After an offseason of turnover that resulted in 15 additions, there are numerous questions about BGSU baseball as they gear up to begin the 2026 season in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday.
Here are the Falcons Four biggest questions surrounding the team on the eve of the new season:
Who will play?
There are truly only four solidified starters on the lineup card heading into the Georgia Tech series.
Senior right-handed pitcher Jacob Turner and sophomore right-handed pitcher Carrson Sova will be the Friday and Saturday starters, although the order has not been publicly specified. Meanwhile, senior infielder Sam Seidel will start at second base and redshirt junior infielder Brady Birchmeier will start at first base.
One can make assumptions about other positions, such as redshirt senior Zack Horky in right field or senior Cooper McKenzie behind the plate. But those are not confirmed, and it is known head coach Kyle Hallock likes to move his chess pieces around the diamond.
As it stands, Hallock has to make decisions on who will fill the roles in the outfield, on the left side of the infield, Sunday starting pitcher, middle relief pitchers, high-leverage relief pitchers and closer.
There are plenty of players vying for the open positions, and there is a very good chance Hallock will use non-conference play to solidify the spots by the start of conference play, but it is quite possibly the biggest question going into the season.
Can depth make up for lost star power?
The coaching staff and players claim that the roster is deeper than last season. However, they are missing multiple big pieces from last season, notably Garrett Wright, DJ Newman and Connar Penrod.
As of now, there is no true star on the roster. Sure, players like Turner, Sova, Birchmeier, Seidel, and Horky have shown flashes, but they have not yet become First Team All-MAC players.
Time will tell whether the depth can make up for the loss of big-name attractions, but for now, it is a major question mark.
Will the team stay healthy?
The team’s biggest problem last season was staying healthy.
Many impact players for Bowling Green missed extended time due to injury last season, including Newman, Birchmeier, Seidel, first baseman/outfielder TJ Takats and left-handed pitcher Nic Good.
As the old saying goes, ‘availability is the best ability.’
Numerous members of the program have stated that the team has focused on injury prevention and staying on the field throughout the offseason, and with the decreased star power heading into the season, it will be paramount that the Falcons stay healthy.
Can pitching anchor the Falcons?
One good problem Hallock and his staff currently have is figuring out roles on the pitching staff.
On paper, the unit is deeper than previous years and led by a plethora of veterans, notably Turner, Luke Krouse, Titus Lotz, Kade Arn, Nate Kress and Ty Roder, along with experienced newcomers Andrew Heffernan and Ethan Stade.
While there may be more depth, the Falcons will also have to replace a major vacancy left by Penrod after he delivered a historic season.
Additionally, Bowling Green’s projected offensive production is a major question after the notable losses.
So, if the Falcons want another 33-win season, an appearance in Avon or championship gold, pitching is going to have to be a major strength of the team. The question is who will step up, and is the unit truly deep enough to be an anchor for success?
