Baylor Baseball Adds Nine to 2025 Roster
WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball head coach Mitch Thompson announced the additions of nine players to the 2025 roster on Friday, including six pitchers and three position players.
The newcomers are made up of four transfers – three from Division I and one from Division III – four junior college additions and one incoming freshman. All nine will join the Bears for the fall season. The current roster total now sits at 50.
“I am very excited to announce these nine young men as summer additions to our program,” Thompson said. “Our coaches have worked very hard scouring the country to add a talented group of recruits. Our main goals were to bolster our pitching staff, add a couple of talented middle infielders and add a catcher. We think that this group of six talented arms, two middle infielders and one catcher all have the ability to impact our program in a big way. Their talent, maturity and makeup all fit our culture model.”
“These additions, along with our previous recruits and returning players, complete our fall roster and will help make for an incredibly competitive environment this fall around Baylor Ballpark. Our coaches and I can’t wait to get started with them all.”
Bryson Bales | LHP | Round Rock, Texas | Hendrix College | L/L | 6-3 | 200
A sixth-year senior transfer from Division III Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., where he compiled a 3.96 ERA across 77.1 innings in two seasons as a starter for the Warriors … Went 5-2 across 15 career starts with 88 strikeouts and 41 walks … Held opposing hitters to a .226 batting average during his time at Hendrix … Pitched for the 2024 Cape Cod League Champions Harwich Mariners, making seven appearances including three starts with a 2.95 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 21.1 innings pitched … In spring 2024, went 4-2 at Hendrix with a 4.21 ERA, making 13 starts and throwing 68.1 innings … Punched out 76 batters and walked 34 … Made 11 starts of at least five innings, including a season-high seven innings twice … Racked up six or more strikeouts in seven outings … Allowed three earned runs or fewer in nine of his 13 starts … In 2023, made two starts and posted a 1-0 record with a 2.00 ERA … Fanned 12 batters in nine innings of work … Began his career at Louisiana Tech, where he spent three seasons … Did not see action in 2022 … Made three relief appearances in 2021 … Redshirted while recovering from injury in 2020 … A three-time academic honor roll member … Native of Round Rock, Texas, where he prepped at Cedar Ridge HS … Earned Second-Team All-Region honors from Perfect Game … Was ranked the 11th-best left-handed pitcher in Texas by Perfect Game … A two-time PG Underclass All-American.
Caleb Bunch | RHP | Keller, Texas | Northwestern State | R/R | 6-6 | 200
Senior transfer from Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La., who was a Second-Team All-Southland Conference reliever in 2024 … Previously pitched two seasons at Ranger College … Made 17 relief appearances for the Demons in 2024, posting a 2-1 record and 2.58 ERA across 45.1 innings pitched … Collected four saves … Struck out 40 batters and walked just 16 … Worked 13 outings of at least two innings, including a season-high five vs. Lamar on May 23 … Had at least two strikeouts in 12 of his 17 appearances … Did not allow two or more earned runs in any of his outings, aside from season-high three in five-inning relief appearance vs. Lamar on May 23 … In 2023, went 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA at Ranger College, striking out 76 hitters in 77.2 innings pitched … Added one save against McLennan CC in sophomore season … As a freshman in 2022, posted a 3-3 record and 3.99 ERA for the Rangers across 26 relief appearances … Collected four saves and struck out 45 batters in 49.2 innings … Native of Keller, Texas … A two-year letterwinner at Keller High School and Covenant Christian Academy … Named the District Newcomer of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, First-Team All-State and All-District as a senior in 2021 at Covenant Christian … Also was a three-year letterwinner in basketball, earning All-District and Newcomer of the Year honors.
Lucas Davenport | RHP | Prosper, Texas | Blinn College | R/R | 6-6 | 225
Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher who led Blinn College to a 2024 NJCAA National Championship … Named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Pitcher … Earned Region 14 All-Conference First Team honors … Made 19 appearances including 16 starts at Blinn and posted a 3.75 ERA across 103.1 innings … Went 10-2 with 86 strikeouts and 23 walks … Made 15 starts of at least five innings, allowed three earned runs or fewer 15 times and struck out five or more nine times … Pitched a complete game against Northwest Florida State in the national title game, throwing 135 pitches and striking out eight without allowing a walk … Redshirted at Texas A&M in 2023 … Was a four-year letterwinner at Prosper High School under head coach Scott Holder … Named District Co-MVP and First-Team All-State with a 9-2 record, 93 strikeouts and 0.90 ERA across 77 innings pitched as a senior in 2022 … Earned First-Team All-District and Honorable Mention All-State honors as a junior with a 7-3 record, 75 strikeouts and 0.72 ERA in 68 innings … Went 1-0 with a 1.07 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings in sophomore campaign … Compiled a 6-1 record with a 1.10 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 38 innings as freshman.
JJ Kennett | C | Mandeville, La. | Dallas Baptist | R/R | 5-10 | 185
Sophomore transfer from Dallas Baptist, where he saw limited action in true freshman season … Hit .056 (1-for-18) across 12 games played, including four starts … Played errorless defense with 58 putouts and one assist … Notched first-career hit at Middle Tennessee … Prepped at Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, Texas … A three-year letterwinner under head coach Clinton Welch … Named a Class 6A First Team All-State selection as a senior in 2023 … Also named to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Super Elite Team … A two-time First Team All-District selection during prep career … Led RPHS to state semifinals as a junior in 2022 … Recognized as an Academic All-State selection … Rated the No. 8 catcher in the state of Texas and No. 54 nationally by Perfect Game.
Jake Kolkhorst | RHP | Brenham, Texas | Blinn College | R/R | 6-2 | 195
Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher who helped Blinn College to a 2024 NJCAA National Championship … Was the Buccaneers’ most-used reliever in title-winning season, making a team-high 21 appearances with 46 strikeouts across 45.2 innings pitched … Posted a 4-1 record out of the bullpen with a 3.94 ERA … Notched five saves to tie for the team lead and ranked second on the squad with a 1.31 WHIP … Named a First Team All-Conference pitcher and Second Team All-Region pitcher in 2024 … Also hit .273 (6-for-22) in 30 games and seven starts as a position player … In 2023, made four appearances on the mound and picked up three wins, striking out 13 batters in 9.1 innings … Hit .339 (42-for-124) with nine doubles, one triple and two home runs, driving in 36 runs … Named a First Team All-Conference outfielder and Second Team All-Region outfielder in 2023 … Prior to his time at Blinn, redshirted in 2022 at TCU … Was a three-year letterwinner at Brenham High School … Named the District 19-5A Most Valuable Player as a senior in 2021 … Named to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State Team … Earned First-Team All-Brazos Valley honors as an outfielder … Went 10-1 on the mound with a 1.77 ERA and 96 strikeouts across 63 innings pitched, while hitting .360 during standout senior season … Selected to the All-Tournament Team at both the 2019 and 2020 Perfect Game World Series … Named to the All-Tournament Team at 2019 WWBA National Championship … Played in the 2020 Area Code trials … Participated in the Under Armour Baseball Factory Preseason All-American Showcase … Earned Academic All-State honors as a senior.
Grayson Murry | RHP | Tyler, Texas | Tyler JC | S/R | 6-5 | 210
Junior right-handed pitcher from Tyler Junior College, who won 10 games with a career 3.86 ERA in two seasons for the Apaches … Struck out a combined 146 batters in 133 innings across 30 appearances and 24 starts over the last two years … In 2024, went 7-3 and struck out 82 with three complete games … Named a First Team All-Conference starting pitcher, First Team All-Region and Gold Glove Award winner … As a freshman in 2023, went 3-2 on the mound and collected one save in 58.1 innings … Earned All-Conference honors as a freshman … Held opposing batters to just a .239 average in two seasons at TJC … Prepped at Brook Hill School in Bullard, Texas … A two-time District MVP, three-time All-District selection and three-time All-State honoree … Was also named Newcomer of the Year as a freshman … Also played football and basketball, an All-District performer in both sports.
Pearson Riebock | INF | Rockwall, Texas | Rockwall HS | L/R | 6-0 | 177
Three-year letterwinner at Rockwall High School for coach Barry Rose … 2024 Big Stick Award winner … 2023 First-Team All-District honoree … 2022 District 10-6A Newcomer of the Year … Career .300 hitter for RHS … Hit .340 with two home runs and 17 stolen bases as a senior in 2024 … Added a 0.47 ERA across 13 innings on the mound … Helped Rockwall to the region finals.
Travis Sanders | INF | Copperas Cove, Texas | Texas Tech | R/R | 6-1 | 185
Redshirt sophomore transfer from Texas Tech, where he played in 13 games last season … Made six starts, batted .242 (8-for-33) and drove in seven runs … Five of his eight hits were doubles … Played errorless defense in the middle infield with 19 putouts and 18 assists … Redshirted as a true freshman in 2023 after suffering a season-ending injury ... Attended Copperas Cove High School, where he played for head coach Danial Carillo … Rated as the No. 90 prospect in the country and No. 6 player in the state of Texas … Was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 14th Round of the 2022 MLB Draft … A two-time All-State selection at shortstop and three-time All-District honoree … Hit .450 as a senior in 2022 with 20 stolen bases and 32 runs scored … Four-time PG Preseason All-American and three-time PG National Showcase participant … Also played in the 2019 PG Underclass All-American Games … 15U, 16U and 17U Canes American National Champion.
Stefan Stahl | LHP | Richardson, Texas | McLennan CC | L/L | 6-2 | 195
Junior left-handed pitcher who played two seasons at Waco’s McLennan Community College … Racked up 99 strikeouts and a perfect 5-0 record in his Highlander career … Went 2-0 in 2024 with a 3.21 ERA across 33.2 innings … Struck out 47 batters and posted a 12.56 K/9 … Made 16 appearances, including five starts … Also earned two saves … Helped MCC to Region V tournament title … As a freshman in 2023, went 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA in 33.1 innings … Made 11 appearances, including four starts … Struck out 52 batters for a 14.04 K/9 mark … Named a 2023 Region V NTJCAC First-Team All-Conference pitcher … Prepped at J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, Texas, under head coach Justin Roland … Was named the 2022 District 7-6A MVP … Also earned 2021 District 7-6A First Team praise as an outfielder … Recorded a .375 batting average with five home runs, four stolen bases and 20 RBIs in addition to a 7-0 pitching record with 1.24 ERA throughout prep career.
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