2025 Fall College Baseball Reset: Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech racked up wins in non-conference play in 2025 to get above .500 for the sixth straight season last year. However, the Hokies were unable to crack the .500 marker in ACC play and failed to make it to the NCAA Tournament. To get back to the tournament in 2026, Virginia Tech will have to lean heavily on the players who remained after last year.

The Returnees

One member from Virginia Tech made the USA collegiate national team this past summer: right-hander Brett Renfrow.

Renfrow burst onto the scene two seasons ago in a solid freshman season back in 2024. The right-hander struck out 78 over 75 frames. Last year, the Woodridge, Virginia native struck out 84 over 74 and kept the ball in the park more effectively. However, the walk rate crept up slightly, from 3.8 to 4.1 BB/9.

Heading into the summer, the Hokies appeared to have the foundation for a solid 1-2 punch for 2026. Jake Marciano, now a sophomore, struck out 71 over 60 frames in his first collegiate season. However, he’s now at Auburn.

Despite that loss, the Hokies retained now-sophomore Chase Swift. Swift, who struck out 47 over 29 innings as a freshman, walked five over 3.2 IP with Cotuit in the Cape Cod League this past summer.

The 20-year-old Swift started eight times for Virginia Tech last spring. Logan Eisenreich started 10 games, albeit throwing 24 total innings over 11 appearances. Eisenreich, also a sophomore, struck out 32 but walked 28.

Lastly, Griffin Stieg returned for his redshirt junior campaign. Stieg, who missed all of 2025, was effective back in the 2024 campaign. However, he missed the year recovering from injury. He did not sign with the Mariners, the team that drafted him in the 18th round last July.

As for the offense, the 2025 Hokies had older collegiate players, as Sam Tackett and Ben Watson were both 23+ years old last year. Both Tackett and Watson were the team’s leading hitters last season.

Jared Davis (15th round – Athletics) and David McCann (UDFA – Yankees) are also gone, meaning the top four from last season, in terms of total hits, are not returning for 2026.

The Hokies do get back senior catcher Henry Cooke, who hit seven home runs last season. Hudson Lutterman and Anderson French, two youngsters who saw considerable time as freshmen last year, return for their sophomore campaigns.

The Newcomers

The 2026 Hokies roster tentatively includes nine freshmen. Here’s a look at what some of them did this past summer:

• INF Ethan Ball hit .235/.317/431 with two home runs and six extra-base hits across 14 games with Elizabethon in the Appalachian League.
• C CJ Oxendine walked 16 times and picked up 11 hits across 14 games with Bluefield (APPY League).

Pitchers Ethan Grim, Austin Dean, and Jake Wise join the roster for 2026.

As for the transfer portal, ex-Mount St. Mary’s infielder Sam Grube arrives for his sophomore season. Grube hit .293 with 16 extra-base hits last year as a freshman for the Mountaineers.

Pete Daniel joins Virginia Tech from Belmont University. Daniel hit .360 with 22 extra-base hits (five home runs) last year as a sophomore.

Ben Weber, a senior right-hander, joins as a transfer from Xavier. Weber struck out 44 over 84 innings last year for the Muskeeters. The 21-year-old pitched with Air Force from 2023 through 2024.

Summary

The Virginia Tech Hokies haven’t had a winning record in ACC play since 2022. It might be tough to get there again in 2026.

Yes, the Hokies have plenty of intriguing talent, headlined by Renfrow and talented bats like Anderson French and Henry Cooke. But, can this group compete with perennial powerhouses like UVA, which reloaded this summer, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina?

Time will tell.