The Pittsburgh Panthers will enter the 2027 college baseball season returning a couple of big-time hitters in their lineup.

Kai Wagner and Trey Fenderson are returning veterans for the Panthers who were major contributors to the team in 2026.

A look at Wagner and Fenderson's 2026 seasons

Wagner is back in Pittsburgh as a 5th-year senior. In 2026, he started in all 60 games and had a .295 batting average.

Wagner also had a .449 on-base percentage, 10 doubles, 13 home runs, and 49 RBIs.

Fenderson had a solid season for Pitt as well. He returns to the Panthers for his senior season after having a .328 batting average with 17 doubles, 14 stolen bases, seven home runs, and 64 RBIs.

Like Wagner, Fenderson started in all 60 games Pitt played this past season.

Both Wagner and Fenderson will be the main players in an experienced infield for the Panthers in 2027. Last season, both players proved that they can be reliable Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) baseball players after spending some time at the mid-major level. Wagner transferred to Pitt from Northern Colorado, and Fenderson transferred in from Presbyterian.

Returning Infielders and their ACC Tournament heroics

The Pitt Panthers were a major story during the 2026 ACC Tournament at Truist Field in Charlotte.

With an 11-19 record in ACC play, the Panthers were the 14th seed in the ACC Tournament. The only teams that were lower seeds were the Duke Blue Devils and the Clemson Tigers.

Despite having the odds stacked against them, Pitt went on to win three games in the ACC Tournament before losing to North Carolina in the semi-final round.

Wagner and Fenderson played a huge role in Pitt's deep run in the 2026 ACC Tournament.

Wagner had six hits and six RBIs in the four tournament games for the Panthers in Charlotte. He had two home runs and came up clutch for Pitt in an 8-6 win over Florida State in the quarterfinal round.

Fenderson finished as one of the best players in the 2026 ACC Tournament. He had 10 hits and 13 RBIs during the four games. Fenderson had seven RBIs alone in Pitt's first-round win in the tournament over Louisville. He had three home runs during the ACC Tournament. Two of them came against Louisville, and he also had one in the quarterfinal win over Florida State.

For more NCAA news: https://worldbaseball.com/news/category/ncaa