The 2025 college baseball season will be here before we know it. Let’s get to know this year’s NC State squad and find out if this group can make it four trips to the College World Series in a dozen years. Here’s how we’ll try to do this:
Let’s go!
Who’s new
For the third straight year, NC State will welcome 20 newcomers to the team in 2025. Before jumping into that list, it’s worth mentioning that the Pack lost one recruit to the MLB Draft in Devin Fitz-Gerald (5th round, Rangers), a Top 50 infield recruit. There was one other player who was a high risk to lose to the draft (more on that below), so only losing one of those is a win.
The Pack also received a transfer commitment from Campbell outfielder Dalen Thompson before Thompson elected to remain in Buies Creek for his senior season. Thompson was a seeming plug-and-play transfer so his decommitment was a bit surprising, but time will tell the potential loss impact (if any) there.
Here are all the 20 newcomers for NC State in 2025:
- Trey Bentley – FR – OF
- Preston Bonn – FR – C
- Landon Carr – JR – RHP
- Justin DeCriscio – SR – INF
- Brayden Fraasman – JR – OF
- Jet Gilliam – SO – OF
- Ty Head – FR – OF
- Ryan Jaros – SO – INF
- Aden Knowles – FR – RHP
- Trenton Lyons – SO – OF/INF
- Truitt Manuel – FR – RHP
- Chris McHugh – SO – INF
- Kaden Morris – FR – RHP
- Anderson Nance – FR – RHP
- Brandon Novy – FR – INF
- Matt Ossenfort – SO – INF
- Julien Peissel – JR – RHP
- Eli Pillsbury – JR – LHP
- Tristan Potts – FR – LHP
- Ryder Woodson – FR – INF
We’ll discuss the transfers first since they’re the most likely to have an impact this season, then we’ll cover the freshmen.
State took a dramatically different approach to the transfer portal this year compared to the year prior, both in the number of transfers brought in and in the type of transfers that constitute the group. The 2024 transfer class mostly consisted of players who were lightly recruited out of high school but had proven multi-year track records at collegiate programs from weaker conferences (Brandon Butterworth, WCU; Alec Makarewicz, ECU; Garrett Pennington, WSU). The idea was that those players would be able to make the jump to the ACC without a drop-off in production, and it certainly worked.
For the 2025 transfer class, State targeted higher recruited players out of high school who were at collegiate programs at equal conferences but who haven’t had a significant opportunity (Ryan Jaros, GT; Trenton Lyons, Ole Miss; Matt Ossenfort, Vanderbilt). This year’s transfer class also saw a larger haul of JUCO players. Last year’s transfer class featured just one player from the JUCO ranks (Josh Hogue) whereas this year’s features four (Landon Carr, Brayden Fraasman, Jet Gilliam, Eli Pillsbury). Of course, there are a pair of guys in this class who fit the bill from last year’s philosophy (Justin DeCriscio, Julien Peissel).
Jet Gilliam was a top 400 recruit in the 2023 high school class, but ended up at the College of Southern Nevada, a JUCO program which made the 2024 NJCAA World Series with Gilliam batting leadoff and playing centerfield. In his lone year with CSN, he hit .348/.429/.540, 6 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 14-14 SB, 11.8 BB%, 12.7 K%. He then spent the summer in the Appalachian League where he hit .299/.377/.449, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6-6 SB, 11.5 BB%, 27.9 K%. The speedy 6’0, 175 pounder should compete for a starting job in the outfield, and at worst will serve as a depth option. The upside is very high with this kid.
A former high school teammate of NC State pitcher Shane Van Dam, Ryan Jaros was a top 150 rated recruit out of Cranford High School in New Jersey in the 2023 high school class. The 6’3, 210 pound right-handed hitter signed with Georgia Tech out of high school and played a reserve role in 2024 for the Yellow Jackets (he did not appear in any of the three games with State last year). He started 11 games and hit .343/.511/.543, 4 2B, 1 HR, 9 R, 8 RBI, 0-0 SB, 21.3 BB%, 23.4 K%. An all-fields hitter with a gap approach, Jaros should slot in as the starting third baseman for the Pack this year.
A native of Memphis, TN, Trenton Lyons was a top 200 recruit in the 2023 high school class who played his freshman year at Ole Miss. A switch-hitting athletic 6’3, 186 lbs utility player, Lyons served mostly in a backup role, appearing in 22 games with 8 starts. Despite his future being in the outfield, he played catcher for the Rebels, with all 8 of his starts coming behind the plate. Lyons hit .256/.326/.282, 1 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1-1 SB, 9.3 BB%, 37.2 K% in his limited action with Ole Miss, and then hit .295/.393/.425, 5 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 29 R, 18 RBI, 22-24 SB, 8.0 BB%, 12.9 K% while playing with Holly Springs in the Coastal Plains League last summer, primarily serving as the starting shortstop for the Salamanders. Lyons is expected to be a starting outfielder for the Pack this year, likely the starting centerfielder. With his skillset, though, he could bounce around the diamond.
Chris McHugh is a New York native who played his freshman year in 2024 at VCU, serving as the Rams starting first baseman. He’ll compete to take on that same role for NC State this year. With the Rams, McHugh hit .273/.390/.385, 5 2B, 6 HR, 36 R, 33 RBI, 4-7 SB, 8.8 BB%, 17.3 K%. A 6’3, 215 pound right-handed hitter with more pop than his 2024 home run total would lead you to believe, McHugh has an all-fields approach and his power plays that way as well. His collegiate experience should give him the early track at the 1B gig, although he could also be in play as the DH for State in 2025. Worst case, he’ll provide an experienced power bat for pinch-hit situations.
Matt Ossenfort is the other guy in competition with McHugh for the starting first base job. A former top 350 recruit in the 2023 high school class, Ossenfort played his freshman year at Vanderbilt where he played in just 6 games, where the lefty hit .182/.250/.545, 1 2B, 1 HR, 0-0 SB, 8.3 BB%, 50.0 K%. He’s listed as a sophomore on this year’s NC State roster, but he should be eligible for a redshirt based on his limited play last year with the Commodores. Ossenfort has shown in his two college summer league stints his potential at this level. Ahead of his freshman year, he played in the Cal Ripken League and hit .376/.480/.693, 8 2B, 8 HR, 4-4 SB, 16.5 BB%, 17.3 K%, and then this past summer in the New England League he hit .264/.370/.448, 11 2B, 4 HR, 2-3 SB, 13.0 BB%, 25.3 K%.
Landon Carr is a 6’2, 196 lbs righty from Waxhaw who spent his first two collegiate years at JUCO program Gaston College. He sits in the low 90’s with his fastball but can get up to the mid 90’s with it, while complementing the pitch with a breaking ball and changeup. Of Carr’s 37 career appearances with Gaston, 31 came in relief. Those six starts, however, were his last six appearances for the Rhinos, and he showed out big: 33.0 IP, 22 H, 7 R, 6 ER (1.64 ERA), 11 BB, 36 K. Carr’s most likely role will be as a reliever, but he could push for a starting gig, whether that’s of the midweek variety or a spot in the weekend rotation.
Brayden Fraasman is a 6’0, 189 lbs outfielder who played his first two collegiate years at Lincoln Trail College, a JUCO program in Illinois. Over his two years at Lincoln Trail, Fraasman hit .348/.414/.598 with 30 2B, 4 3B, 20 HR, 116 R, 105 RBI, 23-26 SB, 8.9 BB%, 15.0 K%. Across 27 games in the Great Lakes and Northwoods Leagues last summer, he hit .371/.483/.526, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 26 R, 17 RBI, 6-8 SB, 15.8 BB%, 15.0 K%. The righty should compete for a starting spot in the outfield this year, but at the least will provide depth for the Pack.
A native of Hickory, Julien Peissel spent his first two collegiate years at UNC Greensboro where he appeared in 33 games, including 20 starts. Over that span, the 6’1, 186 lbs righty went 6-6 with a 4.65 ERA over 129.2 IP with a 7.9 BB% and 16.3 K%. With a low-90’s fastball, changeup, and curveball, Peissel is a pitcher who relies less on strikeouts but more on weak contact to retire hitters. He does induce more flyballs than groundballs, which could be problematic at Doak Field. Peissel could compete for a weekend starting job, but his most likely role is as a relief arm and/or midweek starter. His experience should allow him to carve out a good role with the Pack in 2025.
Eli Pillsbury is a 6’2, 200 pound left-handed JUCO pitcher from John A. Logan College in Illinois. He has some outstanding stuff, including a great 12-6 breaking ball, but control issues has been a central theme among his two JUCO years. Over two seasons at Logan College, Pillsbury went 4-1 with 6 SV and a 5.10 ERA over 47.2 IP, with a 14.9 BB% and 31.2 K%. As one of just six LHPs on the roster, Pillsbury could carve out a frequent role for the Pack, especially considering three of those other LHPs could end up as starters. The most likely role for Pillsbury – assuming he can consistently locate in the zone – is as a single inning reliever, or even a LOOGY.
Justin DeCriscio comes to Raleigh after a solid three-year run at San Diego where he started 113 games, including 93 over the last two years. With the Toreros, DeCriscio served as the starting shortstop in 2023 and 2024 after being the team’s third baseman as a freshman. He hit .299/.362/.389, 22 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 86 R, 69 RBI, 28-40 SB, 6.2 BB%, 8.8 K% across 130 career games. DeCriscio is aggressive at the plate with great contact skills. Given those contact skills and his gap approach, a more patient approach could yield an even better OBP. I’d also expect a less aggressive approach on the bases than he showed at San Diego, although that aggressiveness is sure to come in handy on 1st-to-3rd and 2nd-to-home situations. Defensively, DeCriscio is a natural at shortstop and should step in as the Pack’s everyday starter at the key spot.
Moving to the freshman class, we see a continuation of a common theme across most of the last several classes: athleticism over specificity. You see that on the mound to an extreme with guys like Truitt Manuel and Anderson Nance – players who wouldn’t have been a shock to see listed a two-way guys.
The lone switch-hitter in the freshman class, Trey Bentley is a 6’1, 195 lbs outfielder from Mulberry, Florida. Built more like a third baseman with some stiff body movements, he has more straight-line speed than you’d think. He’ll most likely be a corner outfielder for the Pack. Bentley’s swings aren’t mirrors of each other. His right-handed swing is more short and compact, while his left handed swing looks more natural with a better timing mechanism and better barrel extension. There’s power in the bat from both sides, the type that should translate to the collegiate level.
Preston Bonn, a Top 500 national recruit, was a late addition to the Pack’s freshman class. The 6’0, 187 lbs backstop from Georgia will battle for backup catching duties this year behind Alex Sosa. He has solid potential behind the plate with natural movements, good instincts, and a good arm. Bonn’s swing is one geared for getting on top of the ball and producing line drives. He can be pull-happy at times, but will go with the pitch on the outer third.
Ty Head is the top freshman to get to campus this year for State, being a Top 50 national recruit. The 6’3, 205 lbs lefty was expected to be a 2024 MLB Draft pick, but instead will roam the outfield in Raleigh. Head’s athleticism provide him the ability to play all three outfield spots and his swing is a thing of beauty. Given the number of new outfield blood added to the mix, it’s no guarantee Head will start immediately for the Pack, but the Winter Garden, FL, native should carve out a meaningful role with this squad. He has one of the highest upsides of any player on the team, as indicated by D1 Baseball placing him 8th on their list of ACC impact freshman for 2025.
Aden Knowles is another Florida native, hailing from Tampa. With a high-80’s fastball paired with a breaking ball and changeup out of a high three-quarters delivery, Knowles has a feel for pitching that should get him early innings. His 6’3, 198 lbs frame has room to add some muscle, so there’s a reasonable expectation that he could move up to a mid-90’s heater as he develops. For 2025, Knowles should be expected to compete for relief innings. Of note, his high school teammate, catcher Vincent DeCarlo, will be joining the Pack in 2026, and his younger brother, Eric, is a currently uncommitted rising high school junior arm worth keeping an eye on.
A top 500 national recruit, Truitt Manuel was a high school stud who feels undervalued. The 6’2, 206 lbs righty was a two-way beast on the diamond at West Henderson High while also playing football and basketball on his way to being named the HSOT Male Athlete of the Year in 2024. Across his junior and senior years he struck out 220 over 117.2 IP. More of an athlete than anything at this point, he’ll focus on pitching at state where he’ll hone his pitching repertoire that consists of a fastball that has been as high as the mid 90s along with a pair of breaking balls, a more traditional 11-5 curveball as well as a hard-bite slider.
Get ready for a bunch of Johnny Piedmonte comparisons because Kaden Morris is a 6’8, 220 lbs right-handed pitcher. The comparisons to Piedmonte should really stop at the height, though, because the Top 300 national recruit has a completely different delivery and style on the mound. He features a low-90’s fastball paired with a changeup and a breaking ball out of a surprisingly compact delivery for his size. There’s more velo to be had if he can get extended a bit more, but there’s a ton of potential here.
Anderson Nance is a super athletic Top 250 national recruit. While not a prototypical starter build at 6’0, 182 lbs, Nance has an advanced feel for his low-90s fastball and mid-80s slider. If his changeup can develop into a solid third pitch, he’ll eventually be a starter for State. His size is probably the biggest reason he went undrafted last year; if he were 6’3, he’d have been selected at some point. For the 2025 season, Nance is more likely to run out there as a relief arm. The upside is huge for the guy who struck out 325 in 166.1 IP in high school. D1 Baseball listed Nance 25th on their list of ACC impact freshman for 2025.
At 6’5, 235 lbs, Brandon Novy is a corner infielder with the type of power potential you’d expect from that frame. A Top 300 national recruit, Novy started his high school career at Jack Britt in Fayetteville before moving to Holly Springs and attending Pro5 Academy. In addition to his power potential, Novy displays an ability to use all fields and go with the pitch. Expectations of his impact for the Pack in 2025 should be tempered, but his long-term prospects are promising.
Tristan Potts is the lone left-handed pitcher in this year’s freshman class. The stocky 6’2, 220 pounder from Waxhaw features a high-80’s fastball with a breaking ball and changeup added into the mix. The southpaw has a some deception in his delivery with a mid-high leg kick, low glove placement, and short-armed approach. Some adjustment to the latter could add some velo. The curve ball is his best pitch right now. Potts has a reliever profile and should feature as such in 2025.
Ryder Woodson is another freshman from Florida; a 6’2, 182 lbs infielder from Naples. A shortstop in high school, Woodson is likely to start his career there, although his frame could eventually see him bulking out of the position and moving to third base. He has a solid approach at the plate and gets good extension on his swings, with a gap approach. He’ll serve in a reserve role in 2025 while building for the future.
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