The Bismarck Larks have Surveyed the Field with Frontier Precision, and signed 15 pitchers to the 2026 roster for the first half of the season. Larks Field Manager Chris Monroe has been focused on setting up a hard-working pitching staff that will command the field this summer.

“These are players who can really take charge on the field,” said Chris. “Their leadership from the mound will really help to take our team to the next level.”

Meet some of the pitchers taking the mound in Season 10 of Larks Baseball:

• Gavin Parkerson (Parkland College) -In 2025 he recorded a whopping 83 strikeouts in his 57.0 innings pitched, which contributed to his 3.32 ERA. In high school, he was also named to the All-County Team during his sophomore, junior, and senior years, and was named to the All-Conference Team as a sophomore and junior.
• AJ Minyard (College of San Mateo) – AJ’s arm saw plenty of use last season. During his freshman year with the Bulldogs he pitched for 71.0 innings, recording a 3.93 ERA. His hard work and endurance throughout the season paid off, with his outings leading him to an 8-2 record.
• Colton Bagshaw (Minot State University) – Colton will be one of the more experienced members of the Larks pitching staff. Currently a Junior at Minot State, he has also spent time in the Expedition League with the Casper Horseheads (2021) and the Independence League with the Gem City Bison (2022).
• Nathan Fisher (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M) – A younger member of the pitching staff, Nathan is a redshirt freshman with the Golden Norsemen. The right-handed pitcher will get some great experience with his school before taking the field with the Larks this summer.
• Trenton Mitchell (Metropolitan CC) – Trenton is currently playing in his sophomore season with the Wolves. As a freshman, he had 11 mound appearances for a total of 23 innings pitched. In an outing against Three Rivers, he recorded 3 strikeouts in his 3 innings pitched, helping the team get to their 14-4 victory over the Raiders.
• Andrew Shaw (Stanford University) – A freshman with the Cardinals, Andrew is already off to a hot start, striking out 9 batters and only walking 1. Last year while playing for his high school, he played a big role in his team winning the High School Spring Opener Tournament at Lakepoint. Andrew will bring great energy to the team this summer.
• Derek Valdez (University of Hawaii) – Derek put up fantastic numbers last season. A dominant starter for his previous school, Cerritos College, he pitched for 110.1 innings, and recorded 84 strikeouts, a 1.63 ERA, and a 12-3 record. In his first season with Hawaii, he’s already recorded 3 strikeouts with no walks, and a 3.37 ERA.
• Jake Gimbel (Heartland Community College) – A sophomore from Shorewood, IL, Jake has already had some great outings in his spring season with the Hawks. So far, he’s struck out 11 batters in his 6.2 innings on the mound, while only walking three. Last season he threw for 25.0 innings and struck out 31 batters, and in 2026 he is well on his way to surpassing those stats.
• Adam Wandzel (Northwood University) – Adam recently began his redshirt sophomore season at Northwood. Last season, the Michigan native pitched 31.2 innings, earning a 1.71 ERA and allowing only 6 runs all season. In high school he earned both All-State and All-Conference in back to back years (2022 and 2023).
• Breylynn Courtney (Eastern Florida State College) – Breylynn is a freshman on the Titans roster, and is on his way to a great first season with the team. Having thrown for 13.1 innings so far, he’s struck out 16 batters while only walking 5, and earned a record of 1-0. In a February game against State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, he struck out 7 batters in 4 innings with no earned runs.
• Cody Delfavero (Parkland College) – Last season was a great start to Cody’s collegiate baseball career. As a freshman he pitched 60.1 innings and struck out 68 batters, walking only 16. In a Region 24 Tournament last spring, he struck out 4 in 2 innings without giving up any runs, helping to contribute to his team’s 7-1 victory over the Danville Jaguars.
• Brayden Schnurbusch (John A. Logan Community College) – The redshirt freshman from Lake Saint Louis, MO has already had some productive time on the mound this season. In a recent game against Vincennes University he struck out 3 in 1.1 innings, without allowing any earned runs or walks. Brayden also has some summer ball experience under his belt, having spent the 2025 season with the O’Fallon Hoots of the Prospect League.
• Troy McLeese (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) – 2026 will not be Troy’s first time taking the field on a Northwoods League roster. In 2024 Troy spent time playing for Thunder Bay, pitching 11.0 innings with the Border Cats. Troy is currently playing in his junior season with the Golden Lions before he makes the trip to Bismarck this summer.
• Jakeb Koop (Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa) – Jakeb is a redshirt sophomore on the Mavericks roster. In a recent outing against Iowa Lakes Community College, he struck out 6 batters in his 3.2 innings, helping his team achieve their 7-6 victory over the Lakers. He also has yet to commit an error on the field, while recording 2 putouts.
• Ross Aldridge (John A. Logan Community College) – A redshirt freshman on the Volunteers’ roster, Ross has seen the mound this season a few times already. In his 5 innings pitched, he’s struck out 6 batters, and earned himself an ERA of 3.60. Ross will join his current teammate Brayden Schnurbusch on the Larks 2026 pitching staff.

“We’re excited to see each of these guys have their chance to shine this summer,” Larks General Manager Nate Maddox said. “The energy they’re bringing to the team will contribute to all of the fun happening in the ballpark, on and off the field.”

These pitchers will join the rest of the team as they take the field for Season 10 of Larks Baseball, starting on May 25, 2026. The best way to see all the action at the ballpark is to purchase a SCHEELS Reserved Plan.