Takeaways From NC State Baseball Preseason Scrimmage

RALEIGH — Even with residual snow leftover from the winter weather that touched North Carolina and the rest of the Southeast, college baseball season is here and NC State is officially in the thick of things with aspirations for a big year. The Wolfpack worked diligently throughout January and into early February after winter break, scrimmaging when possible, including one on Feb. 6.

The intrasquad scrimmage saw some of the best members of the Wolfpack go head-to-head, battling for certain positions and settling into new roles. Things look promising for NC State as a whole in head coach Elliott Avent's 30th year at the helm, but a couple of things particularly stood out from the game.

Position battles?

Manning the Hot Corner.@ShermanTJohnson comes in at No. 48 on the@d1baseball 2026 Preseason Top 50 Third Basemen list. pic.twitter.com/v73PFsdLjv
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) February 5, 2026

With a unique mix of serious returning talent and newcomers from both the transfer portal and the freshman class, Avent has some decisions to make when it comes to lineups and personnel with just a week left before the Wolfpack heads to the Puerto Rico Challenge. The outfield appeared fairly set in stone, with sophomore Ty Head, senior Brayden Fraasman and freshman Rett Johnson holding things down.

There are some depth options in the outfield as well, as utility player Dalton Bargo is an option when he's not in the designated hitter spot, as well as first baseman Chris McHugh and Indiana transfer Andrew Wiggins. Where the real position battle is happening is in the hot corner. Avent has a big decision to make, as his two options both boast serious fielding talent at third base.

The first option is standout JUCO transfer Sherman Johnson, who hit the ball hard in Friday's scrimmage. He also showed his dynamic speed as a fielder and as a baserunner, applying pressure to the red team when he worked his way on base. His competition is James Madison transfer Wyatt Peifer, a Gold Glove award winner in his sophomore season with the Dukes.

The 1-2 punch in the rotation

The duo of junior starting pitchers, Ryan Marohn and Jacob Dudan, went head-to-head for the red and black teams during the scrimmage, showing some of their new looks and improvements from the offseason. The roommates explained some of their chemistry from off the field after the scrimmage, sharing that they live with one another and exchange advice about the trials and tribulations of starting pitching.

Friday marked the first look at Dudan in his new role as a starting pitcher. After some early obstacles in finding the strike zone, the powerful righty dialed things in and settled in for a few quality innings. Marohn picked up right where he left off, showcasing the strikeout ability and never losing steam during his outing.

Outlook

NC State MB — NC State Wolfpack players meet on the mound during an eventful first inning against the Stetson Hatters during the NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Friday May 30, 2025. | Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Both the red and black teams performed admirably in the scrimmage, with red boasting more of the team's expected starters. Bargo, a transfer from Tennessee, could be the offensive X-factor the Wolfpack needs to make a strong run in the ACC, but only time will tell how his bat will transition into the NC State lineup.

Depth seems to be an area of strength for the Pack, allowing Avent to tinker with his lineup and rotation as he sees fit throughout the year. State begins its season on Friday in Puerto Rico against Washington at the Puerto Rico Baseball Challenge.

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