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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Skutt Catholic Skyhawks

High School: Skutt Catholic
Head Coach: Damon Day
Class: Class B
2025 Record (Finish): 24-7 (Final Four)

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ Cooper Smith - Iowa Western CC

+ Bubba Day - Florida State commit

+ Easton Elam

+ Nate Christensen - NECC commit

+ Huston Beran - Colby CC commit

+ Tate Bertucci

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

+ Braxtyn Blank-Jimenez

+ Sean Hipsher

+ Cole Van Dorn

+ Brandon Zink

+ Charlie Diedrich

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ALUMNI IN COLLEGE

+ Jace Ziola - Nebraska

+ Gage Gunether - Augustana

+ Luke Van Dyke - SECC

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TEAM OUTLOOK

“Coming off a strong 2025 campaign that culminated in a NSAA Final Final Four appearance, the Skutt Catholic SkyHawks enter the 2026 season with high expectations and a clear blueprint for victory.

For the 2026 season, the SkyHawks' path back to the state tournament will be defined by three core pillars:

Elite Pitching Depth: The foundation of the SkyHawks' success starts on the mound. Led by key arms like Easton Elam, Bubba Day, Huston Beran, Tate Bertucci the pitching staff provides the consistency and strike-throwing capability needed to navigate a demanding schedule.

Fundamental Defense: In the field, Skutt Catholic needs to value"taking care of the baseball." With a roster featuring versatile athletes like Nate Christensen and catcher Cooper Smith, the SkyHawks aim to provide a defense that minimizes extra opportunities for opponents.

Offensively, the SkyHawks utilize a disciplined approach. Rather than relying solely on power, the lineup focuses on situational hitting, aggressive baserunning, and capitalizing on opponent mistakes to manufacture runs in high-leverage moments.”

– Damon Day , head coach

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Find more information on the 2026 Skutt Catholic program below:

+ Follow them on X: @BaseballSkutt
+ 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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