Top 150 2026 Prospect Sets Notre Dame Official Visit
Notre Dame football won’t be the only program with a big recruiting weekend on tap as Shawn Stiffler’s Fighting Irish will host 2026 Marist High School (Ga.) infielder/RHP Jack Richerson for an official visit.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder is more than familiar with Notre Dame as he’s a legacy and Richerson has paid close attention to the baseball program in recent years.
“My dad (Mike) played football here, grew up a Notre Dame fan all my life and would come up here all the time for games and other events,” Richerson told ISD. “Outside of that, watching Notre Dame compete at the highest level and playing on big stages like getting to Omaha a few years ago, you want to be a part of high-brand baseball like that.”
Richerson, who can run his fastball up to 90 mph, has been made a priority by Stiffler and his staff in recent months and is a significant reason why he wants to make this visit.
“I have really enjoyed building a relationship with the Notre Dame staff up to this point,” explained Richerson. “I made it up to camp the fall of my sophomore year because I was very interested in seeing what Notre Dame was all about and I loved getting to know the coaches.
Due to NCAA rules, Notre Dame’s staff couldn’t reach out to Richerson until the end of the summer, and both sides have enjoyed the ramp-up in communication.
“Our relationship has continued to grow this fall when recruitment opened up,” Richerson said. “The message I have really appreciated and taken away is high-level baseball paired with high-level academics and being developed in both ways.”
As for the visit, Richerson knows Notre Dame, so he will prioritize building on those relationships and the finer details of the baseball program this weekend.
“I am looking to experience the coaches up close and really get a feel for each of their philosophies and what they are trying to accomplish baseball-wise on both the hitting and the pitching side, as I am a two-way,” Richerson explained. “I also am looking to spend some time with some of the guys on the team and get a feel for the culture of Notre Dame baseball as a whole.”
Notre Dame has always had a presence at Marist with non-student-athletes, but there are also a few notable names on the side of athletics. Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton attended Marist and Niele Ivey is recruiting 2026 five-star guard Kate Harpring.
Richerson is aware of the similarities between the two schools, which is another reason Notre Dame has his attention.
“Coming from Marist, there have been more than a few athletes who have come to Notre Dame over the years,” Richerson stated. “Kyle Hamilton comes straight to mind. I think it comes down to the similarities between the schools and continuing to surround yourself with like-minded people. Like Notre Dame, Marist is a very high academic school with top-notch athletics as well, and then, of course, the faith aspect, with them both being catholic institutions. I think it makes a good fit for a lot of Marist kids.”
When it comes to a decision, Richerson is focused on his football season, but shortly after, he’ll start finalizing his future plans.
“The timeline for my decision is a little loose right now as I am in football season right now and I’m trying to go win a state championship in Georgia,” said Richerson. “Once football winds down and I have some time away from everything to talk to my family and those close to me, I would expect to make a decision soon after.”
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