Johns Hopkins baseball’s Nate Mulberg picks up where legend left off

While Johns Hopkins has been one of the best teams in the country at hitting home runs (the offense ranks first with 83), Mulberg said he wants to help the players manufacture “small ball” scoring and stealing bases. He said the objective is to apply pressure to opposing pitchers and defenses.

Mulberg and Babb share a sense of care for their players. Harris said Mulberg aided him in his decision to use his last year of eligibility at Kansas State next spring, while graduate student first baseman William Jaun noted that Mulberg and the assistants ran wind sprints with the players after an unsatisfactory intra-squad scrimmage in the fall.

“I think that’s really rare because it shows that they want it just as bad as we do,” said Jaun, a Cornell transfer who chose the Blue Jays over Case Western Reserve after Mulberg hired Robby Faris, a 2020 Johns Hopkins graduate who was the Big Red hitting coach. “It kind of made it a lot more real that they’re competing, and they have a love for it.”

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There have been a few hiccups. Injuries have taken a toll on the pitching staff, with junior All-American Grant Meert suffering a season-ending torn ACL in the fall and seniors Thomas Cancian and Charles Monterrosa missing the past month because of unspecified ailments.

Before a game against Babson on March 17, Mulberg rolled his left ankle and broke the fifth metatarsal in the foot while running to the restroom. He underwent surgery three weeks ago and is currently using crutches during a recovery that is projected to take six to 12 months. And earlier this month, the team dropped a game to Haverford, one of the worst teams in the Centennial Conference, and was swept by Swarthmore in a doubleheader.

The setbacks elicited criticism from some baseball circles, but the doubt has galvanized the team, according to graduate student pitcher Dylan Zucker.

“If anything, it motivates us, and we just know that it doesn’t matter what other people say,” the Wake Forest transfer said. “Everyone’s always going to have their opinion about this program just because of the success that we’ve had and that we expect to have.”

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

From left, Johns Hopkins baseball head coach Nate Mulberg, first baseman William Jaun, pitcher Dylan Zucker and utility player Jacob Harris. Mulberg, who was appointed in July following the retirement of Bob Babb after 46 years, guided the Blue Jays to their 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. (Kim Hairston/staff) Center, Johns Hopkins baseball pitcher Dylan Zucker has played a role in the Blue Jays\xe2\x80\x99successful season, as the team secured its 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. On left is utility player Jacob Harris. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. The team is guided this season by head coach Nate Mulberg, who was appointed in July. (Kim Hairston/staff) From left, Johns Hopkins baseball utility player Jacob Harris, pitcher Dylan Zucker and first baseman William Jaun, have contributed to the Blue Jays\xe2\x80\x99 successful season, as the team secured its 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. The team is guided this season by head coach Nate Mulberg, who was appointed in July. (Kim Hairston/staff) From left, Johns Hopkins baseball pitcher Dylan Zucker, first baseman William Jaun, and utility player Jacob Harris have contributed to the Blue Jays\xe2\x80\x99 successful season, as the team secured its 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. The team is guided this season by head coach Nate Mulberg, who was appointed in July. (Kim Hairston/staff) From left, Johns Hopkins baseball utility player Jacob Harris, pitcher Dylan Zucker and first baseman William Jaun, have contributed to the Blue Jays\xe2\x80\x99 successful season, as the team secured its 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. The team is guided this season by head coach Nate Mulberg, who was appointed in July. (Kim Hairston/staff) Johns Hopkins baseball utility player Jacob Harris has played a role in the Blue Jays\xe2\x80\x99 successful season, as the team secured its 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. The team is guided this season by head coach Nate Mulberg, who was appointed in July. (Kim Hairston/staff) Johns Hopkins baseball first baseman William Jaun has played a role in the Blue Jays\xe2\x80\x99 successful season, as the team secured its 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. The team is guided this season by head coach Nate Mulberg, who was appointed in July. (Kim Hairston/staff) From left, Johns Hopkins baseball pitcher Dylan Zucker, first baseman William Jaun, and utility player Jacob Harris have contributed to the Blue Jays\xe2\x80\x99 successful season, as the team secured its 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. The team is guided this season by head coach Nate Mulberg, who was appointed in July. (Kim Hairston/staff) Show Caption1 of 9Nate Mulberg, who was appointed head coach of Johns Hopkins baseball in July following the retirement of Bob Babb after 46 years, guided the Blue Jays to their 15th league regular-season championship, the fourth in a row. They will host the four-team playoffs beginning Thursday at Babb Field inside Stromberg Stadium. (Kim Hairston/staff)Expand