ROYAL OAK, Mich. – With the Northwoods League opening day around the corner, the Royal Oak Leprechauns have announced their 2026 Opening Day roster. The roster features players yielding from schools across Michigan and around the country.
The roster includes players from conferences including the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference, Mid-American Conference, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Ivy League, and Big 12 Conference.
The combination of returners and newcomers will allow for the 2026 season to serve as a foundation for what’s to come. This roster brings a variety of skills and experiences from both pitchers and position players alike.
“We have a lot of quality baseball players with the proper mix of skills and experience on this team,” said Field Manager DJ LaMaheiu.
The list of players returning to Royal Oak includes Detroit Catholic Central graduate and Oakland University sophomore catcher and outfielder Aidan Schuck. In 2025, Schuck set the Leprechauns’ franchise record for consecutive games with a hit, tallying a 19-game hit streak At Oakland, Schuck made 46 starts and batted .277 across 177 at bats. The Leprechauns coaching staff is looking forward to having Schuck as a full-contract player this summer.
The Leprechauns also welcome back Eastern Michigan University’s Tristan Crane. In his first season with the Leprechauns, Crane proved to be an effective contributor both in the infield and at the plate. The Brother Rice graduate and Berkley, Mich. native batted a .306 at EMU while maintaining a .986 fielding percentage across 31 starts.
The returning group also includes Villanova graduate student outfielder Patrick Ilitch. In 2025, Ilitch hit .282 with a .481 on-base percentage and .815 OPS. Unlike last summer, Patrick will have the opportunity to share the field with his younger brother, Blake, who is a freshman pitcher at the University of Mississippi.
“It’s hard in summer ball to get guys to come back; it makes me excited to have so many returners,” said returning coach Chris Faust.
New to the Leprechauns in 2026 is Ohio Northern’s Drew Tolfree. Tolfree was recently named the Ohio Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year after going 7-0 on the mound and maintaining a 1.64 ERA – the lowest in the conference. He also recorded 75 strikeouts across 65.2 innings pitched. The coaching staff hopes to see Tolfree start on the mound Opening Day.
The full Opening Day roster can be viewed here.
The team will open up their season at home on Monday, May 25, 2026 at 6:35 p.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased on the team’s website or at the gate. Fans can also follow the team across all social platforms to stay up to date.
About Royal Oak Leprechauns: The Royal Oak Leprechauns are a member of the Northwoods League, a leading summer collegiate baseball organization in North America. Based in Royal Oak, Michigan, the team is committed to player development, community engagement, and delivering a professional-level experience throughout the summer season.
