COBLESKILL — The SUNY Cobleskill baseball team is set to take the field for the 2025 season after earning the top spot in the NAC West Division Preseason Poll. Following a strong 2024 campaign in which they secured the NAC West Division Regular Season title before coming up short in the conference championship, the Fighting Tigers finished with an 18-23 overall record, including a dominant 10-3 mark in league play.
Under the leadership of third-year head coach Austin Straub, a former NAC Coach of the Year, Cobleskill looks to defend its divisional crown for the fifth straight season. Straub returns a battle-tested core while welcoming in a group of highly touted newcomers poised to make an impact.
“We’re excited about the 2025 campaign and the potential this group has,” said Straub. “We lost a big senior class last year, but our staff did an excellent job bringing in a talented mix of first-year players and high-ceiling transfers. That combination should help elevate our program this season.”
Cobleskill brings back key contributors from last year’s squad, including two all-conference selections: former NAC Player of the Year and All-NAC First Team infielder David Flora (Windsor, NY) and senior centerfielder Zach Ducorsky (Oceanside, NY). Flora was the team’s offensive catalyst in 2024, leading the Fighting Tigers with a .359 batting average, a .421 on-base percentage, and a team-best 51 hits. His balanced offensive attack included 12 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 17 stolen bases, 36 runs scored, and 25 RBIs. Ducorsky, the team’s defensive anchor in center field, played flawless defense with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on 125 chances while also batting .271 with a .372 on-base percentage. He swiped 20 bases and tallied 36 hits, five doubles, a triple, 28 runs scored, and 13 RBIs.
Beyond Flora and Ducorsky, Cobleskill welcomes 24 returners and will rely on experienced returners Logan Firmont (Andes, NY/South Kortright), Trevor Grieb (Red Hook, NY), Ryan Lansing (Cooperstown, NY), Jesus Sarda (Colonie, NY), and Cole Platt (Oneonta, NY) to provide stability and production throughout the lineup.
“Offensively, we’re led by David Flora, the 2023 NAC Player of the Year, and we expect a strong season from Zach Ducorsky, who has led the NAC in stolen bases over the past three years,” Straub said. “Logan Firment has the potential to be a big power bat for us, and we’ll also look for key contributions from experienced guys like Trevor Grieb, Ryan Lansing, Jesus Sarda, and Cole Platt.”
On the mound, Cobleskill returns a deep and experienced pitching staff led by Logan Scott (Binghamton, NY), Jack Laughlin (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas), Tanner Wood (Glenville, NY/Niskayuna), Evan Balbera (Patchogue, NY), and Connor Mulligan (Cheshire, CT). Adding to the mix is Dylan Schwam (Cooper City, FL/South Plantation) making the transition from a position player to a pitcher this season. With a deeper arsenal of arms capable of logging extended innings, the Fighting Tigers are set to have increased flexibility and depth on the hill in 2025.
“One of our biggest improvements this year is our depth on the mound,” said Straub. “We have more guys who can start or give us length out of the bullpen, which should be a big advantage over the course of the season.”
The Fighting Tigers also welcome a group of newcomers expected to make an immediate impact. On the mound, transfers Tyler Sienko (Binghamton, NY/Windsor), Reis Brammer (Cohoes, NY/CBA Albany), and Mike Markle (West Shokan, NY/Roundout Valley) add experience and firepower to the pitching staff. Offensively, transfers Jeffrey Gutierrez (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes) and Kaden Krauss (Saugerties, NY) bring additional pop to the lineup.
“We bolstered our pitching depth with a strong group of transfers,” Straub said. “Sienko, Brammer, and Markle give us more options on the mound, and on the offensive side, adding Gutierrez and Krauss should make our lineup even more dangerous. Between our transfers and some promising first-year players, our offense should be very potent in 2025.”
Cobleskill opens its season on Saturday, March 1, with a doubleheader at St. Joseph’s University (Long Island), starting at 12:00 p.m.
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