COSTA MESA -- The 70th season of Vanguard baseball coincided with the first season of NCAA Division II play for the men on the diamond. With the buzz of being the first squad to set the benchmark in the new digs, the Lions were able to navigate to a fifth-place finish in the Pacific West Conference.  With a 28-22 overall record and a 24-20 mark in PacWest action, the Blue and Gold surpassed the expectations from the preseason poll, which had VU down in ninth before games began. Now that the novelty has worn off, it is down to business for the 2026 roster, which is playing for a potential first-ever postseason berth.
 
Skipper Rob Pegg knows that they have work to do, as there is plenty of change for a program that lost 16 players.
 
In 2025, the Blue and Gold started out 7-2, including a series win over CUI, which was ranked in the top 10 in the West Region poll at that stage. However, the PacWest then gave VU a rude awakening by way of powerhouse PLNU and old rival APU; a stretch that saw VU drop 7-of-8 contests. Vanguard clinched series against Hawaii Hilo, Fresno Pacific, Menlo, and Jessup , while managing splits with Chaminade, Biola, and Hawaii Pacific that bumped VU's finish above .500. But PacWest champion Westmont sent Vanguard into the summer by taking 3-of-4, though the squad got the seniors a win in the final contest of the series.
 
As Pegg enters his 14th season (420-256-2) as the steward of the program, he knows that his roster had to improve over the last seven months in order to compete with the best.
 
"We had a lot of work to do. Our coaching staff worked very hard trying to just improve and put together a competitive roster again to compete in this PacWest, which is loaded," emphasized the head coach.
 
Part of the desire is simply due to the reality of having a veteran group a season ago, almost all seniors. The program lost three of its top four hitters, including Third Team All-Conference shortstop and Vanguard Male Athlete of the Year, Fred Buckson. Buckson, along with senior Noah Madole and Josh Schleicardt, accounted for 55% of the team's homers in 2025: they are gone now.
 
Regardless of how solid Vanguard was on offense, though, the defense was an area Coach Pegg wanted to dial in as he moved into 2026, as Vanguard led the conference in errors last spring. 
 
"Coach Fuchs is our infield guy. He's been working hard with them, instilling a good mindset. Hopefully, that area will be a big indicator [of our success]," said Pegg.
 
The lone returning starter of that infield is "stable" Tristan Gallegos (.295/.406/.429), who played in all 50 contests at first. However, primary DH Colton Perez had a couple nods for VU defensively at 1B, and Pegg knows that his bat is too good to keep out of the lineup (team-high 1.045 OPS).
 
"Colt can mix in at both [DH and 1B]," said Pegg. What he said next will certainly pique the interest of VU fans:
 
"Colton will probably be on the mound a little bit for us this year as well…he's a good athlete, good player. We are excited about what he brings," Pegg lauded. Perez pitched once last year, and it was one shutout inning at Hawaii Pacific.
 
Senior Evan Avitia is also back after an injury ended his season early in 2025. That said, Avitia is someone that Pegg lauded for his "consistency and what he can do on both sides", which may allow him to be the early frontrunner to get the nod at the hot corner. Pegg did leave the light on for Brian Paymard, Charlie Pennington, and Bennett Vondrak in particular, though, at the third-base bag.
 
Up the middle, new guys James Derflinger and Nathan Hellein will form a new tandem now that the Buckson-Jarred Mazzaferro duo graduated. Both junior college products, Coach Pegg likes their "proven" resumes and their level of competitiveness. Hellein hit .314 over his two seasons at short for the Citrus Owls, while "Derf" improved his average to .298 last season at Saddleback after winning the 3C2A title as a freshman.
 
Another question for the VU faithful entering this season was what the rotation at catcher would settle into.  Angel Perez was phenomenal as a freshman, but the other three players who caught last year are gone, including fan-favorite Joey Cordola, who is now pursuing a career as a fireman. Coach Pegg thinks all will be well.
 
"Dash Lopez redshirted last year, but he's been grinding hard. He could have played, but we knew our situation and decided to save a year of eligibility on it." Another transfer coming in is Nate Norman. "He has experience at a top [junior college] in Orange County, so he will be in that mix too, for sure," stated Pegg.
 
Out in the open pasture, Coach Pegg also feels comfortable in 2026 with left and center field, as Jaxson Davis (.291/.397/.483) and Tyler Shigenaka (.312/.442/.450) return to the fold. A switch-hitter, Davis was one of eight players in the PacWest to finish with 100-plus chances and zero errors, while hustle-man "Shiggy" has plenty of chalk outlines on the outfield wall to commemorate all of his painful home-run robberies from last year. As for the nine spot, again, a plethora of options came up.
 
"We got some freshman guys who are in the mix. Joshua Sur has done well [in the fall]. Andrew Olsen redshirted last year. Daniel Rivera is a young guy that can do it. He is similar to Perez where he can play multiple positions and even help us on the mound. Chase Easter-Hairston is a veteran guy who has improved every year as well," offered Pegg.

If Joshua Sur's name sounds familiar, it is because just a year ago, he was a member of one of the best high school baseball teams of all time in Corona. He himself was top 25 in California in batting average, while two of his teammates were picked in the top 10 of the MLB draft this past summer. All of which Pegg thinks will help Sur impact the program "right away". 
 
Another facet of the game that the Blue and Gold might utilize more has been a historical weapon for Vanguard.  The Lions have been keen to swipe bases, with over 90 in 2023 (96-114) and 2024 (105-132).  Yet 2025 saw Vanguard take a dip down in aggression on the bases, as the lineup tallied a 40-55 rap sheet. Coach Pegg attributes that to the uptick in competition and wants to reload that tool into the arsenal this season.
 
"The consistency of the teams that do a better job controlling the running game is what has impacted that more than [me simply calling it off]," admitted Pegg. "There aren't any easy bags out there like in the past. Those weekends with [20-30] bags in one series don't happen anymore. Plus, we were not a great speed team last year aside from a few guys. However, we want to be opportunistic this year."
 
"When we do it, it is going to be appropriate, and it is going to impact the game," Pegg declared.
 
Meanwhile, on the hill, the Lions lost 30 of their 50 starts from a season-ago, including Second Team All-Conference ace Chris Paruleski, who tossed the most complete games (four) for VU since Dylan McDonald in 2023 and led the PacWest in ERA (2.08). This year, it may be a team effort to produce 27 outs on a routine basis.
 
"I'm not sure we have a guy that we can just give the ball to and expect him to give it back to us after 7 innings. I think we will have to be a little more adjustable with how we use guys. I do think we have a deep, deep pitching staff with some frontliners for starters in the mix," offered the bench boss.
 
He then alluded to the Detroit Tigers' model this past year for having one true starter and many bullpen games as a possible method to navigate the slew of PacWest games on the docket
 
Some of the new names in the fold include guys like Tyler Prystajko and Seth Wrightstone, with coach Pegg believing both give him some of the versatility to throw them as openers or in longer relief stints.  Division I transfer Prystajko is an arm that Pegg believes is turning into the "best version" of himself after his career-year with the Dons of USF.
 
A familiar face returns home, as Caden Byers circles the wagons for one last go around with the Blue and Gold. The senior spent his first two years with VU before heading down to Irvine Valley College and having a cup of coffee with the Rebels of UNLV. As a freshman, he was Vanguard's power-closer. Now, he may be in line to be the ace.
 
No matter what, though, Vanguard has options. Southpaw senior Jake Hiner figures to be an incumbent starter, while names like Chris Ceballos, Dakota Henson, and Mitch Hunter, who all handled heavy loads out of the pen last year, may look to elevate to starter status. When asked about some of the possibilities in this regard, Pegg was sure to bring up another name to potentially work out of the front-end, saying, "Jacob Cuculich is another guy in the mix that will do well."
 
On the backend, the Lions lost one of the most shutdown closers in the business in Max Montplaisir, who VU got as a one-year rental and is still regarded by Pegg as "one of the best relievers I've ever had." Vanguard may turn to Dylan Henson to finish ballgames, as the 6'7" beast picked up two saves last year in his freshman campaign. Utility player Daniel Rivera, though just a freshman, is a hard-throwing lefty that could be a name to watch as well. And of course, as mentioned earlier, Perez could take the bump at some point.
 
Whatever decisions are made, there is hope that the new roster helps VU compete with the best this time around. Last year, of the four PacWest tournament teams, Vanguard went 6-10 against the bunch.
 
The Lions have the opportunity to avenge some of those losses rather quickly, as their first three full PacWest series are against the top three teams from a season ago.  That begins at Jessup for four, a home-and-home doubleheader with Westmont, and the same with Point Loma. Sprinkled in betwixt the Westmont and Point Loma weekends is a standalone mid-week nine-inning contest at Azusa Pacific. Coach Pegg recognizes the task is not a stroll through the park.
 
"We have to be ready to go early. I think we did a better job preparing in the fall this year, implementing a few things to be ready with short time. It is a grueling travel schedule, and you start off with some big guys, but got to take it one weekend at a time."
 
"It should be fun."
 
Pegg also offered the perspective that most of his games being on the road this year may impact his decisions to maybe stick with an arm a bit longer than usual.
 
"The downside is with travel, you don't get to take everybody, and when you're at home, everybody's available…plus, at home you're comfortable, and you're used to the backdrop and routines. On the road, everything is rushed… We will have to see how the players handle that."
 
Vanguard was 8-10 on the road in 2025, but the bench boss is choosing to embrace the opportunity in front of his outfit.
 
"The challenge for the guys this year is that we become 'road warriors'. We just have to think, 'why don't we have our best year ever on the road instead of [only thinking about home].' Why not us? This team can do it," hammered Pegg.
 
A nugget from last year that could help coach Pegg and his 'road warriors' vision come to reality was Vanguard's ability to win close games. They went 6-3 in one-run games, which Pegg identifies as "the separator between having a good year and just an okay year." Being on the road more means this category holds even vast weight.
 
The boys have had a good fall. Now it is time to roll.
 
"Our fall has been fun. We have a great group of guys. If we can keep smiling and having fun on the weekend, I think the results will follow."
 
Opening Day will be on Friday, January 30 (1:00pm) against Saint Martin's, with a doubleheader the following day beginning at 10am. The PacWest Tournament will be held at Westmont's house from May 6-8.