Kansas State baseball 2025 season preview: 3 biggest games, key players, predictions and more
Kansas State baseball ended the 2024 season on a high note. The Wildcats were mediocre in the regular season, finishing sixth in the Big 12 with a 15-15 conference record. However, the team made the postseason for the first time since 2013, eventually losting in the first round in the Big 12 tournament.
The Wildcats managed to recreate the success achieved eleven years ago, stunning the No. 5 national seed, the Arkansas Razorbacks en route to winning the Fayetteville Regional. This was just the second NCAA Regional win in program history.
The season ended in the Charlottesville Super Regional as the Virginia Cavaliers swept to advance to the College World Series. The Wildcats finished the season 35-26 overall.
Pete Hughes will enter his seventh season as head coach in 2025. He will focus on maintaining and improving on the success of this season, working with his staff to improve the roster for next year. Let's preview Kansas State ahead of the 2025 NCAA baseball season.
3 key games for Kansas State baseball in the 2025 season
3. Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys finished second in the Big 12 regular season with a 19-9 conference record. With the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns headed to the SEC, the Cowboys are likely to be favorites for the Big 12 regular season title next year.
The Wildcats beat the Cowboys in a three-game home series during the regular season this year, which should provide a confidence boost heading into next year.
2. West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers finished fourth in the Big 12 regular season with a 19-11 conference record and beat the Wildcats in a three-game home series this year. Despite the loss of star hitter JJ Wetherholt, the Mountaineers are likely to pose a major challenge to the Wildcats' ambitions next year.
1. Kansas Jayhawks
The Wildcats came out on top in the Sunflower Showdown series during the regular season this year. However, the Jayhawks had the last laugh as they beat the Wildcats in Big 12 Tournament pool play. With both teams aspiring to make the postseason, this series could be one of the most exciting in 2025.
Key players for the Kansas State Wildcats in 2025
3. Maximus Martin, INF
The Wildcats managed to get Martin to flip his commitment to the Razorbacks and commit to Kansas State for the 2025 season. He fared decently for the Georgia State Panthers this year, hitting three home runs and 22 RBIs, with an average of .313 in 45 games played.
Martin will have the difficult job of filling Kaelen Culpepper's shoes after the Minnesota Twins made him the highest-drafted positional player in Wildcats history this year.
2. Blake Dean, RHP
Dean made an impact in his freshman season with the Wildcats this year. He finished the season 4-4 while striking out 64 batters, with an ERA of 4.72 in 61.0 innings pitched. With the Wildcats losing some of top arms in this year's draft, Dean will be expected to take a major step up in 2025.
1. Nick English, C/OF
English was another freshman who impressed in 2024. He hit three home runs with an average of .249, while his 37 RBIs were fewer than only two people: Culpepper and Philadelphia Phillies' 10th round draft pick, Brady Day. He could play a bigger role in the Wildcats' offense next year despite the addition of new hitters to the roster.
Predicting Kansas State Wildcats' 2025 season
The Wildcats need to strengthen the bullpen and some parts of the offense, if this happens, the team could emerge as a dark horse to win the Big 12 regular season in 2025.
Hughes should be able to take Kansas State to the postseason next year, but is unlikely to make it past the NCAA Super Regionals given the stiff competition in all conferences.