Notre Dame RHP Jackson Dennies Healthy, Ready to Surprise in 2025
2024 was supposed to be a big year for Notre Dame RHP Jackson Dennies.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder was coming off an impressive junior campaign that saw him end the year with a 3.11 ERA and led the Irish in innings pitched.
It didn’t go that way.
Dennies made four starts (five appearances) before his arm gave out, which led to season-ending surgery after just 11 innings.
The Louisiana native is healthy and will enter 2025 as the Saturday starter as Notre Dame gets the 2025 campaign rolling on Friday at North Florida.
“I’m 100 percent healthy now,” stated Dennies. “I had surgery in April and rehabbed throughout the summer and fall. I’ve been cleared for three or four months. I’m getting those reps and bullets in to simulate what I’ve missed over the past year. I’m in a great spot.”
Perhaps the most significant news is that Dennies doesn’t expect a period of acclimation. He’s been cleared to pitch for months and Dennies has made the most of it as he prepares for his final season in South Bend.
“I think I’m better than last year at this spot,” Dennies explained. “Last year, I had some lingering stuff before the season and didn’t really know. Obviously, my UCL gave out a few weeks into the season. We probably could have seen that coming. It’s good to be completely healthy and pitch without pain. I feel good coming off the mound. I feel great, strong and I’m ready to get after it.”
Notre Dame’s 2024 season didn’t go as planned. The Irish finished the year 27-25, but just 9-21 in ACC play, which included zero conference road wins.
It’d be easy to pencil this year in as a rebuilding year with the youth movement on the roster but don’t count the Irish out just yet. The lows from last spring provided valuable experiences for the club, which will benefit Notre Dame this year.
“We didn’t really know what we had last year,” said Dennies. “It was a blessing in disguise because some guys were able to step up and get valuable innings throughout the year, and we’re returning those guys. Guys like (Jack) Radel and Rory (Fox) have started multiple games in the ACC. The value of having that experience is immeasurable.
“On the hitting side, we are young, but we haven’t looked at that as something that’s a problem. It’s something we’ve leaned into. I know it’s ironic that a 23-year-old is saying that for college sports, but most of our team is 18-19 years old and a few 20-year-olds in there. They haven’t played that way.”
Notre Dame’s roster will feature 15 freshmen, and head coach Shawn Stiffler expects at least 3-4 of those players to be everyday starters.
It’s a change from the roster makeup in the past, but Dennies has been impressed with what he’s seen from the younger players dating back to the summer.
“They’ve matured as soon as they got on campus,” Dennies stated. “It was good they got on campus this summer with a few of us so we could help them and get them on the right track. They’ve matured throughout the fall and into preseason. They’re playing like seasoned guys. You can’t predict what the season will hold. All you can do is prepare. I think we’ve done a phenomenal job as a team simulating those circumstances and situations they will face. They’ve handled it extremely well.”
The energy in the building is also different. Sure, Notre Dame has youth all over the locker room, but it’s more than that. Notre Dame’s veterans know what to expect daily and have set a bar for the younger players to follow.
“I would say the new energy comes from the older guys getting older,” explained Dennies. “If you look back a year ago, my class, who were seniors, didn’t return a lot of experience. You get another year of that. You get guys who know who they are and play styles. We had a year of guys getting that under their belt and confidence as a whole. It trickles down from the top. It really helps when the young kids come in and swing the bats and pitch like they are.”
Notre Dame will also enter the season with a chip on its shoulder. Last month, all 16 ACC coaches voted in the conference's annual preseason poll and the Irish were picked to finish No. 15.
Yet, the Irish aren’t worried about what anyone else thinks due to the culture they’ve worked hard to create over the last eight months.
“This team can surprise people by just how we operate together,” said Dennies. “Everyone is pulling the rope in the same direction. The vibe in the locker room is really good right now. It’s really exciting to see how people are excited to be out here and get after it with each other. I’m really proud of how far this group has come from July when these young guys stepped on campus to where we are now.
“It’s fun. I know we’re all excited to get on the plane to North Florida and show everyone what we’ve got.”
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