Northwestern is less than a month away from teeing off the 2026 season, and much of the team’s success this year hinges upon a revamped pitching staff. While Ben Greenspan’s tenure has been marked by growth across the board, pitching is one area where NU has struggled. The ‘Cats finished second-to-last in the Big Ten last season with a 7.65 ERA, a number that was worse than the 6.95 ERA they finished with in 2024. Last year, NU had 305 strikeouts, 59 less than the team above them, and had a 1.77 WHIP which was tied for second-worst in the league.
Simply put, the ‘Cats pitching must improve significantly if Northwestern wants to make serious progress in climbing the Big Ten ladder. With the departure of starters Blake MacMillan and Crawford Wade, there will be open spots for the Wildcats’ developing players and newcomers to make an impact on the mound. Let’s unpack the pitchers that will likely be most instrumental to the staff’s hopeful turnaround this year.
Advertisement
Sam Hliboki, RHP, Gr.
Hliboki announced he would return for a final season with Northwestern, and he’ll take charge as both the No.1 starter and captain of this pitching staff. His 82.1 innings pitched was fourth in the Big Ten, proving Hliboki’s major role with the Wildcats as a consistent option who could eat innings and go deep into games. Last season, he led the team in strikeouts with 65 and finished second in ERA with a 5.36 mark. He also allowed the fewest walks out of any Wildcat pitcher.
After spending his first four years at Vanderbilt and transferring to NU last season, Hliboki now has a full year of familairity pitching to Big Ten batters. His wealth of experience and veteran mindset should pay dividends for a relatively young ‘Cats pitching staff, and his steady presence on the mound will be invaluable as Greenspan experiments with different combinations and spots for other pitchers.
Matthew Kouser, RHP, So.
Kouser was one of the frontline starters for the ‘Cats in his rookie campaign. The 6-foot-5 New Jersey native made a team-high 14 starts and led the team in innings pitched with 61.2. He was also third behind Hliboki and Wade with 33 strikeouts.
Advertisement
His collegiate debut was arguably his best performance of the season, as he threw 6.0 innings of one run ball, earning him a Big Ten Freshman of the Week award. His 7.59 ERA was still lower than the team stat, but reflects that the next step he’ll have to take is doing a better job neutralizing Big Ten batters and leaving runners on base. Kouser’s role with the team will undoubtedly be bigger this year, and with a full year under his belt and great mentors to train under, he should be ready to take the mantle.
Garrett Shearer, RHP, Jr.
Despite leading the team in pitching appearances in 2024, Shearer struggled with staying on the field last year in a season marred by injuries. He played in just two games, but was fantastic in both of them: two runs allowed over 6.0 innings, and his first career complete game striking out six and giving up just four hits and one run.
Advertisement
While its a small sample size, Shearer’s 2.08 ERA proved that his talent and potential for dominance is certainly evident. While on the mound, he looked like one of the best pitchers on the staff, and its likely that if Shearer can stay healthy he’ll be thrust into a top spot in the rotation. Out of all the pitchers, Shearer has the most potential for a bounce-back season this year.
Jack Grunkemeyer, RHP, So.
The leader in games pitched for the ‘Cats in 2025, Grunkemeyer is another sophomore looking to build on a promising rookie season. His 1.66 WHIP was tied for third on the team, and he had multiple strong outings throughout the season with several innings pitched and few runs given up, including 3.1 hitless innings against Western Michigan and 2.2 perfect innings in relief against Michigan State. Grunkemeyer embraced a middle relief position with the ‘Cats last year, an that could continue this year. But given the roster turnover and shuffling of roles, it’s also possible that Grunkemeyer serves some time as a starter or bulk inning reliever.
Christian Forniss, LHP, So.
Forniss took several starts down the stretch last season, finishing the year with five of his 15 games as starter. His inning count hovered around three for most of the year, but he gradually went deeper into games as the season went on. He earned his first save with 3.0 shutout innings against Valparaiso, which marked one of his strongest outings of the year and proves that he can adjust and be a stable force both as a starter and out of the bullpen. It’ll be interesting to see how Greenspan chooses to use him this year, but the Indiana native will certainly play a bigger role.
Advertisement
James Whitaker, RHP, Fy.
As our own Matt Campbell noted last week, Whitaker is one of the most exciting high school recruits that Greenspan has snagged. A top 100 RHP in his class with a 3.33 ERA at Bishop Gorman Gaels, a high school known for producing several MLB players, Whitaker brings a strong two-seam fastball, nasty breaking balls and a well-developed mindset to Northwestern. He could instantly join the rotation as a starter if he impresses in non-conference play, or start with a middle-inning or late-game relief role out of the bullpen. Regardless, Whitaker’s ceiling is as high as the Vatican, and he’ll be an exciting player to watch grow this season.
Colton Cravens, RHP, Fy.
Cravens could very well be the future of this team. As an 18-year-old from Kentucky where he was formerly recognized as the top high school pitcher in his state, he’s been ranked top 200 nationally. Cravens brings to Northwestern a 93 MPH fastball and a strong performance in relief during the Summer 2024 team elite, where he posted a 2.02 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 23 innings. Cravens will likely be slotted into the bullpen and have chances to make an impact right away, and if he can limit runs and keep his ERA low, there’s no telling how big his role could get.
