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First Home Conference Series of Big 12 Era Awaits Baseball vs. #22 KU

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First Home Conference Series of Big 12 Era Awaits Baseball vs. #22 KUFirst Home Conference Series of Big 12 Era Awaits Baseball vs. #22 KU

PHOENIX -- Sun Devil Baseball will host its first home series of the Big 12 era this weekend at Phoenix Municipal Stadium - and also its first series of the season against a ranked opponent - welcoming the No. 22 Kansas Jayhawks for a three-game series beginning Friday, March 21. Friday and Saturday's games will have a first pitch of 6:30 p.m. AZT with Sunday's finale getting underway at 1 p.m. AZT.

FOLLOW THE ACTION

  • Tuesday's game will be available to stream through ESPN+. Fans can check with their local cable or internet providers to see if they are on an ESPN+ plan or visit https://plus.espn.com/to sign up.  This weekend's games will be produced and broadcast by students from ASU's Cronkite School of Journalism
  • The game will air over the local airwaves on KDUS 1060 AM with Tim Healey and Max Rossiter providing the highlights throughout the weekend.. All the radio calls from games can also be streamed online at: kdus1060.com/sundevils
  • Fans are always encouraged to follow the Sun Devil Baseball team on social media  for any program or schedule updates throughout the week on the Sun Devil Baseball Twitter account: @ASU_Baseball

#10THINGS (Twitter-Friendly Notes)

1. The Sun Devils have outscored opponents 406-234 over its last 41 games, posting a 29-12 record in the process (29-10 in the regular season).

2. ASU has won three straight road series dating back to last season (UCLA, STAN, TCU) and are winners of 9 of the last 12 road games.

3. ASU has scored 9.4 runs per game in its last 12 road games, despite 11 of those games being against perennial pitching powers UCLA, Stanford and TCU. 

4. The Sun Devils has 48 stolen bases this year, a total good for 26th in the nation - notable as ASU has not ranked in the Top-120 nationally since 2011 (18th/99).

5. At 4.91, the Sun Devils have their lowest team ERA for at the 21-game mark in the season since the 2019 campaign.

6. The Sun Devils have scored in 71 halves of an inning on the year and have plated two or more runs in 44 of those (62.3 percent). 

7. The Sun Devils have outscored opponents 18-2 over the last 15 first innings after it being just 8-7 in the first five. 

8. ASU has won two weekend series this year where it dropped the Friday opener. It had won just one such series in three seasons prior (Ore. St., 2023).

9. The Sun Devil bullpen has 10 pitchers with 3+ innings pitched and a sub-4.50 ERA this season. At the 21-game mark a year ago, it had five. 

10. Isaiah Jackson's defensive prowess remains untouched, as he ranks 35th nationally in defensive runs saved on fly balls this season at 2.91.

BY THE NUMBERS

48 - The Sun Devils have added a welcomed improvement in two areas this season, seeing notable gains on the basepath and playing in the field. ASU's 48 stolen bases this season are good for 26th in the nation and notable as ASU has not ranked in the Top-120 in the category nationally since 2011 (18th, 99). Arizona State has been caught stealing just nine times of 57 attempts so far this season. The Sun Devils have also quietly put up 15 games this season with no errors and a .987 fielding percentage that is currently good for first in the Big 12 and 2nd in the country. This tally is also notable as ASU has not ranked in the Top-100 in the category in each of the last three seasons. 

11 - The Sun Devils continue to excel in getting the swing and miss, ranking 17th nationally with an 10.9 K/9 tally that is good for first in the Big 12. ASU has struck out double digit batters 13 times in 21 games this year. ASU's overall team WHIP sits 52nd nationally at 1.35. While not necessarily eye-popping, it is a notable  number as the team has not finished in the Top-100 in the category since 2012 (6th, 1.17). In fact ASU has been outside the Top-200 five different times since then and outside the Top-150 eight times.  The Sun Devils also rank 71st in walks allowed per nine innings (4.09),  notable as the team has not ranked in the Top-100 since that 2012 team was ninth uin the country at 2.33. ASU has been outside the Top-150 in the category nine times since then. 

10 - The Sun Devils are averaging just under 10 runs per game over their last 41 games dating back to last season, outscoring teams 406-234 in the process. ASU has posted a 29-12 record in those games and a 29-10 record in regular season games over the stretch. The Sun Devils have won three-straight road series dating back to last year for the first time since the final two of 2021 and first of 2022. In those games, ASU is averaging 9.4 runs per game and has won 9 of the last 12 road games - despite 11 of those games coming against perennial pitching powers UCLA, Stanford and TCU. ASU has logged double digit hits in 23 of those 40 games. The Sun Devils currently rank third in the Big 12 and 58th nationally in runs scored at 167 and the team's 8.0 runs are Top-75 in the nation. 

4 - The Sun Devils already have four games this season in which the team has struck out fewer than five times - notable as that already matches the team's total for the ENTIRE SEASON a year ago.  The team has shaved its strikeouts per game to 6.6 this season compared to a 7.4 mark a year ago. Kyle Walker (1 per 14.3) and Matt King (1 per 11.6) rank as 4th and 7th toughest to strike out players in the Big 12. Opponents have thrown a first pitch strike just 54.7 percent of the time against ASU batters. Punishing the rarer first pitch strikes has been pivotal for ASU in avoiding falling behind in counts, batting 42-111 (.378) on first pitch balls put into play. On average, opponents are seeing 18.0 pitches per inning this season compared to a similar 17.7 mark from the Sun Devil batters.  

LAST TIME OUT: TCU/USC

  • The Sun Devils return home from a impressive series victory in the program's Big 12 debut at perennial powerTCU at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth this past weekend, taking two of three games. ASU dropped its midweek contest against USC, 6-3, on Tuesday.
  • In the three previous seasons, ASU had won just one series in which it lost the Friday series opening (Oregon State, 2023) and has now accomplished that feat twice this season (Oral Roberts, @ TCU).
  • The 26 runs scored Saturday and 12 runs Sunday were each the two games with the most runs allowed by TCU this season. It entered the weekend 44th in the nation with a 3.84 ERA.
  • The 26 runs scored Saturday were tied for the most allowed by a TCU team in Horned Frog program history (also 26 vs. SW Missouri State in 1990) and the most allowed in a TCU home game ever. The 28 hits were the most allowed by TCU in a game ever.
  • The 26 runs were tied for the most at ASU since scoring 26 against Northern Illinois on Feb. 20, 2010. It was the most against a Power Conference opponent since scoring 32 against Arizona on March 4, 2000. It was also the most scored in a conference game since that Arizona game in 2000.
  • ASU plated 11 runs in the first three innings alone - matching the most TCU had allowed in a game this season and made it the most runs in the fourth when it plated its 12th run of the game.
  • The Sun Devils' five home runs were tied for the sixth-most in a single game since the 1998 season.
  • TCU starter Mason Brassfield had given up just one homer and one double all season in over 14.1 innings and five appearances entering the afternoon. He gave one of each up on the first two batters of the game with Kyle Walker's leadoff big fly and Compton's double.
  • Brassfield entered the game with a 1.26 ERA and had allowed just two earned runs all season before giving up six to ASU in just 1.0 innings Saturday..

ON DECK: KANSAS

  • Kansas and Arizona State have played four times in program history, with Arizona State leading the all-time series 3-1. The teams have played all four games in Surprise, Arizona, at Surprise Stadium, the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. 
  • Kansas (17-4, 2-1 Big 12) got off to its best 20-game start in program history. That hot start earned Kansas the No. 22 spot this week in the NCBWA poll, its first ranking since the 2014 season. Kansas has won each of its first five weekend series to begin the season for the first time since 2003.
  •  The Jayhawks lead the Big 12 and are sixth in the nation with 46 home runs this season. Kansas also leads the Big 12 in walks with 144 (7th nationally), runs scored with 207 (8th nationally), runs per game at 9.9 (10th nationally) and slugging percentage at .572 (11th nationally).
  • Kansas won two out of three games against Baylor last weekend. KU has now won its opening conference series in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013 and 2014.
  • Graduate outfielder Jackson Hauge was named NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Hitter of the Week on Tuesday and Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday. Hauge hit .421/.593/1.263 (8-for-19), with four doubles, four home runs, 14 RBIs, six runs scored, seven walks and a 1.856 OPS in five games last week. He leads the Big 12 in home runs (11, 5th nationally), RBI (32, 18th nationally) and total bases (64, 28th nationally).

JACOB'S LADDER

  • Jacob Tobias was named an NCBWA Preseason All-American (2nd Team First Baseman) and D1Baseball's #6 First Baseman in the country.
  • Tobias recorded his 39th career homer against Minnesota, moving him into sole possession of 10th place all-time in Sun Devil history. He ranks tied for 25th among active D1 players who have played their whole career at the the D1 level.
  • Among active career D1 players, Tobias is 19th in games played (185), 24th in ABs (670), 20th in hits (210), 13th in total bases (388) and eighth in RBIs (168)
  • He leads the team with 22 RBIs this season - 12th in the Big 12 - and is reaching base at a .389 clip with a .313 average. He has 44 RBIs in his last 27 games dating back to last season. 
  • He has a team-best 13 hits with runners in scoring position this season - four more than any other player. He has recorded the first ASU RBI of the game seven times on the season and lead's the the team with four game-winning RBIs. 
  • His eight doubles are tied for fourth in the Big 12. 
  • He has been among ASU's best hitters with two outs, posting a .379 average on 11-of-29 hitting. He has also been ASU's most productive out, advancing runners with an out 13 times - three more than any other Sun Devil. 
  • Tobias bat .322 with a team-leading 58 RBIs last year, with 14 doubles and a team-leading 18 homers, the latter of which was good for second in the Pac-12 during the regular season. His .635 slugging percentage was sixth in the league in the regular season.
  • He slugged .626 in Pac-12 games, the ninth-best tally in the conference and earned Pac-12 First Team All-Conference recognition at first base
  • His 14 doubles gave him 33 for his ASU career while the 18 homers bumped his career tally to 35. The 35 homers are the seventh-most for a player in the career at ASU since the 1998 season
  • Tobias needs three homers to move into ASU's top-10 in homers all-time and 22 home runs would set the ASU school record
  • Tobias' 146 career RBIs are the 10th-most for an ASU player since the 1998 season and he needs 54 RBIs to reach 200 for his career and enter the Top-8 in ASU history and the first since Ike Davis (2006-08) to do so. His .553 career slugging percentage is also 19th at ASU in that time since 1998
  • The junior posted his first career five-hit game in the finale against Arizona and added a four-hit game against Utah. He added another five-hit game in just seven innings against Texas Tech
  • Tobias recorded 22 RBIs in his final six games of the season last year (six, eight, four, one, two, one). 
  • He joined Spencer Torkelson as the only other Sun Devil in the last decade to record over 50 RBIs and over 10 homers in back-to-back seasons. His 58 RBIs last season were sixth in the Pac-12.

ENJOYING THE VU

  • Kien Vu had  his best week of the season against UNLV and Gonzaga, where he posted a .500 average  (7-of-14) with four home runs, three doubles, four walks and nine RBIs all in the leadoff spot for the Sun Devils.
  • Vu  is second on the ASU roster with a .333 average on the season with six homers and six doubles. He has six homers, siix doubles and a .697 slugging percentage. His career .632 slugging percentage is 36th among active D1 players that have played their whole careers at the D1 level
  • He has also done a ton of damage on the basepaths, where he has 10 stolen bases (on 13 attempts). He stole three in ASU's Friday game against Oral Roberts, one off the ASU single game school record. 
  • Vu is reaching base at a a .438 clip on the year and he leads the team in advancing runners at a .655 clip (19-of-29).
  • Vu has 20 runs scored this year and he ranks Top-200 in the country in Offensive Runs Over Replacement at 15.61.
  • Vu became the 133rd All-American in Sun Devil Baseball history after posting a .413 average over 47 games and 35 starts – the highest average in the Pac-12 and sixth in the country. He was second in the country in batting average on balls in play at .511
  • Vu was selected as a NCBWA Preseason All-American (2nd Team Outfielder), D1Baseball's #14 Outfielder, D1Baseball's #21 Big 12 2025 MLB Draft Prospect and an All-Big 12 Preseason Team (Outfielder).
  • In the month of Apri last yearl, Vu posted a .439 average to lead the Sun Devils, boasting a gaudy .848 slugging percentage that was 100 points higher than any of his teammates. He had seven homers, four doubles and a triple while driving in 26 runs - 12 more than any other Sun Devil for the month. His efforts garnered him finalist consideration for the NCBWA Hitter of the Month
  • His .793 slugging percentage (14 homers, 11 doubles, two triples) was easily tops on the team while he also led the squad with 12 stolen bases on 13 chances. He reached base at a .497 clip on the year
  • The .793 slugging percentage was 18th nationally and second in the Pac-12 and his .497 OBP was second in the league and 29th in the country... The .793 slugging percentage was the highest at ASU since the 1998 season
  • His 56 RBIs were second on the squad and eighth in the Pac-12 despite having over 20 fewer at-bats than the team's eight AB leaders and nearly 64 fewer AB's than the next closest player in front of him in the conference
  • He led the Pac-12 in league-only games with a .418 average and .916 slugging percentage and his 31 RBIs in Pac-12 games were fifth in the league.

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

  • Brandon Compton ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 19 walks this season, good for 63rd nationally. That has contributed to his .424 OBP over his .295 average.
  • Compton had an eight-game hitting streak ended on Sunday, which was the second-longest by a Sun Devil this year. 
  • Compton has eight doubles this season, a total good for fourth in the Big 12 and 69th in the country. 
  • Compton ranks 160th among all Division I baseball players (~12,000) with a Offensive Runs Above Replacement Value of 16.21. He career .639 slugging percentage is 29th among active D1 players. 
  • Compton is third on the team in successfully advancing runners at a .563 clip (27-of-48).
  • Compton was named the Big 12 Player of the Week after an opening weekend in which he bat .461 on 6-of-13 hitting with nine RBIs (second in the league) and eight runs scored (first). He drew five walks while striking out just twice and had the go-ahead walk-off two-RBI double in ASU's Saturday win over Ohio State and the two-RBI go-ahead single in the fifth inning against Austin Peay. 
  • Compton became the 37th Freshman All-American in program history after becoming the fourth Sun Devil to be named Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year last year. 
  • He went on to be named an All-Star in the Cape Cod League for Cotuit, where he bat .331 with six homers and 30 RBIs.
  • Compton was n amed an NCBWA Preseason All-American (1st Team Designated Hitter), 2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List member, D1Baseball's #13 Outfielder and D1Baseball #29 2025 MLB Draft Prospect/#5 Big 12 entering the year.
  • He was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after he led Pac-12 freshmen in homers (14), doubles (16), average (.354), slugging (.661), OBP (.427) and RBIs (51). He was 11th overall in doubles, 10th in homers, seventh in average, fifth in slugging, 11th in OBP and 14th in RBI.
  • He was 35th among all players nationally in batting average on balls in play (.438)
  • His .354 batting average was 10th among all D1 freshmen and third among Power Five Freshmen and his 14 homers were eighth among all freshmen nationally
  • The youngster was third on the team with his .354 average last season. His .375 mark (24-of-64) with runners in scoring position was second on the team.
  • 27 of his 51 RBIs came with two outs, leading the team in the category and having five more than any other player.
  • Compton recorded three grand slams on the season, tied for the second most in program history and just one shy of the ASU single season record.
  • His 1.089 OPS was third on the squad and fourth in the Pac-12 while his .307 ISO Slugging (Slugging Minus Average) was fifth the Pac-12.
  • Compton was easily ASU's best hitter with two outs this season, recording a .438 average on 28-of-64 chances, leading the team in average and hits in the scenario.
  • He was responsible for the go-ahead grand slam in the series finale against Ohio State that proved to be the difference in the 10-8 ballgame. He also had a huge game-tying RBI single in the eighth inning of ASU's eventual walk-off win over Oregon. He had the go-ahead two-run homer against Utah Valley as well.

ACTION JACKSON

  • Isaiah Jackson has steadily put up hits in all but three of Arizona State's games this season and has a .301 average with 13 extra-base hits. His eight doubles are fourth in the Big 12 and 69th nationally.
  • Jackson has been among ASU's best hitters with a runner in scoring position, posting a 9-for-24 (.375) mark in the category. His eight two-out RBIs are also the most on the team.
  • Jackson's defensive prowess remains untouched, as he ranks 35th nationally in defensive runs saved on fly balls this season at 2.91.
  • Jackson  continued showing exceptional defensive skills a year ago, being named the the Pac-12 All-Defensive team for the second straight year while adding a career best 31 RBIs and eight homers.  Jackson bat .263 on the year but reached base at a .345 clip thanks to 18 walks and five HBPs.
  • A year ago, Jackson was exceptional in the last 13 games of the regular season, batting .375 on 15-of-40 hitting.
  • Jackson was third on the team in productive outs, advancing runners with an out 17 times. 
  • The sophomore recorded SportsCenter's No. 1 play against UCLA with his incredible leaping grab over the wall in right center field to rob a three-run homer from the Bruins, becoming a viral sensation overnight with several million views of the catch over multiple platforms. 
  • Jackson's eight putouts in center field in the USC finale were tied with Hunter Bishop (2019) for the second-most for an ASU outfielder since 1998 behind Joe Lampe's nine in 2021. Coincidentally, all three of those games have taken place against USC.
  • Jackson homered in the first two games of the season, as did teammate Jacob Tobias, joining a small list of Sun Devils to do so since 1998, including Spencer Torkelson (2020), Riccio Torrez (2011) and Jason Kipnis (2008).

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS

  • Ben Jacobs sits 12th in the Big 12 with his 10.46 K/9 percentage while his 31 total strikeouts are eighth in the league and 81st in the country. 
  • Jacobs has a 4.72 ERA overall but his 2.75 SIERA - which takes into consideration factors outside the pitcher's control - is eighth best in the Big 12. 
  • Jacobs' 3.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season is 8th in the Big 12 while his 1.12 WHIP is 11th in the league. 
  • Jacobs won Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after he threw a perfect game thorugh 17 batters in his Friday nightsvictory against Gonzaga, striking out six with no walks and just one hit allowed in his 6.0 innings - ASU's first quality start of the year
  • Jacobs matched his career high with 11 strikeouts against Oral Roberts this season - doing so in just 5.0 innings of work. 
  • He cleaned up on the Preseason honors as he was named a  D1Baseball Preseason All-American (3rd Team Starting Pitcher), Perfect Game Preseason All-American (2nd Team Starting Pitcher), NCBWA Preseason All-American (2nd Team Starting Pitcher), 2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List member,  D1Baseball's #13 Starting Pitcher, D1Baseball's #28 2025 MLB Draft Prospect/#4 Big 12, All-Big 12 Preseason Team (Starting Pitcher) and Prospects Live No. 2 left-handed pitching prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft.
  • He was named the the U.S. Collegiate National Team in the summer, becoming the 43rd Sun Devil to accomplish the feat. He Recorded action on the mound in the International Friendship Series…Completed the series with a 2.08 ERA and seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work … Finished with a 1-0 overall record…Yielded just two hits in a weather-shortened 3-2 win over Chinese Taipei in Cary, N.C., on June 30.
  • Jacobs evolved into ASU's ace as last season progressed, earning Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors.
  • He also tossed 5.0 scoreless innings for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League with eight strikeouts over 5.0 innings
  • Jacobs finished his debut seasson with the Devils with a 4.75 ERA and a team-best seven wins on the season, striking out 102 over 66.1 innings with a sub-.250 average against.
  • The 102 strikeouts were 43rd nationally overall and 33rd following the end of the conference tournament season
  • His 13.84 K/9 was 11th nationally and tops in the Pac-12 and his seven wins were third in the league
  • Jacobs struck out a career-best 11 hitters in his Friday night win over USC, earning a quality start with a career-best 6.1 innings of work while allowing just a single run. He added a second quality start in 6.0 scoreless innings against Stanford with nine strikeouts.

WHO'S THE NU'U GUY

  • Nu'u Contrades made his long awaited return to the hot corner  this season after missing the majority of last year with a back injury. He entered the season on D1Baseball's sixth-ranked third baseman in the country and the No. 22 MLB Draft prospect in the Big 12.
  • Contrades is reaching base at a .458 clip this season over his .288 average. His 21 walks this season are 3rd in the Big 12 and 26th nationally. 
  • He ranks 150th among all Division I players in Offensive Runs Above Replacement at 16.50.
  • He is the only Sun Devil to reach base in each game this season, extending his streak to  29 consectuve games after reaching in the five games he played last season and the final three of 2023.
  • Contrades is a perfect 7-for-7 on stolen bases, bringing his career tally to 16-of-19. 
  • Contrades has bat out of the leadoff position often this year and reached on 14-of-32 (.438) leadoff opportunities. 
  • Contrades has played exceptionally well at the hot corner, leading the team in defensive assists with 38 and having just two errors on 50 chances for a .960 fielding percentage. He is 64th in the country overall and 18th among third basemen with a defensive WAR of 0.32 and 36th in the country defensive runs saved on ground ball at 3.83.
  • Contrades was named the Big 12 Co-Player of the Week for his efforts against Oral Roberts, where he homered three times and bat at a .385 average with five RBIs and six runs scored. 
  • In limited action last year, Contrades reaching base at a .346 clip - striking out just twice in his first 21 ABs appearances, an area he struggled in as a freshman.
  • The ASU third baseman bat .309 with 20 extra base hits (eight homers, two triples, 10 doubles) and recording 40 RBIs as a freshman in 2023.
  • The .309 average was in the Top-5 for freshmen in the Pac-12 that year and Top-50 among all freshmen in the country...The rally at the dish came despite the youngster still sitting below the Mendoza line as of March 7
  • He obliterated the University of Arizona in the three-game series in Tempe, where he was 7-14 (.500) with eight RBI, three runs scored...He plated the winning run in Saturday's series-securing victory and scored it in the series finale Sunday and was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week in the process. He led the team with 10 RBIs (of 31 total for the week for ASU) with a .947 slugging percentage while batting .474 on 9-of-19 hitting in four total games that week
  • Honored as the team's Bobby Winkles Award winner as a true freshman, Nu'u Contrades found himself at home in the valley as he earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors as an infielder.
  • Had a productive Summer Ball campaign in the Northwoods League for the Duluth Huskies following his freshman season, making the league All-Star game and was the league leader in RBIs with 71 while slashing .320/.423/.563, recording 17 doubles and 13 homers across 60 games and 231 ABs.

WALK THIS WAY

  • Kyle Walker has assumed duties at second base this season after a very productive undergraduate campaign at Grambling.
  • Walker enters the weekend with an active 9-game hitting streak - the longest active streak on the team and the longest overall this season - and he is second in the Big 12 with seven HBPs this season. 
  • Walker's .489 career OBP is fifth among active D1 players that have played their whole careers at the D1 level and his .368 career average is 15th among those active players.  He also ranks 42nd among active D1 players in runs scored (140).
  • Walker has struck out just once ever 14.3 at-bats this season, marking him the 4th-toughest player in the Big 12 to strike out and 41st in the country. He is second on the team with 33 defensive assists. 
  • Walker is tied for first in the Big 12 and 36th in the countrywith three sac flies this year. He has successfully advanced runners at a .611 clip (22-of-36) good for second on the team.
  • Walker participated in the 2024 MLB Draft Combine and represented the U.S. Collegiate National Team during the summer, competing in the International Friendship Series against Chinese Taipei in Cary, N.C.
  • As a redshirt sophomore in 2024, led Grambling State with a career-best .381 batting average, 11 home runs, 77 hits, and 71 runs scored.He recorded 114 defensive assists and turned 26 double plays in 2024
  • Walker concluded his two-year career at Grambling State with a .376 batting average, .500 on-base percentage, 13 home runs, 135 hits, 70 RBIs, and 121 runs scored
  • Walker began his Grambling State career in 2023 after redshirting his freshman year at Louisiana Tech, starting at second base and batted .372 with 2 home runs, 58 hits, and 50 runs scored in his debut season at Grambling.

YOU DON'T KNOW JACK

  • Senior Jack Martinez has giving ASU much-needed longevity in his three starts this season, tossing a team-best 29.2 innings.  
  • He is seventh in the Big 12 with a  2.73 ERA while his .170 average against is second in the league and 46th in the country.
  • He leads in the Big 12 with 42 strikeouts this season - good for 19th in the nation - and his 12.74 K/9 is fourth in the league and 45th in the country. His 5.25 strikeout to walk ratio is fourth in the Big 12 and 71st in the country.
  • He was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after the Gonzaga series where he posted a no-hitter through 6.2 innings en route to a 10 strikeout, two walk, one hit performance with no runs allowed. 
  • Among D1 pitchers his 46.3 whiff percentage on his changeup is 15th in the country.  He has thrown 73.6 percent of his changeups for a strike - the third best percentage in the country - and his 38.0 chase percentage on the pitch is 14th.
  • His 0.88 WHIP is third in the Big 12 and 34th in the country and his 5.46 hits allowed per nine innings are 3rd in the league and 47th in the country
  • Martinez posted a 4.40 ERA for Louisiana in 2024 as helped the Ragin' Cajuns to the Sun Belt Conference regular season title and a spot in the NCAA Baseball Tournament where it advanced to the Regional Final against eventual College World Series runner-up Texas A&M
  • He went a combined 10-1 on the mound in 38 career appearances at Division III Trinity University (Texas) and was named first-team All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, first-team D3baseball.com All-Region and second-team ABCA Second Team All-Region
  • He led a stellar pitching staff with a 2.12 earned run average in 2023, finishing the year with a 6-0 record and six saves as he recorded a team-best 81 strikeouts in 51.0 innings of work, holding opponents to a .163 batting average. He finished third among DIII players in strikeouts per nine innings (14.29).

SHORT KING

  • Matt King might be a new face to Sun Devil fans but he entered the season as one of the most veteran shortstops in the country.  
  • The bat has come alive for King in recent weeks as he is currently second on the team with a .328 average.
  • King has struck out once ever 11.6 at-bats this season, the seventh-best tally in the Big 12.
  • King's 180 career games are 29th among active D1 players that have played their entire careers at the D1 level and his 140 total runs scored are 42nd. His 199 hits are 34th, his 150 RBIs are 50th and his 16 sac flies are second.
  • King, a transfer from UTSA, was a three-year starter at short for the Roadrunners. 
  • He posted a career-best .336 average at UTSA as a junior in 2024 with 41 RBIs to finish his Roadrunner career with a .304 average with a .449 OBP and 127 RBIs over 163 games played 
  • King recorded 94 defensive assists as a junior and turned 15 double plays and finished the season with a 20+ game reached base streak en route to All-AAC First Team honors
  • He played in all 57 games in 2023, earning a start in 56 of them – all at shortstop… held a .318 batting average with 69 hits, 45 runs and 58 RBI… recorded 23 extra-base hits, including 11 doubles, six triples and six home runs… picked 22 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI games
  • King won the starting shortstop battle early in the year as a true freshman in 2022 and held it down for UTSA, starting 41 games at short and a game apiece at second and first … hit .237 with a .348 OBP … recorded 31 hits in 156 at-bats with 12 doubles, a triple and a home run to earn 28 RBI.
  • King entered the season with 163 games played in his career.

GRABBING THE BULL-PEN BY THE HORNS

  • The Sun Devil bullpen has made a habit of escaping jams under Willie Bloomquist, stranding 1,562 baserunners over 191 games, an average of 8.1 stranded opponent runners per game. ASU stranded 453 in 55 games last season and 148 in 21 games this season.
  • In six midweek games this season, the Sun Devils have a 2.77 ERA, holding opponents to a .207 average against with 59 strikeouts in 42.0 innings. For perspective, the Sun Devils had a 6.21 ERA in midweeks last season with a .282 average against.
  • This season is the first time ASU has posted two midweek shutouts since 2012, when the team beat Utah Valley (9-0) and Cal State Fullerton (1-0) on March 13 and March 27. It is the first time the team had back-to-back midweek shutouts since March 26-27, 1996 vs. Portland State (10-0, 12-0). It is the first time a team has back-to-back midweek shutouts over two separate teams since Feb. 5 and Feb. 20, 1990 vs. Chapman and Lubbock Christian (4-0, 4-0). These totals are all notable as ASU used five pitchers in each of those victories (2-0 at UCLA, 7-0 vs. UNLV).
  • Last season, ASU relief pitchers inherited 154 baserunners, of which only 57 scored (37.1 percent).  That number sits at 14 of 31 this year (45.2).
  • Sean Fitzpatrick was among the best in show in the category, stranding 19 of his 22 inherited runners on the year. He also leads the way in stranding four of six this season.
  • Jonah Giblin has been exception in long relief for the Sun Devils this season, currently third on the team with 18.2 innings pitched and posting a 2.89 ERA with a 3-1 record and 24 strikeouts to five walks while opponents are hitting just .179 off of him.
  • Lucas Kelly (10.0 IP) has still yet to allow a run this season. It is the first time an ASU pitcher has reached double digit innings with no runs allowed at the 21-game mark since Ryan Burr did so in 16.2 innings to start the 2015 season.
  • Cole Carlon has also been electric in long relief out of the pen, posting a 3.50 ERA over 10 appearances with 27 strikeouts in 18.0 innings with just a .161 average against.
  • Derek Schaefer allowed his first runs in eight games in the finale against TCU. He now has a 3.72 ERA on the season with two saves and 10 strikeouts over 9.2 innings with just a .216 average against.

PITCH AND CATCH

  • While there is still a ton of season ahead, early returns on new Sun Devil pitching coach Jeremy Accardo have paid immediate dividends while the defenders behind him have done their part to reward the staff for throwing strikes and taking care of balls in play.
  • At 4.91, the Sun Devils have their lowest team ERA at the 21-game mark for the first time since the 2019 season.
  • The Sun Devils have 10 pitchers with over 3.0 innings pitched and a sub-4.50 ERA this season - notable as it had just five 21 games into the season a year ago. 
  • ASU's overall team WHIP sits 52nd nationally at 1.35. It is notable as the team has not finished in the Top-100 in the category since 2012 (6th, 1.17). In fact ASU has been outside the Top-200 five different times since then and outside the Top-150 eight times. 
  • The Sun Devils also rank 71st in walks allowed per nine innings (4.09),  notable as the team has not ranked in the Top-100 since that 2012 team was ninth uin the country at 2.33. ASU has been outside the Top-150 in the category nine times since then. 
  • ASU is second in the Big 12 with a 10.9 K/9 average this season, good for 17th nationally. The Sun Devils have struck out double digit batters in 13 of 21 games on the season.
  • The Sun Devils have posted 15 games this season without an error and have quietly put up a .987 fielding percentage on the year - good for second in the country entering the week. ASU ranked outside the Top-100 in each of the last three seasons in the category.
  • ASU is the highest ranked team in the country that plays on a a totally natural field (dirt and grass, including foul territory) and on of just four teams in the Top-25 to lay such a claim. 
  • ASU's seven-game streak without an error ended last Saturday - which was  its longest since a nine-game stretch in the 2015 season. 
  • The Sun Devil pitchers have been amonst the most improved in the area, with no errors credited against them this season - notable as ASU pitchers were responsible for 12 of ASU's 60 errors last season (20.0 percent).

WHAT'S THE CATCH?

  • The Sun Devils looked hard-pressed to replace one of the program's most prolific offensive players in history as All-American catcher Ryan Campos is now departed as an early round draft pick to the Cardinals organization, leaving a gap at the catcher position that was manned by the .369 career hitter the last three seasons but Josiah Cromwick and Brody Briggs have answered  the call.
  • After a prolific offensive Fall and early Spring in team scrimmages, Josiah Cromwick has shown he can do it with the lights on as well, leading the Sun Devils with six home runs this season, fourth in the Big 12 and Top-100 in the country.
  • Cromwick has 14 total hits on the season and 11 of those have gone for extra bases, recording six homers and five doubles. 
  • ASU went with Cromwick as the backstop to get the opening night start. Granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA, Cromwick was arguable t he team's best play erthrough Fall and Preseason camp this year, recording 20 home runs in live AB scrimmages. Cromwick was a Top-25 catcher in the nation out of high school and started 67 games for the Oregon Ducks prior to transferring to ASU last year.
  • Brody Briggs ranks 39th among D1 catchers with 1.98 runs saved this season on framing pitches. 
  • Briggs' seven RBIs on the first two home runs of his career in the rubber match victory over TCU are the most for a Sun Devil this season.

HEADED TO THE GAP

  • ASU has recorded 51 doubles this year and multiple doubles in 15 games, ranking 10th in the country (and 20th at 2.43 per game) and first in the Big 12.
  • Twelve players have recorded a double already this season and eight have multiples. Brandon Compton, Jacob Tobias and Isaiah Jackson all have eight, good for fourth in the Big 12.
  • The Sun Devils were tops in the Pac-12 and sixth in the country with 143 doubles last year in 58 games and the 2.47 doubles per game were fourth in the nation. The total was 15 more than any other team in the Pac-12 even without making the postseason.
  • 15 different Sun Devils had multiple doubles last season - the most of any school in the Pac-12.
  • Ryan Campos was the Pac-12 leader with 25 doubles this year - a tally good for 7th nationally. Nick McLain was sixth with 18, Brandon Compton was 12th with 16.  Jacob Tobias had 14, Harris Williams had 13 and Ethan Mendoza and Kien Vu had 11, giving ASU a Pac-12 leading seven players that have reached double digits in the category.
  • ASU had multiple doubles in 39 games last season and at least one double in 51 of 63 games. The team's 143 double were fifth out of all ASU team's since 1998 in the category.
  • ASU got a slow start in the doubles category in 2023 but came alive in the second half of the year. After having just 13 in the first 11 of the season, ASU finished with 108 to find itself in the Top-100 prior to the NCAA Tourney after being ranked as low as 232 through the first month of the season.
  • The team recorded a double in 45 of 55 games overall that year with multiple doubles in 26 of those. Luke Keaschall finished seventh second in the entire country with 25 doubles .
  • The Sun Devils recorded 134 doubles in 2022, good for 19th in the nation and third in the Pac-12. The 127 doubles during the regular season were the most for a Sun Devil team in the REGULAR SEASON in the BBCOR era (since 2011) and tied for the fifth-most in a regular season since 1998.
  • ASU had at least one double in all but six games in 2022 and multiple doubles in 36 of 58 games.

CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL

  • Arizona State has 30 home runs this season, a total that is fourth in the Big 12 and 29th nationally. Eight players have homered and seven have multiple homers. Josiah Cromwick and Kien Vu are tied four 4th in the Big 12 and 78 nationally with six homers.
  • ASU only had runners on base on 9 of its first 23 homers of the season but had runners on 5 of its 7 at TCU this last weekend with the two exceptions being leadoff homers.
  • The Sun Devils had 102 homers last year, good for 30th nationally and surpassing the program's BBCOR record of 94 from the 2019 season. ASU became just the eighth Sun Devil team in the program's illustrious history to reach 100 home runs and the first to do it since having 101 in 1990. The 2024 Sun Devils were the fastest to reach triple digits in the category in program history, doing so in 56 games.
  • ASU had five Sun Devils reach doublle digit homers (Ryan Campos, Kien Vu, Brandon Compton, Jacob Tobias and Nick McLain), marking the first time at ASU since 1993 that five players accomplished the feat (Todd Cady, Doug Newstrom, Antone Williamson, Paul Lo Duca, Jacob Cruz). It was the first season that even four had reached the tally since 1994. 
  • 11 different Sun Devils had multiple homers - second-best in the Pac-12 - and 13 homered overall, which was also the second-most in the league.
  • The 2024 Sun Devils were the first ASU team to have 13 players homer since the 2008 squad also had 13.
  • ASU homered once in each of the three games against Oregon State, notable as the Beavers had allowed just 10 homers all season entering the weekend and just five total at Goss Stadium.
  • ASU had six homers in its road series against UCLA, the most allowed by UCLA in a three-game series this year. ASU had four in each of its first two games against USC, the most the Trojans had allowed in a game all year. ASU had five in a game against UC San Diego, the most it had allowed and had four in two of its games against UW, also the most the Huskies had allowed. With the team's five-homer game against Stanford  - the most the Cardinal had allowed at the Sunken Diamond since 2000 - ASU had five-straight series in which it has recorded at least one game with the most home runs allowed by that opponent last season.
  • The Sun Devils had eight homers in the Oregon series. Unfortunately, all came of the solo variety.
  • The Sun Devils continued looking for the big hit with runners on base as ASU had 49 solo homers on its 102 last season. Of the team's 49 solo homers, however, 23 were of the leadoff variety and didn't give anyone a chance to be on base while five others came as part of back-to-back homers and thus, the same principle.
  • The big homers with men on base, however, increased in the last month. Five of ASU's six homers against UCLA were two-run shots and 5 of 10 against USC were multi-run bombs, as were five of its seven against UC San Diego. Seven of the ten homers against Washington were multi-run shots. Four of the 11 homers against Stanford were three-run bombs while another was a two-run shot.
  • The Sun Devils hit 19 more homers during the 2023 season (83) than it did the prior year. 12 different players logged a home run last season for ASU and 10 had multiple home runs. In 2023, ASU had eight different players with at least six homers - more than any other team in the Pac-12.
  • The Sun Devils had seven players with at least seven homers that year - at the time two more than any other team at ASU had had since at least the 1998 season. ASU had five players with at least seven homers in 2022, tied for the second-most at ASU since 1998. The Sun Devils had seven players with at least seven homers last season as well.
  • ASU's 83 homers in 2023 were 56th in the country prior to the NCAA Tournament.
  • The better news was ASU finally started the get pumps with runners on base. 37 of the team's last 66 Sun Devil home runs that year came with runners on base after 14 of the first 17 that season were solo shots. Of the 26 solo shots, 17 were leadoff homers and thus not given the opportunity to happen with runners on base.
  • The timing of the home runs improved immensely over the second half of the 2022 season as well. On 24 of the final 37 homers on the year, ASU had at least one runner on base. That was notable as ASU had runners on base just eight times on the teams first 27 homers.
  • Of the nine position players with at least 30 starts in 2022, all nine had multiple home runs. ASU had ten total players with multiple homers.

COMING IN HOT

  • The Sun Devils have 26 innings this season scoring at least three runs, 10 with 4+ and seven with 5+. 
  • Big innings have been the theme of ASU's season as the team has now scored in 71 halves of an inning on the year and have plated two or more runs in 44 of those. 
  • Last season, ASU has posted 68 3+ run innings and 41 4+ run innings. 21 times last season, ASU  scored five or more runs in an inning. 
  • The Sun Devils thrived in the big innings in 2023 as well, 12 times recording five or more runs in an inning. The team recorded 51 innings with three or more runs scored.
  • ASU recorded 10 or more hits in 39 of 58 games last season and in nine-straight games to conclude the regular season and 16 of the last 17 in the regular season . The team has 10 or more hits in 10 games so far this season. 
  • ASU's 652 total hits last season were tops in the Pac-12 and 14th nationally.
  • The Sun Devils'  offensive surge at the end of last year boosted its team slugging percentage to .541 on the year, good for tops in the Pac-12 and 15th nationally. The batting average was .313 for the year, tops in the Pac-12 and 12th nationally.
  • The Sun Devils were second in the Pac-12 in averaging 8.3 runs per game and, 29th nationally. 
  • After giving up 7 first inning runs over the first five games of the season (and at least one run in each), the Sun Devils flipped that trend and posted 15 games out of the last 16 without allowing a first inning run, outscoring teams 18-2 in the process.
  • The second time through the lineup has been big for the Sun Devils, with ASU outscoring the opposition 17-6 in the third inning of games. ASU is outscoring teams 20-10 in the fifth inning of games and 25-10 in the sixth.

HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS

  • After going 1-7 in one-run games in 2022, ASU went 7-3 and 8-5 in one run efforts in 2023 and 2024. ASU's eight wins in one run games last year were the most since the team had nine in the 2017 season.
  • ASU is 4-4 in one-run games this season and is 7-5 in games decided by two runs or less after going 11-13 in such games last year. 
  • The team has posted the game-winning RBI/run in the sixth inning or later in six of the team's wins so far. 
  • The walk-off win against UNLV  in the regular season finale a year ago was ASU's sixth last season as a result of a ninth or extra-inning lead change, with walk-offs against Oregon, GCU and UW (10th inning) and UNLV and ninth-inning go-ahead runs on the road against Arizona and UNLV. ASU added its first of the 2025 season with its Saturday walk-off against Ohio State.
  • ASU won four games last year when trailing after eight innings and five games when trailing OR tied after 8. The team had five wins when trailing or tied after eight in 2016 and nine in 2015. ASU's four games in which it trailed after eight innings are the most since the team had five such victories in 2006. ASU has one such game this year. 
  • ASU has trailed at one point in 43 of its last 69 victories dating back to to 2023 - including five of its wins this season. 
  • In 2023, ASU was incredibly efficient at closing games out, going 24-4 when leading after six, 27-1 when leading after seven and 29-0 when leading after eight. Last season ASU was 27-2 when leading after six, 25-2 after seven and 23-1 after eight
  • The loss of ninth-inning leads against Oral Roberts and Minnesota marked just the third  and fourth times ASU has lost a game where it led after eight innings under Willie Bloomquist. ASU is 84-4 under Bloomquist when leading after eight innings. 
  • In three seasons under Willie Bloomquist, the Sun Devils have shown that no opponent lead is safe, showing off plenty of grit in erasing multi-run deficits. ASU has nine wins in each of the last two seasons when trailing by at least three runs at some point in the game. It added its first of the 2025 season against Austin Peay.
  • In 2022, the seven-run deficit overcome by the Sun Devils to defeat and take the series from Cal was the most since March 3, 2000 against Arizona. ASU doubled down at that in 2023  with the victories over North Dakota State and GCU, overcoming a 7-0 deficit in both (and 9-2 in entering the eighth against GCU) for victories in both.
  • ASU came from behind 13-6 in the regular season finale against UNLV to walk it off in the ninth - the fourth seven-run comeback in the Bloomquist era.
  • ASU has won 11 games in which it has trailed by at least five runs at some point in the game under Willie Bloomquist.

DO I KNOW YOU?

  • The Sun Devils welcome an incredible 22 new faces to the roster in 2025. The class features Perfect Game's No. 17 freshman group in the country - its second-straight Top-25 class.
  • The roster will feature 6 freshman arms, a notable tally considering the 2022 team didn't have a single freshman arm on the roster. Additionally, ASU added six transfer arms, including expected Saturday starter Jack Martinez (Louisiana) and potential closer Will Koger (Louisville)
  • The team will feature two new middle infielders for the third consecutive season after having at least one returner up the middle from 2018-22, this year in the form of Matt King (UTSA) at short and Kyle Walker (Grambling) at second.
  • In addition to the guys playing on the field, the team also welcomed a slew of new faces on the coaching and support staff, highlighted by new pitching coach Jeremy Accardo, new hitting coach Jason Ellison and new pitching analytics coordinator Jared Matheson.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES

  •  Sun Devil Baseball was no stranger to collegiate baseball's preseason awards season with numerous members of the roster earning Preseason All-America, All-Conference and Top Prospect recognition.
  • The Sun Devils were tied for the nation's lead with three players named to the 2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List while four Sun Devils garnered at least one All-America honor.
  • The pitching staff's ace, southpaw Ben Jacobs, headlines the preseason awards haul, garnering three All-America nods in addition to a spot on the Golden Spikes Watch List.

Ben Jacobs – Left-Handed Pitcher

D1Baseball Preseason All-American (3rd Team Starting Pitcher)

Perfect Game Preseason All-American (2nd Team Starting Pitcher)

NCBWA Preseason All-American (2nd Team Starting Pitcher)

2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List

D1Baseball #13 Starting Pitcher

D1Baseball #28 2025 MLB Draft Prospect/#4 Big 12

All-Big 12 Preseason Team (Starting Pitcher)

Brandon Compton - Outfielder

NCBWA Preseason All-American (1st Team Designated Hitter)

2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List

D1Baseball #13 Outfielder

D1Baseball #29 2025 MLB Draft Prospect/#5 Big 1

Kien Vu - Outfielder

NCBWA Preseason All-American (2nd Team Outfielder)

D1Baseball #14 Outfielder

D1Baseball #21 Big 12 2025 MLB Draft Prospect

All-Big 12 Preseason Team (Outfielder) 

Jacob Tobias – First Base

NCBWA Preseason All-American (2nd Team First Baseman)

D1Baseball #6 First Baseman

Kyle Walker – Second Base

2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List

D1Baseball #12 Second Baseman

 OTHER D1Baseball Honors

Nu'u Contrades – D1Baseball #8 Third Baseman/#22 Big 12 2025 MLB Draft Prospect

Matt King – D1Baseball #34 Shortstop

Jack Martinez  - D1Baseball #92 Starting Pitcher

Isaiah Jackson - #19 Big 12 2025 MLB Draft Prospect

Lucas Kelly - #31 Big 12 2025 MLB Draft Prospect

Derek Schaefer - #6 Big 12 2026 MLB Draft Prospect

Cole Carlon - #8 Big 12 2026 MLB Draft Prospect

Wyatt Halvorson - #16 Big 12 2026 MLB Draft Prospect

Landon Hairston - #4 Big 12 Impact Freshman

Ky McGary - #23 Big 12 Impact Freshman