Chasing Omaha: K-State Pitchers James Guyette and Donte Lewis on Belief, Brotherhood, and the 2026 Season

James Guyette and Donte Lewis hold up the Powercat hand sign with Adam and Jimmy from the Propaganda show in front of the Wildcat 91.9 sign.

Listen to the Full InterviewBy Jimmy Coffman and Adam Arther

52:47

Kansas State pitchers James Guyette and Donte Lewis joined hosts Adam Arther and Jimmy Coffman for a wide-ranging conversation that previewed the Wildcats’ 2026 baseball season while spotlighting the culture that has shaped both players on and off the field. The episode, framed as a “special” edition of the Propaganda show, also served as a sendoff as Arther prepared to travel to Arizona with the team to begin what they hope will be a long run to Omaha.

Guyette recounted his summer with Team USA, calling the experience a turning point that confirmed he could compete with the best players in college baseball and that Kansas State belongs on the national stage despite being viewed as a “smaller” program. Wearing “USA” across his chest, he said, reinforced that his role was bigger than himself and bigger than baseball, and he described the stint as both a confidence boost and motivation as he steps into an opening-day starter role for the Wildcats.

Lewis, meanwhile, drew on his time in the Appalachian League, where the grind of playing nearly every day forced him to confront doubts about continuing as a two-way player. After leaning on his father and brother for support and then launching a 421-foot home run, he said he emerged with a tougher mindset that now drives his approach as both a hitter and pitcher heading into early tests against Iowa and UConn.

Both pitchers expressed optimism about this year’s roster, repeatedly comparing it to the 2023 super regional team in terms of depth and versatility. Guyette said the current lineup features hitters who can consistently put the ball in play, avoid strikeouts, and still drive it out of the park, giving Kansas State a “dangerous” mix one through nine. Lewis added that the Wildcats will be “scrappier” this season, less dependent on the long ball and more capable of stringing together singles, stretching hits into doubles, and pressuring opponents with an aggressive running game.

They also pointed to several newcomers as names fans should know.On the mound, Lewis highlighted the overall depth of the pitching staff and said “everything starts with the staff” if Kansas State is to reach its goals of hosting and winning a regional and ultimately getting to Omaha.

Players say that attitude permeates the program. Darrow often tells the pitchers that their body language and behavior reflect directly on him, and Arther added that he now sees his own success as a way to “prove them right” for believing in him rather than to prove outside doubters wrong. The word “family” is literally plastered around the facility, and both Guyette and Lewis said that ethos makes them want to compete harder for their coaches and teammates.

Lewis did not shy away from acknowledging that he sometimes feels baseball is overlooked on campus compared with football and basketball, noting a campus mural that omitted the sport entirely. He said that omission felt “disrespectful” to a team that has made multiple recent regional appearances and works just as hard as other programs. Guyette responded that baseball’s slower, more nuanced nature can be harder for casual fans to appreciate, but for those who understand the sport, even an 18-inning postseason marathon can be appointment viewing.

The interview closed with all four looking forward to warm weather in Arizona and the

opportunity to finally test months of preparation in the MLB Desert Invitational, where K-State is set to open against Iowa at Goodyear Ballpark before facing UConn, Penn State, and Air Force. Confident in their depth, culture, and camaraderie, Guyette and Lewis left little doubt that the Wildcats believe the road they are starting now can end in Omaha.