Fresh off a SWAC Championship and an appearance in a Regional, while earning 37 victories in 2025, Coach Jonathan Hernandez has his Bethune-Cookman Wildcats ready for the hunt as they look to win another SWAC Championship, earning another bid to a Regional while trying to pull a few upsets in the non-confernce slate as the program looks to take that next step into turning Bethune-Cookman into a household mid-major baseball program where people respect the BC on the bill of the hat. 

Last season, Bethune-Cookman took a few folks by surprise, and despite an early 0-2 exit from the Tallahassee Regional, people started to take notice of the on-field product that Coach Hernandez and his staff developed as they built for a 2026 season where taking that next step is the standard for the Wildcats. Unlike the other major sports, people realize there’s good ball played in the SWAC and beyond your normal teams in Florida A&M, Grambling, and Southern University, among others. Bethune-Cookman took three years to take over the conference in baseball, and they have the potential to do so again this season. 

Before you take a look at the roster, one must realize that Bethune-Cookman has the resources to be a top-tier mid-major baseball program, starting with a $30 million stadium renovation of Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach. Sure, they might share the stadium with the minor league team in the city, but with the renovations to the ballpark done in the offseason, Coach Hernandez has another recruiting tool to use to get the leg up in the SWAC. Not to mention the school’s location; what kid wouldn’t want to play near the beach in the warm Florida sun year-round? We see that concept with Coastal Carolina, where they’re able to sell a historic ballpark with waterfront views with a touch of modern baseball. Not to mention, having the success to back up the current investment in the program, Bethune-Cookman has fourteen trips to an NCAA Regional, all fourteen of those came after winning the MEAC or the SWAC Tournaments, a program with that much winning with limited resources in the past has the highest rate of return for the future. 

To go with the investment side of things, you now have a fearless coach in Coach Jonathan Hernadez, who is not afraid to schedule the best of the best while maintaining the winning standards. Just this year, Bethune-Cookman will play the likeness of USF, Miami, LSU, Florida, and even a rematch with Florida State, a couple of wins over a few of those teams, and the conversation around Bethune-Cookman could shift from just winning the SWAC and reaching another Regional to becoming the next Murray State and taking the college baseball by storm and taking the program to the next level. 

From a roster standpoint, Bethune-Cookman has most of last season’s roster, including Andrey Martinez, who became the star power the Wildcats needed to get past the finish line in the SWAC Tournament Championship game last May. Martinez finished his 2025 season hitting 353/.424/.725 with 14 doubles, 20 home runs, and 64 RBIs, while earning the co-hitter of the year in the SWAC last season. Elsewhere in the returning lineup from last season, Coach Hernandez has Darryl Lee, Michael Rodriguez, Christopher Watson, and the 5th-year senior Jorge Rodriguez, among others, to round out a skilled Wildcats lineup. As far as pitching goes, Bethune-Cookman has Edwin Sanchez, who finished 2025 with an ERA of 3.05; Tanner Boccabello is back, along with the man himself, Pablo Torres, who comes into the 2026 season fresh off an appearance on the collegiate team USA training roster. Elsewhere around the pitching staff, the names of Justin Morales, Harbersting Abreu, Jean Carlos Zambrano, and Michael Benedict are among a few other names likely to make a difference this year for the pitching staff for the Wildcats. 

Overall, there’s growing optimism that the program’s perfect mix of culture and a deep roster has Bethune-Cookman prepared to take the next step. Maybe earning a few more non-conference wins and, who knows, taking that next step as the Murray State Racers did last season, and taking a team from the SWAC all the way to Omaha. The pieces are certainly there for Bethune-Cookman to have a special season. As long as the guys trust the process and keep the culture, a magical season could unfold for the Wildcats. 

Bethune-Cookman will open the season with a three-game home slate as it welcomes Bradley to Jackie Robinson Stadium. 

Photo credits- B-CU Athletics