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Ty Head Showing Early Season Improvement in Key Area

The NC State center fielder hit just four home runs in his freshman season. It's been a very different start for Head in 2026.
Tucker Sennett|
NC State CF Ty Head celebrates a solo home run in an 18-3 win over Akron.
NC State CF Ty Head celebrates a solo home run in an 18-3 win over Akron. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

RALEIGH — As a freshman starter for NC State in 2025, outfielder Ty Head hit just four home runs. In the Wolfpack's eighth game of the 2026 season, Head mashed his fourth homer against the Akron Zips, continuing to display his growth at the plate in the early part of a season that has started about as well as head coach Elliott Avent could've hoped.

Head's combination of power and speed always existed, as did his tremendous plate discipline, even as a freshman. The process of putting it all together came during the offseason following the 2025 campaign. His hard work appears to be paying off in a big way.

Exciting times at the plate

It took just three pitches from Akron starting pitcher Jeremiah Newman for Head to put the Wolfpack on the board. His early success set the tone for the rest of his team, as the 18-3 win over the Zips helped NC State achieve a two-game stretch in which it outscored Richmond and Akron 45-3 over two games. That offensive success brings great joy to the sophomore center fielder.

"It's exciting. We're showing y'all what we're made of and we're coming to play," Head said following a 1-for-2 day at the plate with three walks and 2 RBIs.

The potential to grow as a hitter was always there for Head. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he is a prototypical modern outfielder, possessing the size to smash baseballs while also boasting a tremendous glove and speed on the basepaths. While there was an emphasis placed on improving his power ability, the changes weren't major as he prepared for 2026.

"We focus on it, but it's just focused on the little things in my swing and just being aggressive," Head said. "Don't try to hit home runs. Just focus on being gritty and getting through the at-bats. It'll come. ... Kind of just swinging more... Being disciplined for that pitch, that one to hit."

Four of Head's eight hits in 2026 have been homers. However, the season didn't start the way the center fielder wanted it to. The Puerto Rico Challenge was a struggle for Head, who failed to get a knock in the first two games on the Caribbean island. He tried not to lose his confidence too much and a return to Doak Field helped Head greatly.

"In Puerto Rico, I was swinging at everything and it wasn't me," he said. "It feels good to be back at the Doak and getting back to who I am. That's helped me most. ... I'm just believing myself and my teammates. ... I'm feeling good right now."

For Avent, the surging play of his center fielder comes as no surprise. Head is impressing his head coach with this stretch, but the belief has always been there from Avent.

"I've been around here a long time and seen a lot of great players here and he's one of them," Avent said. "He plays the game hard. He loves to play. A lot of confidence in himself and he works hard to get better, so it's fun for me to watch him play."

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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