NC State baseball has a rich tradition of high-level catchers. From Patrick Bailey to Andrew Knizner, you can find former Wolfpack catchers making an impact at the highest level.
The next great catcher to don the red-and-white, junior catcher Jacob Cozart, is gearing up for a potentially historic season. The High Point native is a Perfect Game preseason first-team All-American and could potentially be a first-round selection in the 2024 MLB draft if he declares.
Cozart’s journey to the top of college baseball began when he was a young kid. With his dad coaching college baseball, Cozart was exposed to high-level competition early on.
“I started playing baseball when I was three or four years old,” Cozart said. “My dad was a baseball coach. He was the pitching coach at UCF, so I’ve always been around the game. … I grew up on the baseball field every single day.”
After a successful high school baseball career, Cozart joined NC State. In addition to the program’s status as a consistent winner, the Pack has built a strong reputation for player development — especially catchers.
“I wasn’t looking at just the name of the program,” Cozart said. “I knew they had a really good track record with high school catchers and turning them into first-rounders. That really stuck out to me, and I knew I’d have the best development possible when I came here. And they’ve lived that up.”
Once Cozart arrived in Raleigh, he immediately made an impact, appearing in 52 games as a freshman. The Wolfpack’s backstop hit .240, smacked four homers and racked up 25 RBIs. While these were respectable numbers, it was only the beginning for Cozart, who made an impressive sophomore leap.
In addition to the hard work he’s put in, Cozart has taken his coaching to heart. Leaning into his coaches’ knowledge of the game has been crucial to his development. In particular, associate head coach Chris Hart and head coach Elliott Avent have been vital in Cozart’s growth.
“[Hart] has helped mold me from when I was a little freshman catcher trying to get my feet wet,” Cozart said. “Avent has been really, really helpful … being not only the best player I can be but also the best person.”
Like many players who have donned the red-and-white, Cozart has prioritized character development and doing things the right way — a staple of Avent’s program.
“Character still defines who you are going to be,” Avent said. “When they have trades in the big leagues, they’ll still call us about the character of those players when they were in college — it matters everywhere.”
That character has helped Cozart immensely, along with the work he’s done in the batting cages and on the field. The result of all that culminated in a spectacular 2023 season where he improved his batting average to .301 while blasting 10 home runs. However, Cozart’s best play comes when he’s behind the plate.
“For the past two years I’ve been the best strike stealer metrically in college baseball,” Cozart said. “That’s where I excel in.”
Entering the 2024 season, expectations are high for both Cozart and NC State baseball. D1 Baseball placed the Wolfpack at No. 13 in its preseason top 25. If the red-and-white lives up to its expectations, it could find itself in ACC title contention, hosting a regional and more. For Cozart, there is one clear goal.
“My goal is to get this team to Omaha,” Cozart said. “I’m going to help this team win every single day. That’s our goal.”
Cozart and the rest of the Pack9 will open the season Friday, Feb. 16, against VCU at Doak Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
