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2026 High School Team Preview: Hudsonville Eagles

HUDSONVILLE - If you like left-handed pitchers Hudsonville is the place to be this spring.

The Eagles feature six southpaws that are “all pretty good” according to head coach Dave Van Noord.

“Our pitching the last few years has been really really good and we feel we can be good again this year,” explained the long-time head coach, who is 746-336-1 since taking over as the head coach at Hudsonville in 1995.

Josh Vanderlugt, the second-ranked junior LHP in Michigan, is expected to be a league starter with experienced senior southpaws Coleton Vanderploeg and Bryton Hanke joining the South Florida commit as starters. Vanderploeg is a Kellogg recruit while Hanke is headed to Lansing CC in the fall.

Evan McCoy and Ronin Bravata give Van Noord a pair of right-handed hurlers with experience with junior lefties Max Gardner and Connor Garzelloni being counted on to provide innings. Two seniors, lefty Ryer Maskill and righty Dylan Matz, a Kalamazoo Valley signee, add to the depth of the staff.

“Pitching has been really good post-Covid,” Van Noord said. “We used to be a hitting team, when we won state in 2012 we could swing it, but now we’re strong pitching. I think overall pitching in high school is getting better and better.”

Trent VanKlompenberg, one of 12 seniors on the team, will take over behind the plate for Hudsonville, which finished 35-6 overall last season, tying the school record for most wins in a season.

Left-handed hitting sophomore Ty Ladd, a move-in a year ago, is among those being considered at first base with senior Braylon Miller, who came on last season to hit leadoff in the postseason, back at second base. Senior Caeden Kennedy, who batted third in 2025, will be at shortstop or third base with speedy junior Graeme Crooks also starting on the left side of the infield.

Left-handed hitting Harrison Phillips, one of the team captains, moves over to center field this year with the corner outfield positions up for grabs.

“I love our pitching,” Van Noord said about what he likes with the squad this season. “Good pitching gives you a chance to win any game.”

There is one more thing that stands out according to the head coach.

“The seniors this year are different than last year,” Van Noord pointed out. “Those seniors last year played for three years. We broke the state record for hit-by-pitch last year with over 100. These kids that are seniors this year are tough.”

Losers to Bay City Western in the quarterfinals each of the past two seasons, Hudsonville is looking for more in 2026.

“I’m interested in finding out how consistent we will be offensively,” Van Noord noted. “I know our pitchers have the talent, but I want to see what they do in the heat of the battle. And you always wonder how all the underclassmen will get along with the seniors.”

As for the keys, Van Noord understands luck and timing are also involved.

“So much of it is when you hit that pitcher who can shut you down,” Van Noord said. “To me, there doesn’t seem to be that big scary monster team around this year, but there’s a long way to go.

“The bottom line is we have guys that were cut last year we want to see if they can do it, and we have juniors that we want to see what they can do.”

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