The Bucknell baseball team opens its 2025 campaign in ACC Country at Virginia Tech this weekend as the Bison look to return to their fourth consecutive Patriot League Tournament. The Bison faced heartbreak in last year’s playoffs, falling to top-seeded Army in a Patriot League semifinal series filled with drama. Bucknell took game one and led games two and three in the late innings before the Black Knights staged a pair of comebacks, and the memories of that tough finish are fueling the team’s efforts as the new season begins.
The Bison return several key players, most notably Preseason All-Patriot Leaguers Billy Kender, Michael Trommer, and Chris Morabito. All three were First Team All-Patriot League selections in 2024. The Bison also return several of their top arms, including Second Team All-Patriot Leaguer Tyler O’Neill.
In 2024, Bucknell finished with a 22-24 overall record and a 12-13 record in conference play. The Bison had a potent offense that averaged 6.24 runs per game with a Patriot League-best .284 team batting average and a .455 team slugging percentage. The Bison ranked second in the Patriot League with 44 home runs in its 25 games.
There will be some turnover in the lineup, as the Bison lost Patriot League Player of the Year Sean Keys to the MLB Draft, and stalwarts Jacob Corson, Nick Adamo, and Grant Voytovich to graduation. Scott Heather, the 13th-year head coach of the Bison, feels that his team is prepared to fill the holes in the lineup with plenty of candidates this season.
“We are losing a lot of offense; guys that have been a major part of the lineup for a long time,” said Heather. “We have guys who have been in the program that are set to replace them, but it’s hard to replace some of your [top-performing] players. We may not have as much power, but our offense will still be built around getting on base, swinging at the right pitches, and slugging some extra-base hits.”
Keys, the 2024 Patriot League Player of the Year and an All-Region selection, led the league in hits, batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and OPS. He was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays as the 125th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB draft — the highest pick by round in Bucknell history.
Corson was a three-time All-Patriot League selection and a top-five hitter in the Patriot League last season. He paced the Bison with 13 home runs and was constantly on base. Catcher Nick Adamo and centerfielder Grant Voytovich provided the Bison with a combined 51 RBI and 66 hits, and Voytovich was also one of the league’s top defensive outfielders.
The Bison were picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll. Army, which has won the previous six Patriot League championships, begins the year as the favorite. Holy Cross was picked to finish second with Navy in third, but Heather thinks this year’s crown is there for anyone to take.
“Each game is its own entity and every game will matter at the end,” said Heather. “It’s very competitive top-to-bottom in the league this year. I think the team that grows the most in the first portion into conference play will be the team that ends up on top, and that’s our challenge with a lot of new guys playing and developing guys in bigger roles.”
The Bison will be tested with tough opponents in the first two weeks, opening its first non-conference series on the road at Virginia Tech before traveling to Davidson and then for a single game at Pittsburgh. The Bison will head to Florida in March to take on Florida Atlantic and Florida International.
Bucknell opens its first three Patriot League series on the road against the top three teams in the preseason poll. The Bison start league play with a four-game series at Navy before playing a doubleheader against both Holy Cross and Army the following weekend. The good news is the Bison will finish the regular season with four of the last six series being played at Depew Field.
“We’re going to have to survive the first two weekends being on the road at tough places to play,” said Heather. “Hopefully, we can get through that and be in a position to compete for the top of the league because the rest of our schedule is favorable.”
Let’s take a closer look at the 2025 Bison squad, by position.
CATCHERS
Heather will use multiple catchers throughout the season with jam-packed weekends full of games. Sophomore Luke Nascimento is set to take over the majority of the workload behind the plate with captain Nick Adamo having graduated.
Adamo provided a .255 batting average, 19 RBIs, and a .419 on-base percentage in 31 starts. Nascimento made 15 starts in his rookie campaign, piling 13 hits and eight RBIs in in 54 plate appearances.
“[Luke] got a lot of starting time last year and played very well,” said Heather. “We were very confident in him, especially down the stretch as he got experience and he’s set to be the main guy back there.”
The Bison will have good depth behind the plate with junior transfer Garrison Bullock and freshman Deacon Bowne joining the squad this season.
Bullock made his name as a walk-on at Emory & Henry College for two seasons. Last year, he batted .312 with 34 hits, 26 RBIs, and 24 runs scored. Bullock also clobbered three home runs against Mansfield, a single-game school record.
“[Bullock] was one of our better offensive players this fall,” said Heather. “He’s going to factor into the lineup somewhere, and we’re excited about his opportunity. He has good power and if he puts the ball in play, he’s going to produce.”
Bowne will also get his chances in his rookie year after producing a solid fall season both offensively and defensively.
INFIELDERS
Despite the loss of Keys, the Bison will start the season with experienced players at all four infield positions. The Bison return two First Team All-Patriot League players in second baseman Billy Kender and Michael Trommer, who takes over the hot corner for Keys after a breakout 2024 season as the everyday designated hitter. Also back are two steady seniors in first baseman Tyler Dunn and shortstop Brady Karp.
Trommer started in 36 of 43 games and reached base safely in 37 games last season. He slashed .336/.440/.496, ranking sixth in batting average and 10th in on-base percentage in the PL. His lefty bat figures to play somewhere in the middle of the order.
“The second half of last year he really solidified the lineup and provided some protection,” said Heather. “Now he’s going to be one of the main guys that pitchers go after, and it will be a little bit different for him. He had a good summer in the NECBL against top competition, and he’s going to be hitting in a major spot in the lineup.”
Kender will be back at second base, looking to build on his 2023 and 2024 All-PL seasons. Kender slashed .348/.471/.551 for a 1.022 OPS last season, when he was one of the premier hitters in the PL, ranking in the top 10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS, and runs scored (43).
After missing two weeks with a foot injury in the middle of last season, Kender was inserted into the leadoff spot in the order upon his return and was outstanding in that role. In the 16 games after his return to the lineup, he slashed .400/.500/.677 for a 1.177 OPS along with three homers, nine doubles, nine RBIs, 25 runs scored, and only one error in the field. Not coincidentally, Bucknell was 11-5 in that span.
“Billy has continued to get better both offensively and defensively,” said Heather. “We’re going to count on him in a little bit of a bigger role to help drive in runs. If he has the same type of year as he did last year, he’ll give us a great chance to be able to do that. Having his experience in the middle of the infield will help a lot.”
The Bison will have plenty of experience on the right side of the infield, returning four-year starter Dunn at first base next to Kender. Dunn ranks 19th in Bucknell history with 500 career at-bats and enters the season with a career .264 batting average with 132 hits and 82 RBIs.
Last season, the lefty started in all but one of the 46 games, hitting .257/.369/.305. Dunn drew 25 walks last year compared to just 22 strikeouts and has proven to be a defensive force for the Bison over the years. He has a .992 fielding percentage with only eight errors in his career. Last season, he made just two errors all season and made none in the final 33 games.
“Tyler will hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup and he’s continued to work on adding power,” said Heather, “He does a great job defensively and we expect him to be a major part of the offense.”
Karp is set to return to the lineup at shortstop and will co-captain the team this season. Karp shared time at shortstop to begin last season, but he took over the everyday role midway through the campaign and was outstanding defensively while providing some pop at the bottom of the order.
“Brady took over halfway through the year last year and the team took off at that point,” said Heather. “He really took advantage of that opportunity and won the job this fall. He solidified that with his defense and his offense as well. He’s improved as an offensive player, and I think he will get on base at a high rate and hit for a better average.”
Senior Matt Alexander provides strong depth in the middle infield and a good bat in the lineup, hitting from both sides. In 33 at-bats, Alexander slashed .273/.419/.273 with four RBI and nine walks.
“Matt’s a really good ballplayer and will get opportunities as one of our key hitters,” said Heather. “He really thrived in a pinch-hitting role. He’s proven again this fall that he can get on base and there will be lineups where we will benefit by him being in there and getting on base.”
The Bison also have some young bats ready for opportunities in freshmen Jaxon Beiswenger and Lleyton Coupe along with sophomore Andrew Swenson. Coupe, a left-hander with power potential, will provide depth at first base and can play either corner of the infield. Beiswenger, who came to Bucknell from North Dakota, is also a big, strong corner infielder at 6’4”.
Swenson got off to a great start as a rookie last season until an injury ended his season early. Swenson can play short, third, or second and will be an important utility piece. He will have an opportunity to earn a spot in the lineup after notching 20 hits and 20 RBIs in just 20 games last season. In those games, Swenson hit three home runs and slashed .323/.417/.629.
OUTFIELDERS
The Bison lost a great deal of experience in the outfield after graduating Jacob Corson and Grant Voytovich. Corson was a three-time All-PL honoree, including a selection to the First Team last year. Voytovich was a two-time All-PL player and was named to last year’s PL All-Tournament Team after a great semifinal series against Army.
In Bucknell’s all-time career history, Corson ranks 10th in on-base percentage (.433), fourth in runs (136), 11th in hits (180), fourth in home runs (24), and fifth in RBIs (129). Voytovich ranks 19th in hits (156) and 13th in RBIs (108). Both outfielders rank in the top 20 in at-bats and walks. Together, they combined for only three errors last season.
With plenty of opportunity available in the outfield, sophomores Chris Morabito, Billy Fluharty, and Michael Chiaravallo headline the candidates for the starting roles.
Fluharty is set to take over in centerfield for Voytovich and has proven to be a tremendous defensive player for the Bison. Fluharty was originally recruited as an infielder, but his speed has helped him make the jump to the outfield. Defensively, he made no errors in the field with 23 putouts in a backup role last season. At the plate, Fluharty hit .241 with six RBI and a .410 on-base percentage.
“Billy is a great option in center and he is our fastest runner,” said Heather. “He’s getting good jumps and covering more ground out there and fans should be impressed with his defense. Billy plays fearlessly and is developing as an offensive player. He’s a guy that we can put at the top of the lineup with his speed or have him at the bottom to turn the lineup over.”
Morabito earned Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, and he is set to take over Corson’s spot in left field after playing primarily in right last season. Morabito had an outstanding debut season to earn a Second Team All-PL selection. He was Bucknell's fifth Patriot League Rookie of the Year and the first since current assistant coach Brett Smith in 2014. Morabito was also the first freshman to be selected to an All-Patriot League team since Dunn in 2022.
Morabito earned a place in the lineup last season and ultimately hit .275 with 22 hits, 17 RBIs, and two home runs. His .803 OPS and .438 slugging percentage both ranked sixth on the team.
“Chris was one of our better players in the second half of last year, played well this summer, and has continued to get stronger,” said Heather. “He’s going to have to step into a primary role of driving in runs, but we expect him to be our everyday guy.”
Chiaravallo enters the season as a top candidate for the right-field role after an excellent fall. He brings speed to the outfield and on the basepaths for the Bison and has power potential as well. He played in 19 games with 14 starts last season and struggled at the plate in his first taste of college ball, but Heather notes that he looked comfortable again in the fall.
Junior Ryan Facinelli is another candidate for an outfield role after playing mostly in the infield thus far. After dealing with some injuries in the fall, Facinelli is getting back to full health and competing for time in the outfield and the designated hitter role.
“Ryan is a guy that has home run potential and can be an asset to the lineup,” said Heather. “If given enough at-bats, I think he would prove that and he’s still developing well as an outfielder.”
Garrison Bullock may see time in right field with a chance to compete for some starts, in addition to his catching duties. Bullock’s offensive prowess will be an important piece to the Bucknell lineup.
Another freshman, John Calabrese, comes from a strong Poly Prep program in New York and will compete for at-bats in the outfield.
STARTING PITCHERS
The Bison will return every pitcher who made a start in 2024, including all three postseason starters in senior Tyler O’Neill, sophomore Jake Schultz, and junior Mikey Myro. By the end of the year, that trio was settled in as the weekend rotation, and all three turned in excellent starts in the Patriot League semifinal series against Army’s potent lineup.
Overall, last year’s squad rostered a young pitching staff, which now has another year of experience under its belt. O’Neill, a captain and a senior, will be the leader of the group. Heather will use the non-conference schedule to test out new guys and find the best roles for his pitchers.
O’Neill is set to take the mound for Opening Day. An All-Patriot League Second Team selection, O’Neill was the ace for the Bison last year with a 4.89 ERA in 70.0 innings. After a tough start to the season against quality teams in Wofford, UMass, Saint Joseph's, and Campbell, he pitched to a 3.19 ERA over his last nine appearances.
In the Patriot League, O’Neill ranked second with 71 strikeouts, fourth in innings pitched, fifth with five wins, and sixth in ERA. O’Neill tossed a complete game in the opener of the Patriot League semifinals at Army, allowing two earned runs on six hits with eight strikeouts on the way to a 4-3 win.
“Tyler has been a major guy for us since his freshman year and he’s primed to have a big senior year,” said Heather. “He looks great and has added some things to his arsenal. After being in the Cape this summer, he needed a jump in velocity and a new wrinkle to get guys off of his fastball. We’re obviously excited about what he brings to the table, and he gives us a number one.”
Schultz has high expectations coming into the year, looking to be one of the top weekend starters for the Bison. The right-hander made nine starts last season and 13 total appearances. Schultz went 3-3 with a 5.76 ERA over 45.1 innings. After dealing with an injury early last season, he got back on the mound with a 4.59 ERA in his final nine appearances. Schultz gave the Bison a quality start in game two of the PL semifinals, allowing three runs over 6.0 innings.
“Jake has continued to improve and he’s throwing harder,” said Heather. “He’s a strike thrower and he gets all of his pitches over the plate for strikes. I think we’ll see his strikeout totals go up this year as his slider has improved.”
Myro was a pleasant surprise as he developed into a big piece of last year’s rotation. Myro was 3-3 in nine starts with a 5.65 ERA over 13 total appearances. The righty pitched 6.1 scoreless innings in relief before getting an opportunity to start. Myro never looked back, tossing 5.0 innings with just one earned run for his first career win against Le Moyne. He picked up a huge win over Navy late in the season, and in game three of the PL semifinals, he went 7.0 innings with just one earned run allowed.
“Mikey really flourished in a starting role,” said Heather. “He is a proven strike thrower and he pitched well in our league. He won us some games last year and certainly gave us a chance to win in the postseason.”
Sophomore Jack O’Malley is another top candidate in the rotation after making eight starts and 11 total appearances last season. O’Malley was 3-4 with a 9.28 ERA in 32.0 innings. Heather said O’Malley has improved his consistency during the offseason. O’Malley walked 37 batters, but has proven to be able to get batters out with 50 strikeouts and the lowest opponent batting average (.264) among Bucknell starters last year.
“Jack has premium upside with a fastball in the nineties,” said Heather, “We’re excited for his chance to knock down a big role. At times, he was one of the better pitchers in the league and we’re hoping he can consistently show that.”
The Bison will be glad to have senior lefty Ben Magovern back after missing all of last season with an injury. Magovern has won some big games in his career. He was 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA in 2023 when a late-season foot injury ended his campaign just before the start of the postseason.
“Ben’s proven he can win in this league, and he’s still working his way back to where he was,” said Heather. “We’re confident in him getting three pitchers over the plate for strikes and he’s a good competitor.”
RELIEF PITCHERS
The Bison lost some experience in the bullpen, but there is plenty of opportunity and depth among the staff. One of the graduation losses is Graeme Carroll, who was the top reliever for the Bison in 2024 with a 5-0 record in 21 appearances. Carroll had a 5.40 ERA in 40 innings, earning two saves.
Nikhil Patel also produced a solid season in relief last year. Patel had a 4.80 ERA in 15.0 innings with one win. The righty held opponents to a .180 batting average and allowed just six extra-base hits in his 11 appearances.
Heather recruited more pitchers this season to provide more depth in the bullpen. That quality depth should allow for the top pitchers in the rotation and bullpen to remain fresh. The Bison have a big group of freshmen with seven pitchers joining the staff.
“What I like about the staff this year is that we have a lot of options,” said Heather. “The stuff is good, but it’s about how we develop those guys and establish their roles. That will dictate a lot of how our season goes.”
Junior Hadley Maxwell may have some opportunities to earn a spot in the rotation, but the righty is set to take on a big role in the Bison bullpen. Maxwell had a great fall for the Bison, pounding the strike zone. The righty was 1-2 in five appearances last year, making three starts.
“Hadley can fit into a variety of roles for us,” said Heather. “He can be a stopper out of the pen; he pitched well out there as a freshman. If he throws like he threw in the fall, he will be an important piece.”
Sophomore Jonathan Adelmann will be an important piece of the bullpen as he looks to build on a strong rookie season. The 6’7” righthander was second on the team with 19 appearances, pitching to a 7.47 ERA. In 37.1 innings, he struck out 47 batters.
“Jonathan is also a stopper type of guy and he can help solidify the bullpen,” said Heather. “We’re looking to have Jonathan and Hadley handle a lot of the higher leverage situations.”
Sophomore Dante Pavone looks to build on a solid but inconsistent debut campaign. Pavone had a 10.06 ERA in 10 appearances with three starts last season.
“I think we’ll see a lot of great things out of Dante,” said Heather. “He certainly showed potential when he commanded the ball. His rates are one of the best on the staff and that’s starting to show. He’s getting three pitches over the plate more consistently and I think he’s going to increase his role.”
The Bison have a trio of hard-throwing left-handers in seniors Nick Mulvey and Brady Swenson and junior Ryan DeLaney.
“Mulvey has looked great, and if he throws like he has in the preseason, he’ll be a big factor for us out of the bullpen,” said Heather.” He can match up well with lefties and he looks confident and relaxed. Brady did really well as a reliever and we’re looking at him to be in a similar role as a set-up guy and handling spots in the lineup. Ryan provides good left-handed depth and can be a three-pitch for strikes guy, he just has to go and prove that.”
Juniors Ethan Firestein and Kobe Julks, along with sophomore Dylan Radtke will be vying for innings in the bullpen.
The Bison will have plenty of added depth from a slew of newcomers. To go along with the five sophomores on the pitching staff, the Bison have seven freshmen in the squad. The group is composed of AJ Murray, Everett Garber, Frankie Bilecki, Tyler Hawkins, Samuel Janik, Bryce Mitchell, and Reed Muir.
“Everett profiles as a guy that can be a tough at-bat,” said Heather. “He has a lower slot and high velocity with developing secondary pitches. Tyler has great upside and could even compete for a starting role. He really has a chance to contribute early. Frankie can be in the mid-to-high eighties and has shown good ability to throw strikes. Bryce and Sam are two guys that profile for us well in the bullpen and they get multiple pitches over the plate for strikes. Bryce is consistently in the low nineties and was one of our most improved players from the fall and even showed he could close a game. We think AJ has a plus breaking ball and he could give us some good innings because that pitch will be tough to hit.”