Now-junior right-handed pitcher Thomas Shurtleff competes against Cornell on Apr. 14, 2024.
Credit: Grace ChenAfter the Philadelphia Eagles denied the Kansas City Chiefs a historic championship streak, another Philadelphia team is looking for a three-peat of its own.
This Friday, Penn baseball will open its 2025 season with an eye on the history books. After winning Ivy League tournament championships in 2023 and 2024, the Quakers are seeking to become the conference’s third-ever three-peat champions and the first team to win three in a row since the advent of the postseason tournament.
Whether it’s for another conference crown or for their opening clash with No. 9 Florida State, the Quakers have no shortage of belief.
“I think we have 100% confidence,” senior pitcher Will Tobin said. “Florida State is a great team — they’ve got a lot of really talented dudes — pitchers, hitters, everyone on the team’s solid. But in the past, we’ve beaten good teams historically. We continue to beat good teams every time we step on the field.”
During their recent championship run, Penn has showcased an ability to punch above its weight. In 2023, the Quakers knocked off No. 13 Auburn in the first round of the NCAA tournament and drew within one game of becoming the first Ivy League team to advance to a Super Regional. Though the Red and Blue did not win a game in the 2024 Regional round, they fought close battles with both Virginia and St. John’s — the latter of which saw Penn lose a 12-inning thriller.
Now, the Quakers are tasked with replacing many of the players that fueled those tremendous runs. Over the last two years, Penn has lost eight All-Ivy honorees, including 2024 Player of the Year Wyatt Henseler and 2023 Pitcher of the Year Ryan Dromboski. The pitching staff has experienced the most turnover of all, with all three of the team’s highest-inning hurlers from one season ago now gone.
But if you ask coach John Yurkow, the next generation of Quakers are ready to step to the plate.
“Once you get your program to a certain level, it’s almost expected that every year you’re going to lose good players,” Yurkow said. “So you just have to trust that your process is really good. The assistant coaches do a good job on the player development side … making sure those young players are ready to go when their turn comes.”
One such player is sophomore pitcher Josh Katz. After throwing 37.2 innings for the Quakers last season, fourth most on the team, Katz is now the opening-day starter for Penn’s tilt with the Seminoles and is expected to be a mainstay in Penn’s starting rotation.
Tobin called Katz Penn’s “ace,” noting that he did not allow a run during the entirety of fall ball. Katz says that he appreciates the gravity of the moment, but that seeing former Quakers succeed against the nation’s best gives him confidence that he can carry the torch.
“I had that ability to learn from those guys — got to watch [Dromboski] do it at Auburn, saw [pitcher Cole Zaffiro] do it last year at UVA. So I think that relaxes me a little bit going into the weekend [against FSU],” Katz said. “Just trying to throw strikes, do what I do, trust my defense.”
Penn also returns a great deal of experienced talent, particularly at the plate. Junior infielder Davis Baker, a two-time All-Ivy honoree, ranked second on the team in hits (68) last season and was recently named to the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List. Junior outfielder Ryan Taylor and junior utility Jarrett Pokrovsky head up the returning All-Ivy players, while sophomore infielder Nick Spaventa and senior infielder Connor Chavez each recorded over 50 hits and started over 40 games. Overall, six of Penn’s eight leading hitters from 2024 are back on the field.
With that in mind, the Quakers believe their depth will be the driving factor behind another potential championship run.
“We’re very deep at all positions,” Katz said. “Outfield, infield pitchers, we’ve got a very talented staff. Everyone’s going to have to contribute in different ways … utilizing the deepness of our team, I think that’s something that’s gonna help us win throughout the year.”
“Our position player group is very deep, one of the deeper groups I’ve had,” Yurkow said. “So I’m definitely optimistic.”
The two-time reigning conference champions were not picked to win the Ancient Eight this season — in the league’s preseason poll, Penn slotted in second behind Columbia, which was picked first by all 16 voters after winning the 2024 regular season title. Last season’s Quakers were unspectacular in the regular season, sneaking into the tournament with an 11-10 conference clip and embarking on an unlikely tournament run that included an upset of the top-seeded Lions.
Now, with old stars out the door and a new guard on the rise, the Quakers are ready to turn the page.
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