Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Baseball predicted fifth; Bravo earns All-Big 12
January 23, 2025 | Baseball
The fifth-place selection marks the 11th-straight season Tech has landed inside the top-five of the leagues preseason poll
IRVING, Texas – With the start of the season just 22 days away, Texas Tech Baseball was predicted to finish fifth in the 14-team Big 12 Preseason poll the league announced Thursday afternoon, while Damian Bravo earned Preseason All-Big 12 honors.Â
Checking in with 111 points, the Red Raiders occupied the fifth spot in the poll of the league's coaches. The top-five selection in the poll marks the 11th-straight season that Tech lands inside the top-five of the preseason poll.
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That streak dates back to the 2014 season when Tech was predicted to finish eighth in the preseason poll in coach Tim Tadlock's second season as head coach of the Red Raiders.
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The Red Raiders despite the eighth-place prediction in 2014 finished fourth in the regular season Big 12 standings winning 45 games enroute to the programs first-ever appearance in Omaha. That Omaha appearance jumpstarted a streak of four trips in six seasons including back-to-back Omaha appearances in 2018 and 2019.
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Also, part of Thursday's announcement was a selection of a 16-player Preseason All-Big 12 team which included Bravo as an outfield selection.
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The 2024 Big 12 batting champion, Bravo is coming off a breakout season in 2024 as the outfielder hit .378 with 21 doubles, 52 runs scored and 44 RBIs. Bravo's .378 average was the 17th-highest average in program history and was the best single season average in a full season since Josh Jung hit .392 in 2018.
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Bravo finished the 2024 season 60th in the country in batting average and inside the top-10 (ninth) in doubles per game.
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Oklahoma State earned the designation as the leagues "preseason favorite" after earning 163 total points and nine of the leagues 14 total first place votes.
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New Big 12 member Arizona finished in second in the poll earning 152 points and four first place votes followed by TCU who accrued 115 total points and one first place vote.
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2024 Super Regional participant West Virginia secured the fourth spot in the vote, earning four more points (115) than the Red Raiders (111).
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Another former Pac-12 team from the State of Arizona checked in at six, as Arizona earned 96 total points, three point clear of 2024 NCAA Regional participant UCFs 93 total points. The top-10 of the poll was rounded out by Kansas State (88), Kansas (85) and Cincinnati (73).
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Houston (45), Utah (44), Baylor (39) and BYU (21) rounded out the 14-team poll.
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The Red Raiders open the 2025 season on Friday, Feb. 14 when they head to No. 6 North Carolina for a three-game series. First pitch from Chapel Hill is set for 3 p.m. (CT).
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2025 Big 12 Baseball Poll (First Place Votes):
2025 Big 12 Preseason Team
C            Logan Sauve                     West Virginia
IF           Mason White                  Arizona
IF           Kerrington Cross             Cincinnati
IF           Colin Brueggemann       Oklahoma State
IF           Aidan Meola                    Oklahoma State
IF           Anthony Silva                   TCU
OF         Brendan Summerhill      Arizona
OF         Kien Vu                              Arizona State
OFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nolan Schubart*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Oklahoma State
OF         Damian Bravo                   Texas Tech
DH         Wesley Jordan                  Baylor
UTL       Christian Mitchelle          Cincinnati
SP          Ben Jacobs                         Arizona State
SP          Dom Stagliano                  UCF
SP          Nathan Taylor                   Cincinnati
SPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dominic Voegele*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kansas
SP          Gabe Davis                        Oklahoma State
RP          Stone Cushing                  BYU
RP          Dominic Castellano         UCF
RPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ben Abeldt*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TCU
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*- Unanimous Selection
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2025 Big 12 Preseason Yearly Awards
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Player of the Year:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nolan Schubart, Oklahoma State
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Pitcher of the Year: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dominic Voegele, Kansas
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Newcomer of the Year: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cade Climie, Houston
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Freshman of the Year: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Noah Franco, TCU
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Checking in with 111 points, the Red Raiders occupied the fifth spot in the poll of the league's coaches. The top-five selection in the poll marks the 11th-straight season that Tech lands inside the top-five of the preseason poll.
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That streak dates back to the 2014 season when Tech was predicted to finish eighth in the preseason poll in coach Tim Tadlock's second season as head coach of the Red Raiders.
Â
The Red Raiders despite the eighth-place prediction in 2014 finished fourth in the regular season Big 12 standings winning 45 games enroute to the programs first-ever appearance in Omaha. That Omaha appearance jumpstarted a streak of four trips in six seasons including back-to-back Omaha appearances in 2018 and 2019.
Â
Also, part of Thursday's announcement was a selection of a 16-player Preseason All-Big 12 team which included Bravo as an outfield selection.
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The 2024 Big 12 batting champion, Bravo is coming off a breakout season in 2024 as the outfielder hit .378 with 21 doubles, 52 runs scored and 44 RBIs. Bravo's .378 average was the 17th-highest average in program history and was the best single season average in a full season since Josh Jung hit .392 in 2018.
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Bravo finished the 2024 season 60th in the country in batting average and inside the top-10 (ninth) in doubles per game.
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Oklahoma State earned the designation as the leagues "preseason favorite" after earning 163 total points and nine of the leagues 14 total first place votes.
Â
New Big 12 member Arizona finished in second in the poll earning 152 points and four first place votes followed by TCU who accrued 115 total points and one first place vote.
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2024 Super Regional participant West Virginia secured the fourth spot in the vote, earning four more points (115) than the Red Raiders (111).
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Another former Pac-12 team from the State of Arizona checked in at six, as Arizona earned 96 total points, three point clear of 2024 NCAA Regional participant UCFs 93 total points. The top-10 of the poll was rounded out by Kansas State (88), Kansas (85) and Cincinnati (73).
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Houston (45), Utah (44), Baylor (39) and BYU (21) rounded out the 14-team poll.
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The Red Raiders open the 2025 season on Friday, Feb. 14 when they head to No. 6 North Carolina for a three-game series. First pitch from Chapel Hill is set for 3 p.m. (CT).
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2025 Big 12 Baseball Poll (First Place Votes):
- Oklahoma State (9) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 163
- Arizona (4) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 152
- TCU (1) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 149
- West Virginia                                 115
- Texas Tech                                   111
- Arizona State                                  96
- UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 93
- Kansas State                                   88
- Kansas                                            85
- Cincinnati                                         73
- Houston                                            45
- Utah                                                  44
- Baylor                                                39
- BYUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 21
2025 Big 12 Preseason Team
C            Logan Sauve                     West Virginia
IF           Mason White                  Arizona
IF           Kerrington Cross             Cincinnati
IF           Colin Brueggemann       Oklahoma State
IF           Aidan Meola                    Oklahoma State
IF           Anthony Silva                   TCU
OF         Brendan Summerhill      Arizona
OF         Kien Vu                              Arizona State
OFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nolan Schubart*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Oklahoma State
OF         Damian Bravo                   Texas Tech
DH         Wesley Jordan                  Baylor
UTL       Christian Mitchelle          Cincinnati
SP          Ben Jacobs                         Arizona State
SP          Dom Stagliano                  UCF
SP          Nathan Taylor                   Cincinnati
SPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dominic Voegele*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kansas
SP          Gabe Davis                        Oklahoma State
RP          Stone Cushing                  BYU
RP          Dominic Castellano         UCF
RPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ben Abeldt*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TCU
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*- Unanimous Selection
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2025 Big 12 Preseason Yearly Awards
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Player of the Year:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nolan Schubart, Oklahoma State
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Pitcher of the Year: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dominic Voegele, Kansas
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Newcomer of the Year: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cade Climie, Houston
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Freshman of the Year: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Noah Franco, TCU
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Players Mentioned
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