Medina baseball off to strong start in 2026 season

Medina’s baseball team has been among the best in Northeast Ohio for most years in recent memory. The 2026 Bees have the look of a team that might stretch that geographical area a bit.

Heading into the week, Medina was 8-1 overall, 2-0 in the Greater Cleveland Conference. Those numbers were perhaps stifled a bit by the typical Northeast Ohio spring, which makes playing baseball a frustrating ordeal.

Bees coach Mark Kelly definitely likes what he’s seen so far.

“I’ve really liked the way this group has come out with energy and confidence,” he said. “Starting (8-1) says a lot about their approach and with a lot of returners offensively, guys are competing. They’re playing for each other, and they’ve handled situations well early in the season. There’s been a good balance of leadership from our older guys and a willingness from the younger guys to step in and contribute. Overall, it’s been a focused and connected group.”

The Bees’ lone loss was part of a doubleheader split at Olentangy on April 11, meaning Medina had beaten every team on its schedule thus far. The Bees won the first game of that twinbill 10-4 and lost the second 7-6.

Medina followed that with a trio of wins in which it outscored opponents 37-5. In the team’s eight wins to start the year, the Bees outscored their foes 83-21 and scored in double figures all but one time.

“Our offense has definitely been a strength – approach, situational hitting, and the ability to put pressure on defenses have all stood out,” Kelly said. “Defensively, we’ve been solid and consistent, which has helped our pitchers. And from a pitching standpoint, while we’re still developing depth, I’ve been encouraged by the way guys are competing and throwing strikes. The foundation is there – we just need to keep building.”

All the early dominance was enough to make them drop two spots in the state coaches poll, going from No. 3 to No. 5. So not everyone is convinced, or more likely, paying attention.

There’s plenty to like about this Medina team, which likely still hasn’t hit its stride. Players such as River Bloomquist, Joey Johnson, Kaeden Kostilnik, Max Lewis, Lance Morgan, Luca Pagura, Jake Rimke, Alex Rosetti and Brian Wutcher have been making things happen during the first third of the season.

“Offensively, we’ve had several guys come out swinging it well right away, setting the tone for us up and down the lineup,” Kelly said. “We’re not relying on just one or two bats – multiple guys have produced in big spots, which has made us tough to pitch to. On the mound, we’ve had some younger arms step up early, attack the zone, and give us quality innings, which has been huge for us as we figure out roles.”