Baseball Welcomes 13 Newcomers
8/7/2026 7:00:00 PM | Baseball
The Lions reload with a talented incoming class for 2027
NEW YORK — Columbia Baseball Head Coach Brett Boretti has announced the addition of 13 student-athletes to the Lions' 2027 roster. Representing eleven states, the incoming class features a diverse group of pitchers and position players who will add talent, depth and versatility to the program.
"We feel this group is going to come in and compete at a very high level right away," said Boretti. "It's a very athletic and versatile group positionally, and we feel there are some future frontline pitchers in the group as well."
Columbia Baseball 2027 Newcomers
INF | 5-10 | 190 | L/R | Langhorne, Pa. | The Pennington School / Gettysburg College
Previous School: Spent three seasons at Gettysburg College … Earned 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.
High School: Prep B State Champion … Named First Team All-Prep State in 2023 … Two-time All-Area First Team selection (2022, 2023) … Finished his career as The Pennington School's all-time stolen base leader.
Personal: Enrolled in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science … Father, Anthony, played baseball at Ithaca College, while mother, Shan, competed in diving at Ithaca.
LHP | 6-5 | 215 | L/L | Charlotte, N.C. | Charlotte Christian
High School: Helped lead Charlotte Christian School to the 2026 NCISAA 4A State Championship … Posted a perfect 12-0 record with a 2.09 ERA and 73 strikeouts as a senior … Earned MaxPreps and NCISAA All-State honors … AP Scholar … Member of the National Honor Society and National Latin Honor Society … Received the Seal of Biliteracy in Latin.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College … Mother, Mary, played Division I soccer at Liberty.
Connor Couch
RHP | 6-3 | 195 | R/R | Bloomington, Ind. | Bloomington South
High School: 2026 graduate of Bloomington High School South … Helped lead the Panthers to their first state championship game appearance since 1972 … Named the 2026 Bloomington Herald-Times All-Area Player of the Year … Earned the program's B-Man Award for leadership and skill and served as a team captain … Led the state runner-up squad in home runs and RBIs as a senior.
Personal: Enrolled in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science … Mother, Sarah, competed in diving and club rugby at Harvard, while father, Tim, played baseball and tennis at Trine University … Grandfather, Tom Kendrick, was a quarterback at Indiana University.
INF | 6-0 | 185 | R/R | San Diego, Calif. | Cathedral Catholic
High School: Competed for Australia at the 2024 Australian Youth Championship/U18 National Baseball Championship … Earned CIF Scholar-Athlete honors in 2025 and 2026 … Named to the San Diego City Conference All-Academic Team … Received Distinction in Mathematics and Merit Certificates in Forensic Science, Mathematics, and Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College.
Jack Freehill
INF | 6-1 | 175 | L/R | Palo Alto, Calif. | Menlo School
High School: Four-year varsity starter at shortstop and three-year starting quarterback … Helped lead Menlo to back-to-back Central Coast Section (CCS) championships in 2025 and 2026, including a NorCal Championship in 2025 and a NorCal runner-up finish in 2026 … Team captain as a junior and senior … Earned First Team All-CCS Peninsula Bay League honors as a senior after being named CCS Peninsula Ocean League Player of the Year as a junior … Named First Team All-California Small Schools by Cal-Hi Sports in both 2025 and 2026 … Ranked among California's top prospects by Baseball America and West Coast Preps … Finished his prep baseball career with a .319 batting average, .435 on-base percentage, 122 hits, 104 runs scored, 75 RBIs and 53 stolen bases.
On the football field, he was a two-time team MVP and one of the Bay Area's top dual-threat quarterbacks … Earned CCS Peninsula Bay League Offensive Player of the Year honors as a senior after being named Offensive Back of the Year as a junior … Finished his football career with 81 total touchdowns, including 58 passing and 23 rushing, while leading Menlo to multiple CCS playoff appearances.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College … Father, Michael, played collegiate baseball at the University of San Diego before spending time in the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers organizations.
RHP | 6-5 | 215 | R/R | Harrington Park, N.J. | Northern Valley Regional at Old Tappan
High School: Named New Jersey Pitcher of the Year, North Jersey Player of the Year and MaxPreps New Jersey Player of the Year as a senior … Earned First Team All-State, All-County and All-League honors in 2026 … Led New Jersey in strikeouts during the 2026 season … Helped guide Old Tappan to the 2026 Group 3 State Championship and League Championship … Also won league championships in 2023 and shared the league title in 2025 … Topped 95 mph on the mound … Selected by the Texas Rangers in the 2026 MLB Draft in round 19 pick 567 … Also competed in bowling, recording a high-game score of 289 … Graduated with a 4.1 GPA, completed six AP courses and was a member of the National Honor Society … Served as an executive member of Harrington Park Teens for Tomorrow.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College.
Chris McLaughlin
INF/P | 6-2 | 190 | R/R | Albany, N.Y. | Christian Brothers Academy Albany
High School: Two-time First Team All-Suburban Council and Times Union selection … Two-time Second Team All-Suburban Council honoree … Two-time New York State First Team selection at third base … Named MVP of the 2026 Section II All-Star Game … Voted team captain as both a junior and senior … Recipient of the David Doemel Scholar Athlete Award, General Excellence Award and Lasallian Spirit Award … Overcame Tommy John surgery as a sophomore before returning to become one of New York's top players.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College and plans to study Finance … Father, Scott, played baseball at Hudson Valley Community College.
RHP | 6-3 | 200 | R/R | Phoenix, Ariz. | Brophy College Prep
High School: Two-time Second Team All-Region selection … Two-time Arizona Republic Player of the Week and Prep Baseball Report Player of the Week honoree … Team captain … Posted a 1.23 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 39.2 innings and a perfect 4-0 record as a junior … Followed with a 3-0 record, 2.15 ERA, 40 strikeouts and a .172 opponent batting average as a senior … Also went 4-0 with a 2.10 ERA during summer ball … Helped lead Brophy College Prep, ranked No. 11 nationally by Baseball America, to a Perfect Game Baseball Championship title.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College.
Wyatt Raymond
OF/1B | 6-2 | 220 | R/R | Charlottesville, Va. | St. Anne's-Belfield School / Grinnell College
Previous School: Spent two seasons at Grinnell College… Helped lead the Pioneers to the 2026 Midwest Conference Championship … Two-time Midwest Conference Academic All-Conference selection.
High School: Graduated from St. Anne's-Belfield School in 2024 … Team captain … Earned First Team All-Central Virginia and First Team All-Virginia Prep League honors … Received High Honor Distinction for academic excellence.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College.
RHP | 5-10 | 182 | R/R | Hyannis, Mass. | St. John Paul II School
High School: 2026 graduate of St. John Paul II School … Helped lead his team to the 2024 MIAA Division I State Championship.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College … Older brother, Damian Brown, played collegiate baseball at Johns Hopkins.
Sam Wildfong
RHP | 6-2 | 225 | R/R | Traverse City, Mich. | Traverse City St. Francis
High School: Four-year varsity starter who helped lead Traverse City St. Francis to back-to-back MHSAA Division 3 State Championships in 2025 and 2026 … Named to the 2026 MHSBCA Dream Team and earned First Team All-State honors as both a pitcher and catcher in 2025 and 2026 … Three-time First Team All-Region selection and four-time Academic All-State honoree … Named the 2026 Traverse City Record-Eagle Player of the Year, St. Francis Male Athlete of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year … As a senior, batted .529 with 65 RBIs, ranking fourth nationally and first in Michigan, while going 5-0 with 69 strikeouts on the mound … Finished his prep career with a .452 batting average, 140 hits, 133 RBIs and 267 strikeouts.
Personal: Enrolled in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science … Son of Brian and Tonya … Both parents competed in track and field at the University of Michigan and were members of Big Ten Championship teams.
Luc Gaca Thiele
INF | 6-0 | 200 | L/R | Fort Collins, Colo. | Fossil Ridge High School
High School: Four-year standout at Fossil Ridge High School … Finished as the program's career leader in hits (111), career batting average (.483) and extra-base hits (47) … Also set single-season school records in hits (49), batting average (.538) and doubles (15) … Named Prep Baseball Report First Team All-Conference in 2025 and 2026 … Earned Prep Baseball Report Conference Player of the Year honors in 2026 … Hit .412 as a sophomore, .538 as a junior and .479 as a senior … Earned CHSAA 5A Region 4 All-Academic honors … Worked youth baseball camps at Fossil Ridge.
Personal: Enrolled at Columbia College … Father, Todd Thiele, played golf at the University of North Carolina … Twin sister, Ella Gaca Thiele, is a swimmer at USC.
Brady Groves
OF | 6-0 | 200 | R/R | Youngsville, N.C. | Franklinton High School / Oberlin College
Previous School: Three-time All-Conference selection … Three-time D3 Region 7 All-Academic Team honoree … Voted team captain for the 2026 season … Hit .382 with 60 hits, seven triples and a .999 OPS as a freshman … Batted .308 with eight stolen bases as a sophomore … Hit .342 with a .457 on-base percentage, .503 slugging percentage, 51 hits, four home runs and 33 RBIs as a junior … Served as Oberlin Baseball's representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Athletic Coalition to End Sexual Harm (ACES).
High School: Two-sport athlete in baseball and football … Earned All-Conference honors as an outfielder and quarterback … Graduated as class salutatorian … Named a College Board Rural and Small Town Scholar … Co-founded Franklinton High School's Environmental Sustainability Club.
Personal: Enrolled in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.
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