Wake Forest Bullpen Features Several Standout Arms

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have a formidable pitching staff that will help it compete in the ACC.

Wake Forest RHP Will Ray celebrates after a 9-6 victory over Phoenix on Feb. 25, 2025 at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C. | Wake Forest Athletics

Having a shutdown bullpen is one of the most important keys to success in baseball. Sure, it’s not necessarily the flashiest position group in the entire world, but it’s still one of, if not the most crucial. It’s one of those things in life that you don’t necessarily notice when you have it, but you definitely notice its absence when it’s gone.

As we chronicled in the preview of Wake Forest’s starting pitchers, the Demon Deacons are set to have a formidable group toeing the rubber this spring. The same can be said about the bullpen. While the list of potential superstars isn’t as long, the bullpen still has its fair share of intimidating arms that are set to terrify the ACC for months to come.

Will Ray’s Moment to Shine

When talking about a team’s bullpen, it’s always the closer that comes up in conversations first. And for good reason. The closer is the player who usually carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. The lights are always at their brightest in a close game in the ninth inning, and it’s the closer’s job to make sure the pressure doesn’t get to him.

For Wake Forest, the job of shutting it down in the ninth will go to RHP Will Ray. Ray was one of the Demon Deacons’ most consistent relief arms in 2024. He appeared in 33 games and put up a 3.68 ERA over the course of 44 innings. Walks were a bit of a problem for the then-junior reliever — he walked 24 batters that season — but he also struck out 37 hitters. It was a good season on the mound, one that becomes even more impressive when you account for the fact that it was just his second full season pitching.

Ray began his time at Wake Forest as an outfielder. In his freshman season in 2022, he appeared in 17 games but didn’t pick up a hit. He then made the transition to pitching in his sophomore season, making 18 appearances out of the bullpen as Wake Forest made its march toward the College World Series. So, as 2025 dawned, Ray was set to become one of Wake Forest’s most intimidating relievers. But sometimes fate has a mind of its own, and Ray’s season was cut short after just seven games, in which he struck out 14 and allowed just three hits. He missed the rest of the year due to an injury.

That development was disappointing, to say the least, but now Ray is ready to step up in the ninth and shut down opposing hitters when the moment is at its biggest.

Schmolke and Johnston Other Key Pieces in the ‘Pen

Wake Forest pitcher Luke Schmolke (27) pitches during a NCAA regional baseball game between Cincinnati and Wake Forest at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 30, 2025. | © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Senior RHP Luke Schmolke and senior LHP Zach Johnston bring a steady, veteran presence to a bullpen that’s otherwise fairly young. Schmolke made a name for himself in his first season in Winston-Salem in 2025, appearing in 26 games and posting a 4.15 ERA over 43⅓ innings. He struck out 48 and walked just 23, showing the kind of consistency the Deacons can lean on in big moments.

Johnston’s 2025 season was a bit of a rollercoaster. After emerging as a standout reliever in 2024 — he had a 3.93 ERA over 28 games — he struggled in 2025, posting a 7.77 ERA across 24⅓ innings. But don’t mistake those numbers for a reason to doubt him. Walter and the staff believe Johnston can pick up where he left off in 2024. If he does, the bullpen could be downright intimidating.

Sophomore Standouts to Anchor Bullpen

Duncan Marsten appeared in just eight games last season and had a 9.58 ERA — a figure that’s admittedly a little concerning — but there’s no doubting that his stuff is otherworldly. All it will take is a little fine-tuning, and the sophomore right-hander from Los Angeles could become one of Wake Forest’s most important pieces out of the bullpen. D1Baseball described his stuff, alongside teammate Nate Whysong, as “putaway.” Wake Forest will need that putaway stuff to assert itself in high-leverage situations if it wants to compete at a high level in 2026.

Speaking of Whysong, he, too, should be one of head coach Tom Walter’s top options out of the ‘pen. Just like Marsten, he had an up-and-down freshman season in 2025: He had an 8.10 ERA over 6⅔ innings of work, but it was evident that there was something magical bottled up in his right arm. He impressed in the fall and also performed well in 21⅔ innings in the Cape Cod League over the summer, which sets him up to be a key figure in the bullpen.

The same can be said for Troy Dressler, another player who had a limited contribution during his freshman season — he posted a 5.40 ERA over 8⅓ innings — but played admirably in the Cape Cod League. Watch for him to take the next step in 2026.

Stellar Freshmen Are Waiting in the Wings

Wake Forest’s freshman class holds a ton of promise. Pitchers like Evan Jones, Marcelo Harsch, Ryan Bosch, and Ryan Brennecke could all make major impacts should the stars align. All of them have great stuff that they were able to showcase in the fall.

It’s the depth that this freshman class adds that shows why Walter is so excited about this pitching staff. It should be one of the team’s best units, which isn’t surprising for anybody who has followed Wake Forest baseball over the last several years.

What’s Next for Wake Forest Baseball

Wake Forest will start its quest for Omaha against Houston on Feb. 13 in the Puerto Rico Challenge. It will then face Washington on Feb. 14 and Indiana State on Feb. 15. The Deacs’ first home bout will come against High Point on Feb. 17.