From the dugout steps, Texas pitching coach Max Weiner whispered into the pitch call system. On the mound, Volantis listened. The freshman lefthander nodded, exhaled and executed. Over and over. Out after out.

“It’s like they’re both painting the same picture,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle told Baseball America. “One’s doing it from the dugout, and one’s doing it from the mound. And they’re in sync.”

That synchronization was the heartbeat of one of the nation’s most dominant pitching performances in 2025. And after a freshman season that reset records and recalibrated expectations, Volantis has been named Baseball America’s Freshman of the Year.

Volantis, who ranks third in BA’s 2027 MLB Draft prospect rankings, earned the award with a 1.94 ERA, 74 strikeouts and only 12 walks across 51 innings. He converted 12 saves. Facing the sport’s deepest lineups Southeastern Conference play, Volantis was otherworldly: a 1.59 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, a .160 opponent batting average and 11 saves. The save total was most ever by an SEC freshman, breaking a 22-year-old record set by Ole Miss’ Steven Head.

But to Schlossnagle, Volantis’ brilliance was never about raw numbers. It was about presence, poise and the unteachable heartbeat of a cold-blooded closer.

“He is very selfless, has a really slow heartbeat,” Schlossnagle said. “He’s competitive, but he never makes the moment too big.”

That temperament—paired with elite strike-throwing and an unusual pitch profile—allowed Texas to turn a late-arriving freshman into a foundational piece. Originally a USC signee, Volantis got out of his National Letter of Intent and was still unsigned late last summer. Texas, which underwent a late coaching change and hired Schlossnagle after he took Texas A&M to the 2024 national championship series, pounced.

“We were just super fortunate, number one, that he was even available,” Schlossnagle said. “(Weiner) had loved him for a while. Max thrives on finding uniqueness, and Dylan was certainly very unique analytically.”

The term “unique” applies to Volantis in more ways the one.

Physically, his delivery and release height give him rare traits. At 6-foot-6, Volantis rains pitches down on opponents, capitalizing on his downward-moving arsenal.

From that high slot comes a true sinker—hard, heavy and late-moving—and a devastating spike curveball with excellent depth and finish that’s effective in the zone. They were a challenge just to catch. So much so that Texas backstop Rylan Galvan underwent specific training with stacked pitching machines to learn how to track and block Volantis’ nastiest offerings.

“He throws that sinker from a really high release height, which is not easy to manage if you’re behind the plate,” Schlossnagle said. “Then you’ve got the big overhand breaking ball that a lot of people don’t see anymore. Galvan is to be credited a lot for Dylan’s success, too.”

The pairing with Weiner, though, was where the magic happened.

Weiner, Texas’ 30-year-old pitching savant, eschews traditional pitch labels. He cares only for shape, out-getting value and context. To outsiders, his pitch calling seems eccentric. To opponents, it’s a nightmare.

“I’ve been in this game for 35 years, and when it’s a 3-0 count, you always throw a fastball,” Schlossnagle said. “But if the guy doesn’t throw his fastball for strikes, and he throws his breaking ball for strikes, then why do we always call fastball, right?”

That logic became gospel between Weiner and Volantis. Every pitch had purpose. Every count was an opportunity to gain leverage. And with Volantis’ rare ability to command more than two pitches, the strategy was limitless.

“A confident pitcher is a scary pitcher,” Schlossnagle said. “If they’re confident in what they’re about to throw, that’s a good pitcher.”

Volantis wasn’t just good—he was transcendent.

The bullpen role he eventually came to own wasn’t even the one Texas had originally scripted. Early in the season, the plan was for Notre Dame transfer Will Mercer to close. But when Mercer went down with an injury, the opportunity fell into Volantis’ lap. He didn’t just handle it—he dominated.

“It’s literally every single thing we threw at Dylan, he accomplished it,” Schlossnagle said. “He thrived in it.”

And so Texas adapted. With other arms like Jared Spencer and Luke Harrison stepping up as reliable starters, the coaching staff leaned into Volantis’ versatility. He became the team’s out-getter. Sometimes it was the ninth, sometimes it was the seventh through the ninth. Sometimes, it didn’t matter at all.

“Max’s philosophy is we don’t name roles,” Schlossnagle said. “You’re just an out-getter. It’s a one-inning save, one pitch at a time, and then you go back out and start over again.”

Volantis bought into that philosophy immediately, and it showed. On the biggest stages, he was unflappable. The stuff? Excellent. But the human behind it? Even better.

“We didn’t know that the person was so much better than the pitcher, and that’s really what makes him great,” Schlossnagle said.

What made Volantis BA’s Freshman of the Year was the way he moved through games with confidence, intelligence and intent.

“You throw in the pressures of the game and the sounds and the noise and the intensity and the talent level of each pitch,” Schlossnagle said, “It’s Volantis against Ike Irish. How in the world is this going to work out? Watching Max and Dylan work together to get a great player like Ike out, there’s definitely an appreciation for it that you have to just step back and enjoy.”

You didn’t have to be a scout or a coach to see it. You just had to love the game. What Volantis did in 2025 wasn’t just dominant.

It was art.

“What he was capable of doing, how he responded, how even-keeled his emotions were, how consistent he was in his work habits, how consistent he was as a human being,” Schlossnagle said, “That’s what makes him the way he is. We’re lucky to have him.”

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A draft-eligible sophomore, Anderson authored one of the most complete and captivating seasons in recent memory. His legend, though, was really born in June when the lights were brightest.

In 16 innings on the College World Series stage, Anderson allowed just one run and struck out 17 batters. He was named the tournament’s most outstanding player after helping to close the door on Coastal Carolina with a complete-game shutout in the national title game—just the third ever in CWS final history.

“He toys with you,” LSU shortstop Steven Milam told Baseball America.

Anderson finished his sophomore campaign with a 3.18 ERA and a nation-leading 180 strikeouts across 119 innings. He walked only 35, delivered double-digit strikeouts in 11 of his 19 starts and rarely looked rattled—even against the SEC’s most potent lineups or in Omaha with a title on the line.

The 6-foot-2, 186-pound lefthander combines impressive command with a cold-blooded demeanor and a devastating arsenal. His fastball hovers in the low-to-mid 90s with carry. But his best weapons are his breaking balls—two distinct shapes in a curveball and slider, both of which can eclipse 3,000 rpm and are thrown with equal confidence in any count.

“He’s like a lion out there,” LSU outfielder Derek Curiel said. “It’s not just the stuff. It’s the confidence and the feel. The way he attacks.”

Curiel faced Anderson three times in intrasquad scrimmages. He walked once, grounded out once and struck out once, which he considered a win.

“He wants to embarrass you,” Milam told Baseball America.

That intensity, mixed with polish beyond his years, helped Anderson surge up draft boards. Once considered a Day 1 talent, he’s now a consensus top 10 prospect as the top college player in BA’s latest draft rankings and could be in play as early as the No. 1 overall pick.

LSU head coach Jay Johnson didn’t mince words in Omaha.

“His next pitch should be for someplace in the Washington Nationals organization,” Johnson said. “I’s not close.”

Anderson departs Baton Rouge with a 3.38 career ERA and 239 strikeouts in 157.1 innings. His trajectory—from intriguing freshman to College World Series MOP in the span of 18 months—is a testament to not only talent, but discipline, as well.

“You’re getting a competitor,” LSU third baseman Michael Braswell said of Anderson. “An ace in the rotation. One of the youngest draft-eligible arms out there, and he’s just going to keep getting better.”

Baseball America’s creation of a standalone College Pitcher of the Year award comes at a time when elite arms are under more scrutiny than ever, both by pro evaluators and the sport itself. Anderson’s season—durable, dominant and deeply competitive—set the gold standard.

“He’s just a workhorse,” Milam said. “He’s one of my best friends, and he’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. He’s humble. He comes from a great family. And he gives you everything he has every time out.”

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They were passed down in bus rides, in batting cage conversations, in quiet late-night moments after losses. Gary Gilmore didn’t hand Schnall a manual when he retired as Coastal Carolina head coach last summer.

Instead, he handed Schnall something heavier: A program. A culture. A standard.

“Put together the best team,” Schnall said Gilmore taught him. “Sometimes money doesn’t always buy that.”

This spring, Schnall built that team and took it all the way to the College World Series championship series.

In his first year as a head coach, Schnall guided Coastal Carolina to 56 wins, a Sun Belt title, a sweep at Auburn in super regionals and a 26-game winning streak that carried the Chanticleers to the national championship series for the second time in program history. And now, he’s Baseball America’s 2025 College Coach of the Year—the first ever to receive the honor in his debut season as a head coach.

But that’s not what anyone inside the program talks about first.

“He really trusts in us,” said Jacob Morrison, one of the team’s rotation anchors. “Especially a lot of us at our low points. I’m one of the biggest examples of that.”

When Morrison got hurt, Schnall stuck with him. He rewarded that belief by becoming the only Division I pitcher besides Paul Skenes in the last five years to post 10 or more outings of six-plus innings with one or fewer runs allowed in a season. His ERA hovered around 2.00 into the national final. Cameron Flukey and Riley Eikhoff, Morrison’s partners in what became one of the most dominant rotations in the country, also dazzled.

The group’s collective success was emblematic of the program’s transformation under Schnall. It also reflected the trust he placed in Matt Williams, the first-year pitching coach whose fingerprints were all over Coastal’s historic season.

“(Schnall) finds what each guy does well, then builds on it,” Morrison said. “It’s incredible. He’s there for our catch play, for everything. And it’s not just me. He knows what works for each guy.”

A year ago, Coastal pitched to a 5.83 ERA. In 2025, that number dropped to 3.22.

It wasn’t just improved—it was unrecognizable.

So was the win column. Coastal went 36-25 in 2024 and bowed out in the Clemson Regional. Gilmore’s retirement closed a nearly three-decade era that redefined what mid-major baseball could be. He’d won a national title. He’d built Coastal into a destination. And his exit could’ve marked the end of the program’s golden age.

Instead, it signaled the start of a new one.

“It just never felt like we were starting over,” star catcher Caden Bodine said. “Coach Schnall had already been such a big part of what made Coastal, Coastal. When he stepped in, it wasn’t about filling shoes. It was about keeping this thing going—and taking it even further.”

It’s no surprise that the start of Schnall’s tenure has felt like a continuation of Gilmore’s. A passing of the torch rather than a program revival or overhaul.

Schnall played for Gilmore in the late 1990s and joined his coaching staff in 2001. With the exception of a brief three-year stint away, he remained tethered to the man who mentored him—until this spring, when the keys finally changed hands.

But the feel of the place didn’t.

“The overall theme didn’t change,” Morrison said. “We’re selfless. Relentless. That’s our motto. Schnall’s been such a big part of the program even when coach Gilmore was here. It’s so easy to play for him.”

Easy isn’t the same as comfortable, though. Not when the standards never dip. And the volume never really does, either.

“He’s gonna be hard on you,” said top reliever Ryan Lynch. “He’s gonna tell you what he wants, and if you don’t meet those expectations, he’s gonna let you know. But he’s also gonna be encouraging, and he’s gonna get every single player in the room to be the best they can be.”

Lynch described Schnall as someone who “hates losing more than he likes winning.”

Others described Schnall as a builder of belief, as a coach whose words don’t just carry weight, but moved people. He had a way of cutting through the noise, of saying exactly what needed to be said at exactly the right time. That motivation wasn’t loud for the sake of volume—it was sharp, urgent and personal.

“When he speaks,” said junior infielder Blake Barthol, “it makes me feel like I could run through a brick wall. I’ll do anything for that guy.”

That edge—fused with continuity—helped Coastal ascend even faster than the most optimistic projections. The team was picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt and didn’t carry a national ranking into the season. It finished as league champion, national runner-up and the No. 2 team in Baseball America’s final rankings.

From the outside, the rise felt like a fairy tale. From the inside, it felt inevitable.

“No, it’s not a Cinderella story,” Bodine said. “We’ve been exceptional since the fall. We’ve played great baseball all year, and we’ve really clicked as a team. Schnall picked an exceptional staff, and they’ve all done their part.”

Williams was new and, in a way, so was Chad Oxendine, who returned to Coastal as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator after three years away. But hitting coach Matt Schilling remained and is now in his 12th year on staff. Schnall didn’t just assemble the group. He built a collaborative unit with shared ownership and high standards.

“Every throw matters,” Bodine said of his coaches. “Every rep matters. Coach Williams is like that. And Schnall is, too. He doesn’t let anything slide. That intensity, it helps us get better.”

It also kept the team centered. Shortstop Ty Dooley, one of the Chanticleers’ everyday players, said Schnall’s temperament was the quiet fuel that powered their consistency.

“He never rides the highs or the lows,” Dooley said. “He’s just the same guy every day. You know what you’re going to get.”

What the sport got was something it hadn’t seen before. Schnall didn’t just replace a legend. He became the first coach in Baseball America’s history to be named Coach of the Year in his debut season as a head coach. Only two others—Dave Snow in 1989 and Jim Morris in 1994—have earned the honor in their first season at a new school.

It’s a rare class. But Schnall’s path was never typical. He didn’t arrive as an outsider or a surprise. He was built into the very walls of the program. And when the time came to lead, he didn’t look for reinvention.

He looked for connection and continuity of excellence and succeeded in both categories.

“I think it really helps that he was a part of everything before,” Morrison said. “It’s still Coastal Baseball. That’s what we’re about.”

That’s what Gilmore passed down and what Schnall built upon.

A program. A culture. A standard.

And this year, a masterpiece.

The post Kevin Schnall Named Baseball America’s 2025 College Coach Of The Year appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

End-of-season honorees are selected by BA staff after consulting with scouts and high school coaches. In keeping with the BA tradition of looking at both present and future, players are honored for both their production and their tools.

Top 500 MLB Draft Prospects

See where this year’s high school All-Americans rank among the top MLB Draft prospects for 2025.

SEE THE LIST

Taitn Gray, C, Dallas Center-Grimes Comm. HS, Dallas Center, Iowa

Gray is an explosive, switch-hitting catcher with plus raw power and a physical, 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame. He generates gaudy top-end exit velocities for a prep and has a chance to stick behind the plate with a strong arm. Gray was a home run machine this spring in Iowa, and he’ll still be 17 years old on draft day.

Gavin Fien, CI, Great Oak HS, Temecula, Calif.

Fien was arguably the most impressive hitter on the 2024 showcase circuit and led Team USA with five extra-base hits and a .680 slugging percentage. He’s got plenty of strength in his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame and has both all-fields power and a knack for the barrel that could lead to an above-average pure hit tool.

Xavier Neyens, CI, Mount Vernon HS, Mount Vernon, Wash.

Neyens is an imposing, 6-foot-4 lefthanded slugger with loud tools led by his power and arm strength. A shortstop now, many scouts expect Neyens to slide to third base, where he could be a strong defender with 30+ home run upside and great batting eye that leads to lots of walks and a steady floor of on-base ability. 

Ethan Holliday, MI, Stillwater HS, Stillwater, Okla.

Holliday has led the 2025 prep class for years as a famous slugger from a big league family. He has the tools and ability to back up the hype, with towering lefthanded power and an advanced approach. He has more risk to slide to a corner than his brother Jackson, but with more than enough impact to profile anywhere. 

Eli Willits, MI, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS, Fort Cobb, Okla.

Willits has the most well-rounded set of tools and skills in the 2025 draft. He’s a savvy switch-hitter with great contact skills and burgeoning power, he can pick it at shortstop with instincts and arm strength and he’s also a plus runner. Big league bloodlines and extreme youth for the class are bonuses. 

Tate Southisene, OF, Basic HS , Basic, Nev.

Southisene is an instinctual gamer who does everything on the field at a high level. The surprising torque and power he generates in his swing leads to sneaky pop, and he pairs it with an  advanced feel for the barrel. He could become an above-average defender at either shortstop or center field. 

Slater de Brun, OF, Summit HS , Bend, Ore.

De Brun has a Slade Caldwell starter kit as an undersized, speedy center fielder with top-of-the-lineup tools and a shot to go in the first round. He’s a double-plus runner who should provide a plus glove up the middle. He makes a ton of contact, though it might be singles and doubles more than home runs.

Brock Sell, OF, Tokay HS, , Lodi, Calif.

Sell is a high-end athlete and plus runner who pairs great speed and defensive instincts in center field. He has a contact-oriented swing that allows him to collect hits in all areas of the field. Power is his lone question mark, but he has the tools and skills to impact the game as a hitter, runner and defender.

JoJo Parker, DH, Purvis HS, Purvis, Miss.

Parker has one of the better hit/power combos in the 2025 class. His smooth lefthanded swing combines bat speed and power. He’s a big-bodied shortstop who could slide off the position, but he has the athleticism to handle a number of defensive spots and has turned in quicker run times this spring. 

Uli Fernsler, SP, Novi HS, Novi, Mich.

Fernsler is a fast-rising lefthander who pairs great control and command with a deceptive, low-slot release that amplifies his entire mix. While he currently tops out in the low 90s, the pitch jumps over barrels at the top of the zone. Fernsler also has a quality slider and changeup to create a high-probability starter kit.

Seth Hernandez, SP, Corona HS, Corona, Calif.

This is what a top-of-the-rotation arm looks like in high school. Hernandez pairs tremendous pure stuff with advanced control and athleticism. He’s been up to 100 mph with his fastball, throws a 70-grade changeup that is among the best secondaries in the class and also has two distinct breaking balls.

Mason Pike, SP, Puyallup HS, Puyallup, Wash.

Pike is an athletic two-way player who could be a shortstop at the next level but might have more upside on the mound. He has a high-spin pitch mix with a fastball in the 90-95 mph range that touches 97, as well as a two-plane slider and a mid-80s changeup. He dominated Washington hitters with improved control.

Kruz Schoolcraft, SP, Sunset HS, Portland, Ore.

The 6-foot-8 Schoolcraft is a giant on the mound with elite extension that makes a fastball touching 97 mph a nightmare for opponents. He shows the makings of two real secondaries in his changeup and slider. If he weren’t a giant lefthander with excellent stuff, he’d also be a pro prospect as a powerful first baseman. 

Aaron Watson, SP, Trinity Christian academy, Jacksonville, Fla.

Watson has an ideal pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds and screams starter thanks to a loose, easy delivery and a high-quality four-pitch mix. His fastball and slider are his bread and butter—with the slider showing a rare power/movement combo for a prep—but he can also mix in a quality curveball and changeup.

First Team

Second Team

The post 2025 High School All-American Teams appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

It was June 2020. Shortstop Roch Cholowsky had just finished ninth grade at his suburban Phoenix high school. Savage had been tracking him for months—long before other programs had even started looking.

It’s a moment the UCLA head coach still believes changed the future of the Bruins’ program.

“I committed on the spot,” Cholowsky said. “I would have just turned 15.”

There wasn’t a parade of suitors. No national buzz. But Savage didn’t need consensus. He saw the makeup, the athleticism and the respect for the game.

He remembers the feeling washing over him as he watched Cholowsky play: The Bruins needed the budding middle infielder.

“We just knew he had a chance to be special,” Savage said.

By the time Cholowsky stepped into the UCLA lineup as a freshman in 2024, he had already lived up to the projection. But what came next defied even the earliest expectations. He became the engine of a national power’s revival, the face of a program that collapsed one season and returned to the College World Series the next.

And this June, he became something else entirely.

Cholowsky is the Baseball America College Player of the Year and joins an exclusive group. He is just the sixth POY to be honored prior to his draft year in the 44-year history of the award. His name now sits beside Robin Ventura, John Olerud, Mike Kelly, Mark Teixeira and Anthony Rendon.

“It was a little surprising,” Cholowsky said. “Just seeing what those other Players of the Year have done, who it’s gone out to. So I was a little surprised, but it means a lot to me. I’m super excited about it.”

• SEE ALSO: 2025 College Baseball All-American Teams

His coach wasn’t shocked—but he was struck by the weight of the moment.

“For him to get this award,” Savage said, “it’s a big, big deal.”

Rare as it might be for an underclassman to win Baseball America’s highest individual honor for a collegiate player, Cholowsky was more than deserving. 

He hit .353/.480/.710 with 23 home runs and 74 RBIs in 66 games. He paced the Big Ten Conference in slugging and with a 1.190 OPS. His defensive value as a shortstop set him apart from other POY contenders. 

Cholowsky’s 80 runs scored fell just one shy of Chase Utley’s UCLA program record. His 179 total bases are second-most by a Bruins player in the 64-team era.

But he doesn’t define himself by numbers.

“I don’t really try to focus on myself during the season,” he said. “I really just—I want to lead a good team and play winning baseball. So as much as I can do that, the personal accolades will come.”

That mindset dates back to his childhood. The son of longtime MLB scout and 1991 supplemental first-round pick Dan Cholowsky, Roch grew up around the game—but not in a bubble.

“I played football in high school, too,” he said. “I played basketball growing up. Honestly, I had the most fun with football and basketball more so than baseball.”

His father never pushed him toward any single path.

“I probably think (my dad) enjoyed watching me play football more than he did baseball,” Cholowsky said. “But they left all decisions up to me . . . They said they’d support me with whatever I wanted to do.”

In the end, he chose baseball and UCLA.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I could develop as a player for three to four years and also play winning baseball,” he said.

In addition to Utley, other Bruins infielders who forged long, productive MLB careers include Troy Glaus and Brandon Crawford. 

“(Savage has) proven that infielders that come through UCLA can make it to the big leagues and be successful in the big leagues,” Cholowsky said. “And then also, he’s won a national championship.”

Cholowsky’s freshman year didn’t go according to plan—at least not for the team. UCLA won just 19 games, a historic low under Savage. Cholowsky played every day at third base and grinded through a tough season while staying tethered to the larger goal.

He never considered leaving, even in an era in which loyalty is rarely louder than opportunity. The transfer portal beckons with promises of quicker paths and bigger stages, and players don’t so much transfer as migrate—following the scent of wins, exposure and money. 

But Cholowsky stayed. Not out of inertia or comfort, but conviction. 

He believed in the place that first believed in him. After a year in which almost everything collapsed, he kept showing up. Quietly. Deliberately. A freshman out of position on a team out of sync, still chasing the vision that attracted him at age 15.

“I just wanted to have a winning season and have a chance to get to Omaha,” he said.

Savage saw the shift the moment Cholowsky moved to shortstop.

“It felt like as soon as this guy got the keys (to shortstop), that he was going to take this thing to where everybody wanted to go,” Savage said.

From Opening Day, Cholowsky did exactly that. He became the Bruins’ captain, defensive anchor and offensive pulse. He was named conference player of the year—the first Bruin to win that award since Eric Valent in 1998—and later received the Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top shortstop and won the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove, too.

Still, what defined him couldn’t be summed up in awards.

“He’s just a winning kid,” Savage said. “His feel for the room, his feel for his teammates, his feel for games . . . We had one of the best shortstops in America over the last 15 years in Brandon Crawford. He was a phenomenal shortstop. He reminds me of him on the defensive side. They love playing defense. They love being the quarterback.”

Cholowsky cites Crawford, along with Derek Jeter and Nolan Arenado, as the players he grew up watching. That sense of history shaped how he plays and leads.

“It’s just refreshing to see a player have so much respect for the game and to have so much respect for the past,” Savage said. “He knows all those guys and he’s watched them.”

MLB scouts have taken note, too.

“He’s elite,” one scout said. “He’s a competitor, and every aspect of his game has distinct polish. Great feel for the barrel, disciplined hitter who can drive the ball all over the yard, and his actions at shortstop are as smooth as anyone’s. He’ll stick at the position and has a real chance to be a very early pick in ’26.”

That, of course, is what makes this year’s honor even more extraordinary. Cholowsky isn’t eligible for the draft until next summer. And yet, he plays like the best player in the country right now.

For Savage, it’s affirmation—and comfort.

“The future this guy has, I’m just so excited for him and his family and for us, knowing that we get this back for one more year,” he said. “You can sleep at night knowing that I have my shortstop and, let me tell you, for him to get this award, it’s a big, big deal.”

The post Roch Cholowsky Named Baseball America’s 2025 College Baseball Player Of The Year appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

The first team roster is as follows, and writeups are included below. The second and third teams are located at the bottom of the post.

First Team

Carson Tinney, C, Notre Dame

Tinney enjoyed one of the biggest breakout seasons of any hitter in the country and posted a .348/.498/.753 slash line with 13 doubles, 17 homers and 53 RBIs. In addition to his plus power, Tinney is an advanced defender behind the plate.

Andrew Fischer, 1B, Tennessee

Fischer thrived in his lone season at Tennessee and hit .341/.497/.760 with 16 doubles, 25 homers, 65 RBIs and an eye-popping 63-to-42 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He stands out for his advanced approach, but Fischer also possesses plus power to the pull side and a feel for the barrel.

Gavin Kilen, 2B, Tennessee

Speaking of players who flourished in Knoxville, Kilen hit a career-best .357/.441/.671 with 32 extra-base hits, a career-high 46 RBIs and 30 walks to 27 strikeouts. He tapped into more power this spring to go along with his advanced feel to hit. Kilen could be a first-round pick this July.

Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

Cholowsky has long been a well-known amateur prospect, and this spring he hit the world on fire to the tune of a .353/.480/.710 slash line with 19 doubles, 23 home runs, 74 RBIs with 45 walks to 30 strikeouts. A plus defender at shortstop, Cholowsky also has an enticing hit-power combination and has a chance to be the first overall pick in 2026.

Daniel Cuvet, 3B, Miami 

Cuvet continued to build on the momentum from his standout freshman campaign and hit .372/.450/.708 with 20 doubles, 18 home runs and a whopping 84 RBIs. Cuvet has some of the most impressive raw power in his class and has shown no issue getting to it in games.

Ike Irish, OF, Auburn

Irish is one of the more complete hitters in this year’s draft class. He has hit at every stop and this season was the best of his career, as he hit .364/.469/.710 with 13 doubles, a career-high 19 home runs and 58 RBIs. Where he sticks defensively is a bit of a question mark, but his comfortably plus arm plays both behind the plate and in a corner outfield spot.

Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana

Another complete hitter, Taylor has one of the lengthier track records of performance of any bat in this year’s draft class. He most recently hit a career-best .374/.494/.706 with 33 extra-base hits, a career-high 66 RBIs and 52 walks to just 30 strikeouts. A left fielder defensively, Taylor’s bat could be enough to warrant a first-round selection.

James Quinn-Irons, OF, George Mason

Quinn-Irons enjoyed the best season of any mid-major bat in the country. He posted a gaudy .419/.523/.734 slash line with 42 extra-base hits, 85 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. Quinn-Irons has a big league body—with impressive tools to boot—and moves better than his 6-foot-5, 230-pound listing would suggest.

Alex Lodise, DH, Florida State

Lodise was the centerpiece of Florida State’s super regional run and hit a career-best .394/.462/.705 with 18 doubles, 17 home runs and 68 RBIs—all of which were new career highs. Lodise is also an above-average defender at shortstop with a plus arm, and this year he showed the ability to drive the baseball to all fields.

Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee

The cornerstone of Tennessee’s rotation, Doyle went 10-1, 3.20 with a whopping 164 strikeouts to 32 walks across 95.2 innings. Armed with one of the best fastballs in the country and an explosive delivery, Doyle simply overpowered hitters all season. He very well could come off the board within the first five picks of this year’s draft.

Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU

The 2025 NCAA strikeout king, Anderson was the ace of one of the best rotations in college baseball. He compiled a 3.44 ERA to go along with a sparkling 11-1 record and 170 strikeouts against just 30 walks. Anderson is armed with an impressive four-pitch mix and presents an exciting blend of present stuff and upside.

Anthony Eyanson, RHP, LSU

It’s no shock that Anderson and Eyanson were perhaps the best one-two rotation punch in college baseball. A transfer from UC San Diego, Eyanson took off in Baton Rouge. He worked a career-best 2.92 ERA with a career-high 143 strikeouts in 101.2 innings. Eyanson has always been an advanced strike-thrower, but this year his entire arsenal took a step forward.

Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma

In the wake of a quality sophomore season and breakout summer, Witherspoon this spring took his game to a different level. He went 10-4, 2.65 and posted a career-high 124 strikeouts against just 23 walks across 95 innings. Witherspoon has advanced command, but his pure stuff is arguably even more impressive.

Dylan Volantis, LHP, Texas

The lone freshman to be named a first team All-American, Volantis quickly cemented himself as one of the most effective relievers in the sport. Across 23 appearances that spanned 51 innings, Volantis worked a 1.94 ERA with 74 strikeouts against just 12 walks. He attacks hitters with a deadly fastball-breaking ball combination, a one-two punch that generated plenty of empty swings.

Gabe Craig, RHP, Baylor

A “fireman” in every sense of the word, Craig compiled a microscopic 0.56 ERA with 51 strikeouts to only three walks across 32 innings. He collected 10 saves in 24 appearances and his combination of strikes and stuff overwhelmed hitters.

Evan Dempsey, TWP, Florida Gulf Coast

Not only did Dempsey pitch his way to a 1.97 ERA—the second-lowest mark in the country—but he also hit .309/.393/.435 with 23 extra-base hits, 30 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. His pitching numbers are even more impressive considering 10 of his 15 appearances were starts. Across 68.2 innings, Dempsey collected 75 strikeouts and walked 20. 

Second Team

C: Boston Smith, Wright State
1B: Jared Jones, LSU
2B: Ryan Daniels, UConn
SS: Aiva Arquette, Oregon State
3B: Ace Reese, Mississippi State
OF: Sawyer Strosnider, TCU
OF: Ryan Wideman, Western Kentucky
OF: Gavin Turley, Oregon State
DH: Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas
SP: Jacob Morrison, Coastal Carolina
SP: Zane Taylor, UNC Wilmington
SP: Blake Gillespie, Charlotte
SP: Jamie Arnold, Florida State
RP: Tony Pluta, Arizona
RP: Antoine Jean, Houston
TWP: Bryce Calloway, New Orleans

Third Team

C: Easton Carmichael, Oklahoma
1B: Mulivai Levu, UCLA
2B: Nick Monistere, Southern Miss
SS: Marek Houston, Wake Forest
3B: Bobby Boser, Florida
OF: Mason Neville, Oregon
OF: Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
OF: Korbyn Dickerson, Indiana
DH: Justin Lebron, Alabama
SP: Jake Knapp, North Carolina
SP: Jack Ohman, Yale
SP: Joseph Dzierwa, Michigan State
SP: JB Middleton, Southern Miss
RP: Ty Van Dyke, Stetson
RP: Dylan Crooks, Oklahoma
TWP: Noah Sullivan, Mississippi State

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Here are Baseball America’s 2025 College Freshman All-Americans.

First Team

Chase Fralick, C, Auburn

Fralick took over as Auburn’s everyday catcher following an injury to incumbent and projected early first-round selection Ike Irish and immediately thrived in the role, batting .335/.426/.472 with four home runs, 17 doubles, 41 strikeouts to 29 walks and 41 RBIs.

Myles Bailey, 1B, Florida State

Few players in the country, regardless of class, are capable of impacting a baseball like Bailey, who blasted 19 home runs while batting .327/.441/.663 with 11 doubles and 56 RBIs. Bailey was one of the nation’s top performers in average and 90th% exit velocities.

Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn

Another Auburn newcomer who proved advanced beyond his years, Rembert locked up the Tigers’ starting second base job and exploded onto the scene to the tune of a .344/.467/.555 slash line with 10 home runs, 14 doubles, 46 RBIs and more walks (37) than strikeouts (36).

Dalton Wentz, 3B, Wake Forest

Wentz showed off his potential in the summer before his freshman season when he hit .275 with four doubles in the MLB Draft League. He backed it up by slashing .316/.393/.566 with 13 home runs, 14 doubles and 50 RBIs for Wake Forest. His 13 home runs ranked third on the team behind Marek Houston and Jack Winnay.

Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky

Bell chose to go to school despite being selected in the second round by the Rays in the 2024 draft and looked the part of an early-round selection. He reached base in 54 of his 56 appearances, batting .296/.385/.522 with 10 home runs, 17 doubles, 46 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Bell made all of his starts at shortstop.

Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU

Strosnider burst onto the scene with one of the most impressive freshman performances in the country, batting a gaudy .350/.420/.650 with 11 home runs, 10 triples, 13 doubles, 51 RBIs and 10 stolen bases, while predominantly serving as the Horned Frogs rightfielder. Strosnider in 2025 became just the fourth player since 2002 to post double digit homers, doubles, triples and stolen bases. His 10 triples set a new program record.

Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

Regarded widely as one of the most advanced freshmen in the country, Curiel was a force for the nation-title series bound Tigers, hitting .348/.474/.528 with seven home runs, 20 doubles, 53 RBIs and as many walks (52) as strikeouts. The Southern California native is viewed as LSU’s future center fielder and one of the top players in the 2026 draft.

Nate Savoie, OF, Loyola Marymount

Savoie was somewhat of a hidden gem tucked away in the WCC, though there was nothing quiet about his inaugural collegiate season. The outfielder and catcher led all first-year players with 20 home runs and slashed .300/.384/.675 with 14 doubles and 61 RBIs. Savoie is set to play his sophomore season at Clemson. 

Brendan Lawson, DH, Florida

Lawson parlayed a breakout showing in the MLB Draft League into an outstanding freshman season at Florida, batting .317/.417/.522 with 10 homers, 14 doubles, 61 RBIs and eight stolen bases while splitting his time between first, second and third base. Lawson recorded 23 multi-hit games and paced the Gators in free passes drawn (33).

Jack Ohman, SP, Yale

Also named a third-team All-American, Ohman put together one of the most stunning seasons in the country, regardless of class. The righty pitched to a nation-leading 1.34 ERA with 87 strikeouts to 20 walks over 73.2 innings and opened his collegiate career with 33 consecutive scoreless innings. Ohman is set to return to Yale in 2026 and expected to pick up a bat as a two-way player, according to Yale pitching coach Chris Wojick.

Aidan King, SP, Florida

King was initially tabbed as one of the Gators’ go-to relievers but forced his way into their rotation after a handful of stellar performances and injuries. He never relinquished his rotation spot and finished the year with a 2.58 ERA and 79 strikeouts to 23 walks over 73.1 innings and 17 appearances (12 starts).

Dax Whitney, SP, Oregon State

Whitney lived up to the considerable hype that preceded his freshman season, pitching to a 3.40 ERA with 120 strikeouts to 37 walks over 76.2 innings. Whitney turned mid-to-high 90s heat and a wicked curveball into the most strikeouts by a freshman in the country. He’ll have a chance to front Oregon State’s rotation in 2026 as the Beavers look to make a return trip to Omaha.

Cam Bagwell, SP, UNCW

Bagwell was named CAA rookie of the year after pitching to a 3.07 ERA with 62 strikeouts to just 17 walks over 85 innings and throwing a seven-inning perfect game against Campbell on March 27. The 6-foot-5 righty is taking his talents to Wake Forest in 2026.

Dylan Volantis, RP, Texas

Volantis earned the highest placement of any freshman on BA’s All-American lists as a first-team reliever after pitching to a 1.94 ERA with 74 strikeouts to 12 walks and 12 saves over 51 innings. The 6-foot-6 lefty’s 11 saves in SEC action were the most in league history by a first-year player.

Casan Evans, RP, LSU

Evans cemented himself as one of the best relief pitchers in the nation in 2025 with a 2.02 ERA, 71 strikeouts to 19 walks and seven saves over 52.2 innings. The freshman helped pitch the Tigers to the national title series, before which head coach Jay Johnson dubbed him “the best reliever in the country.”

Alex Hernandez, TWP, Georgia Tech

A hometown talent from Atlanta, Hernandez batted .335/.415/.609 with 16 home runs, 11 doubles, 69 RBIs and five stolen bases and was selected by ACC coaches as the conference’s freshman of the year, joining Jason Varitek, Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Teixeira, Micah Owings, Matt Wieters and Drew Burress as Yellow Jackets to earn that recognition. Hernandez also appeared in six games as a pitcher, making one start and tallying 7.1 innings of action.

Second Team

C: Jacob Lee, VCU
1B: Tague Davis, Louisville
2B: Tyler Smith, North Carolina A&T
3B: Sean Yamaguchi, Nevada
SS: Ryan Kucherak, Northwestern
OF: Tatum Marsh, Stanford
OF: Caleb Daniel, Georgia Tech
OF: AJ Evasco, Kansas State
DH: Jake Hanley, Indiana
SP: AJ Ciscar, Miami
SP: Landon Mack, Rutgers
SP: Austin Nye, Vanderbilt
SP: Smith Bailey, Arizona
RP: Walker McDuffie, North Carolina
RP: Ryan Lynch, North Carolina
TWP: Noah Franco, TCU

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Now affiliated with the Yankees, the franchise has thrived on and off the field for 25 years. That helped make the Patriots recipients of this year’s Freitas Award at Double-A.

The recognition continues a tradition as one of the top organizations in professional baseball, one that traces back to the team’s beloved late founder Steve Kalafer. It is proudly carried on today by his sons, co-chairmen Jonathan and Josh Kalafer.

“Minor League Baseball is composed of some of the most creative and innovative people in any field,” Jonathan Kalafer said. “Being fortunate enough to be a part of the MiLB community puts a smile on our faces every day, and to be recognized as the best this year is the icing on the cake.”

“We will never take for granted our extraordinary partnership with the Yankees,” Josh Kalafer added. “It is the privilege of a lifetime to be a part of the journey of the future stars of the most recognizable brand in sports and to be able to share it with the best fans in the game.”

Since the opening of what’s now called TD Bank Ballpark in 1999, those fans have been coming out in big numbers. First they supported the most successful franchise in Atlantic League history—Somerset won six championships in 21 seasons—and now they root for the successful Double-A affiliate of the Yankees. Somerset won the Eastern League in 2022 and has made three straight postseason appearances.

Longtime president and GM Patrick McVerry made sure the Patriots made a smooth transition from independent to affiliated baseball, a journey that began in 2021 when MLB took over operation of the minor leagues.

“That has a lot to do with the staff, many of whom have been here for two decades,” McVerry said. “We grew into our positions, we grew with the Atlantic League.

“But, because of Steve Kalafer, we ran our organization similar to how the Yankees run theirs . . . (and) when the Yankees came calling, the timing felt right—and I feel like they made a great choice to come here.”

The feeling appears to be mutual, with the Yankees-Somerset partnership having been an unquestionable success over its first four years.  

Off the field, Somerset has been lauded for innovations in promotions and marketing. Their Jersey Diners alternate identity went viral quickly in 2024, a year which was also highlighted by a tribute to the Black Yankees, Sopranos Night and a Joe Torre appearance.

In 2024, the Patriots also set high marks both in social media engagement—fourth at Double-A with over 39 million total impressions—and broadcasting, with their 1.6 million minutes streamed being tops at the level, not to mention eight games being shown on the Yankees’ YES Network.

In short, it’s been easy for the Yankees organization to keep tabs on what’s happening on the field, whether that be the development of current big league cornerstones like Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells, or the numerous major league rehabs throughout the year.

That included Gerrit Cole’s June 4 rehab start, which drew an affiliation-era record 8,260 fans to Somerset’s home park in Bridgewater, N.J.

“The Kalafer family and the Patriots staff have shown an unbelievable commitment to the development of our players,” Yankees senior vice president and GM Brian Cashman said, “and have been incredible partners in investing in our future.

“This is not only demonstrated by the premier facilities in Somerset, but also in the results with over 43 former Patriots going on to become major leaguers since our affiliation began in 2021.

“We couldn’t be prouder of this well-

deserved recognition, and we are excited to continue to grow our partnership with the Patriots.” 

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Did they ever.

The Triple-A affiliate of the Giants—and soon to be temporary host to the Athletics for the next three seasons at Sutter Health Park—earned the Freitas Award this season not only for their grace and execution under difficult circumstances in 2024, but for a banner year for the organization in which they saw significant growth in key categories.

“Our overall success is attributed to our cohesive front office that is motivated toward the same goal of providing a clean, safe, fun and family-

friendly environment where the greater Sacramento region can come together to enjoy America’s pastime,” said Sarah Hebel, River Cats director of marketing.

“Even among the planning and preparation to also host the Athletics next season, our team continued to provide exceptional service to our fans and remained focused on creating the memorable Sacramento River Cats fan experience that our community knows and loves.”

On the field, the River Cats enjoyed stays of varying lengths of the Giants’ top three prospects—first baseman Bryce Eldridge, shortstop Marco Luciano and lefthander Carson Whisenhunt—which helped them finish 80-70 on the season, good for 13 more wins than the previous year.

Off the field, the team enjoyed a significant boost in attendance in multiple metrics that serve as a true hallmark of their overall success.

The River Cats saw an 8.8% increase in per-game turnstile numbers, sold their highest number of season ticket memberships since their inaugural year in 2000 and averaged 5,563 fans per game, eclipsing more than 400,000 total fans over the course of the season for the first time in the post-pandemic era and hearkening back to a time in which they led the entire minor leagues in attendance for nine consecutive seasons.

Sacramento found success in special ticket offers that celebrated the anniversary season, as well as reintroducing a throwback jersey from that inaugural year of 2000 that was wildly popular with their fans. They also held a well-received parade in advance of 2024 Opening Day in conjunction with the West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and Bridge District.

Additionally, the organization has shown itself to be ahead of the curve in sustainability practices, earning four medals this past season from Green Operations & Advanced Leadership (GOAL) for is work on Waste Reduction, Diversity & Inclusion, and Sustainable Partnerships.

Geography certainly played a factor when the Athletics were looking for a temporary home as they departed Oakland and awaited their new ballpark in Las Vegas to be completed—in a best case for the 2028 season.

The existing infrastructure of both the Sacramento River Cats organization and its facility made it a perfect fit for both sides.

Sutter Health Park will be fully renovated prior to the start of the 2025 MLB season with a new natural grass playing surface, a two-level clubhouse and new premium seating options, among other changes that will benefit Sacramento in the long run. 

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Sure, there was success on the field with a franchise-best .519 winning percentage and record-tying 68 wins in the Low-A Carolina League as an affiliate of the Royals.

And yes, there’s plenty of tangible evidence of off-field success as well, whether that’s drawing 217,809 fans to beautiful Segra Park last year, exceptional turnouts for non-baseball events or even a record-setting turnout for the early-March Clemson-South Carolina college game that helps make up the Palmetto Series.

But what stands out the most for Shank was working hard to create a culture where his staff genuinely wants to go to work every day and can express their creativity.

That in turn creates a positive atmosphere at the ballpark for a dedicated fanbase, as well as a willingness to integrate the franchise into a community that continues to embrace it helped earn the Fireflies this year’s Class A Freitas Award.

“So many people over the years, going back to when we opened the ballpark back in 2016, have put in the time and effort, and really caring enough about this project and the community to sacrifice,” Shank said.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate with the people we’ve brought in that they care about this community and they care about every fan who walks into the ballpark . . . We want our staff to be able to make decisions to make it right no matter what the situation is.

“Southern hospitality is a very real thing, and that’s what we try to lean into here.”

It hasn’t always been easy for the South Carolina-based franchise.

The Fireflies worked hard to successfully overcome any negativity associated with building their nine-year-old old ballpark on the former grounds of a mental institution in the still-transforming 181-acre BullStreet District. They have quickly become the centerpiece of the redeveloped area.  

“When we talk with our staff and try to set goals, it’s to continue to drive traffic here,” Shank said. “Really, we view ourselves less as a baseball team and more of an economic driver . . . This district and what’s gone on, we were brought in to drive traffic and survive without a whole lot going on around us.  

“When you start a development on land that had been the state mental asylum for 200 years, there’s some challenges with that.”

Columbia made great use of Segra Park in 2024—notably with multiple concerts and experimenting with new and unique food festivals—but arguably made their biggest splash with their Holiday Lights display.

Now in its third year, it continues to grow both in attendance (more than 30,000 fans visited last year, a 75% jump from the inaugural effort) and size, with more than 1.5 million lights set to illuminate the ballpark in the 2024 installment of the family-friendly event.

“What it really does is continue to grow fans of the Fireflies and this ballpark,” Shank said, also noting the foot traffic Holiday Lights has helped draw to other establishments within the District.

“There are so many people who come out here for the lights, or baseball games or even the Taco and Margarita Festival, they hadn’t been here before.

“It’s great to see these opportunities where we can draw people in with these other events, and they see what a wonderful ballpark it is and what a great community asset it is, and that draws them in to where they’ll come back to even more events in the future.” 

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