GAYLORD ― The diamonds in Gaylord have been a popular place during the past six spring seasons. That's mostly thanks to the Gaylord softball program, a two-time state champion that has dominated headlines in recent years, but coach Dan Mygrants and the GHS baseball program continue to build their team into a competitor in the Big North Conference and, hopefully, a team in the mix for a district title in 2026.
This season, a mix of experienced pitching, a few reliable bats and some new additions has the Blue Devils off to a solid start (5-3, 1-3 Big North), hoping to build confidence for a postseason run at the end of May.
"There's some growth happening early on, but these guys have a high baseball IQ and they work hard," said Mygrants.
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Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.1 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.1 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.2 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.3 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.4 / 14Gaylord baseball optimistic with mix of returning talent, youthGaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.5 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.6 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.7 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.8 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.9 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.10 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.11 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.12 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.13 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.14 / 14Photos from Gaylord baseball at Boyne City on Friday, April 17Gaylord baseball visited Boyne City for a doubleheader on Friday, April 17, the Blue Devils sweeping the Ramblers.Last season: 22-9-2, Lost in Division 2 district semifinals at Petoskey.
Key Departures: Brennan Radulski, Collin Piehl, Isaac Collins, Lucas Green, Noah Vanderveer.
Key Returners: Josias Ferrett, Brady Shepherd, Finn Miller.
Gaylord's roster, much like the rest of the BNC, saw significant turnover from 2025 to 2026, graduating all but three starters from a team that won more than 20 games for the second straight season. Still, the players that are returning will give GHS a chance to be competitive, while a few key additions should provide more optimism on the ceiling of the team.
No returning player will be as impactful as junior Josias Ferrett, the reigning Gaylord Herald Times Baseball Player of the Year, returning after a statistically dominant sophomore season (7-1 pitching record,1.00 earned run average, 53 strikeouts, .310 batting average, 23 hits, 19 runs scored,14 RBIs).
He took the BNC by storm last year; now, he'll be the focal point of opposing teams when Gaylord comes to town. Coach Mygrants isn't too worried about the extra attention Ferrett will likely get.
"Josias does what he does, and that is play the game hard," said Mygrants. "Whether he is at first base, in the outfield, on the mound or in the batter's box, I've never seen a kid play as hard as he plays. He's just 100% all the time. I don't think he cares, and I don't care if someone knows he's coming, because they still have to hit it."
Seniors Brady Shepherd and Finn Miller, along with Ferrett, give the Blue Devils three returning arms they can rely on, while a key transfer, Zayden Mullins, will fill a gap left behind the plate by longtime catcher Brennan Radulski.
While they continue to work off the early-season rust, they hope the mix of experience and youth will blend well with time and lead to some memorable moments later on.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord baseball blending experience, youth early in season