The backbone of the 20-win Gatemen from 2025 was their pitching staff. Wareham had a team ERA of 3.88, third best in the Cape League, and three shutout performances throughout the summer. Most of all, the Gatemen displayed the effort to put on an excellent defensive performance to keep each game within reach.
2026’s pitching staff features major-conference players and mid-major hurlers alike. Some are returning to Wareham, others will pitch their first ever innings of summer collegiate baseball. With the transfer portal and MLB Draft there are undoubtedly many factors that come into play throughout the 40-game season, but skill and commitment always rise to the top. Meet the 16 arms that will wear the W this summer:
Aiden Kitchings, Sophomore, NC State
Kitchings ended his freshman season in Raleigh with a 1-0 record and over 17 innings of work. Four of his pitches made the leaderboard at last June’s MLB Draft Combine, including his slider with over 11 inches of induced vertical break. Kitchings can be an inning-eater for the Gatemen this summer: six of his appearances went two or more innings. He will confuse opponents with his off-speed’s bend, but also features a fastball that tops out at 98 mph.
Andrew Koshy, Senior, Maryland (Transfer Portal)
This will be Koshy’s third summer in the Cape League and second with Wareham. After a freshman spring with Wake Forest and a summer with the Brewster Whitecaps, he transferred to the Terrapins and spent last summer with the Gatemen. He only threw 2.1 innings for Wareham, but appeared in a team-high 25 games with 42 strikeouts this past season with Maryland. Koshy has lowered his ERA and increased his workload on the mound each year of college ball.
Braydon Kersey, Junior, Tennessee
Kersey was the designated hitter on the All-SoCon First Team in just his sophomore year. While a .325 batting average and 21 home runs merits the selection, he also lowered his ERA more than half of a point and cut down walks from 18 to five. That work paid off: Kersey was one of five nominees for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. The offensive numbers speak for themselves, but he comes to Wareham with some momentum from the mound after a successful spring as Mercer’s closer and an upcoming blue-chip name on the Volunteers’ roster.
Connor Chicoli, Junior, South Carolina
After a 1-1 record with the Yellow Jackets, Chicoli transferred to the Gamecocks for an increased role. That increased role came with almost 40 innings this past spring where he nearly doubled his freshman season’s strikeout total. Speaking of strikeouts, Chicoli recorded K’s in all but four of his appearances. He tallied the fifth-lowest ERA on a South Carolina squad that consistently fights in the upper echelon of the SEC.
Connor Mohan, Junior, Texas Tech
The righty increased his number of starts in year 2 from six to 10 and raised his strikeout total from 17 to 31. Mohan had multi-strikeout games in multiple conference matchups over the season, but an early-season start made him a household name to the rest of the college baseball world. Mohan started at Globe Life Field in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown against Arkansas, a 2-seed in the NCAA Baseball Tournament, and fanned five Razorbacks while only allowing one run.
Ethan Baiotto, Sophomore, Tennessee
The state of Texas’ No. 11 overall player didn’t disappoint in his freshman year: Baiotto struck out 13 batters and only walked seven over 23.1 innings of work that spanned over relief outings and starts. He grew over the course of the season, highlighted by a three-game scoreless streak in April and a 2.2-inning hitless outing in May. A strong summer with the Gatemen could put Baiotto in position for a consistent starter role with the Vols next year.
Finn Edwards, Junior, Arizona State
Though he was selected by the Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2025 MLB Draft, Edwards opted to join the Sun Devils and grow through facing Big 12 bats. He became a reliable option for ASU down the stretch of his first season in Division I: five scoreless outings between April and May. Edwards ended conference play on a high note with consecutive scoreless appearances to help Arizona State record its first top-three finish in the Big 12.
Garrett Lambert, Redshirt Sophomore, Mercer (Transfer Portal)
He missed most of 2024 and all of 2025 with an injury, but made his first full year of college baseball count by winning the SoCon’s Freshman of the Year award and earning a starting pitcher slot on the First-Team All-SoCon list. Lambert possesses incredible swing-and-miss talent that led to 90 strikeouts over 71 innings. He was a bell-cow on a 44-win Bears team which had a strong argument for making the NCAA Tournament.
Jackson Hoyt, Sophomore, Florida
The Gatemen’s previous Gator arm, junior Caden McDonald, lowered his freshman ERA by almost two points after over 25 innings in the Cape League. Hoyt had a nice freshman year with eight strikeouts and an outstanding shutout frame at Alabama, but can parlay a successful CCBL into becoming a household name next spring. He is currently UF’s only lefty on the roster–a sign of commitment from Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
Jaden Barfield, Junior, Oklahoma
Barfield and the Sooners are currently in the middle of an NCAA Tournament run; his arrival to Wareham may be delayed, but the Gateman might receive a pitcher who's hopping off of the plane in "game form”. He recently put together three consecutive outs to close out a win against The Citadel in the Atlanta Regional. While Wareham fans want their roster at full strength, it will only help to add some playoff pedigree to the pitching staff.
Jake Schweitzer, Junior, Louisville
Schweitzer has begun to receive national recognition such as a Top 100 Sophomore nod and a Stopper of the Year (Top reliever) preseason watchlist nomination, but with his 2027 draft year upcoming teams want consistent production. One of Wareham’s top arms had the second-lowest ERA on the Cape last summer (Josh Butler, Arizona State). Schweitzer can generate some extra buzz by becoming a pivotal contributor in both a starter and reliever role for the Gatemen to set the stage for his junior year in the ACC.
Logan Hastings, Junior, Maryland (Transfer Portal)
The righty solidified himself as a main-rotation fixture by lowering his walks and raising his strikeout total in year 2. His starter role fully came in the back half of the season. Hastings’ final six starts, all against conference opponents, lasted five or more innings. The Gatemen gain an efficient hurler who can also go the distance to save the bullpen throughout the grind of the CCBL season.
Mark Brissey, Sophomore, Arkansas
Even in year 1, Brissey found a way to stand out by making 14 appearances–five of those in conference play. He also ended his freshman season with a hitless inning along with two strikeouts against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. Brissey immediately showed the ability to toss in high-leverage situations, and will be thrust in similar spots with Wareham this summer thanks to his SEC pedigree.
Peyton Lee, Sophomore, Arkansas
A 2.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio and four starts is a perfect start to a collegiate career. The best way to turn that strong freshman year into sophomore stardom? Excelling against college baseball’s best bats in the Cape League. Lee features four pitches highlighted by a 95 mph fastball that accompanies his 6-foot-5 frame and a slider that forces hitters to chase.
Ty Starke, Senior, Louisville
Starke returns to Wareham after recording a 2.63 ERA and only allowing four earned runs in 12 appearances last summer. He didn't give up a single home run and walked just four batters over his 13 innings, and will be counted on for a heightened role this upcoming CCBL season after lowering his collegiate ERA by four points this past spring. The Gatemen allowed the least amount of hits in the Cape League last summer, it's up to Starke as the veteran presence to uphold that standard.
Wade Walton, Junior, High Point
After winning Big South Freshman of the Year, Walton became a Friday starter throughout year 2. He made 15 starts and ended second on the Panthers in strikeouts. His most notable start came in a non-conference game at then-9th ranked Florida: Walton led an upset by tossing seven innings and only allowing two runs. Wareham gains an excellent swing-and-miss hurler with two hefty seasons under his belt.
The Gatemen begin regular season action in just six days at Cotuit for Cape Cod Baseball League Opening Day. View the full slate on Wareham’s website for more opportunities to catch these pitchers in action.
