DALLAS (NCBWA) – TCU outfielder Sawyer Strosnider and Texas left-hander Dylan Volantis have been named the 2025 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) National Freshman Hitter and Pitcher of the Year recipients, as announced by the organization today.
Strosnider was named the 2025 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and to the Big 12 All-Conference first team. The Big 12 All-Freshman and All-Tournament team member played in 54 games, starting 53 for TCU, helping the Horned Frogs post a 39-18 record and receive an at-large selection to the NCAA Corvallis, Ore. Regional. The outfielder led TCU in batting average (.350), triples (10), RBI (51), slugging percentage (.646), and OPS (1.070) in 2025. He also had a team-leading 77 hits and 23 multi-hit games. In addition, the outfielder had 13 doubles, 11 home runs, and 52 runs scored.
The Brock, Texas, native was named to the NCBWA Freshman All-America first team yesterday. A member of the 2025 Corvallis All-Regional Team, Strosnider set a school single-season record and led the nation with 10 triples in 2025. He also became the fourth player in the NCAA since 2002 to post a season quadruple-double (13 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 10 stolen bases) and the 11th since 1990.
Strosnider finished the year among the Big 12 leaders in several categories. The outfielder ended the season among the conference leaders in batting average (12th), hits (7th), slugging percentage (8th), total bases (5th), triples (1st), and OPS (10th). In addition, the outfielder was selected as the Big 12 Player and Newcomer of the Week for March 24.
Volantis was named as the 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year and a semifinalist for the 38th Dick Howser Trophy, given to the year’s top collegiate player. A 2025 SEC All-Conference and All-SEC Freshman Team member, the left-hander posted a 4-1 record with 12 saves and a 1.94 ERA over 51 innings in 23 appearances, 22 of which were in relief. He struck out 74 and walked 12, holding opponents to a .185 batting average. He led the Longhorns in appearances, ERA, saves, strikeouts and opponent batting average.
The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native was named to the NCBWA Freshman All-America first team yesterday. Along with being a Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist, he was also a 2025 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist. Volantis helped the Texas post a 44-14 record and win the 2025 SEC regular season crown, becoming the first team to win the league in its inaugural season in the conference since 1933. The Longhorns received an at-large bid, a national seed and hosted the NCAA Austin, Texas Regional. Texas ranked as high as No. 1 in the NCBWA Division I Weekly Poll during the 2025 season.
Considered one of the nation’s top closers in 2025, Volantis finished the year 10th in the nation in saves. A finalist for the 2025 NCBWA Stopper of the Year, his 11 saves in SEC action were the most by an SEC freshman ever, breaking Ole Miss' Steven Head's 22-year-old record. In SEC play, the left-hander also led all pitchers (min. 25 innings) in ERA (1.59), WHIP (0.85), opponent batting average (.160) and saves (11).
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters, and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, ncbwa.com. For more information about the 2024 NCBWA Freshman All-America team, contact Ryan Bomberger (rbomberger@liberty.edu).