It is finally opening week for the Rutgers Baseball program, as they hope to bounce back after a rough showing in 2024.
Coming into this season, the Scarlet Knights will have almost an entirely new roster with many new names coming in via both the high school route and the transfer portal. With that being said, here are my three bold predictions for the 2025 Rutgers Baseball team.
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TY DOUCETTE WILL BE NAMED TO THE ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Sophomore first baseman Ty Doucette is coming off an impressive freshman season, as the Canadian-born prospect was one of the top hitters for the Scarlet Knights last year. Not to mention, he even played through some injuries and was still able to perform well.
In the 2024 season, Doucette played in 44 games and slashed .321/.388/.556 with 52 hits, 11 doubles, nine home runs, 49 RBIs, 22 runs scored, and a .944 OPS. He also had a 120 WRC+ and 8.2 BB%.
Right now I expect Doucette to hit in the middle of the order for the Scarlet Knights and will likely be their top power hitter with 10-15 home runs this season. With his bat-to-ball skills and power, he has the potential of being an All-Big Ten Conference player.
RHP JUSTIN SHADEK FINISHES SEASON AS RUTGERS ACE
Heading into the 2025 season, redshirt freshman Justin Shadek could be the biggest breakout candidate for the Scarlet Knights. The former Seton Hall Prep product missed all of last season due to an injury, but is ready to go for 2025.
Coming out of high school, Shadek was ranked a Top 500 prospect in the Class of 2023 and was also the 14th overall prospect and the eighth ranked right-handed pitcher out of the Garden State for his class.
On the mound, Shadek has a three-pitch mix including his fastball, curveball, and slider. He has a fastball that sits 93-95 mph and was closed at 99 mph in the fall according to D1 Baseball. He also has a curveball is a go-to strikeout pitch, and he is still developing his sharp slider.
TREVOR COHEN FINISHES TOP 25 IN BATTING AVERAGE
Junior outfielder Trevor Cohen is one of the few returning starters from last season and he's an advantage hitter with excellent bat-to-ball skills and an advanced approach. While he doesn’t have much power, he’ll consistently get on base and create havoc on the base paths.
During the 2024 season, Cohen played and started in 50 games while slashing .324/.400/.406 with 67 hits, eight doubles, three triples, one home run, 10 stolen bases, 24 walks, and a .806 OPS.
With another season under his belt, Cohen will be one of the most experienced hitters for the Scarlet Knights this season. It will be also be his third year starting for the Scarlet Knights and I expect Cohen to have a huge season that could make him a potential MLB Draft prospect by the end of the season.
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