PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley Baseball head coach Justin Dedman announced the program's incoming Class of 2027, a group that features a strong mix of junior college transfers and the No. 64-ranked freshman recruiting class in the country, according to Perfect Game.

"Our coaching staff, led by recruiting coordinator Curtis Kellogg and pitching coach Jeff Bolen, have raised the bar on the quality and quantity of talent in our program. We are ecstatic about the toughness, winning mindset and high motor that these players embody,' said Head Coach Justin Dedman. "We smile when we think about stacking the incoming class with our core returners who already carry the torch of our culture of competitive excellence, obsession and curiosity. We are on fire to build a winning environment and pursue championships with this group.  Day one of practice can't come soon enough."

Position Players

Adam Swanson, Catcher, Ottawa Township, Illinois

A high-end athlete with a big arm and leadership presence behind the plate, Swanson brings advanced defensive skills and real hit potential to Bradley. At Ottawa Township, Swanson hit .521 with a .628 on-base percentage, .917 slugging percentage and 1.545 OPS. He added 10 home runs, 12 doubles, 41 RBI, 21 stolen bases, 36 runs scored, 24 walks and seven hit-by-pitches while earning First Team All-State honors.

"Adam is a five-tool player with grit and a love for the game," Dedman said. "He can really hit, is a plus runner with a strong arm, and is advanced behind the plate for his age. His determination and work ethic will allow him to compete and grow early in his career."

Ezra Liggon, Center Fielder, Vel Phillips Memorial, Wisconsin

Liggon joins the Braves after a standout high school career at Vel Phillips Memorial High School in Madison, Wisconsin. An explosive mover with power, plus-plus speed and advanced defensive range, Liggon hit .400 with a .548 on-base percentage, .911 slugging percentage and 1.459 OPS. He added five home runs, six doubles, 23 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 20 runs scored, while also participating in the prestigious PBR Super 60 event.

"Ezra runs like a deer and hits with electric bat speed," Dedman said. "His 6'4" frame covers ground and he has a plus, accurate arm. He is disciplined, competitive and always asking questions about how he can improve."

Caleb Liggon, Shortstop, Vel Phillips Memorial, Wisconsin

A powerful and athletic shortstop, Liggon brings plus-plus speed, advanced barrel skills and middle-of-the-diamond ability to the Braves. He hit .341 with a .440 on-base percentage, .577 slugging percentage and 1.017 OPS, adding five home runs, 28 RBI, nine stolen bases and six hit-by-pitches. Liggon earned First Team All-Conference, First Team All-City and All-City Infielder of the Year honors, while also being named the Rob Andringa Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year.

"Caleb is an athlete who will stick in the middle of the diamond," Dedman said. "A plus-plus runner with quick hands and real bat speed, he is fun to watch. The ball is always on his barrel and he is on fire to improve."

William Bologna, Shortstop, Liberty North, Missouri

A sure-handed defender with instincts, competitive edge and a strong offensive foundation, Bologna adds another talented middle infielder to the class. At Liberty North, Bologna hit .324 with a .462 on-base percentage and .486 slugging percentage, adding 13 extra-base hits, 34 walks and three hit-by-pitches. He earned First Team All-Conference honors and all-state honorable mention recognition.

"William plays the game with an infectious joy and a zoned-in competitiveness in each at bat," Dedman said. "He is a true shortstop with athletic actions and an excellent game clock."

Kieran Leatherman, Outfielder, Wayzata, Minnesota

Leatherman is aexplosive athlete with upside in all phases of the game. He hit .264 with a .432 on-base percentage, scored 25 runs and posted a strong 16-to-11 walk-to-strikeout ratio, adding defensive ability, arm strength and offensive upside to Bradley's outfield group.

"Kieran is an explosive and rangy athlete," Dedman said. "He is a smooth defender with a big arm, real bat speed and a tremendous future. He has an energetic life force and is curious and obsessed about his development."

Christian Kiper, Outfielder/First Baseman, Mineral Area College, Missouri

Kiper comes to Bradley after a standout season at Mineral Area College, where he was named Region 16 Player of the Year, a Third Team NJCAA All-American and a NJCAA Gold Glove outfielder. He hit .381 with a .498 on-base percentage, .771 slugging percentage and 1.269 OPS, adding 20 home runs, 20 doubles, 58 RBI, 49 walks, eight stolen bases and 61 runs scored.

"Christian is tough and plays hard all the time," Dedman said. "He possesses strong in-game power and is proficient at getting on base. Also a strong 6'1" athlete, he can play OF or 1B, and we look forward to developing his speed and base stealing acumen. Christian has an easy-going personality that attracts others, and we are excited to see him stretch, grow and become the teammate and player he is capable of being."

Bennett Crafton, Outfielder, Seminole State Community College, Oklahoma

Crafton joins Bradley from Seminole State Community College, where he helped his team reach the NJCAA Division I World Series and earned NJCAA Region 2 First Team All-Conference and Academic All-American honors. He hit .385 with a .519 on-base percentage, .633 slugging percentage and 1.154 OPS, adding 10 home runs, 57 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 70 runs scored.

"Bennett is a winning ballplayer who hit in the middle of the lineup for an NJCAA World Series participant," Dedman said. "A 5'9" left-left outfielder from a traditional powerhouse junior college program, Bennett is competitive, tough and smart. He possesses surprising pop in his bat and is an on-base machine. We are excited to see Bennett grow and the impact he can create here at Bradley."

Dante Caiati, Infielder, College of Marin, California

Caiati joins Bradley after two seasons at the College of Marin, where he earned BVC First Team All-Conference honors. In 2026, he hit .302 with a .392 on-base percentage, .453 slugging percentage, four home runs, 12 doubles, 43 RBI, 21 walks, seven hit-by-pitches, four stolen bases and 42 runs scored.

"Dante is a 6'0" junior college shortstop/third baseman staple for a really good California program with an aggressive approach at the plate and 350 collegiate at bats of consistent success," Dedman said. "We value his defensive versatility and consistent quality at bats. Dante has a positive and likeable, easy-going disposition but plays the game with competitive fire. We look forward to watching Dante grow and lead inside our program."

Colton Kirkham, Catcher, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas

Kirkham joins the Braves after two seasons at Kansas City Kansas Community College. In 2026, he hit .354 with a .453 on-base percentage, .602 slugging percentage and 1.055 OPS. He added six home runs, eight doubles, 28 RBI, 14 walks, nine hit-by-pitches and 30 runs scored.

"Colton is a 6'0" junior college backstop from a consistent winning environment and is a tremendous defensive catcher who is known for his arm strength," Dedman said. "He is intelligent, tough as nails and extremely skilled. He is becoming a strong offensive threat and provides toughness and strong communication skills any winning ballclub needs behind the plate. We are excited to watch Colton grow."

Bankston Lembcke, Shortstop, Paris Junior College, Texas

Lembcke joins Bradley after two seasons at Paris Junior College, where he hit .339 with a .491 on-base percentage, .556 slugging percentage and 1.047 OPS. He added four home runs, 19 doubles, 38 RBI, 36 walks, 15 hit-by-pitches, 10 stolen bases and 57 runs scored, while also being recognized as a finalist for the Distinguished Service Award.

"Bankston is a tremendous 5'11 junior college shortstop who started over 100 games in two years at a talented and well-coached Texas JC program," Dedman said. "He has an extremely high motor, good bat-to-ball skills, and makes routine plays at a high clip. His arm plays well on the left side and he is a dirtbag ballplayer who will make us tougher. Bankston is a line drive machine who knows how to get on base. We are excited to chart Bankston's growth and impact at Bradley."

Trey Jeanes, First Baseman/Outfielder, Odessa College, Texas

Jeanes adds a physical left-handed bat to Bradley's position player group. The 6'4" first baseman/outfielder hit .333 with a .545 on-base percentage in 30 plate appearances before an injury cut his season short.

"Trey is a physical, 6'4" left-handed hitting 1B/OF," Dedman said. "Trey was off to a strong start in his sophomore year before he broke his hand. While we are excited to teach him how to take HBPs the proper way, Trey will let you know he's at the plate with the sound that comes off the bat. Possessing tremendous power, we are excited to watch him grow and become a consistent high-level hitter. We will challenge him to develop his defense and base running to become a well-rounded ballplayer."

Xavier Rivera, Catcher, Northwest Florida State, Florida

Rivera brings Division I roots and junior college experience to Bradley's catching group. In 2026, he hit .308 with a .396 on-base percentage, .577 slugging percentage, four home runs, seven doubles, 21 RBI and 10 walks.

"Xavier is a talented 5'10" junior college catcher with Division 1 roots and has been a part of two strong programs," Dedman said. "He is known for his defensive prowess, but made big strides offensively this year in the toughest state for junior college baseball. Xavier is a winner and possesses a confidence and energy behind the plate that bleeds into others, and we are thrilled to chart his growth in becoming a high-level backstop and ballplayer."

Oliver Hogan, Infielder, Menlo College

Hogan joins Bradley after a standout season at Menlo College, where he earned Second Team All-PacWest honors. He hit .372 with a .478 on-base percentage, .655 slugging percentage, nine home runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 29 RBI, 20 hit-by-pitches and 40 runs scored.

"Oliver is a physical 6'3" infielder who led Division 2 Menlo in most offensive categories," Dedman said. "Recently named a California Collegiate League All-Star, he has upside in many areas, and we will challenge him to become a strong defender and base runner. Oliver is bright, curious and competitive and we are looking forward to coaching him every day."

Jordan Treadwell, Infielder, Coppin State

Treadwell brings a strong history of success at the Division I and junior college levels. A switch-hitting infielder, he hit .319 with a .417 on-base percentage and .504 slugging percentage at Coppin State, adding four home runs, six doubles, two triples, 18 RBI, 21 walks, 10 stolen bases and 35 runs scored.

"Jordan is a switch-hitting 5'10" infielder who transfers in with a strong history of success at the Division 1 and junior college levels," Dedman said. "With lots of energy and strong communication skills, Jordan is an OKG, Our Kinda Guy. He is an athletic defender who can make plays in any direction and possesses a compact line drive swing with strong bat-to-ball and on-base skills. A good runner as well, we are excited to see his growth in base running."

Pitchers

Gage Brownell, Right-Handed Pitcher, Schuyler County, Missouri

Brownell joins Bradley from Schuyler County High School in Queen City, Missouri, where he was a four-year varsity letterwinner. As a senior in 2026, Brownell posted a 9-2 record with a 0.796 ERA across 70.1 innings, allowing just 26 hits while recording 145 strikeouts to 23 walks with a 0.697 WHIP. He was named All-Conference Pitcher of the Year, all-district and First Team All-State.

"Gage has a bright future," Dedman said. "He is an athletic righty with a sharp breaking ball and a fastball that jumps. He is a competitor who wants to finish games and his multi-sport background adds to his development potential."

Luke Parkinson, Right-Handed Pitcher, Whitnall, Wisconsin

Parkinson joins Bradley from Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wisconsin. On the mound, he posted a 6-2 record with a 1.29 ERA, 86 strikeouts, a 1.44 WHIP and a .105 batting average against across 48.2 innings pitched.

"Luke is blossoming into his physical frame," Dedman said. "He is extremely athletic, competitive and driven to become special."

Andrew Balentine, Left-Handed Pitcher, Folsom Lake College, California

Balentine joins Bradley after spending time at Fresno State and Folsom Lake College. During the 2026 season at Folsom Lake, he made 23 appearances and logged 49 innings, posting a 0.37 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 74 strikeouts to 16 walks and six saves. He allowed just 20 hits and earned First Team All-Big 8 Conference, All-State and All-America honors, while leading the 3C2A in ERA, strikeout percentage and WHIP.

"Andrew has a fast arm and swing-and-miss fastball," Dedman said. "Hitters struggle to square him up, and his offspeed has developed quickly. He is driven and curious and wants to see how great he can become. We can't wait to work with Andrew."

Sam Weaver, Right-Handed Pitcher, Spokane Falls Community College, Washington

Weaver adds another physical junior college arm to Bradley's incoming pitching class. At Spokane Falls, he logged 60.1 innings, allowing 45 hits while posting a 3.58 ERA, 80 strikeouts to 26 walks and a 1.18 WHIP. He earned First Team All-Region honors from the NWAC.

"Sam is a physical 6'4" junior college transfer who hides his 88-91 fastball well and pairs it with a strong sweeper and changeup," Dedman said. "He had a tremendous season as a starting pitcher and is someone we are excited to watch develop and make a big impact at Bradley."

Hayden Boyd, Right-Handed Pitcher, Jefferson College, Missouri

Boyd adds size, velocity and competitive experience to the Braves' pitching staff. At Jefferson College, he posted a 3-1 record with a 2.80 ERA across 35.1 innings, allowing 27 hits while recording 47 strikeouts to 13 walks with a 1.13 WHIP. He earned Second Team All-Region 16 honors.

"Hayden is a strong 6'2" junior college transfer with a strong competitive performance history," Dedman said. "He is a proven strike thrower who has consistently been 88-92, topping at 94 with a very good slider. He is a committed, loyal and competitive young man who cares deeply about winning. We are excited to watch Hayden blossom at Bradley."

Jake Alvarez, Right-Handed Pitcher, Odessa College, Texas

Alvarez is a fierce competitor with versatility in usage and a strong cutter/fastball combination. At Odessa College, he made 18 appearances and logged 37 innings, posting a 4.14 ERA with 44 strikeouts to 14 walks, a 1.32 WHIP and four saves.

"Jake is hungry to develop into a pro and compete at the highest level," Dedman said. "He has a true cutter, a riding fastball and the ability to spin it."

Cooper Richter, Right-Handed Pitcher, Bellevue College, Washington

Richter joins Bradley after spending the 2025-26 season at Bellevue College. He posted a 6-6 record with a 3.81 ERA across 78 innings, recording 72 strikeouts to 16 walks with a 1.29 WHIP. Richter earned All-NWAC Gold Glove honors and Second Team All-Region recognition from the NWAC.

"Cooper is a strong 6'2" low slot junior college transfer who made his mark last year as a strike-throwing starting pitcher at 88-90 with heavy sink," Dedman said. "Cooper offers a unique look and outstanding hunger and curiosity to our pitching staff. He reached the sixth inning or deeper nine times this spring. We are excited to watch him grow inside our program."

Parker Bleck, Right-Handed Pitcher, Bryant & Stratton College, Wisconsin

Bleck joins Bradley as a physical junior college transfer with Division I experience and a strong performance history. At Bryant & Stratton, he logged 58 innings, allowing 64 hits while posting a 5.40 ERA and a strong 69-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

"Parker is a physical 6'5" junior college transfer who pitches at 88-92 with a lower slot and ability to pitch backwards," Dedman said. "He is a competitor, has experience in a Division 1 program and a strong performance history as a JC weekend starter and in the Northwoods League. His personality is awesome and unique, and we are excited for what he can become at Bradley."

Rylan Figueroa, Right-Handed Pitcher, Odessa College, Texas

Figueroa joins Bradley after spending time at Odessa College and Texas Wesleyan. At Odessa, he logged 58 innings and posted a 6-3 record, recording 49 strikeouts and a 1.74 WHIP.

"Rylan is a lean 6'3" junior college transfer consistently in the low 90s and up to 94 mph with significant history as a starting pitcher," Dedman said. "Rylan has already shown the ability to navigate deep into college lineups, and has tremendous upside as he works diligently to strengthen his frame. We are excited about the pitcher he can become here at Bradley."

Luke Goss, Right-Handed Pitcher, Lincoln Land Community College, Illinois

Goss is a deceptive right-hander with a unique slot and fastball up to 92 mph. At Lincoln Land, he logged 64 innings, allowing 76 hits while recording 59 strikeouts.

"Luke has an easy operation and a unique fastball profile," Dedman said. "He is a proven strike thrower who has made major strides in the weight room. He has a great personality and we are excited to inject him into the program."

Codi Scott, Left-Handed Pitcher, Jefferson College, Missouri

Scott joins Bradley after attending Jefferson College, where he made 11 appearances and totaled 32 innings pitched. He recorded a 2.90 ERA with 30 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .203 batting average.

"Codi is 6'5" competitive, confident and driven lefty," Dedman said. "His combination of unique left-handed stuff and competitiveness will play early. He has low hanging fruit to grab in his development journey, and we are excited to see him achieve his ceiling while helping Bradley win at a high level."

Ty Thompson, Right-Handed Pitcher, Central Arizona College, Arizona

Thompson joins Bradley after previous stops at Northern Colorado, Yavapai College and Central Arizona College. During his junior college career, he logged 47 innings with 51 strikeouts. He earned First Team All-Conference honors as a freshman at Yavapai College in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference.

"Ty is a physical 6'4" junior college transfer with good 90-93 ride fastball and firm slider," Dedman said. "He comes from a traditional JC powerhouse program with good coaching. Ty had a strong 2026 campaign and we are ecstatic to work with him and believe he can make a big impact in our program."

Wyatt Brown, Right-Handed Pitcher, Spring Hill College

Brown joins the Braves after building a strong performance history at Spring Hill College. He posted an 8-1 record with a 2.65 ERA across 71.1 innings, allowing 61 hits while recording 68 strikeouts to 39 walks with a 1.40 WHIP. Brown also earned Second Team All-Conference honors in the SIAC.

"At a lean 6'4", Wyatt is a tall drink of water," Dedman said. "He brings to Bradley a strong performance history at Division 2 Spring Hill College, where he had success pounding the zone in the upper 80s as a starting pitcher, and has been up to 92. Wyatt has multiple breaking balls and looks to bring a strong sense of pitchability to our staff."

Lucas Greer, Right-Handed Pitcher, Central Arkansas

Greer joins Bradley after spending four seasons at the University of Central Arkansas. He did not pitch in 2026 due to injury, but brings Division I experience and high-end arm talent to the Braves.

"Lucas is an uber talented, twitchy athlete coming from a strong Division 1 program," Dedman said. "Lucas has been up to 96 with electric stuff. He was a weekend starter as a freshman before injuries set him back. Lucas has tremendous passion and curiosity. He has had a couple of injuries that have kept his performance history to a minimum, but he is progressing well on his path back to mound, and we are looking forward to the impact he can have on the field and in the locker room. Lucas has infectious energy and positive life force that we are excited to inject into our locker room."

Jackson Kottmeyer, Right-Handed Pitcher, Lewis University, Illinois

Kottmeyer joins Bradley after spending two seasons at Lewis University. In 2026, he totaled 33 innings, allowing 44 hits while recording 31 strikeouts to 13 walks.

"Jackson has an extra-large 6'5" frame, and brings solid competitive experiences from Division 2 Lewis University to the Braves," Dedman said. "Jackson has completely changed how he moves as an athlete and, while he has been up to 95 mph, comes to Bradley seeking to reach his ceiling in stuff, consistency and competitive opportunities. We are thrilled to have Jackson's mature presence with our team and look forward to what he can become."