The Sandburg baseball team starts the 2025 season with a new coach, but it’s a familiar face to the program.
Sandburg alumnus Brandon Porter, who played for the Chargers from 2007-08, took over the program in May after Josh Foreman stepped down following a six-year tenure that included a pair of Arrowhead Conference titles.
Porter is already 1-0 at the helm as Sandburg took advantage of some cooperative weather to play its season opener Feb. 24 and earned a 12-8 win at Illinois College JV in Porter’s debut. The Chargers get into the heart of their schedule when they’re slated to host No. 8 Madison at noon Saturday.
KEY RETURNERS
Jose Narvaez (Arroyo, Puerto Rico/The Vine Christian Academy), sophomore middle infielder/pitcher
• Played in 45 games as a freshman and drove in 23 runs, most among returning players.
Derek Castillo (Ponce, Puerto Rico/The Vine Christian Academy), sophomore outfielder/catcher
• Posted a .414 on-base percentage over 122 at-bats last season.
• Scored 31 runs in 42 games as a freshman, tops among returning Chargers.
Jace Wilkerson (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria), sophomore infielder/pitcher
• Hit eight home runs and knocked in 20 runs in just 60 at-bats as a freshman, posting a .717 slugging percentage.
• Reached safely four times and finished a triple shy of the cycle in Sandburg’s season-opening win this year as he scored twice and collected two RBIs.
KEY NEWCOMERS
• Derek Cintron (Davenport, Fla./The Vine Christian Academy), freshman infielder
• Joel Medina (Kissimmee, Fla./The Vine Christian Academy), freshman outfielder
• Yasiel Trinidad (Kissimmee, Fla./The Vine Christian Academy), freshman outfielder/pitcher
STATES OF PLAY
While the Chargers’ roster features many players from the area, it also includes eight players from outside of Illinois. Sandburg boasts players from:
- Florida (Derek Cintron, Joel Medina and Yasiel Trinidad)
- Iowa (Hunter Shipley)
- Missouri (Brady Swims)
- Puerto Rico (Jose Narvaez and Derek Castillo)
- Canada (Dayton Lundstrom)
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?
Porter: “We’ve come a long way since the fall. My guys continue to work hard and be ‘everyday guys.’ Our goal is to get a little bit better every day. We’re a young team as far as experience, but I think we’ll surprise some teams when it’s all said and done.”
THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …
Porter: “If this group continues to improve and grow daily, we’ll be content. We need to improve daily and build on yesterday’s success.”
GAMES TO WATCH
• March 15 vs. No. 9 Southeastern
• March 24 vs. No. 13 Parkland
• April 11 vs. No. 8 Madison
• April 15 vs. Black Hawk
• April 21 vs. No. 4 Heartland
***Courtesy of Carl Sandburg College***
