Heading into the 2025 season, NC State baseball is fresh off of a 2024 campaign where it went 38-23 and took a trip to the College World Series. This upcoming season looks to be another one of success for the Pack as it has a lot of key pieces on the roster to make another run to Omaha.
The Pack has had high rankings in several preseason polls, getting a No. 13 ranking on the D1 Baseball poll. While the key to the Pack’s success is pitching, there are several other factors that can give the red-and-white an edge this season.
Pitching
One of the most exciting returns for Wolfpack fans on the pitching roster is graduate right-handed pitcher Matt Willadsen. Willadsen missed the 2024 campaign with an injury, but during his junior season in 2023, he served as the primary pitcher for Saturday games, starting in all 16 of his appearances. He led the team with 81 innings pitched, 86 strikeouts and posted an ERA of 3.78.
Another big piece returning to the mound is sophomore left-handed pitcher Ryan Marohn. In 2024, Marohn posted an ERA of 3.97 — the only starter under 4.0. The feat is more impressive considering he was only a freshman and got a lot of playing time, making 10 starts in 16 appearances. He fired 46 strikeouts and allowed just 25 walks as a freshman.
There are several other pitchers to watch out for on the Wolfpack roster. In the junior class, there are right-hand pitchers Derrick Smith and Shane Van Dam. In 2024, these pitchers posted ERAs of 4.55 and 4.58 respectively. In the sophomore class, there is right-handed pitcher Jacob Dudan and left-handed pitcher Cooper Consiglio who had 2024 ERAs of 4.5 and 4.97.
Hitting
While there is an abundance of playmakers on the pitching side for the red-and-white, it certainly has talent from the hitting side as well. The top returning hitter from a batting percentage standpoint is junior outfielder Josh Hogue, who returns with a 2024 batting average of .314, totaling 44 hits and 26 runs last year. The junior will look to keep making big plays in big moments. Sophomore infielder Luke Nixon also had a big first year with a hitting average of .238 for 41 hits and 37 runs.
While there are several key returning players at bat for the Pack, there are also two transfers to watch out for when they step up to the plate. Senior infielder Justin DeCriscio transfers in from San Diego, where he spent 2024 starting in all 49 games and finished with a .308 batting average and 61 hits. He is also known for being sneaky, stealing 10 bases last season.
Another talented transfer coming in is junior outfielder Brayden Fraasman. Fraasman comes in from Lincoln Trail after playing there for two seasons. In those two combined, he made 51 appearances and hit an average of .348, including 30 doubles, four triples and 20 home runs.
In 2025, the Pack certainly has Omaha-ready talent. Now, if it can stay healthy and show up in big games against its conference opponents, expect big results from the Pack 9.
