The class of 2018 also features Austin Black, a left-handed hitting outfielder who hails from the same high school as senior center fielder Mike Martin; Brandon Wachs, a walk-on catcher from San Diego; Noah Zavolas, a right-handed pitcher from Acton, Mass., who has made five relief appearances this season; and Phoenix native Garrett Rupp, a 6’5” righty.  

“We want players that are not only ridiculously strong in the classroom but have options in major Division I conferences,” Zandler said. “We want to be recruiting top 100 players out of their class each year, and I think we’re well on our way to doing that.”

Another unique characteristic of this year’s class is the return of the Massachusetts influence to Harvard baseball. Quinn and Zavolas are two of the six players from the Bay State on this year’s roster. 

Sophomore catcher Josh Ellis had been the only Massachusetts native in the past two years’ recruiting classes. Recruiting local players was a hallmark of the late Joe Walsh, the Crimson’s coach from 1996 to 2012, who recruited seniors McGuiggan, captain Ethan Ferreira, and outfielder Jack Colton from the surrounding area.

“Being from the Boston area, I was fortunate enough that Coach Walsh always took a lot of pride in getting a couple local Massachusetts guys on the team every year,” McGuiggan said. “I was really fortunate that Coach Walsh sought me out from the South Shore and I was definitely on board with Harvard as soon as Coach Walsh jumped in the mix.”

With his first class on campus making an impact, Zandler is currently hot on the recruiting trail, working to compile two recruiting classes, the classes of 2019 and 2020, simultaneously. As the level of talent for the players who have committed to the team and the product on the field have both improved, the 2015 season and beyond look bright for Harvard baseball.

“We feel that this is a really good class, but our job as coaches is to basically one-up ourselves every year,” Zandler said. 

At least he knows that everyone will be returning his phone calls. 

—Staff writer Stephen J. Gleason can be reached at sgleason@college.harvard.edu.