STANFORD, Calif. – Freshmen Brock Ketelsen and Brock Sell have been listed on Baseball America’s Preseason Freshman of the Year watch list, it was announced on Tuesday.
Ketelsen, the 2025 West Coast League Top Prospect, is a two-way player who will see action as a left-handed pitcher and outfielder. Sell, ranked 55th on Baseball America’s Top 500 draft prospects entering last year’s draft, is a utility player who projects to see time across several different positions.
This season marks the first that Baseball America has officially named preseason collegiate national award winners and preseason award watch lists.
According to the publication, the Freshman of the Year race is defined less by résumé and more by immediate impact, projection and how quickly a player asserts himself at the college level. The players listed represent early standouts entering their first Division I seasons, offering a snapshot of freshmen positioned to make an immediate mark while also carrying long-term upside. As with any preseason list, contenders are not limited to those included, and additional freshmen will emerge as the season unfolds.
Amateur track record served as the primary evaluation factor for preseason inclusion, with tools, role opportunity and feedback from professional evaluators also considered.
Mississippi State lefthander Jack Bauer was named Baseball America Preseason Freshman of the Year.