Baseball season is underway across Sanpete County, and local teams enter 2026 with a mix of veteran leadership and new direction.

In Class 3A, Manti and North Sanpete will compete in a deep Region 13, while Gunnison Valley looks to build on last year’s strong finish in 2A East.

North Sanpete

North Sanpete has already taken the field, dropping a 2-1 non-region game at Provo on Monday.

The Hawks were limited to two hits in the loss, with Hudson Smith accounting for both, including a pair of doubles and the team’s lone RBI. North Sanpete struck out 11 times but worked six walks in the tight contest.

On the mound, Bryce Swapp went three innings and allowed two earned runs while striking out five. Smith added 1⅓ scoreless innings in relief as the Hawks held Provo to three hits.

North Sanpete finished 12-15 a year ago and went 4-10 in region play. The Hawks advanced to bracket play before being eliminated. Head coach Austin Hadley, now in his fifth year, returns a senior-heavy group that includes Wyatt Williams, Aaron Costello, Bryce Swapp and Ashton Olsen. Juniors Hudson Smith and Tyson Guidos also return with varsity experience.

The early loss at Provo gives the Hawks a baseline as they look to turn experience into a climb up the region standings.

Manti

Manti enters the season under head coach Ty Hill.

Manti went 12-13 last season, including an 8-6 mark in region play. The Templars averaged 7 runs per game offensively but allowed 7.3 runs per contest, an area the new staff will look to tighten up.

The Templars return a strong senior core in Kellen Lund, Russell Squire, Durke Larsen and Koy Johnson, along with juniors Boston Hatch and Zach Blackham. Manti also adds experienced upperclassmen Spencer Robbins, Gregg Powell and Adam Andreason to the mix, giving Hill roster depth as he establishes his program identity.

Gunnison Valley

In Class 2A, Gunnison Valley enters the season as one of the top teams in 2A East.

The Bulldogs went 18-9 last season and tied for first in region play at 11-1. They averaged 7 runs per game and allowed just 4.3, reflecting a balanced approach built around pitching and timely hitting.

Head coach Chad Avery returns his top contributors, including senior pitchers Braxton Pickett, Waylon Sorenson and Landry Edwards. Junior infielder Daxton Knudsen and first baseman Dillon Dyreng also return as key pieces.

With nearly all major contributors back, Gunnison will look to make a deeper postseason run this spring.

Region 13 in 3A again projects to be competitive, with Union entering as the preseason favorite. North Sanpete and Manti will need consistency on the mound and timely offense to stay in the race.

In 2A, Gunnison Valley faces strong competition from South Sevier and San Juan, but the Bulldogs’ experience gives them a legitimate chance to contend.

With one game already in the books for North Sanpete and others set to open this week, Sanpete County’s teams now settle into the long grind of the spring schedule, where pitching depth and steady defense will likely determine who is still playing in May.