By: Connor Glunt, Director of Athletic Communications
EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — The ESU baseball team has announced its 2026 Bat Club inductees, as well as this year's recipient of the program's Robert Shebelsky Legacy Award.
In the 14
th class of the ESU Bat Club, SP Connor Johnson, 3B Brock Kauffman, and OF Brainy Rojas join 44 former Warriors as some of the best players to come through the program. RP Mike Yates became the third recipient of the Shebelsky Award, which honors former AC Robert Shebelsky and the impact he made during his 12-season tenure from 2005 to 2016.
"We started the Bat Club 14 years ago to honor players who displayed incredible talent, and their statistics are among the elite in ESU baseball history," HC
John Kochmansky said. "What's unique about this group is that at one time, they were all teammates. Their numbers put them with the best of the best and make this one of the strongest classes ever to ender the Bat Club."
Taking place on Homecoming Weekend, the ESU baseball team has a full slate of events booked for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Oct. 2-4. On Friday, the Warriors will host their annual Golf Classic, held at the Shawnee Inn in Delaware, Pa. Registration at the course will open at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start slated for noon. On Saturday, the team will honor its 2026 Bat Club class and Shebelsky Award recipient following an intrasquad scrimmage from 9:30 to noon. After that, they'll hold an alumni game. The weekend concludes with another scrimmage on Sunday to cap off the events.
BAT CLUB
Connor Johnson, SP (2017-21)
Connor Johnson comfortably placed himself among the top pitchers in ESU baseball history during his career from 2017-21, finishing with a career record of 16-11. His 16 wins are tied for the 11
th most by a pitcher in program history, posting an ERA of 4.21 across 186.0 IP. Before becoming a regular in the starting rotation, Johnson earned his spot as an elite closer during his freshman season. Recording five saves, he matched the freshman record as a closer, finishing ninth all-time in the category. Johnson finished his career with 34 starts in 54 total appearances, ranking eighth and 10
th in each category, respectively. A 2021 All-PSAC East Second Team honoree, he led the Warriors' starting pitching with a 3.41 ERA in his final year.
Brock Kauffman, 3B (2018-22)
Brock Kauffman finished his career as the program-record holder in nearly every major hitting statistic, giving the Warriors an elite bat in the lineup and a dependable glove at third base every season from 2018 to 2022. Kauffman graduated with the most hits, 229, doubles, 57, extra-base hits, 84, total bases, 359, and runs batted in, 168. Set in 2019, his 18-game hitting streak still stands as the longest such streak by a Warrior in program history. Kauffman made three All-PSAC East Teams, making the First Team in 2019 and 2022. In his final year, he helped lead ESU to a record 41 wins, the PSAC Championship game, and the NCAA Atlantic Super Regional while recording the fifth-most hits, 74, and sixth-most total bases, 120, in a single season.
Brainy Rojas, OF (2018-22)
Brainy Rojas made his mark as an effective leadoff man for the Warriors from 2018 to 2022, getting on base just as well as any other player in program history. His 134 walks still hold as the most in a career, while also scoring the second-most runs, 162, and reaching base the third-most times, 338. With a career on-base percentage of .429, he racked up 14 home runs, 35 doubles, and 56 total extra-base hits. On the basepaths, his 79 stolen bases are the third-most by an ESU player, with his single-season high of 29 in 2019 ranking ninth. Rojas was also one of the leaders on the 2022 ESU team that won 41 games, starting every contest between center field and second base.
ROBERT SHEBELSKY LEGACY AWARD
Mike Yates, RP (2019-23)
Mike Yates was a constant in ESU's pitching staff, year in and year out, as he finished with the second-most career appearances with 64. Pitching significantly in each of his four full seasons at ESU, he saved his best campaign for last in 2023. As a redshirt senior, he made 16 appearances totaling 26.0 IP, posting a 2.77 ERA, not allowing a run in his first 16 innings. His performance on the mound helped the Warriors develop a winning culture that still stands today, as ESU made consecutive PSAC and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023.
"Mike is the perfect candidate to receive the Shebelsky Award," Kochmansky said. "He had a great baseball career, but since he graduated from the program, he has made even more of an impact than he did as a player. His contributions have allowed the recruitment of high-level student-athletes, and his constant support inspires continued growth of our program.
About the Award
Robert Shebelsky, a 12-year coach for ESU baseball, was a mainstay in the Warriors' dugout, working alongside Kochmansky from 2007 until his retirement in 2016. The two worked together at Pen Argyl High School from 2001 to 2005 before rejoining at ESU, working as the pitching coach. ESU was consistently among the top of the PSAC in ERA and strikeouts per nine innings while producing three PSAC East Pitchers of the Year: Christian Saveri in 2010, Jeremy Gigliotti in 2011, and Matt Festa in 2016. The latter two are still the highest MLB Draft picks in program history. With Shebelsky on staff, the Warriors won their first PSAC Championship in 42 years in 2013, making the NCAA Tournament in three of his last six seasons.
GOLF OUTING
- Cost
- $125 per individual golfer
- $500 per foursome
- Sponsors
- Tee Sponsors: $200 each
- Bronze Sponsor (Signage located on the putting green): $1,000
- Silver Sponsor (Signage located on the beverage cart and the putting green): $1,500
- Gold Sponsor (Foursome in tournament, signage located on the beverage cart and the putting green): $2,000 and above
- Registration
- Contact
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
- Friday, Oct. 2
- 11:00 a.m.
- Registration, putting green opens, golfers are provided with a bucket of range balls, and will receive a box lunch
- Noon
- 6:00 p.m.
- Hot dogs and hamburgers provided during and after play
- Saturday, Oct. 3
- 9:30 a.m.-Noon
- 12:15 p.m.
- Bat Club Induction and Shebelsky Award Ceremony
- Alumni Game to follow once the presentation concludes
- Sunday, Oct. 4
