Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Returning letterwinners for the St. Edmond baseball squad are, front row (left to right): Julian Blanco, Griffin Laufersweiler, Kinnick Henning and Ethan Swisher. Back: Maddox Shirbroun, Jacob Nieland, Ethan Bartlett, Grant Galles and Jack McElroy.

The beginning of the Jordan Miller era with St. Edmond baseball hits the ground running with a handful of returning starters alongside several new faces.

Miller, a 2004 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate who coached Eagle Grove baseball for over a decade, replaces Mike Szalat at the helm.

He will lean heavily on seniors Grant Galles, Kinnick Henning, Jack McElroy, Ethan Swisher and Max Webster, as all have starting experience on the diamond.

Carson Bargfrede, a starter on the St. Edmond state basketball championship team this past winter with Galles and McElroy, is out as well, along with basketball reserve Jackson Calvert to a complete a seven-player senior class on the diamond in 2026.

Juniors are Griffin Laufersweiler and Jacob Nieland. Sophomores include Marvin Bacon, Coltin Fevold and Thomas Ehn.

Freshmen Blake Bartlett, Julian Blanco, Evan Calvert, Cainan Cooper, Maxxus Laufersweiler, Cal Reisner, Garrett Royster, Gordon Seeden, Maddox Shirbroun and Nick Utley are flanked by eighth-graders Quyntin Clark and Corbyn Clark.

Griffin Laufersweiler, Nieland, Bartlett, Blanco, Shirbroun and Royster all started games last summer. Shirbroun continues to recover from an injury suffered in the fall while playing football for St. Edmond.

“We’ve been putting the ball in play a lot, which is something we are definitely pushing for,” Miller said. “We want to put pressure on the defense. We’re running a lot and trying to be aggressive — maybe to a fault — but we want to get guys moving and great our own opportunities to score.

“We worked a lot on offensive drills during the offseason. Now, they key is taking that to the field.”

Blanco and Bartlett were the leaders in RBI last year, and Galles, Henning, Griffin Laufersweiler, McElroy and Blanco all hit over .300. Galles, Henning, McElroy and Swisher recorded double-digit steals, and Swisher led the team in runs scored.

Swisher, McElroy, Griffin Laufersweiler, Nieland, Webster, Ehn and Royster are working at infield positions. Galles, Henning, Bargfrede, Calvert, Bacon and Reisner are in the outfield. Bartlett, Blanco and Fevold are at catcher.

“It’s a long season, so flexibility and being able to play many different positions will be key,” Miller said. “You have to embrace failure as the first step to success. It will be nice to draw on those players from the championship basketball team, because they had to fight through tough moments to have success.”

On the mound, Bartlett earned two wins with a team-high 55 strikeouts in just over 40 innings pitched. McElroy had 32 strikeouts and Galles 14.

“We’ve got a lot of kids back who can throw,” Miller said. “Hopefully, a few of the new ones can give us some innings, too.”

Miller will be assisted by fellow former Dodger baseball players Josh Calvert and Cainen Hiracheta, along with ex-Gael player Hayden Derrig.

2026 ST. EDMOND BASEBALL

Roster

Seniors — Carson Bargfrede, Jackson Calvert, Grant Galles, Kinnick Henning, Jack McElroy, Ethan Swisher, Max Webster.

Juniors — Griffin Laufersweiler, Jacob Nieland.

Sophomores — Marvin Bacon, Coltin Fevold, Thomas Ehn.

Freshmen — Blake Bartlett, Julian Blanco, Evan Calvert, Cainan Cooper, Maxxus Laufersweiler, Cal Reisner, Garrett Royster, Gordon Seeden, Maddox Shirbroun, Nick Utley.

Eighth-graders — Quyntin Clark, Corbyn Clark.

Schedule

May 18 — Humboldt; 19 — North Union; 26 — at Webster City; 28 — Manson NW.

June 1 — at Clarion-Goldfield/Dows; 2 — at Southeast Valley; 6 — at CYO in Le Mars vs. Bishop Heelan, Le Mars Gehlen; 8 — Clear Lake; 11 — Emmetsburg; 15 — at Iowa Falls-Alden; 16 — West Bend-Mallard; 18 — at Eagle Grove; 22 — at Hampton-Dumont/CAL; 25 — at Bishop Garrigan; 29 — Algona.

July 3 — Remsen St. Mary’s.