OK Wesleyan Eagles 2025 Season Preview

It is hard to believe, but the 2025 college baseball season is less than a month away for several of our squads here in the Sooner State.

Over the next several weeks leading up to the season we will be looking a some of our teams on the college level. Recently we sent out a questionnaire to the head coaches of each squad from the NCAA D2, NAIA, NCCAA, and NJCAA levels asking about their returning players and incoming players as well as their thoughts about their strengths and “opportunities” heading into the 2025 season.

Let’s take a look at a team with high expectations for the 2025 season at the NAIA level: Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles.

2024 Recap

After a 2 year absence from the NAIA National Tournament, the Eagles found their way back in the field in 2024 with an automatic bid for winning the KCAC Tournament. OKWU finished 3rd in the KCAC regular season (4 games clear of 4th place) after leading the standings for most of the season. Unfortunately, the Eagles lost 2 – 1 run games in the Opening Round (the last to MACU) going 0-2.

At the plate, OKWU was a more than solid team slashing .323/.430/.532 with 82 HRs, 446 RBIs, and 501 runs scored.

The Eagles had the 4th best team ERA in the KCAC with 6.24.

Team Basics

Official name: Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles
Level: NAIA
Location: Bartlesville, OK
Conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Head Coach: Kirk Kelley (9th year as HC at OKWU and 27th year overall)

2024 Team Statistics

Batting
– Games: 55, .323/.430/.532, 82 HR, 446 RBI, 585 H, 126 2B, 10 3B, 277 BB, 376 SO

Pitching
– Games: 55, 35-20, 3 SV, 6.24 ERA, 436.2 IP, 1.64 WHIP, 482 H, 232 BB, 447 SO

Returners

Position Players

Ravaughn Morgan (OF): 2024: G54, .379/.443/.639, 11 HR, 55 RBI, 20 2B, 3 3B, 22 BB – All KCAC 1st Team
Jorge Aldrete (1B): 2024: G 55, .340/.456/.520, 6 HR, 55 RBI, 16 2B, 3B, 30 BB
Javi Marcial (OF): 2024: G 55, .341/.449/.584, 10 HR, 51 RBI, 13 2B, 3B, 24 BB

Pitchers

Evan Foor: 2024: G 16/GS 14, 9-3, 3.91 ERA, 99 IP, 92 H, 33 BB, 75 SO – All KCAC 1st Team
Ashton Luera: 2024: G 17, 5-0, 2 SV, 1.35 ERA, 33.1 IP, 14 H, 22 BB, 59 SO – All KCAC 2nd Team
Michael Mendoza: 2024: G 5/GS 5, 2-1, 4.30 ERA, 14.2 IP, 11 H, 5 BB, 11 SO

Incoming Players

Jacob Morgan (RHP)
Chase Pinheiro (OF)
Luis Antigua (3B) – returning from injury

Outlook

The Eagles lose KCAC Player of the Year and NAIA All American, Victor Sanchez, from the 2024 squad, but they return a good core in Morgan, Aldrete, and Marcial. Morgan was a All KCAC 1st team player in 2024 and all three players had over 50 RBIs in 2024.

Coach Kelley says the Eagles will be “very athletic offensively” in 2025 so while they may look different this year, that doesn’t mean they won’t be a potent as they were in 2024.

Where OKWU looks strong coming into 2025 is the fact they return most of their pitching staff. Evan Foor is the ace for the Eagles as he was an All KCAC 1st team selection as well. Ashton Luera came out of the bullpen in 2024 as he was an All KCAC 2nd team selection with 59 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched.

While Coach Kelley says the Eagles will “need to see how the offense continues to come together,” the natural progression of the pitchers as they get older should provide the Eagles some time to find their footing at the plate.

Coach Kelley says he “really likes this club” and so do we. We look to see OK Wesleyan contend in the KCAC once again and back in the NAIA Opening Round again in 2025.

Do you like the content that Sooner State Baseball Report provides? Show your support by purchasing an official SSBR shirt or hoodie at our online store at the link below.

Official Sooner State Baseball Report Merch

Like this content? Don’t miss any posts. Enter your email in the box below and have Sooner State Baseball Report content delivered right to your inbox.