NMJC (BSB) Starts 2026 Season in Nevada

The NMJC baseball team begins the 2026 season with a four-game series in Henderson, Nevada Jan. 29-31.

NMJC will play a two-game set Thursday, Jan. 29 against College of Southern Nevada with first pitch at 3 p.m. PST and Game 2 starting following Game 1 at 5:30 p.m. PST.

Game 3 will be played Friday, Jan. 30 against Central Arizona College at 9:30 a.m. PST and Game 4 is Saturday, Jan. 31 against Arizona Western College at 10 a.m. PST. 

NMJC will be led by sixth-year head coach Michael Robbins and assistant Lauro Felix. The T-Birds will face three teams in 2026 (Southern Nevada, Iowa Western, and McLennan) who have competed in the NJCAA College Baseball World Series in the last two years.  

This season the Thunderbirds will match up against ranked opponents in No. 6 McLennan, No. 7 Weatherford, No. 14 Iowa Western, No. 17 College of Southern Nevada, and No. 25 Midland College. The T-Birds also face Central Arizona and Odessa College who are receiving votes in the 2026 NJCAA DI Preseason Baseball Poll. The schedule adds up to 10 games against currently ranked programs and five against teams receiving votes in the preseason poll. 

The Thunderbirds' top returning pitcher is right-hander Ricardo Rojas who was a Second Team All-WJCAC selection in 2025 with a 9-3 record, a 5.17 ERA, and 46 strikeouts in 62.2 innings of work. The Los Guayos, Venezuela native appeared in 19 games last season.

Rojas will start on the mound in Game 1 against CSN and in Game 2 Sergio Lugo will get the call as the starter. 

Now over to the offensive side of the plate. 

Center fielder Casen Savage leads the way in his sophomore season after picking up First Team All-WJCAC and All-Region honors in 2025 batting .337 with 48 RBI, 20 doubles, 12 homers, and 12 stolen bases. Utility Jeter Battles batted .364 with 62 runs scored, 38 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, and five homers in 49 games as a freshman.

In 2025, shortstop Talan Barraza batted .313 with 57 runs scored and 43 RBI. On the defensive side, Barraza recorded 95 putouts and 32 double plays.

The T-Birds return eight members from the 2025 squad and have added 29 new players in 2026.

NMJC ended the 2025 season in the second round of the Region V Tournament with a 40-20 (27-9) record. The T-Birds have won 40 or more games in six straight seasons.  

Games 1 and Game 2 will be streamed against Southern Nevada. However, Games 3-4 are unlikely to be streamed.

The original season opener against Northeastern JC in Hobbs, NM Jan. 23-24 was cancelled due to inclement weather.