Things were already on the upswing heading into this season for Geneva’s Mason Bruesch.
The junior center fielder/pitcher was coming off a standout varsity debut. And then the Michigan State recruit moved into the leadoff spot and improved his pitching numbers across the board.
The steps he took forward this spring, both at the plate and on the mound, helped the Vikings transform from being a solid team into a Class 3A sectional champion and state contender.
“It was such a sweet season,” Bruesch said. “It was probably the most fun I’ve had playing baseball in my entire life. We had a great group of guys. Not only great baseball players but nice kids. Coach worked us hard in practice, and it always showed.
“We were great last year, but this year was awesome.”
Bruesch, the 2026 Beacon-News/Courier-News Baseball Player of the Year, set a pair of program records with 47 runs and 33 steals as the Vikings went 31-8 and reached the supersectional.
His versatility allowed Geneva coach Brad Wendell to get creative with his lineup. Moving up Bruesch, with his penchant for getting on base, helped put pressure on opposing teams.
The results showed immediately and down the stretch as the Vikings won the DuKane Conference title outright and brought home their first-ever sectional title.
“He does a lot of things really well and I think he showed that,” Wendell said of Bruesch. “The bat plays. He hit third for a while. He can drive in runs and hit for power.
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“We moved him up because he was getting on base really well and stealing bases.”
The increase from 10 to 33 steals is what stood out to Bruesch, and his speed is evident defensively in center field. Mastering the art of stealing bases made him even more dangerous.
“I can’t believe that,” Bruesch said. “I didn’t have too many stolen bases last year. It was amazing that I got on base so much. It was so nice because as a pitcher, they have to throw to us with people on base. You can’t walk them every time.
“I was seeing the ball really well this year. We were putting on pressure with our bats. I was working really hard in the offseason on my jumps.”
The 6-foot-2 Bruesch is the 13th-ranked outfielder for his class in Illinois, according to Prep Baseball Report. The right-handed pitcher hits 90 mph on his fastball from three-quarters delivery.
While he didn’t have quite the season he wanted on the mound, going 5-2 with a 3.97 ERA and striking out 73 in 49 1/3 innings, he’s still being recruited by the Spartans as a two-way player.
“It would be one moment in the game where I’d leave a pitch over the middle and it would come back to bite me,” Bruesch said. “It was really nice that I didn’t have the year I wanted to on the mound but I picked it up at the plate. I was able to help myself.”
Wendell, however, praised Bruesch’s ability as a pitcher.
“When he’s on, he’s really hard to hit,” Wendell said. “He had stellar moments in big spots. He ate innings and kept games close. It’s not like he blew up. He just wasn’t as sharp as he wanted to be.”
The fact that Bruesch picked Michigan State as his future home feels like fate. His father, John, swam for the Spartans. His mother, Katherine Steely, was recruited to play center field in softball.
“I’ve always been a Michigan State fan my whole life,” Bruesch said. “When they offered me, they’re a great program. I don’t have to change out any of my gear.”
He still has another year left at Geneva, though. And expectations have already been established.
“I think we’re going to be just as good if not better,” Bruesch said. “We have a lot of guys returning, and I think we can dominate again like we did this season.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.