Page 79 - DBU Baseball 25 Media Guide

2025 POSITION OUTLOOK
PITCHING
DBU bolsters its pitching staff with a talented group of 14 newcomers, including eight transfers and six freshmen. Leading the Patriots’ transfer class are three Division I arms—Nick Bonn (Pepperdine), Micah Bucknam (LSU), and Rian Schwede (Villanova),who each bringing valuable collegiate experience to the mound.
Bonn spent last season in Pepperdine’s weekend rotation, making 13 starts in the Friday night spot after serving in a relief role two years ago as a freshman. Bucknam was a 16th round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 and was part of LSU’s national championship as a freshman in 2023. Last year, he made eight relief appearances for the Tigers. Schwede comes to DBU from Villanova where he pitched in 19 games and was second on the staff in strikeouts.
DBU’s junior college transfer class brings a wealth of talent and experience, with several arms poised to make an immediate impact on the mound. Left-hander Mason Peters, a transfer from Temple College, possesses electric stuff and is coming off an impressive fall, positioning himself as a potential difference-maker. Joining him is fellow lefty Liam Watt, who arrives at DBU with a championship pedigree after leading LSU Eunice to an NJCAA Division II national title, where he earned National Championship Tournament MVP Pitcher honors.
The Patriots also strengthened their staff with three right-handers from the junior college ranks—Landon Abrahamson, Ryan Borberg, and Ashton Branson. Abrahamson spent the past two seasons at Patrick & Henry Community College, while Borberg, who began his collegiate career at Illinois State, excelled at Johnson County Community College, earning All-Conference honors in 2024. Branson was a dominant force for Crowder College, leading the staff with 96 strikeouts in 66.0 innings while helping guide his team to the NJCAA Division I National Championships.
DBU’s incoming class of freshman arms features four promising talents, including left- hander Park Prater and right-handers Avery Duncan, Athan Kroll, and Will Yeary. Prater arrives
as a highly touted two-way player after leading Argyle High School to back-to-back state championship appearances in 2022 and 2023. As a junior, he posted the second-lowest ERA in Texas and was ranked the No. 58 left-handed pitcher in the nation by Perfect Game.
Duncan, a standout from Green Bay, Wisconsin, was a First Team All-State selection at Notre Dame Academy and recently earned recognition as the No. 86 right-handed pitching prospect in the class of 2025 by Perfect Game. Kroll was a dominant force at Valor Christian High School, where he helped lead his team to a Class 5A state championship and earned First Team All- State honors as a junior. Perfect Game also ranked him as the No. 3 overall player in Colorado.
Yeary, a local product from Mansfield, Texas, made his mark at Covenant Christian Academy, where he was a two-time All-State selection and named District Pitcher of the Year as a senior.
INFIELD
DBU’s infield figures to be one of the most experienced and talented groups in the nation in 2025. Four starters return that earned All-Conference USA honors last year including Michael Dattalo, Luke Heefner, Grant Jay, and Chayton Krauss. Last season, this dynamic group combined to hit 50 home runs and total 206 RBI, serving as the backbone of DBU’s potent offense.
At the heart of the lineup stands Grant Jay, one of the nation’s top power hitters. The junior catcher from Semmes, Alabama, has been named the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year after a standout 2024 campaign in which he hit .300 with 21 home runs and 57 RBIs. Jay enters the season with 42 career home runs, needing just 12 more to etch his name in the record books as DBU’s all-time home run leader.
At first base, Chayton Krauss stands out as a defensive stalwart and an imposing force at the plate. A finalist for the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team, Krauss committed just two errors in 429 chances, posting an elite .995 fielding percentage last year. At the plate, he was equally dominant, leading the team with a .358 batting average and finishing among Conference USA’s top 10 in six offensive categories.
Up the middle, senior shortstop Luke Heefner provides leadership, consistency, and elite defensive ability. A three-year starter, Heefner enters his final season as one of college baseball’s most dependable and dynamic shortstops. His exceptional range and steady glove earned him Second Team All-CUSA honors last year, while his bat remained a key asset— hitting .273 with five home runs, 15 doubles, and 36 RBI.
At third base, Michael Dattalo wasted no time making an impact in his first year at DBU. After transferring from Northwestern State, he seized the everyday starting role at the hot corner and emerged as one of the conference’s most dangerous hitters. His impressive .345 batting average, paired with eight home runs, 14 doubles, and 47 RBIs, earned him the title of CUSA Newcomer of the Year.
The Patriots also return four key
contributors from last season, each poised
to make a greater impact in 2025. Adam
Berghult, a junior catcher, brings an
impressive pedigree, having earned All-
American honors two years ago at North
Iowa Area Community College. Keaton
Grady, now in his third year at DBU after
transferring from Incarnate Word, saw
action in 21 games last season, making
six starts while providing depth to the
lineup. Cody Grebeck, another transfer
addition in 2024, served as a reliable late-
inning defensive replacement, appearing
in 23 games in 2024. Meanwhile, Ben
Tryon showcased his power early as a freshman last year, launching home runs for his first two career hits in his debut start and went on to play 18 games in his first season at DBU. Luke Pettitte, who starred on the mound last year for DBU, could also see time as a two-way player in the Patriot infield in 2025.
DBU bolsters its infield depth with seven newcomers in 2025, including four transfers with Division I and junior college experience, as well as three talented freshmen looking to make an impact. Mason Swinney, a junior transfer from Alabama, arrives after spending the past two seasons with the Crimson Tide, making 15 starts at second base in 2024. A highly touted prospect out of Phil Campbell High School in Alabama, Swinney was ranked the state’s top shortstop by Prep Baseball Report and was one of Alabama’s most sought-after recruits. Another key addition is Landon Underhill, who began his career at Mercer University before
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