Positional Previews: Outfielders
2/11/2026 9:00:00 AM | Baseball
MACON – As we inch closer to opening day, we finalize our look into the 2026 Mercer baseball roster by diving into the outfield where three impact transfers meet four returning stars to fill out one of the most loaded aspects of the Bears' squad.
Drew Johnson
Senior | L/R | 6'1" 190 | INF/OF
Johnson prepares to start his second season in Macon after being a key piece in the Bears' lineup a year ago. The Yakima, Washington, native appeared in 59 of Mercer's 60 games (54 starts) and slashed .239/.368/.367 with 45 hits and 69 total bases. Johnson's two triples were tied for the most on the squad and his 11 stolen bases were the second-most trailing only Bradley Frye. Johnson's best ability is his versatility, and he can be plugged into just about every position on the diamond. Before transferring to Mercer, Johnson played primarily as an infielder at Tacoma Community College, appearing in 93 games for the Titans.
Head Coach Craig Gibson on Johnson – "Drew Johnson probably plays the game at a higher level than I have coached in a long, long time. He plays the game hard. He can play second, third, any spot in the outfield. He's extremely talented and continues to just get better and better for us."
Chris Katz
Senior | R/R | 6'0" 210 | First Base/OF
A grizzled veteran with plenty of postseason experience, Katz transfers to Mercer after spending the previous four years at Wake Forest. During his tenure as a Demon Deacon, Katz went to a regional every single year of his collegiate career. Katz has 83 collegiate appearances under his belt and bolsters a .251 batting average with four home runs and 14 doubles across 179 at-bats. The Raleigh, North Carolina, native made the move to Macon this past offseason in hopes of a larger role and is expected to be the starting right fielder for the Bears opening day.
Coach Gibson on Katz – "Chris is a guy that you can't help but love him when you meet him. His work ethic is infectious. He brings a great level of pedigree with him. He's a guy that you look for when you are wanting to start your team. He's the first guy in, last guy out type of guy and just knows how to win."
Michael Graziano
Junior | R/R | 6'3" 215 | Center Field
Graziano began his career down the road at Georgia Tech, but he transferred to Mercer ahead of the 2025 season. As a sophomore, Graziano made 41 appearances and took 88 at-bats in his first season in Macon. The Naples, Florida, native notched 21 hits, scored 27 runs, collected seven RBI, ripped six doubles and swiped six bags on seven attempts. After finishing 2025 by going 7-for-13 in the SoCon tournament with multi-hit performances in each of the final three games of the season, Graziano is locked in to be the Bears' starting center fielder this year.
Coach Gibson on Graziano – "Graz has all the tools. He's a great runner with an amazing arm. When you watch him play, you see why he was one of the top ranked players in the country coming out of high school. If he can be the player we think he will be, I believe this will be his last year at the collegiate level with pro ball waiting for him right around the corner."
Kaleb Huffman
Senior | L/L | 5'11" 200 | First Base/OF
After a trip to Omaha a year ago, Huffman returns home looking to make an impact for the Bears. Huffman began his collegiate career with Gordon State Community College, posting outstanding numbers and becoming an All-GCAA First Teamer in 2024. The Locust Grove, Georgia, native made the move to Conway, South Carolina, and appeared in 19 games for the College World Series runner-ups, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Huffman shows tremendous discipline and patience at the plate with dangerous power.
Coach Gibson on Huffman – "First and foremost, Kaleb is a great teammate and a great worker. He shows up to the ballpark every single day ready to play. We are happy that we were able to bring him back home, and he has had a really good preseason for us. We expect him to contribute in the corner outfield positions as well as sliding over at first if need be."
Greyson Gegg
Sophomore | L/R | 6'3" 195 | OF
Gegg prepares for year two at Mercer after playing in a limited role as a freshman last year. Gegg made seven appearances and took nine at-bats for the Bears in 2025 with his first collegiate hit coming against Southern on March 8. The Glynn Academy product received First Team All-State honors after posting a .413 batting average with three home runs and 31 RBI during his senior year of high school.
Coach Gibson on Gegg – "We love Gegg over here at Mercer. He can play any position in the outfield, and he has a great arm. His on-base percentage is outstanding. I believe he led our team in walks this offseason and he hit over .300 in the California Collegiate league this past summer. He's primed for a great career and he's an extremely talented young piece that we have."
Miguel Hugas
Junior | S/R | 6'3" 215 | RHP/OF
One of the Bears' biggest transfers this offseason, Hugas comes to Mercer after a tremendous campaign at Chipola College. A true two-way talent, Hugas made 51 appearances in the Indians' lineup and turned in a .291 batting average with 25 RBI, 10 doubles, four home runs and a triple in 141 at-bats. Hugas is expected to focus primarily on pitching with the Bears, however his switch-hitting ability and defensive prowess in the outfield could be an option for Mercer as the season progresses.
Collin Ewaldsen
Sophomore | L/R | 6'0" 175 | RHP/OF
Ewaldsen, one of Mercer's best young talents, steps into year two at the collegiate level. As a freshman, Ewaldsen appeared primarily as a reliever for the Bears, however, the Baxley, Georgia, native took one at-bat last year and has continued to improve his game in the box and in the outfield to provide Mercer with another option in the outfield as we dive deeper into the upcoming season.
Drew Johnson
Senior | L/R | 6'1" 190 | INF/OF
Johnson prepares to start his second season in Macon after being a key piece in the Bears' lineup a year ago. The Yakima, Washington, native appeared in 59 of Mercer's 60 games (54 starts) and slashed .239/.368/.367 with 45 hits and 69 total bases. Johnson's two triples were tied for the most on the squad and his 11 stolen bases were the second-most trailing only Bradley Frye. Johnson's best ability is his versatility, and he can be plugged into just about every position on the diamond. Before transferring to Mercer, Johnson played primarily as an infielder at Tacoma Community College, appearing in 93 games for the Titans.
Head Coach Craig Gibson on Johnson – "Drew Johnson probably plays the game at a higher level than I have coached in a long, long time. He plays the game hard. He can play second, third, any spot in the outfield. He's extremely talented and continues to just get better and better for us."
Chris Katz
Senior | R/R | 6'0" 210 | First Base/OF
A grizzled veteran with plenty of postseason experience, Katz transfers to Mercer after spending the previous four years at Wake Forest. During his tenure as a Demon Deacon, Katz went to a regional every single year of his collegiate career. Katz has 83 collegiate appearances under his belt and bolsters a .251 batting average with four home runs and 14 doubles across 179 at-bats. The Raleigh, North Carolina, native made the move to Macon this past offseason in hopes of a larger role and is expected to be the starting right fielder for the Bears opening day.
Coach Gibson on Katz – "Chris is a guy that you can't help but love him when you meet him. His work ethic is infectious. He brings a great level of pedigree with him. He's a guy that you look for when you are wanting to start your team. He's the first guy in, last guy out type of guy and just knows how to win."
Michael Graziano
Junior | R/R | 6'3" 215 | Center Field
Graziano began his career down the road at Georgia Tech, but he transferred to Mercer ahead of the 2025 season. As a sophomore, Graziano made 41 appearances and took 88 at-bats in his first season in Macon. The Naples, Florida, native notched 21 hits, scored 27 runs, collected seven RBI, ripped six doubles and swiped six bags on seven attempts. After finishing 2025 by going 7-for-13 in the SoCon tournament with multi-hit performances in each of the final three games of the season, Graziano is locked in to be the Bears' starting center fielder this year.
Coach Gibson on Graziano – "Graz has all the tools. He's a great runner with an amazing arm. When you watch him play, you see why he was one of the top ranked players in the country coming out of high school. If he can be the player we think he will be, I believe this will be his last year at the collegiate level with pro ball waiting for him right around the corner."
Kaleb Huffman
Senior | L/L | 5'11" 200 | First Base/OF
After a trip to Omaha a year ago, Huffman returns home looking to make an impact for the Bears. Huffman began his collegiate career with Gordon State Community College, posting outstanding numbers and becoming an All-GCAA First Teamer in 2024. The Locust Grove, Georgia, native made the move to Conway, South Carolina, and appeared in 19 games for the College World Series runner-ups, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Huffman shows tremendous discipline and patience at the plate with dangerous power.
Coach Gibson on Huffman – "First and foremost, Kaleb is a great teammate and a great worker. He shows up to the ballpark every single day ready to play. We are happy that we were able to bring him back home, and he has had a really good preseason for us. We expect him to contribute in the corner outfield positions as well as sliding over at first if need be."
Greyson Gegg
Sophomore | L/R | 6'3" 195 | OF
Gegg prepares for year two at Mercer after playing in a limited role as a freshman last year. Gegg made seven appearances and took nine at-bats for the Bears in 2025 with his first collegiate hit coming against Southern on March 8. The Glynn Academy product received First Team All-State honors after posting a .413 batting average with three home runs and 31 RBI during his senior year of high school.
Coach Gibson on Gegg – "We love Gegg over here at Mercer. He can play any position in the outfield, and he has a great arm. His on-base percentage is outstanding. I believe he led our team in walks this offseason and he hit over .300 in the California Collegiate league this past summer. He's primed for a great career and he's an extremely talented young piece that we have."
Miguel Hugas
Junior | S/R | 6'3" 215 | RHP/OF
One of the Bears' biggest transfers this offseason, Hugas comes to Mercer after a tremendous campaign at Chipola College. A true two-way talent, Hugas made 51 appearances in the Indians' lineup and turned in a .291 batting average with 25 RBI, 10 doubles, four home runs and a triple in 141 at-bats. Hugas is expected to focus primarily on pitching with the Bears, however his switch-hitting ability and defensive prowess in the outfield could be an option for Mercer as the season progresses.
Collin Ewaldsen
Sophomore | L/R | 6'0" 175 | RHP/OF
Ewaldsen, one of Mercer's best young talents, steps into year two at the collegiate level. As a freshman, Ewaldsen appeared primarily as a reliever for the Bears, however, the Baxley, Georgia, native took one at-bat last year and has continued to improve his game in the box and in the outfield to provide Mercer with another option in the outfield as we dive deeper into the upcoming season.
Players Mentioned
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