Cardinal Mooney Baseball Primed for Big 2026 Season

Experienced roster returns after reaching regional semifinals in 2025

Mar. 24, 2026 at 4:03am

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Last season, the Cardinal Mooney baseball team reached the regional semifinals for the first time since 2013, led by a lineup filled with young talent. This year, the Cardinals return eight of nine starters and are positioned to build on that success, with a veteran group of juniors leading the way on the mound and at the plate.

Why it matters

Cardinal Mooney's baseball program has struggled in recent years, but last season's district championship and regional semifinal appearance marked a significant step forward. With an experienced roster back in 2026, the Cardinals have a chance to establish themselves as one of the top teams in their region and potentially make a deeper playoff run.

The details

The Cardinals are led by a trio of junior standouts - Ford Stacy, Kaden Reese, and Andrew Bushey - who were the team's top hitters in 2025. On the mound, juniors Ben Oddis and Taco Verroco return after posting sub-2.50 ERAs last season. Coach Ed Reese says this group has the experience and maturity of upperclassmen, despite still being juniors. The Cardinals have also filled their independent schedule with several challenging opponents to prepare them for the postseason.

  • The 2026 season begins on Friday, March 28.
  • Last season, the Cardinals reached the regional semifinals.

The players

Ed Reese

The head coach of the Cardinal Mooney baseball team, who led the program to its first district title since 2013 last season.

Ford Stacy

A junior who was the team's RBI leader with 31 in 2025.

Kaden Reese

A junior who led the Cardinal Mooney starters with a .461 batting average last season.

Andrew Bushey

A junior who scored a team-best 34 runs for the Cardinals in 2025.

Ben Oddis

A junior pitcher who led the team with 11 appearances and posted a 2.42 ERA in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“A district (championship) is a goal for a lot of teams, and we hadn't experienced that in quite a while. Just crossing that first hurdle and experiencing June baseball, I think it's gonna help a lot this year. We know what to expect. We know the type of play and the type of teams that you need to play and play against to make it that far. I think that experience is going to be valuable this season.”

— Ed Reese, Head Coach

“It's gonna be fun when they're upperclassmen playing against upperclassmen. These last couple years, they were underclassmen playing against upperclassmen. The experience, the way they carry themselves … it's like they're not regular juniors. They know what we're playing for, they know how to carry themselves day in and day out, they're constantly trying to get better and make each other better. They're a fun group to coach.”

— Ed Reese, Head Coach

What’s next

The Cardinals will open their 2026 season on Friday, March 28 against Canfield.

The takeaway

After a breakthrough 2025 season, the experienced and talented Cardinal Mooney baseball team is poised to build on that success and potentially make a deep playoff run in 2026, led by a veteran core of juniors who are ready to take the next step as upperclassmen.