The 2026 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement is present throughout Nebraska. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across the Cornhusker State.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons at Werner Park at the NSAA championship games, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to shine a spotlight on all teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Nebraska.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state.

Each week we will be releasing our Diamond Notes and Player of The Week, covering all the bases across the state of Nebraska.

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Grand Island Islanders

High School: Grand Island
Head Coach: Kirby Wells
Class: Class A
2025 Record (Finish): 18-9 (District Runner-up)

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ Miles Nelson - Cloud County CC commit

+ Brock Cushing 

+ Gabe Ruiz

+ Ian Arends - Wayne State commit

+ Grayson Sack 

+ Gavin Ruether

+ Samuel Schroeder - Creighton commit

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ALUMNI IN COLLEGE

+ Tyler Fay - Alabama

+ Riley Plummer - Doane

+ Cohen Nelson - Nebraska

+ Sam Dinkelman - Northwest Missouri State

+ Gage Gannon - Cloud CC

+ Broxton Barrientos - Cloud CC

+ Trent Verplank - Bethany College

+ Jaxson Nesvara - Bethany College

+ Jacob Nesvara - Doane

+ Zachery Mader - York

+ Ethan Foley - Coffeeville CC

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TEAM OUTLOOK

“We will return a lot of pitching this year. The boys have been working hard this off-season in the weight room and at our off-season workouts. Our pitching depth will carry us in the 2026 season. We will need to fill some key spots in the lineup and in the field with graduating 9 seniors from a year ago.” – Kirby Wells, head coach

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Find more information on the 2026 Grand Island program below:

+ Follow them on X: @GISHBaseball
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Nebraska, 2026 HS Team Previews

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FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL NEBRASKA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Nebraska on X
+ Prep Baseball Nebraska on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Nebraska on Facebook

 

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