A quick turnaround since late June, but a new era of Union University baseball is set to begin with a fall ball slate geared more towards development and getting guys reps ahead of the spring of 2027, when first-year Head Coach Wes Timmons will look to make a quick turnaround of the program as the Bulldogs look to bridge the gap to the past, when Union University was among one of the most respected baseball programs that competed for and won championships.
For Coach Timmons, he brings a certain level of swagger with a championship pedigree to Jackson, Tennessee, as he enters this fall ball season with the goal of developing and shaping his guys on the roster into a team with the mental makeup of a program that not only competes at championship levels on the field, but also as a group of young men who love Jesus more than anything else. At a place like Union University, the standards are high for a reason, and Coach Timmons has his Bulldogs ready not only to do things the right way, but also to do things a bit more unconventional than many around Union University are used to.
With his hiring in late June, Union baseball might not have had a traditional offseason like other programs, but the Bulldogs face a fall ball season focused on development and building lineups that position Union for success when spring 2027 rolls around. Behind the scenes, since the hiring of Head Coach Wes Timmons and Assistant Coach Jake Harrelson, the excitement and optimism started to take shape for the upcoming season the second they set foot on campus, and now the potential is there to build momentum for the 2027 season- momentum that can shift the trajectory of the upcoming season.
Starting with the one fall ball game on the schedule, Coach Timmons and his program will welcome crosstown foe Jackson State Community College to Fesmire Baseball Field on October 30th for a sampling of what’s to come in the upcoming season. Before the matchup with Jackson State, Union will scrimmage, shifting the focus to the little things that define teams. Some programs play a full slate against outside teams, while others use the fall season to play a game or two and focus on the fundamentals, using those fundamentals to become perfect at the small things that position programs for championship contention in the upcoming season.
So, let’s talk about it and break down what to expect, from the roster to the action on the field for this 2026-2027 season of Union Baseball. For starters, Union returns 14 guys from last season, including seven seniors looking to be a part of the group that brings the Bulldogs back to winning championships. For those wondering who those seniors are: Elijah Ramsey, Matthew Autry, Jordan Allen, Takuma Soto, Chase Spears, Alex Johnson, and Cody Tjomsland. Coach Timmons also has Brody Mann, Nick Jones, Chris Troyer, Nathan Myers, Cole Smith, Cole Lannom, Caden Walker, and Cash Pinson, who bought into what he and his staff are building in Jackson.
Like any program in the modern age of college baseball, Union has nearly half the roster filled by guys from the transfer portal. Among them, a few heading into the fall really jump off the page for the high-upside potential they bring to the Bulldogs this season.
Starting with a potential Golden Glove contender in Deven Gonzalez, who comes to Union University via the portal after spending two years in the Juco ranks at Florida State College at Jacksonville. During his two seasons at Florida State College at Jacksonville, he developed a reputation of being a machine in the field and now brings those talents to Jackson, Tennessee; he sets out to be the go-to guy in the field for the Bulldogs. His only downside is his lack of offensive numbers in his first two seasons, but this quick learner has plenty of potential to be the next great ballplayer to come out of Union University.
Third baseman Jakari Hardaway of Arkansas Mid-South has one of the highest ceilings for a Union Baseball player in recent memory. Expectations are that Hardaway will earn his way into the top half of the Union lineup this season.
Elsewhere around the portal class, there’s a lot of excitement for the development of Matt Lyons, who came to Union from Hanceville Community College; TK Madera, the junior transfer from Palomar Community College; Colby Schachter, a grad transfer from Shorter University; and the power-hitting transfer from Shorter University, Tyler Zawacki, who comes to Union University on a bit of a revenge tour after missing 35 games last season due to an injury.
Overall, like any new coaching staff at any program, there are questions for Union Baseball, but those are likely to be answered this fall as Coach Timmons and his staff work to get Union Baseball back to being Union Baseball. It’s a different approach than many, but Union has plenty of room to develop this fall, and I fully expect the Bulldogs to use this time to build momentum and excitement for the 2027 season. Another thing to keep in mind is that Union’s 2027 schedule is challenging, but if they take care of business, they could land the Bulldogs back in the conversation for hosting a Regional or, at bare minimum, contend to win the Gulf South Conference. All of that starts this fall; a successful fall with the right development could set the stage for a memorable first year under Coach Wes Timmons.
Photo Credits: Union Sports Communications
