Ben Greenspan now finds himself in a pretty rough situation, with a lot of big names on the way out. What moves does he make to keep the ‘Cats competitive?
Heading into the fall, Northwestern baseball has major holes to fill behind the plate, at the corners, and in the outfield.
It’ll be hard for the ‘Cats to replace the sensational Bennett Markinson in the lineup, as he gave NU quality at bats time after time, leading the team in walks to strikeouts ratio and logging the lowest strikeout rate amongst qualified hitters at 6.6%.
Conversely, the power department is now lacking with the departure of Trent Liolios, who took off at the beginning of conference play. Despite ending his 2025 season on an underwhelming note, the junior still managed to finish fourth amongst all Big Ten hitters in isolated power at a .359.
Although Preston Knott had a down year at the plate, his defense will certainly be missed in Evanston, as the senior proved to be a sure-handed glove in left field, and although the chances are small, the prospect of Jack Lausch taking his talents to the pros after the draft gives Northwestern fans copious amounts of anxiety when thinking about the outfield.
Should ‘Cats faithful be worried? No. Ben Greenspan has done a tremendous job with maximizing the production out of his transfers the past two seasons. The question now becomes: what new faces does he dress in purple for next year?
I’ve pooled together three prospects that the Northwestern skipper should seriously consider.
Grant Mangrum, C, Graduate Student, McNeese
With Josh Ramos waiting in the wings as a developing catcher, a year-long rental wouldn’t be a bad idea for Greenspan and Co.
Defensively, Mangrum has proven to be one of the better athletes in college baseball. The senior shows elite adaptability and footwork as a catcher, with the ability to make adjustments in motion to keep runners from advancing on spiked pitches. Mangrum tossed out 16 runners at a 53.3% caught stealing rate. At the plate, he hit .296 in 98 at bats on the year, driving in 17 runs with eight extra base hits.
Mangrum’s offensive numbers don’t look enticing to the naked eye, but bats should not be Northwestern’s priority. With a young pitching staff, the need for a firm defensive presence that instills confidence in ‘Cats pitchers this coming season is most important in whoever wins the starting job behind the plate next year. Mangrum has proven to have the capabilities to do so in 2026.
Matty Fung, LF, Graduate Student, San Francisco
This one’s a bit out there, considering the fact that Fung’s appeal for one last year of eligibility remains on a pending status, but if it’s granted to him, he’d be a seamless replacement for Knott in left field.
After tearing up the JUCO scene his freshman year at Santa Barbara City College, Fung struggled during his next two seasons, hovering around the .230 mark offensively. However, 2025 seemed to bring a change of winds for the California native, as he hit .269 with a .346 on-base percentage.
The parallels between Fung and Knott as leadoff hitters are prevalent in the speed department as well. Fung swiped five bags in seven attempts this past season, and although Northwestern isn’t a team that steals all too often, Fung can be a valuable baserunner when the ‘Cats find themselves playing small ball in tight contests.
Brooks Carter, 1B, Redshirt Sophomore, Amarillo College
The textbook definition of a JUCO bandit.
Carter is coming off a season in which he terrorized the NJCAA with a single-season program record .424 batting average, with his 74 hits and 65 RBIs ranking second in AC history. Simply put, Carter was the best hitter on a squad that bested Region V offensive stat categories in 2025.
Although Carter isn’t officially in the portal yet, it’s inevitable that his name will land there in the next couple of weeks. Once it does, Northwestern should take the chance and pounce quickly.
Would the shift from JUCO to Division I be tough for Carter? Yes. But if he can replicate his offensive production in his freshman season in the Big Ten, Northwestern could have another home run legend in their future if it took the chance on the Shallowater native.
These are just three names in a pool talent the ‘Cats will sift through to find their prospects. However, these three are way under-the-radar and can prove to be steals for NU in the future.