I spoke with the Ohio State coaching staff this week, and they are recruiting and evaluating players for the 2028 and 2029 recruiting classes.

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Head coach Justin Haire took over in 2024 after building a winning program at Campbell, bringing NCAA Tournament experience and a track record of developing competitive teams.

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For families looking at high-level Division I baseball, Ohio State is a program worth getting familiar with.

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Here's a look at the recruiting classes we're currently tracking:

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2027 Commits:

• Noah Milburn - LHP
• Grady Lantz - RHP
• Nate Henderson - LHP
• Jonathon (JJ) Vogel - LHP
• Jackson Schilling - C
• Noah Goettke - OF
• Koby Dues - SS
• Corey Taylor - RHP

2028 Commits:

• Bryce Besgrove - LHP
• Seth Maybury - RHP
• Evan Thacker - LHP
• Holden Wilcox - MIF
• Owen Wolgemuth - MIF
• Chase Martin - RHP

2029 | Currently watching and evaluating players

Explore your recruiting options

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A 17-win turnaround in 2026

Here's what makes Ohio State especially interesting:

• In 2025, the Buckeyes finished 13-37.
• In 2026, they went 30-25, including an 18-12 record in Big Ten play.

That's a 17-win improvement in just one season, the program's biggest turnaround in more than 30 years.

And the wins weren't just against smaller programs.

Ohio State swept Nebraska for the first time in program history, swept Michigan in Ann Arbor for the first time since 1994, and recorded back-to-back Big Ten series sweeps for the first time since 2009.

That's real progress in one of college baseball's major conferences.

The coach behind the turnaround

Justin Haire came to Columbus with a strong résumé.

During his 10 seasons leading Campbell, he collected:

• 317 wins
• 5 regular-season conference championships
• 4 conference tournament championships
• 5 NCAA Regional appearances

He also earned four conference Coach of the Year awards.

Now he's bringing that experience to Ohio State, and the improvement in 2026 is an encouraging sign of where the program could be heading.

Why families should take a closer look

Ohio State offers something appealing: Big Ten baseball, a major university experience, and a program showing measurable improvement under its current coaching staff.

The Buckeyes also play at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus, giving athletes the opportunity to compete in a major college athletics environment.

For families, the academic side matters too.

Ohio State has approximately 46,627 undergraduate students, a 49% acceptance rate, and a broad range of academic programs.

But here's something I always remind parents:

You don't have to wait until a program wins a conference championship to recognize a good opportunity.

Sometimes the most interesting programs are the ones building toward that next level of success.

Ohio State is clearly recruiting for its future.

And for families with athletes graduating in 2028 or 2029, it's worth understanding how those classes are developing.

If your athlete wants to compete at the Division I level, experience Big Ten baseball, and be part of a program building momentum, Ohio State deserves a closer look.

Inside the Premier Athletes Baseball Recruiting Program, we help families identify programs that match their athlete's ability, academics, and goals, then develop a recruiting strategy to get in front of the appropriate coaches.

Explore your recruiting options here and we'll talk about your athlete's recruiting timeline, where he stands, and whether Ohio State or programs like it should be on his list.

To your son's success.