In the late stages of March, the Cougars welcomed San Diego State University to Bailey-Brayton Field and swept them in three games of conference play. At that point in the season, the Cougs were hovering around third place in the division and looking to dominate in the Mountain West Conference.
Flash forward to mid-May and the Aztecs got their revenge, sweeping WSU in their final series and stuffing them at the bottom of the MWC standings. The Cougs, prior to the season,n were projected to finish third, but after several series losses slid to eighth place.
Despite their last-place finish, there are quite a few bright spots coming out of the year. For example…
Max Hartman’s bat
The junior outfielder from Alberta, Canada, was a hitting machine in 2025. He batted 0.363, the best on the team, which ranked him eighth in the conference. As a third-year Coug, Hartman has worked his way up the ranks and developed into a starting left fielder whose presence at the plate is a game-changer. He was second on the team for OPS, hits, runs and home runs. Should Hartman stick around for his senior year, he will continue to be an invaluable member of the Cougar squad.
Logan Johnstone’s power
As good as Hartman was this year at the plate, one man stood above him in almost every category… Johnstone. First in OPS, hits, runs and most importantly, home runs. He cranked nine homers in 2025, leading the team by four and posting an OPS of 1.010. His ability to hit for power and get on base made him a dual threat in the lineup. In the field, he put on a similar show, making great defensive plays in the outfield and cementing himself as a core member of the squad. Johnstone was also selected to the 2025 All-Mountain West First team as an outfielder. His hitting and defense place him among the best in the entire conference.
Will Cresswell’s seniority
After only starting 23 games in 2024, Cresswell made his senior year worth it. He batted 0.329 with a 0.927 OPS and ranked fifth on the team for hits. As a fourth-year Coug and a Washington native, Cresswell served as a spark plug for the team and was a brick wall behind the dish. His breakout performance this season earned him a selection to the 2025 All-Mountain West Second team as a catcher. Both his presence and production at the plate will be greatly missed by the Cougs as they lean on junior Noah Thein as their catcher in 2026.
Griffin Smith is locking down the mound
Outing after outing, the junior right-handed transfer from Wisconsin proved himself a dominant arm in the bullpen. Smith finished the year posting a 5.73 ERA, the second-best on the team with the most innings pitched at 81 2/3. As the game one starter for the Cougs he set the tone for numerous series and went deep into many ballgames at one point, tossing nine innings against UNLV. Much of the year’s success can be attributed to the lockdown starts put together by Smith.
Luke Meyers’ versatility
Although he began the year as the game three starter for WSU, Meyers decided to take on a new role for the team halfway through the season. As the Cougs’ relief pitching experienced some hiccups during the year, Meyers was asked to fill in as a leverage arm late in ballgames. He selflessly took on the challenge and finished the year with a 5.26 ERA, the best on the team. Whether it was starting games or ending them, the junior from Denver, Colorado, dominated on the mound, leading the squad to win after win.
Hutzezon’s comeback
In his first five appearances of the year, the junior transfer from Utrecht, Netherlands, allowed 20 earned runs, spiking his ERA to over 50, and gave up 15 walks in the process. All that damage came through only five innings pitched in total. However, Hutzezon understood that those numbers did not define him. Through his final 11 appearances, he only allowed 10 earned runs and seven walks, striking out 13 batters in the process. Seven of these performances came in conference play, helping the Cougs pick up needed wins all throughout the season. Although he ended the year with a 13.97 ERA, his ability to scratch and claw his way back up the stat sheet proved him to be a powerful weapon in the bullpen.
While the year was less than desirable for head coach Nathan Choate and his Cougars, the positive takeaways from the season do provide a bit of hope for fans. With their first year of MWC play under their belt and a team of fresh faces building chemistry, the 2026 season could prove exciting for the Cougs.
