The Kirtland baseball team isn’t sneaking up on anyone in 2026.
After a 20-10 season and a run to the regional championship game a year ago, Kirtland brings back a battle-tested core that head coach Luke Smrdel believes knows exactly what it takes to win when it matters most.
“We’ve got Ben DiFranco back at first, and Xavier Lasecki back at second, Nate Chuko at short, and Lucci Cantini behind home plate,” Smrdel said. “Sebastian Becker is on the mound for us and in the outfield, and we have Noah Conner, who started last year for us and then got hurt, so he’s back. Carson Kalous started some games for us last year as a sophomore. He played a bunch toward the end of the year.”
Veteran core returns with big-game experience
“This year, we should be solid overall,” Smrdel said. “We have a lot of returners, a lot of experience, and guys who played in big games. They know what it takes to win. At the end of the day, we should be pretty solid.”
That experience starts with a group that has already played deep into the postseason, giving the Hornets a foundation built on meaningful innings and pressure situations.
Infield chemistry sets the tone defensively
“The infield will be solid,” Smrdel said. “We have guys there who have played for two or three years now, so they’re all on the same page. They all know what they’re doing on a daily basis. That takes some of the stress off the coaching staff, too, because we trust them.”
DiFranco, a senior, anchors first base after earning Second-Team All-Ohio honors.
“Defensively, he’s a presence on the field and at the plate,” Smrdel said. “He had a great season last year, but he just got done with basketball, so he’s kind of working his way back into it a little bit. We expect a lot from him.”
At second, Lasecki, a senior, provides leadership and consistency.
“Defensively, he’s phenomenal,” Smrdel said. “He makes every play out there, and he’s a true leader on the field. He just makes sure everybody else is relaxed, comfortable, and in the zone. He batted ninth for us last year and hit around .400, so he’s consistent in the batting order. He can put the ball in play, bunt the ball, move guys around, and he runs the bases well. He’s another key player to our success.”
Chuko, a senior, continues to be the backbone at shortstop.
“Nate started all of last year, and some as a sophomore too,” Smrdel said. “He’s been here for a while, and he’s a guy we rely on big-time defensively. He’s the heart and soul of the defense. He hit around .350 last year, and he’s got a good bat with a lot of pop.”
Turk, a junior, and senior Chase Gron will split time at third.
“Jack is a returning starter with a big bat. He plays great defensively and has a good arm,” Smrdel said. “Chase is very athletic, so when we put him at third base, he’s going to give us a lot. We trust him to get the job done.”
Cantini leads behind the plate
Cantini, a junior, brings power and experience as a three-year starter.
“He’s a three-year starter with a phenomenal bat,” Smrdel said. “He has a lot of power, and he’s come a long way with his arm strength. I expect a lot more runners to be thrown out this year. His knowledge of the game is very high, so we trust him back there to make the right calls and good decisions for our team.”
Speed and versatility headline the outfield
Kalous, a junior, continues to build on a strong debut season.
“He’s a switch-hitter who came up to varsity for us last year,” Smrdel said. “I still remember his first game. He was like 3-for-3, and then we just kept him in the lineup, and he kept hitting. He’s a hit machine, and he’s got a very good glove out there and a great arm.”
Center field will feature Becker when he’s not pitching and junior Ethan Addington.
“Sebastian is fast, and he’s got a great arm and a very solid bat. He’ll probably be either at the top of the order, somewhere around there, maybe even leading off for us, I don’t know yet. He’s a guy that’ll go out there and hit the ball and play, and he’ll get down the line real quick and steal a lot of bases for us. Defensively, he covers a lot of ground, and we have a lot of faith that he’ll get the job done out there defensively,” Smrdel said. “Addington is a transfer from Texas, and you can tell he’s a baseball guy. He’s been playing his whole life. He’s from the South, and that’s what they do down there. He’s got great speed, a very good bat, and a great arm in the outfield. He’ll be a guy that we could put out there in any of the three positions.”
Conner, a senior, returns in left field looking for a healthy season.
“He’s another guy who will probably be at the top of the lineup,” Smrdel said. “He has tons of speed, a great bat, and he covers the ground out there. He started the first game last year, and then got injured, and it was hard for him to work his way back into the lineup because it was a nagging injury. We expect him to hopefully avoid the injury bug this year and really have a breakout season.”
Pitching depth could be Difference-Maker
Becker, Lasecki, and Chuko headline a deep staff alongside seniors Drew Thaler and Zack Freeburg and junior Jackson Cramp.
“Drew came in and got us a bunch of relief innings last year. He’s not going to overpower you, but he’s going to pound the zone with strikes and let our defense play, which is what we want because we have a good defense,” Smrdel said. “Zach has a very live arm. His fastball is good, and he’s got a very good curveball. If he can locate his pitches and be consistent, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with on the mound. Jackson will be up the middle, too, when Xavier or Chuko is pitching. He’ll be a true utility guy for us. He’s good defensively and on the mound. He locates his pitches and has great off-speed stuff.”
Balanced lineup and defense set the ceiling
“Our defense will be up there, and we have a pretty solid line from one through nine, so we should be solid from top to bottom,” Smrdel said. “We have pretty decent depth on the mound with Sebastian Becker and Xavier.”
With experience, depth, and continuity across the field, Kirtland enters 2026 expecting another deep postseason push—this time with the goal of taking the final step.
Kirtland Hornets Baseball
