LSU Baseball Pitcher Casan Evans Named Finalist for 2025 Stopper of the Year. read more details ๐
Hereโs an in-depth look at LSU freshman right-hander Casan Evans, who has cemented himself as one of the nationโs most dominant college baseball relievers this seasonโand deservedly so as a 2025 Stopper of the Year finalist:
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โญ Background & Award Context
On June 4, 2025, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA)โwhich annually honors the best relief pitcher in NCAA Division Iโselected 13 finalists for the 20th Stopper of the Year Award, to be announced June 13 at the College World Series in Omaha, NE .
Evans stands out as one of only two freshmen among the finalists (alongside Texasโs Dylan Volantis) .
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๐ข Season Performance
A product of Houston, Texas, Evans has impressed with a 4โ1 record, a stellar 1.90 ERA, and 6 saves across 17 appearances (47.1 innings). He has issued 19 walks, racked up 65 strikeouts, and held opposing hitters to a mere .225 batting average .
He first gained national attention when he was named to the NCBWA midseason watch list alongside teammate Zac Cowan, with a then 0.67 ERA, 41 strikeouts in 27 innings, and nine walks .
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๐ฏ Postseason Heroics
In LSUโs Baton Rouge Regional championship vs. Little Rock, Evans turned in a once-in-a-generation performance striking out 12 batters over 6 innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, with 3 walks. The outing included an astonishing nine consecutive strikeoutsโthe longest streak by an LSU pitcher in at least 37 seasons, surpassing Ben McDonald in 1989 .
He threw a whopping 109 pitches (71 strikes), demonstrating both efficiency and endurance under pressure .
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๐ The Finalist Field
Evans competes with a talented and diverse set of 12 other finalists:
Conference standouts like Carson Ozmer (Alabama, SEC) with 17 saves, Dylan Crooks (Oklahoma, SEC) with a 1.69 ERA and 16 saves, and Gabe Craig (Baylor, Big 12) with a miniscule 0.56 ERA .
From across the countryโfrom Sacramento State’s Kade Brown to Arizonaโs Tony Pluta, Georgia Techโs Mason Patel, and UC Irvineโs Ricky Ojedaโthe finalists represent six conferences total, with the SEC leading the way with five nominees .
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๐๏ธ Whatโs Next
The final winner will be revealed via a news conference on Friday, June 13, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, just ahead of the College World Series .
LSU is continuing postseason action, heading into the Super Regionalsโwhere Evansโs arm will be a key factor in their bid to advance.
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โ The Takeaway
At just 19 years old, Casan Evans has rapidly risenโhis electric fastball, strikeout ability, and handling of high-pressure moments embody what the Stopper of the Year Award celebrates. For a freshman to be nominated alongside seasoned seniors and seasoned closers is rare, underscoring his exceptional talent and the bright future ahead. As the season moves toward its climax in Omaha, all eyes will be on whether Evans can etch his name alongside the greats as 2025โs top collegiate relief pitcher.
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If you’d like, I can provide a comparison with other finalists or break down his pitch arsenal and velocity trendsโjust let me know!