The ‘Cats look to rebound from last season’s pitching struggles in 2025.
After finishing dead last in the Big Ten with an abysmal 6.95 ERA and a strikeout total that trailed even the second-worst team by 40, Northwestern’s pitching staff had a season to forget in 2024. Now, second-year skipper Ben Greenspan faces the daunting task of fixing a pitching staff that got hit harder than a piñata at a birthday party.
After the Wildcats’ pitching woes last season, Greenspan’s rotation and bullpen will have a drastically different look in 2025. The second-year skipper will have to rely on a group of fresh faces and untested arms after losing nearly all of his most reliable pitchers. Kyle Potthoff, Matt McClure, Jack Dyke, Nolan Morr and Luke Benneche—who combined for 306.5 innings—have all exhausted their eligibility. With so much experience gone, Greenspan will need to overhaul his pitching staff and search for new arms in his clubhouse to step up and shoulder the load.
With that said, here’s a look at the notable arms to watch in the 2025 campaign:
Drew Dickson, RHP, Jr.
During his first two seasons at Northwestern, Dickson struggled to find his rhythm, posting a 10.01 ERA while allowing eight home runs over that span. Now entering his third season, he remains one of the few upperclassmen with significant experience, making his development crucial for Greenspan’s pitching staff. However, his role remains uncertain—whether he will continue as a relief pitcher or earn a spot in the starting rotation. Dickson has shown flashes of potential in an expanded role, most notably in last season’s 10-5 victory over Bethune-Cookman. In that game, he took over for Benneche in the fifth inning and went on to finish the contest, recording four strikeouts while allowing just two runs over a career-high five innings. With Greenspan retooling his pitching staff, he may need more performances like that from Dickson to help solidify the Wildcats’ rotation.
Garrett Shearer, RHP, So.
Shearer enters the season with high expectations, looking to shake off the growing pains of an up-and-down freshman campaign. He posted a 3-9 record over 21 appearances, pitching 55 innings and racking up 53 strikeouts—a stat line that doesn’t quite tell the whole story. The Illinois native showed glimpses of promise, proving he could go the distance by pitching at least four innings in five separate outings. Though he made only two starts, he still logged the fourth-most innings on Northwestern’s roster, a testament to Greenspan’s trust in his arm. Now, with a full year of experience under his belt, Shearer has the chance to step out of the bullpen shadows and cement himself as a key piece of the Wildcats’ rotation. The talent is there, the opportunity is knocking—it’s up to him to answer.
Sam Hliboki, RHP, Gr.
The California native arrives in Evanston as one of Greenspan’s most prolific transfer portal additions this offseason, but the challenge ahead is clear—reviving the Vanderbilt transfer into the dominant pitcher he once was. During his stellar freshman campaign in the shortened 2020 COVID season, Hliboki was untouchable. Ranked as the nation’s 35th-best freshman pitcher by D1Baseball, he didn’t allow a single run over 15.2 innings, posting a dazzling 8.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He carried that momentum into 2021, recording a remarkable 2.70 ERA across 20 innings while securing two saves.
But the past two seasons have painted a different picture. Hliboki has struggled to recapture his dominant early form, posting a disappointing 6.43 ERA while surrendering 12 home runs over 71.1 innings. Now, as he begins his first season in Evanston, the task falls on Greenspan to revive the pitcher who once carved through lineups with ease. If Greenspan can tap into Hliboki’s past success, the Vanderbilt transfer has the potential to become a cornerstone of Northwestern’s bullpen—potentially stepping in as the Wildcats’ primary closer—and script a redemption story for the ages.
Crawford Wade, LHP, R-Sr.
Wade arrives in Evanston as another highly touted transfer portal addition, but his career trajectory has been the complete opposite of Hliboki’s. The North Carolina native endured a brutal freshman campaign, posting a 9.64 ERA over 14 innings across 17 appearances, managing just 10 strikeouts in the process. But despite his rocky start, Wade has since turned things around in dramatic fashion. Over the past three years, his ERA has plummeted to 2.84, and last season, he delivered what was arguably the best stretch of his collegiate career, allowing just three runs over nine innings.
Now, with a fresh start at Northwestern, the Wildcats will need the southpaw to build on his stellar 2024 campaign. As one of the few veteran left-handers on the roster—alongside Niagara transfer Blake MacMillan—Wade is poised to play a crucial role out of the bullpen. If he can continue building on his spectacular 2024 campaign, he could emerge as one of Greenspan’s most reliable arms in high-leverage situations.
Amar Tsengeg, RHP, Jr.
In his debut season in Evanston last year after transferring from UT Dallas, Tsengeg never truly found his footing. Over 13 appearances, including two starts on the mound, he posted a 2-2 record across 21.2 innings with an 8.31 ERA, allowing three home runs while striking out 19 batters. While it wasn’t always smooth sailing for Tsengeg, he showed flashes of potential throughout the season, including a strong outing against Eastern Illinois, where he helped secure a 9-7 win while striking out four batters in three innings. Now in his junior season, Tsengeg will need to take a significant step forward as he aims to become a key piece of the Wildcats’ bullpen, with the potential to earn a spot in the starting rotation.