The beginning of the 2025 season is here and so are the weekly SSBR awards. Last year we began bringing attention to individual performances turned in by those on small college (NCAA D2, NAIA, NCCAA) teams and junior colleges.

Each week we send out nomination forms to the head coaches of each team in the various divisions above. We ask them to nominate only 1 position player and 1 pitcher with their stats for the week and any context they feel would help their player. We look at those nominations and choose the player or pitcher in each category that we feel had the best week. Also, each player or pitcher nominated will get recognized even if they don’t win.

Before we take a look at this week’s winners, we can honestly say that the amount of outstanding performances on the mound this week was the most we’ve seen in the 2+ seasons we’ve covered baseball in the Sooner State. Several of the pitchers nominated would’ve won the award in just about any other week. It was truly an outstanding week for the pitchers.

Without any further ado, let’s take a look at this week’s winners.

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Pitchers

*It is only right that we group the winners by position this week instead of by 4 year schools and JUCOs.

Small College

Brock Cordes (RHP), MACU Evangels

Through the first 2 weeks of the season, MACU had struggled to find consistency on the mound. That was something they could count on the last 2 seasons with Isaac Baez and Zane Roubeau. Outside of an outstanding performance by Angel Miranda in the 2nd game of the season, the Evangels hadn’t had a game where they gave up fewer than 3 runs.

Enter Brock Cordes on Saturday night in Sterlington, LA. Coming off being shutout to #2 LSU Shreveport in their first game of the Cajun Collision on Saturday afternoon, the Evangels were looking for a spark to get back in the win column.

That is when Cordes took the ball and put his team on his back. Cordes was absolutely dominant vs Dakota St. Through 6 innings, Dakota St only had 1 base runner which was a walk in the 2nd inning. After a ground out to start the 7th, Dakota St got an infield single to break up Cordes’ no hit bid. However, Cordes got the next batter to pop up and he closed it out in style with a strike out.

For the game, Cordes threw only 90 pitches and he allowed only 4 balls in the air that all resulted in out. He had 11 strikeouts and 6 ground outs and faced only 2 batters over the minimum.

We haven’t had a no hitter over 5 IP yet this season, so it is safe to say this has been the best performance by a pitcher this season so far.

Cordes’ line: G 1/GS 1, 1-0, CG, 7 IP, H, BB, 11 K

Other nominees:
– Josh Doerr, OPSU: G 1/GS 1, 1-0, CG, 7 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 9 K
– Zach Gaudreau, SCU: G 1/GS 1, CG, 7 IP, 2 H, 6 K
– Ezra Gustafson, ECU: G 1/GS 1, 1-0, CG, 7 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 K
– Brian Ereu, USAO: G 1/GS 1, 1-0, 6 IP, 4 H, 2R, ER, BB, 9 K
– Danny Satterlee, UCO: G 1/GS 1, 1-0, 5 IP, H, BB
– Jacob Fuller, NWOSU: G 1/GS 1, 1-0, 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 6 K
– Tristan Copeland, OC: G 2, 9.1 IP, H, BB 18 K

JUCO

Declan Dahl (RHP), Seminole State Trojans

Perhaps no team has had a tougher schedule to start their season in 2025 than Seminole State. They’ve played 6 games (4 of them against New Mexico Junior College) and all 6 have come against teams that are ranked in either the NJCAA National or PBR JUCO National polls.

After losing their first game in the Tournament of Champions in Houston, the Trojans were facing the host school – San Jacinto North and looking for anything to get them a win over the Ravens. Just like Cordes did with MACU, Dahl put the Trojans on his back.

The Ravens had scored 50 runs in their first 4 games, but that didn’t matter to Dahl. The Azle, TX native shut down San Jac over 6 innings before handing the ball over to Jackson Pickelsimer to close the last 3 innings. Dahl faced only 2 batters over the minimum giving up only 2 hits and no walks while throwing 66 strikes in 87 pitches earning the win for the Trojans.

Dahl’s line: G 1/GS 2, 1-0 6 IP, 2 H, 5 K

Other nominees:
– Cale Wetwiska, NOC Enid: G 1/GS 1, ND, 5 IP, 3 H, 9 K
– Logan Taylor, NOC Tonkawa: G 1/GS 1, CG, 5 IP, 0 H, BB, 6 K
– Brannon Westmoreland, Connors St: G 1/GS 1, CG, 9 IP, 8 H, ER, BB, 3 SO
– Cash Kuiper, Murray State: G 1/GS 1, 1-0, 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 8 K

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Position Players

Small College

DJ Van Atten (INF), Oklahoma Baptist Bison

The 2023 GAC Player of the Year and 1st Team All American (SNU) is being looked upon to fill some of the gap left behind with the graduations of Troy Shields and Alex Schroeder. If what he did this past weekend, the Bison are in good hands.

Coming off a disappointing 1-2 start in the Edmond First Pitch Classic, the Bison hosted Metro State – Denver in a 4 game series. To say that Van Atten came in “clutch” would be an understatement. Van Atten went 6-8 with runners in scoring position and 4-4 with 2 outs. He got on base 3 out of every 4 plate appearances and raised his season batting average to .500.

Van Atten’s line: G 4, .733/.750/.867, 9 RBI, 2 2B, BB, 4 R

Other nominees:
– Joseph Boone, SCU: G 3, .700/.727/1.00, 4 RBI, 3 2B, BB, 4 R
– Jonluke Hobdy, MACU: G 5, .294/.333/.471, 9 RBI, 3 2B, 5 R
– Devin Alvarez, USAO: G 4, .667/.733/.833, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 3 BB, 6 R
– Connor Green, NWOSU: G 5, .607/.640/.956, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 2 2B, 9 R, SB

JUCO

Joey Canzoni (INF), NOC Tonkawa

Being on a team that has scored a total of 124 runs in their first 4 games, it’ll take something special to stand out for your coach to nominate you as a Player of the Week. Maybe something like a 3 game HR streak?

That is what Canzoni did along with knocking in 12 RBI in those 3 games. The University of Cincinnati transfer is slashing .407/.529/.815 in his first 8 games with those 3 HR and 16 RBI.

Canzoni’s line: G 4, .533/.611/1.267, 3 RH, 12 RBI, 2 2B, 3 BB, 9 R, 2 SB

Other nominees:
– Cale Wetwiska, NOC Enid: G 3, .417, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 3B, 3 R
– Chris Valenzuela, Western: G 4, .387, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 2B, BB, 5 R
– Austin Hailey, Murray State: G 3, .500, 4 RBI, 3 2B, BB, SB

*Post was updated to include Tristan Copeland of Oklahoma Christian as a pitching nominee in the Small College category.

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