BYU baseball’s Cooper Vest named Big 12 co-player of the week

BYU’s Cooper Vest was named Big 12 co-player of the week after a dominant four-game stretch early in the 2025 collegiate baseball season.

Vest, BYU’s star first baseman is no stranger to dominating ballparks in the sun. The St. George, Utah, native helped lead BYU to a 2-2 record this past week with a 2-1 series win over CSUN.

Vest belted three home runs, hit .438 and had a slugging percentage of 1.188. This four game stretch showed just how important a veteran player like Vest can be when trying to win tough road games.

Vest shared Big 12 honors with Nu’u Contrades, the talented junior on the Arizona State Sun Devils. ASU has gone 6-1 through these first two weeks of play, whereas BYU has gone 4-4.

Vest came to BYU with high expectations, winning the 2020 Utah Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year. He had an impressive 2021 freshman season starting in 19 of the 27 games he played.

Vest has been nothing short of reliable for the Cougars, playing in and starting all of their games the past three seasons. Vest has seen the transition from BYU playing in the WCC to joining the Big 12.

Vest and Brock Watkins are the two most experienced players on BYU’s roster, both playing a season longer than any other teammate.

“The biggest strength of our team is that we have a lot of guys back,” said coach Trent Pratt. “We want to find out who can do it when the lights come on.”

Vest has shown his five years of experience and delivered when the lights came on.

“Easton Jones and Cooper Vest have come out and (led) a lot this year,” said coach Pratt. “That’s what I love about this team, I don’t know if there's one leader, they lead as a group.”

This veteran-led team has been able to get out to a 4-4 start, with impressive play by Vest. BYU officially starts Big 12 play in a little over two weeks when UCF makes the trip out to Provo.

BYU has the challenge of playing its first 15 games away from its home field. This extended road trip gives the Cougars the chance to develop chemistry and see what the team is really made of.

BYU takes on a struggling Gonzaga team this weekend for a three-game series. The Cougars have experience playing the Bulldogs going back to its West Coast Conference matchups.

BYU is looking to get above .500 and create some rhythm before Big 12 conference play starts. The Gonzaga series will run from Thursday through Saturday.