BYU baseball is looking to prove the doubters wrong in 2025.
Coming off of a disappointing 2024 campaign in which the Cougars went 21-31 and struggled mightily in year one in the Big 12, the team hopes it can bounce back and shock a lot of people along the way.
Coach Trent Pratt believes his team has made the necessary improvements from last season to dramatically build upon what BYU was able to showcase last year.
“We had a lot of young players that played a lot last year,” said Pratt. “Those guys getting a ton of experience should pay dividends this year. I think eight of our 10 starters on offense are back from last year. So they've matured a lot and we've seen that throughout the fall and through the preseason right now.”
The key three
With many players returning this season, the Cougars will be looking to play in the Big 12 tournament by season's end. BYU will be aided by the return of two of their most productive offensive players from last season in the form of Cooper Vest and Easton Jones as well as their All-Big 12 closer, Stone Cushing.
Vest, a redshirt senior, led BYU in runs scored (38) and triples (3) in 2024. He slashed a .254 average with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs while also recording an on-base percentage of .368. Vest is also one of the Cougars’ most talented fielders.
Vest can play both first base and the outfield and he was able to demonstrate his elite defensive skills by leading BYU in fielding percentage in 2024 with .994.
Jones, a junior infielder, was the Cougars leader in hits (55), home runs (14) and total bases (109). Jones’ .274 batting average was among the best on the team. He played in 51 of BYU’s 52 games and started in every game he played.
Vest and Jones both bring a lot of experience and production to this year’s squad but nothing might be more important than the leadership they bring.
“Those guys have done a great job as far as being leaders this fall and taking on more of a leadership role and just how they go out their business every day,” Pratt said. “They've been better vocal leaders and getting this team to come together.”
Another important player returning to the Cougars is pitcher Stone Cushing. Cushing, the College of Southern Idaho transfer, was BYU’s primary closer for the 2024 season. He was the Big 12 leader in saves last season with 10, a mark that ranks No. 2 all-time in a single season at BYU. Cushing also sits at No. 5 on the Cougar’s all-time saves list.
Cushing is not worried about his place on the all-time saves list. His focus is to help his team in any way he can.
“The only thing I'm focused on is winning games, whatever situation they put me in,” Cushing said. “I'm gonna throw strikes, and I'm gonna try to get everybody out. The stats thing is not really something that is very important to me. I want to come out and have a really successful season as a whole.”
One common goal
This BYU team knows it will have to play better if it's going to reach the goal of playing in the Big 12 tournament and competing for a championship.
“We want to play in the Big 12 tournament, we want to play playoff baseball and we all think this team can do that,” Jones said.
“Just win games and play postseason baseball, because that's what you play for,” said Vest. “If you don't play for that, I don't know why you're playing.”
These three players have echoed coach Pratt’s belief that this team is much more mature than it was a year ago and they know the time is now to start winning and playing in meaningful games. The experience that this Cougar squad has will help it be more prepared as it enters year two in the Big 12.
“We are more mature than we were last year. We have guys who really want to be here,” Jones said.
“We have a bunch of guys who are chomping at the bit to get out there and play,” Cushing said. “There's an edge about this team. We've been wanting wins for a few years now, and it's getting old. It's getting old losing, and we really want to get out there and win.”
“That's the thing about us, we have a close group of dudes. We are working our butts off every day in the weight room out here on the field,” said Cushing.
The road ahead
The football team was able to make a huge jump in their second season in the Big 12. If the baseball Cougars are going to improve in 2025 and accomplish their goals, they are going to need to put it all together on the field this season.
“Experience and confidence. Simple as that,” said Vest. “You’ve got to believe in yourself before you can believe in other guys, but you gotta play for each other. You gotta play for the one next to you.”
With a more experienced roster, BYU baseball is determined to take a significant step forward in 2025. The Cougars know the challenges of competing in the Big 12, but they also believe they have the pieces in place to prove their doubters wrong.
Led by key returners like Vest, Jones, and Cushing, this team is embracing the pressure and using last season’s struggles as motivation.
The road won’t be easy, but the Cougars are confident that their hard work, leadership and renewed focus will translate into wins. If they can execute their game plan and play with the edge they've talked about, this season could mark a turning point for BYU baseball.
The Cougars will be on the road to start the season as they travel to California to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs in a four-game series beginning on Feb. 14.