Indiana University football garnered prominence by winning the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship, but residents of Cotuit, Massachusetts, may feel more inclined to root for its baseball team.
The Kettleers’ roster features three players who were Hoosiers this past season — position players Hogan Denny and Jake Hanley and pitcher Jackson Yarberry. The trio has enjoyed playing in Cotuit, and being together has undoubtedly made the experience better.
“Having guys that you can rely on and comfortably say you're close to is a really nice thing,” Hanley said. “I think Hogan (Denny) makes me better, Yarberry makes me better and I hope that I make them better.”
Hanley has competed in the Cape Cod Baseball League before, playing for Chatham in 2025. For Denny and Yarberry, it’s a new experience.
Denny played in the Northwoods League in 2025, while Yarberry experienced a stint in the Prospect League in 2024. He didn’t participate in summer ball in 2025, as he underwent surgery.
The CCBL has a reputation for being one of the best, and so far, it has lived up to the hype. According to Yarberry, the Prospect and Cape leagues are “night and day.”
“It's a bunch of guys that want to get better at baseball, but at the same time, we're here to enjoy the summer,” he said. “Being in the Cape is just a cool experience. I've never really been up here, and I think it's life-changing.”
Denny has also been impressed by the CCBL and the high level of competition he has faced, but he had an idea of what to expect.
“(Hanley) told me it was definitely going to be a really good challenge,” Denny said. “But he said it's a lot of fun, and he's been correct with everything he said.”
When Denny, Hanley and Yarberry found out they would all be playing for the same team, they were excited. Hanley remembers his coaches at Indiana delivering the news in the fall.
“They're like, ‘do you want to go play with three of your college teammates,’ and I was like, ‘that would be awesome,’” he said. “The one thing I felt was missing from last year was guys that I knew, so it was a little lonely. This team's really cohesive, and guys love hanging out with each other, so having them has been really good.”
All three players have made impressive contributions to the Kettleers early on. Hanley whacked two home runs against Yarmouth-Dennis on Friday as Cotuit handed the Red Sox their first loss of the season. Denny has been a consistent presence in the lineup and a reliable hitter, and Yarberry has made two starts, including one on opening day.
There is mutual respect among the three, as they recognize each other’s talent. It’s evident in the confidence Yarberry exudes on the mound, the power with which Denny and Hanley hit and the competitive fire that all three possess.
But their bond transcends that of just teammates; they are also close friends. Denny and Hanley go way back, as they played on different travel ball teams in the same region when they were 12 years old.
Hanley pitched back then, and he recalled Denny hitting a home run off him. It’s something that may have been embarrassing at the time but is now nothing more than a funny first impression that marked the beginning of a strong friendship.
That friendship evolved and strengthened when they entered Indiana as freshmen together in 2025.
“Once we got to campus, we actually lived with each other in the dorms our freshman year, so we got really close,” Denny said. “He’s a great player, but he's an even better dude.”
Yarberry joined the program at the same time as Denny and Hanley, but his path looked a little different. He transferred in after playing his freshman season at Saint Louis, but they made the transition easy.
“We bonded instantly,” Yarberry said. “Pitchers and hitters (are) all different, but at the same time, we're playing the same game. They're great dudes, and I think it made for a good experience for sure.”
Since the Kettleers play nearly every day, Denny, Hanley and Yarberry spend a lot of time together. Even on off days, which don’t come often, they still enjoy hanging out.
“We'll just go and do stuff; we'll go grab food, we'll go to the beach,” Yarberry said. “I think the best players are able to take an off day very seriously and relax the mind. Once we come back to the field, we’re boys, but we're playing baseball too.”
It’s been a fun journey, but Denny, Hanley and Yarberry know that it can’t last forever. With factors like the transfer portal and Major League Baseball draft, it’s unclear how long they will be Hoosiers. Regarding the Kettleers, Denny will soon leave to play for Team USA.
Ultimately, no matter how short-lived their time together may be, that impermanence is what makes it truly meaningful.
