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'Outperforming expectations': Previewing the 2025 BYU baseball season

The start of the BYU baseball season is less than two weeks away, and if there's been one theme from the offseason thus far, it’s outperforming expectations.

BYU was picked to finish last out of the 14 teams in the Big 12, narrowly behind its in-state rivals, Utah. The poll was released in late January and the Cougars look to use these low expectations to add fuel to the fire.

“We like to see that, I think it’s better we were picked last because it gives us extra motivation to be the underdog,” outfielder Crew McChesney said. “It’s going to be a fun year to prove some people wrong.”

McChesney, a sophomore, finished last season strong and looks to continue that solid play into 2025. As a freshman, he started in 14 of the last 18 games for BYU. McChesney led the team in batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage finishing with .340/.478/.547 splits.

BYU also returns three of its veteran leaders in infielder Easton Jones, outfielder/infielder Luke Anderson and outfielder Cooper Vest. Vest is a senior, while both Jones and Anderson are juniors, helping lead this relatively younger BYU team.

“This team does a good job, they love each other, they play hard for each other,” coach Trent Pratt said. “It’s not going to be one or two guys who make this team go, it’s going to be this team coming together to play team baseball.”

BYU was ranked third in the Big 12 in returning production, showing just how much talent stayed in Provo.

The theme around the Cougars this off-season has been working to defy expectations, and do it by committee.

“That’s the thing I love about this team, there’s not really one leader; as a group these guys respect each other,” Pratt said. “They’ll speak up and get on each other when they need to.”

BYU was active in the transfer portal adding Ryder Robinson, a north Utah native who played his high school ball at American Fork. He brings a year of collegiate experience at TCU, and looks to improve the BYU infield.

“I think it was just the coaching staff, and the development they bring,” Ryder Robinson said, after being asked about why he decided to transfer to BYU.

Stone Cushing, a relief pitcher for the Cougars, was the only player on BYU to receive preseason all Big 12 honors.

BYU kicks off its season with a three-game road series against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Feb. 14.

The Cougars look to build upon their first season in the Big 12 and improve on their 21-31 record.