With early signing day coming on Nov. 11-12, K-State baseball has had a successful day, bringing in 11 players who will join the Wildcats next season, including six Canadians.
North of the border
K-State is becoming a major pipeline for Canadians, with six coming to Manhattan next year. The group features two left-handed pitchers: Oscar Leah from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and Johann Sternberg from Toronto, Ontario.
Right-handed pitcher Lucas St-Laurent comes from Ascot Corner, Quebec. The remaining three players bring talent to the Wildcats’ lineup. First baseman Jalen Jacob is from Maple, Ontario; shortstop Cohen Miller comes from Calgary, Alberta; and outfielder Rogan Rivard is from Bonnyville, Alberta.
Jacob has ties to Mississauga, Ontario, where another K-State verbal commit, Max Nantais-Vlahovich, plays for the Mississauga Tigers. The team faced the Wildcats in its first fall ball scrimmage.
Oscar Leah | LHP | Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Leah arrives with experience as both a pitcher and outfielder with the Langley Blaze. At the 2026 BC Preseason Invitational, he recorded a 96 mph exit velocity and an 84.6 mph average exit velocity. On the mound, his fastball has reached 82.4 mph, while his slider has been clocked between 73.4 and 75.1 mph.
Johann Sternberg | LHP | Toronto, Ontario
With his powerful arm, the Ontario Blue Jays pitcher reached 89.5 mph on his fastball at the 2026 Prep Baseball Senior Future Games. He also showcased a curveball between 77 and 80 mph and a changeup that reached 84.2 mph
Lucas St-Laurent | RHP | Ascot Corner, Quebec
St-Laurent gives the Wildcats another right-handed option on the mound. Through his work with the Canadian baseball development program, he has recorded a fastball velocity of 89.1 mph. His profile also tracks movement and spin-rate measurements for his pitches.
Jalen Jacob | 1B | Maple, Ontario
Jacob brings a dangerous bat to K-State’s incoming class. The Ontario Blue Jays first baseman recorded a 105 mph exit velocity at the 2026 Perfect Game National Showcase and reached 112 mph during batting practice. He also ran a 7.02-second 60-yard dash and threw 90 mph from first base.
Cohen Miller | SS | Calgary, Alberta
Miller participated in the 2025 Canadian Futures Showcase at Rogers Centre before earning invitations to Canada’s junior national team camps in October 2025 and April 2026, bringing national-level experience to Manhattan. During the spring camp, the Calgary native faced MLB prospects in Florida, continuing to build his experience against high-level competition.
Rogan Rivard | OF | Bonnyville, Alberta
Rivard adds another left-handed bat to K-State’s recruiting class. The Vauxhall Academy outfielder has recorded a 79 mph fastball in Perfect Game evaluations. In tournament play in 2025, he also recorded a two-hit performance against the 643 16U Tigers Hawkins.
Stateside signings
While six Canadians make up more than half of K-State’s incoming class, five American players will also join the Wildcats next season. The group represents five states and mixes high school talent with collegiate experience, including transfers from Miami and Western Oklahoma State.
From experienced bats to strikeout-producing arms, the signees will add depth across the diamond as K-State continues building its roster for next season.
Markus Chandler | RHP | Omaha, Nebraska
K-State is getting a strong arm in Chandler, who is looking to continue his successful career at Omaha Westside. Though he missed his junior year, during his last season on the mound, he boasted a 1.78 ERA and struck out 34 in 35 1/3 innings, showcasing good command and helping Westside stay in games.
Jailen Watkins | SS | Sachse, Texas
The sophomore comes in from Weatherford College, where he spent the fall after playing his freshman year in Miami, Florida. The shortstop played in 20 games for the Hurricanes, batting .269 with a .459 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage.
Watkins not only gets on base, but he also showed defensive consistency, recording zero errors in 15 fielding chances at Miami. K-State is getting a consistent bat and defender in Watkins.
Alexander Mendoza Jr. | SS | Baltimore, Maryland
The sophomore shortstop is transferring in from Western Oklahoma State, which defeated the Wildcats during K-State’s fall scrimmages. During his freshman campaign last season, he led the team with a .420 batting average, a .538 on-base percentage and a .792 slugging percentage. Mendoza was the spark for the Pioneers lineup, leading the team in homers and finishing third in RBIs.
Tripp Greene | RHP | Laverne, Oklahoma
Another Western Oklahoma State transfer for the Wildcats, Greene was a strikeout pitcher for the Pioneers as a freshman, totaling 73 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched. Averaging 10.77 strikeouts per nine innings, the right-hander also averaged nearly five innings per start. Greene will look to be an inning eater for the Wildcats and strike out key batters.
Clay Hartje | C | Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
The Johns Hopkins catcher has been consistent throughout his career for the Blue Jays, totaling batting averages of .333, .312 and .333 through his first three seasons. His junior campaign was the most fruitful, with an on-base percentage of .477 and a slugging percentage of .721.
Hartje also hit a career-high 16 doubles, along with 16 home runs and 66 RBIs. Behind the plate, he posted a .987 fielding percentage during his junior season and a .992 career fielding percentage, giving the Wildcats a consistent bat and experienced defender at catcher.
