GAYLORD ― No Gaylord-area baseball team’s stock was higher than Gaylord St. Mary’s following the 2025 season.
A team made up of mainly underclassmen overachieved in the second half of last season, eventually making a run to the Division 4 state quarterfinals while upsetting the Ski Valley Conference champions, East Jordan, in the regional finals. Returning many of its starters, GSM had high hopes of making a few runs with this particular group.
That was before Cal Royce came along.
A transfer from Boyne City, Royce has been an impact player for each GSM team he has joined during the 2025-26 school year, but perhaps no team has benefited from his services quite like the Snowbirds’ baseball team has. The hard-throwing lefty has claimed the No. 1 spot in the starting pitching rotation, is hitting exceptionally well from the No. 3 spot in the lineup and is the Snowbirds’ top outfielder when he’s not on the mound, all for a team with SVC title hopes and playoff aspirations.
Just a sophomore, Royce and his new Snowbirds’ teammates are keeping their expectations high while taking things game-by-game.
“We’re rolling,” Royce said. “We’re all coming together as a team, hitting the baseball really well, pitching really well. All around, it’s really good baseball.”
The Snowbirds have been rolling through their 2026 schedule, now sitting at 16-2 overall and still unbeaten in league play after a sweep of Onaway on May 11. Royce credits his coaches, a stretch of good hitting and strong defensive play that has led to one of the better starts among Northern Michigan teams.
“It feels great when you have a good defense behind you,” said Royce. “I trust those guys, all eight of them out there, that they can make a play for me.”
But those who have seen the Snowbirds play cannot deny the instant impact Royce has had.
Royce is 30-for-46 (.652 average) with 30 RBIs and 29 runs scored, six doubles and four home runs through 18 games. On the mound, Royce has given up just one earned run in 31 2/3 innings of work with a staggering 75 strikeouts in eight appearances.
While a .600+ hitter is nothing to scoff at, it’s his presence on the mound that raises the ceiling for GSM. A couple of young pitchers found their way and helped GSM along their run in 2025, but no one on the roster has overpowering stuff quite like Royce.
“He’s fun to watch,” said coach Matt Nowicki.
Royce joined a core group of sophomores, including Logan Greenier, Lucas Greenier, Charlie Cameron, Sam Kuznicki, Eli Switalski and Joe Jacobson, that returned from last year’s team that advanced to the D4 quarterfinals. GSM already had a good mix of talent that most small schools would dream of; now, with Royce in the mix, they have a true star to headline what may be the most talented roster still currently unranked in the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association (MHSBCA) rankings.
With the conference race in limbo heading into the final weeks of the regular season, Royce says it’s GSM’s coaching that sets them apart from their peers.
“We are better coached than pretty much anyone in Northern Michigan,” said Royce. “Don’t count us out; we’re young, but you better watch us play baseball.”
The Ski Valley race is likely going to come down to a May 26 doubleheader at Inland Lakes, the only other team without a league loss through May 11.
Still, when asked about the team’s overall goals, Royce didn’t shy away from aiming even higher than a league title.
“East Lansing,” Royce said. “We want to make it down, and I really think we can. With the way we’ve been playing, I think there is a good chance we make it down there.”
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Cal Royce’s hot stretch has St. Mary baseball dreaming of East Lansing
Reporting by Dylan Jespersen, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
