VMI baseball’s Grayson Fitzwater ’26, Boston Torres ’28, Owen Prince ’26, and Justin Spiegel ’27 earned Southern Conference postseason awards May 20, 2025.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.
The league office announced that four Keydets earned Southern Conference postseason awards May 20, 2025.
VMI baseball’s Grayson Fitzwater ’26, first baseman, landed on the All-SoCon First Team, while Boston Torres ’28 and Owen Prince ’26, outfielders, were voted to the All-SoCon Second Team. Prince also secured All-Defensive Team honors. Justin Spiegel ’27, righthanded pitcher, was dubbed to the All-SoCon Freshman Team.
Fitzwater, who was named Preseason All-Conference, earned his first postseason award after crushing 17 home runs and 65 RBIs, both top five in the league. Fitzwater broke the VMI career RBI record and surpassed the previous single-season record he set last season. The junior lefty boasts a .322 batting clip and a whopping .653 slug, both career highs. Fitzwater set the program’s longest on-base streak, reaching base safely in 43 straight games.
Torres was a staple in the VMI lineup, playing and starting in all 52 games this year. The power lefty slashed .335/.576/.462, with 67 RBIs and 68 runs, both number one in the conference and new VMI single-season records. Torres has posted 17 multi-RBI games with 21 multi-hit outings. The Altavista, Virginia, native tabbed SoCon Player of the Week honors to cap off the month of March.
Prince, who was a Preseason All-SoCon selection, dazzled in his 2nd Class season with the Keydets, speeding his way to the top of the stolen base category for VMI, the league, and the nation with 46 steals. The center fielder has tallied a league-best 79 hits to pair nicely with 63 runs and 46 walks, both top-five in the conference. Prince set multiple stolen base records for the Keydets, breaking the single-game and single-season records.
Spiegel, who competed in his first full season at VMI, had a breakout year on the bump and moved into a Friday starting role. Through 15 appearances and four starts, the redshirt freshman has tossed 42.1 innings with 48 strikeouts. Spiegel set new career-high strikeout totals in back-to-back starts, punching out eight against Samford, followed by nine against The Citadel.
Player of the Year – Cooper Torres, ETSU
Pitcher of the Year – Brady Frederick, ETSU
Coach of the Year – Joe Pennucci, ETSU
Freshman of the Year – Axel Melendez, ETSU
Defensive Player of the Year – Bradley Frye, Mercer
SP – Carter Fink, ETSU
SP – Jace Hyde, ETSU
SP – Colton Cosper, Mercer
RP – Maddox Webb, The Citadel
RP – Danny Thompson Jr., UNCG
RP – Brady Frederick, Western Carolina
C – Jack Spyke, Western Carolina
1B – Grayson Fitzwater, VMI
2B – Cooper Torres, ETSU
SS – Bradley Frye, Mercer
3B – Parker McDonald, Samford
OF – Ty Dalley, Mercer
OF – Jamie Palmese, UNCG
OF – Michael Gupton, Samford
DH – Wyatt Stanley, Western Carolina
SP – Mason Blasche, Samford
SP – Miller Riggins, Samford
SP – Dusty Revis, Western Carolina
RP – Derek McCarley, ETSU
RP – Josh Leerssen, Samford
RP – Carter Rasmussen, Wofford
C – Cade Carr, Samford
1B – Jackson Harris, Samford
2B – Jeffrey Ince, Samford
SS – Cody Miller, ETSU
3B – Grant Gallagher, ETSU
OF – TJ Anderson, The Citadel
OF – Boston Torres, VMI
OF – Owen Prince, VMI
DH – Lenny Montesano, ETSU
Phillips Daniels, The Citadel
Garrett Dill, The Citadel
Travis Elliott, The Citadel
Lane Tobin, The Citadel
Tristan Curless, ETSU
Cody Miller, ETSU
Bradley Frye, Mercer
Titan Kamaka, Mercer
Jacob Budzik, UNCG
Jeffrey Ince, Samford
Owen Prince, VMI
Trent Turner, Western Carolina
Axel Melendez, ETSU
Collin Ewaldsen, Mercer
JJ Parsons, UNCG
Parker Wright, UNCG
Mason Blasche, Samford
Gus Gandy, Samford
Jake Souders, Samford
Justin Spiegel, VMI
Trey Spees, Western Carolina
Wyatt Stanley, Western Carolina
Cullen Condon, Wofford
Tanner Hardin, Wofford
Editor’s Note: This article was first published on vmikeydets.com.
