2025 Fall College Baseball Reset: NC State

Perennial power NC State made it to the 2025 NCAA Tournament but didn’t have a lot of success. The Wolfpack were bounced quickly in the ACC Tournament, then failed to make it past the Regionals. However, the NC State roster looks strong heading into 2026, thanks to several notable juniors.

The Returnees

NC State returned three of the top players in the country from 2025, headlined by junior infielder Chris McHugh.

McHugh, who hit .273/.390/.385 in his freshman season with VCU, had an incredible sophomore season and put himself on the MLB Draft radar for 2026. The 20-year-old batted .365 with 19 extra-base hits, seven of which were home runs. Additionally, McHugh posted a .462 on-base percentage.

The Commack, New York native did more than hold his own in the wood-bat Cape Cod League this past summer. McHugh hit for power, with five home runs and 12 extra-base hits for Wareham.

Aside from McHugh, the Wolfpack’s pitching staff returned Ryan Marohn and Jacob Dudan, two men who made the USA national collegiate team this past summer.

Marohn, a “junk” pitcher who will throw the kitchen sink at hitters, struck out 91 over 85 frames as a sophomore last season. He didn’t throw hard, operating in the low-90s but was a well-balanced arsenal — one that also includes a changeup and curveball for a college pitcher.

Dudan, meanwhile, was a highly effective reliever for NC State. The 21-year-old, a powerful right-handed pitcher who can operate in the mid-to-upper-90s with his four-seamer/sinker, plus a slider, struck out 41 over 30 frames last season.

Anderson Nance, who got up to 98 MPH in his freshman season, is also back. Nance, as a freshman, struck out 53 over 54 last season as a reliever.

All three of those pitchers were very important for an NC State team that leaned heavily on those three, plus Dominic Fritton. Fritton turned into a fourth-round pick by Tampa Bay last July.

Heath Andrews, part of the Wolfpack’s rotation from 2025, is back for his junior season.

Getting back to the offense, Josh Hogue (15th round – Marlins) is gone. Hogue was tied with Brayden Fraasman for the team lead in home runs. Fraasman is back, as is Luke Nixon, who finished third in the team in batting average (.295). Ty Head, another regular from 2025, is back for his sophomore campaign.

The Newcomers

The Wolfpack picked up one of Tennessee‘s regular starters from 2025: senior infielder Dalton Bargo.

Bargo did very well in the hitter-friendly confines of Knoxville over the last two seasons, despite some strikeout woes. The 21-year-old belted 14 home runs for the Volunteers in 2025, and 22 overall across two seasons in the orange & white. Bargo was a part of the Volunteers’ national championship team back in 2024.

Aside from Bargo, the Wolfpack’s transfer portal class included Sherman Johnson, formerly of Dallas Baptist. Johnson played two games with the Patriots in 2024 before leaving campus. He hit well in the Coastal Plain League in 2024, then hit .319 with McLennan Community College as a sophomore.

Seven new freshmen are part of the roster, including four in-state players. One is Sam Harris, who clocked in the low-90s last fall, as well as outfielder Everett Johnson and infielder Quinn Bentley.

Bentley hit .277/.455/.319 (.774 OPS), an OPS largely buoyed by 13 walks in 17 games, for State College in the MLB Draft League this past summer.

Summary

In what will be a tough slog in the ACC yet again, the NC State Wolfpack have a strong roster on paper.

There’s plenty of pitching talent, as their roster is littered with potential pro talent. As for the offense, it wasn’t a major strength for the Wolfpack in 2025. But with notable returnees, including McHugh, there’s a lot of potential for this group heading into 2026.