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 NJCAA (Junior College) level: NOC Tonkawa Mavericks.
2024 Recap
Tonkawa had a really good 2024 season in the first year of the Michael Keeran era. The Mavs went 42-19 overall, 19-11 in conference (10-2 in their last 12 conference games), and played in the Region 2 Tournament finals just one step away from the District Tournament. The Mavs finished ranked #20 in the final NJCAA Regular Season rankings.
The Mavs were an offensive juggernaut in 2024 highlighted by a 3 game sweep of Hesston in March where they outscored their opponent 72-4 in three games.
Team Basics
- Official name: Northern Oklahoma College Tonkawa Mavericks
- Level: NJCAA Div II
- Location: Tonkawa, OK
- Conference: Region 2
- Head Coach: Michael Keeran (2nd year at NOC Tonkawa, 2nd overall)
2024 Team Statistics
Batting
– G 61, .364/.472/.588, 68 HR, 569 RBI, 181 2B, 30 3B, 634 R, 331BB
Pitching
– G 61, 42-19, 5.18 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 3 SO
Returners
Position Players
- Blade Carver (C), 2024: .404/.487/.647 with 7 HR, 70 RBI, 22 2B, 7 3B, 36 BB – East Carolina commit/2024 NJCAA All America Third Team
- Carson Taylor (INF), 2024: G 50 .350/.409/.425, 38 RBI, 12 2B, 2 3B, 28 BB – UCO commit
Pitchers
- Nakni Anna (LHP), 2024: G 20, 6-1, 3 SV, 5.28 ERA, 61.1 IP, 63 H, 35 BB, 57 SO – South Florida commit
- Kamden Edge (RHP), 2024: DNP – Austin Peay commit
- Liam McKinney (LHP), 2024: G 19/GS 1, 8-2, 4.66 ERA, 56 IP, 59 H, 27 BB, 39 SO
- Kaegan Baker, 2024: G 21, 3-1, 2 SV, 4.76 ERA, 39.2 IP, 38 H, 12 BB, 43 SO
Incoming Players
- Will Johnson (INF), Prev school: UT-Arlington – Old Dominion commit
- Joey Canzoni (INF), Prev school: Cincinnati
- Christian Stratis (OF), Prev school: UAB
- Aidan Zakarewicz (INF), Prev school: Xavier
- Hank Vandermeer (1B), Prev school: USC Upstate
- Eric Harper (UTL), Prev school: Middle Tennessee State
- Jadan Boyce (OF), Prev school: Oklahoma Christian
- Braylon Watson (OF), Prev school: Coppin St
- Kingston Hangartner (1B), Prev school: Celina (TX) High School
- Caleb Watkins (OF), Prev school: Royse City (TX) High School
- Robert Evans (C), Prev school: Norman North HS
- Jacob Culp (RHP), Prev school: Wabash Valley – Illinois St commit
- Aiden Hansen (RHP), Prev school: MN State Mankato
- Evan Rolison (RHP), Prev school: Angelo St
- Garrett Folmar (LHP), Prev school: SEARK
- Braeden Cooch (RHP), Prev school: USC Upstate
Outlook
The Mavs lost a ton of production from the 2024 squad. They have only 2 returning everyday players from the ’24 lineup on the squad for 2025. No worries though. Coach Keeran and his staff reloaded by bringing in 7 NCAA D1 transfers and 1 NCAA D2 transfer. Those numbers plus Blade Carver being an NJCAA All American from 2024 mean the Mavs should have more than enough to score runs.
The pitchers that return for the Mavs could provide some valuable innings in 2025. Nakni Anna had the most innings pitched for the returning pitchers in 2024 and he’s a South Florida commit. Kamden Edge did not pitch in 2024, but he is an Austin Peay commit. Kaegan Baker had the most appearances for the Mavs in 2024, and Liam McKinney is a sneaky good lefty who can pitch in various situations out of the pen.
Yes, the Mavs will have a slew of new faces in 2025, but Coach Keeran says this team loves to play ball together already. Look for this squad to be one of the top teams in Region 2 and don’t be surprised if Tonkawa makes it even farther than the Region 2 Tournament in 2025.
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