opposing pitchers game-plan for. He draws walks, drives the ball gap-to-gap, and plays premium defense. The lineup goes as Iverson goes — and that has been both the strength and the limitation.
The Middle
Myles Austin (from CMU, .295, 12 HR) adds the power bat the middle of the order has lacked. Jack Frank (.258, 6 HR) showed enough as a freshman to suggest he can hit third or fourth. Trent Farquhar (.274, 5 HR) provides a steady bat behind them. The 3-4-5 has more thump than any Boss lineup in recent memory.
The Supporting Cast
Cole Harberts (from Iowa, .278, 18 SB) brings speed and on-base ability to the top of the order. The bottom third needs at least one more contributor to emerge from the freshmen class. Michigan State cannot afford dead spots in the lineup if it wants to compete for a .500 Big Ten record.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
Michigan State has been stuck in the space between 25 and 32 wins for the better part of Boss's tenure, and the 2026 roster has the pieces to push past that ceiling — if the bullpen holds. Szczepaniak and Marcum give the rotation two legitimate weekend arms. Iverson is a lineup anchor, and Austin adds the power bat the middle of the order has needed. The question is depth: can the Spartans survive the attrition of a 56-game schedule without the pitching falling apart in April? If Hahn develops into a shutdown closer and two freshmen arms emerge, this team can play its way onto the NCAA Tournament bubble. If not, it will be another season of moral victories and near-misses — the kind Boss has navigated for fourteen years.