A year ago around this time, Northwestern baseball fans were trying to convince themselves it couldn’t get any worse as they prepared for the 2025 season. After back-to-back campaigns where the Wildcats posted their lowest Big Ten win percentages since 1970, to say Ben Greenspan’s squad bounced back would be an understatement.
2025 was nothing short of a success for Northwestern baseball. Despite not qualifying for the Big Ten tournament, the Wildcats went 25-27 overall (13-17 in conference), and
their offense, specifically the infield, deserves much of the credit. Looking towards 2026, the departures of first basemen Trent Liolios and Tyler Ganus along with catcher Benett Markinson, all of whom played upwards of 45 games in 2025 mean there are plenty of at bats to go around.
If Northwestern hopes to capitalize on the program’s momentum heading into the 2026 season, it’ll take a similarly stellar performance on the dirt from familiar faces and new names alike.
Standouts
Ryan Kucherak, Junior, SS
Kucherak won’t just be the captain of the infield in 2026, he’ll be the engine for the Wildcats’ entire offense. The LSU transfer turned heads in his first season in Evanston, and the stats speak for themselves. With his .289/.379/.639 triple slash-line (Batting Average/On Base Percentage/Slugging) along with his team leading 41 RBI he cemented himself as a stalwart bat in the middle of the order. Notably, Kucherak set the Northwestern single-season home run record with 18, to go along with 12 doubles. Up the middle, Kucherak displays smooth mechanics and a sturdy, athletic frame that allows him to be rangy in all directions. At the plate, his lightning quick hands allow him to punish velocity inside. Kucherak opts for a toe-tap stride that can give some hitters trouble with timing up their swing consistently, but his hands are so fast that almost nothing on the inner-half gets by him. Look for him to try and cover the outer-half of the plate more consistently and cut down on his team leading 47 strikeouts. If he can more effectively handle spin, the sky is the limit for him.
Kucherak is one of the purest hitting talents Northwestern has seen in quite a while. Don’t be surprised if another elite season leads to his name getting called at the MLB Draft in July.
Noah Ruiz, Grad, SS/2B
Ruiz is the top infield transfer for the Wildcats this year from D-II Biola University, a private Christian university just outside Los Angeles. He stands a stocky 5-foot-10, 180 pounds with a sturdy lower body and showcases the ability to punish balls to left field. Ruiz touts a versatile skillset, illustrated by his success in all facets of the game. In his senior year at Biola he notched a .381 average, 10 home runs, 12 steals, and 18 doubles. His speed and athleticism will be crucial for a Wildcats team that finished dead last in the Big 10 in stolen bases in 2025.
Ruiz couples an upright posture from the right side with a whippy upper body that allows him to keep his barrel in the strike zone for a substantial time. The torque he generates manifests itself in an impressive number of pulled home runs and doubles without having to sell-out for velocity and whiff. He taps into more power power than one would expect from a guy his size. The jump to the Big 10 from the D-II Pacific West Conference will undoubtedly take time, but if he can keep his swing quiet and not get beat by the increased velocity he will be a big-time player up the middle for the Wildcats in 2026.
Jack Counsell, Junior, SS/2B
As Northwestern’s resident member of baseball royalty, look for Counsell to make a large impact with the bat if given the opportunity this year. The Michigan transfer and son of Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell took some massive leaps forward in his first year in Evanston in 2025. After a freshman season to forget in Ann Arbor, Counsell improved across the board, most notably with a 300 point increase in on-base plus slugging (OPS). Counsell’s swing is short, compact and level, allowing him to spray the ball to all fields. The shining moment of his season came in his three home run game against Illinois in late March when he lined an opposite-field bomb to right field. Swings like these showcase his potential as a consistent contributor with a polished offensive skillset.
There’s no sugar coating it: Counsell is a major X-factor for the Wildcats infield in 2026. If he continues to make strides offensively, he will force Greenspan’s hand and easily surpass his 28 games played in 2025. If he regresses back to his Michigan days, Northwestern’s infield quickly thins out, placing mounting pressure on Kucherak, Ruiz and others.
Owen McElfatrick, Senior, UTIL
McElfatrick is one of the best stories on this Wildcats roster. After his exceptional breakout season in 2024 when he led the team in home runs and total bases, he showcased further improvement in 2025. The move from center field to third base was seamless, which demonstrates the elite athleticism McElfatrick brings to the table. His defensive versatility cannot be understated, and don’t be surprised if you see him trotting out to a variety of infield positions in 2026.
At the plate, McElfatrick is a prototypical Greenspan player. Northwestern finished bottom-two in the Big Ten in both walks and strikeouts in 2025. McElfatrick can get to anything; he was the only qualified .300 hitter for a Wildcats team that preaches contact above all else. If McElfatrick can take yet another step forward this season, he will likely be the team’s second biggest offensive contributor. He’s the type of athlete that can likely tap into even more power without sacrificing any bat-to-ball. As he goes, the team goes.
Josh Ramos, Junior, C
Despite the talent across the diamond for Northwestern entering 2026, the catcher position remains a question mark. The departure of longtime Wildcat Bennett Markinson opens the door for new faces to establish themselves. Enter Josh Ramos. The Junior out of West Palm Beach is tall for a catcher at 6-foot-1, but if he can tap into this strength to stay healthy behind the dish for a full season and provide some pop at the plate, the Wildcats’ coaching staff would be pleased. Ramos appeared in just 13 games and notched 15 at bats in 2025. His best performance came against Michigan State on April 11th, when he drove in the game-winning RBI in the 11th inning. Look for Ramos to try and simplify his mechanics to make more consistent contact this year. If he shows early signs of improvement, he may just be the answer to one of the squad’s most pressing questions entering 2026.
Other Contributors
Nick Barron, Freshman, 1B
If Greenspan doesn’t trust any of his returning infielders to make the transition to first base, it’ll likely be Barron getting the bulk of those reps to start the season. Barron is a unit. Perfect Game’s No. 2 recruit out of Massachusetts this past year stands 6-foot-3, 215 and can mash from the left side. The IMG product launched a grand slam against the University of Chicago during the Wildcats’ fall game on October 19th and will hope to bring more of that energy during the season. Barron displays great balance and smooth hips that should help him tap into decent power at the collegiate level.
Jay Slater, Freshman, C
Slater will likely be another puzzle piece to hopefully sort out Northwestern’s catching question. The Duke transfer out of Pennsylvania appeared in only two games as a freshman for the Blue Devils, but hit .500 in those contests. He came out of Pennsylvania as the state’s No. 2 catcher and No. 10 player overall for the class of 2024, posting a near .600 OBP for Downington West his senior year. Look for Slater to capitalize on early opportunities this year and potentially establish himself as the Wildcats’ lead backstop.
