IU Baseball

[WayneFleekHoosier]

The players have to make the plays.  Can't get tagged out on a throw from the pitcher.  Got to get hits.  Got to make the plays.  Got to get multiple strike outs by our pitchers.  Yeah, coaching, too...

I get that. But accountability falls on the leader of the program. I don’t think he’s a bad coach necessarily but he isn’t winning enough and that’s the bottom line. Eventually you lose faith and want to see what someone else can do with the reins. Hopefully he figures out winning baseball games.


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[Aaron]

Mercer has to wear this season being a massive failure anyway you slice it. Given this team has two potential first round picks you figured the floor was like what softball did this season of squeaking into a regional while the ceiling was contending to host and being borderline top-25 squad. 

The truth ended up being even lower then what the floor reasonably should have been. Mercer is definitely on the clock to do something about the pitching or he will likely be fired in a yr or two if he allows status quo to continue. Truth lies in between 'fire everyone' and 'program is in great shape and Mercer has been a great coach'. 

Interest in the program is starting to wain with the inconsistencies and IU as an athletic department will need to decide how important baseball success is if this starts to go south. Program is at a critical point and how Mercer reacts to what was indisputably the worst season since 2011 given expectations will say a lot.  

[Aaron]

14 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

I get that. But accountability falls on the leader of the program. I don’t think he’s a bad coach necessarily but he isn’t winning enough and that’s the bottom line. Eventually you lose faith and want to see what someone else can do with the reins. Hopefully he figures out winning baseball games.


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Mostly agree, but would argue Mercer didn't win enough this season and program is definitely teetering at moment. However, until this yr the bar of success was cleared (sometimes barely) during his tenure. 2022 was worse overall but that team was in a massive rebuild.

This year was a bigger problem by almost every measure possible given talent and expectations. To me if Glant stays and everything continues status quo next season, then the staff needs to be house cleaned after 2026 if another season like this happens. If Mercer makes some changes to the pitching program and he replaces Glant, then to me at least he has a bit more leeway.

How Mercer reacts this offseason to what was undisputably the biggest failure of a spring since (except maybe 2011) program got good in 2008 will say a lot.    

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

 

SCHEDULE CHANGE

Due to weather, our game vs. (3) Iowa has been moved to Thursday (May 22) evening at 10:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

The season certainly didn't meet expectations but at least it ended on a positive note for the players with a 5-0 win over Iowa.  Devin Taylor likely finished his outstanding career getting 3 of our 7 hits and responsible for 4 of our runs that included a 3-run HR.  Gilley started and went 6 innings allowing just 4 hits and walking 2.  Grable finished the night allowing just 1 more hit.  

[CSP]

Why not just play the tourney in Lincoln? 

 

[Aaron]

A frustrating day with the NCAA selection show underway and IU not being in. Its not the first time, but only one since 2011 where you legitimately expected to be in at all costs when season started and wont make it.

2016 had hitting stink and 2022 had pitching stink with lower expectations. 2021 was weird COVID year with conference only and cant really hold that to normal standards.

Those are only time they have missed since 2013 when program really came into its own. 2008 and 2012 had big runs late in season to nearly win big ten tournament but expectations were relatively low at that point. 2010 had worst pitching in program history (and made Glant's struggles recently look brilliant by comparison) where team was decent but nowhere near tourney quality. Pre-2008 program stunk. 

Its just annoying that this was a season where you should have competed to host a regional and instead missed all together. Expectations were similar in 2018, but then missing hosting meant being a two seed at a very tough regional in Texas and nearly winning it by making final game. That's how this season should have been if expectations were less then expected. Not completely missing postseason.

It speaks to success that this is really only the second time where a high expectation season went completely off rails. However, it is still just as frustrating and cannot become the norm. 

[CSP]

20 hours ago, Aaron said:

A frustrating day with the NCAA selection show underway and IU not being in. Its not the first time, but only one since 2011 where you legitimately expected to be in at all costs when season started and wont make it.

2016 had hitting stink and 2022 had pitching stink with lower expectations. 2021 was weird COVID year with conference only and cant really hold that to normal standards.

Those are only time they have missed since 2013 when program really came into its own. 2008 and 2012 had big runs late in season to nearly win big ten tournament but expectations were relatively low at that point. 2010 had worst pitching in program history (and made Glant's struggles recently look brilliant by comparison) where team was decent but nowhere near tourney quality. Pre-2008 program stunk. 

Its just annoying that this was a season where you should have competed to host a regional and instead missed all together. Expectations were similar in 2018, but then missing hosting meant being a two seed at a very tough regional in Texas and nearly winning it by making final game. That's how this season should have been if expectations were less then expected. Not completely missing postseason.

It speaks to success that this is really only the second time where a high expectation season went completely off rails. However, it is still just as frustrating and cannot become the norm. 

Competed to host? Lol I have some ocean front property for you. 

We started 5 FR A LOT of games this season and rolled with 4 nearly every game. Honestly bringing a possibility to host? That's crazy.  No.  That was never in the fold.  

Last season we probably easily host of Sinnard and Grable are healthy. 

[CSP]

Completely off the rails is finishing 6th in an 18 team league? With programs like USC, UCLA ahead of us? 

That's nuts. If that's off the rails, we gotta start actually caring about baseball from a university standpoint. 

[Aaron]

7 hours ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

Competed to host? Lol I have some ocean front property for you. 

We started 5 FR A LOT of games this season and rolled with 4 nearly every game. Honestly bringing a possibility to host? That's crazy.  No.  That was never in the fold.  

Last season we probably easily host of Sinnard and Grable are healthy. 

Publications preseason had IU borderline top-25 which puts you in range to host. Whether that was realistic or not is an open question but well known national publications had it within the realm of possibility. It was not a crazy thought till we saw team play. 

No one would have complained though if the reality was like 2023 where were very safely in as a 2-3 seed and top 35-40 all year. The bottom line though is IU massively underachieved. Given they have two high draft picks on offense, the direct culprit was the pitching where once again and Glant could not find set starters or roles for most part just like every season he has been here. At some point that is on you, when every year prior to being here roles and starters were found relatively easily.

There is no doubt anyway you slice it this season did not come close to meeting expectations. Pitching has to get better whether it is development program (most likely culprit since never a problem pre-Glant) or talent. Whether this is by Glant or someone else, status quo cannot continue if this is going to continue to be a winning program.  

This season was worst season for the team since 2011 given expectations. I stand by that. This team had zero excuse to not make NCAA Tournament with talent they had.

[Aaron]

41 minutes ago, Hardwood83 said:

Probably a rhetorical question, but playing at the site of the CWS is pretty cool and Omaha turns out for CBB. Of course it's a Husker friendly crowd, but I think historically not many locations draw consistently for the league tourney. 

Maybe Indy is a good option? But conflicting with the 500 weekend isn't ideal. 

Everyone likes it there except IU and other fans who want to go at times when more centrally located. I think putting it in Omaha every other year makes sense given prestige and crowds. Then rotate it to somewhere more central in Columbus or Chicago or something the other times. 

Can't be in Indy with 500 as you said.

[Aaron]

7 hours ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

Completely off the rails is finishing 6th in an 18 team league? With programs like USC, UCLA ahead of us? 

That's nuts. If that's off the rails, we gotta start actually caring about baseball from a university standpoint. 

Its about making the NCAA Tournament given talent of roster. Had no issues with performance in conference though this spring. 2016 team was third in league but missed tourney. 2017 they were sixth but made into a Regional.

My measurement is whether they make NCAA Tournament given talent they have (which in 2016 and 2022 they did not). Not their placement in the conference. This was first time they had a clear NCAA caliber squad since 2011 and blew making it which by any measurement is a failure. 

[Aaron]

Don't take my word for it being underachieving.

Here is a recap from Zach Horowitz who covers team for IUBase.com with many of the same points I made:

Underwhelming. A preseason buzz in the clubhouse that involved 'hosting a regional' flipped upon its head early in the season.

Opening with a great opportunity to jump high in the RPI ranks, Indiana fell to an 0-4 weekend in the arms of UNLV (twice), now a national seed in Oregon State, and Xavier. 

The season rolled into conference play, where Indiana sported a 16-14 record, losing four rubber matches which included a dramatic loss to USC, where they once led 12-3. 

The Hoosiers hadn't won a Big Ten road series until Michigan in the final weekend of the regular season.

The 2025 campaign ended in the first game of pool play to Rutgers, leaving 11 runners on base in the contest.

For what feels like a massive let down year, given that Indiana showcased the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in Jake Hanley and two Big Ten First-Team outfielders in Devin Taylor and Korbyn Dickerson, they failed to make the tournament for the first time since 2022. 

In what now seems to be an annual occurrence, the Hoosier pitching staff didn't have much of an identity. This season offered many jumbled roles and the reliance on transfer arms became an issue. 

Cole Gilley, Ryan Kraft, and Ben Grable seemed to be the only legitimate hurlers, while Gavin Seebold grew into his own towards the back-half of the season. The injuries to Drew Buhr and Jacob Vogel played a big part of the staff's problems. 

This offseason will be crucial. A new era in collegiate athletics could alter a program in just a few months.

There should be a good amount of roster turnover as Indiana loses many pitchers but hopefully keeps its young core who gained valuable experience in the lineup. 

I had wished for this season to involve more highs, with much positivity along the way, but the course of the season swayed away from it. 

Hoosier Nation, thank you for following along all season long. And, of course, a big thank you to @jovian34, @ChrisF3105, and the rest of the @SeeYouAtTheBart crew. I got the opportunity to create 15 articles and take part in 13 podcast episodes. Forever grateful for the opportunity and the future ahead.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Transfer News: Josh Pyne (@_joshpyne_ ) a three year starter at Indiana has entered the transfer portal after missing most of this year. He will have one year of eligibility left.

[CSP]

12 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Transfer News: Josh Pyne (@_joshpyne_ ) a three year starter at Indiana has entered the transfer portal after missing most of this year. He will have one year of eligibility left.

Not totally surprising 

[IUHoosierJoe]

16 minutes ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

Not totally surprising 

Actually, it's pretty surprising and disappointing to me.  Grew up close to Bloomington, always loved IU and wanted to play there.  Decent-level recruit coming out of high school.  Seems like next year would have been his time to shine at his life-long dream school.

[CSP]

1 hour ago, IUHoosierJoe said:

Actually, it's pretty surprising and disappointing to me.  Grew up close to Bloomington, always loved IU and wanted to play there.  Decent-level recruit coming out of high school.  Seems like next year would have been his time to shine at his life-long dream school.

It's really not. 

[CSP]

On 5/27/2025 at 6:18 PM, Aaron said:

Don't take my word for it being underachieving.

Here is a recap from Zach Horowitz who covers team for IUBase.com with many of the same points I made:

Underwhelming. A preseason buzz in the clubhouse that involved 'hosting a regional' flipped upon its head early in the season.

Opening with a great opportunity to jump high in the RPI ranks, Indiana fell to an 0-4 weekend in the arms of UNLV (twice), now a national seed in Oregon State, and Xavier. 

The season rolled into conference play, where Indiana sported a 16-14 record, losing four rubber matches which included a dramatic loss to USC, where they once led 12-3. 

The Hoosiers hadn't won a Big Ten road series until Michigan in the final weekend of the regular season.

The 2025 campaign ended in the first game of pool play to Rutgers, leaving 11 runners on base in the contest.

For what feels like a massive let down year, given that Indiana showcased the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in Jake Hanley and two Big Ten First-Team outfielders in Devin Taylor and Korbyn Dickerson, they failed to make the tournament for the first time since 2022. 

In what now seems to be an annual occurrence, the Hoosier pitching staff didn't have much of an identity. This season offered many jumbled roles and the reliance on transfer arms became an issue. 

Cole Gilley, Ryan Kraft, and Ben Grable seemed to be the only legitimate hurlers, while Gavin Seebold grew into his own towards the back-half of the season. The injuries to Drew Buhr and Jacob Vogel played a big part of the staff's problems. 

This offseason will be crucial. A new era in collegiate athletics could alter a program in just a few months.

There should be a good amount of roster turnover as Indiana loses many pitchers but hopefully keeps its young core who gained valuable experience in the lineup. 

I had wished for this season to involve more highs, with much positivity along the way, but the course of the season swayed away from it. 

Hoosier Nation, thank you for following along all season long. And, of course, a big thank you to @jovian34, @ChrisF3105, and the rest of the @SeeYouAtTheBart crew. I got the opportunity to create 15 articles and take part in 13 podcast episodes. Forever grateful for the opportunity and the future ahead.

Take the 20 yr old writers word for it! Weak to use this as backing. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Carl James -

 

Initial list of players transferring out as of opening day of the standard window include:

1. Seth Benes
2. Joey Brenczewski
3. Grant Hollister
4. Michael Lorenzetti
5. Evan Macintyre
6. Jasen Oliver
7. Josh Pyne
8. Ryan Rushing
9. Deron Swanson

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]