In an ever-changing college sports world, one thing remains the same: teams need good players to win, no matter the sport. How teams get there has evolved, from recruiting players to balancing recruiting with the transfer portal. A part of the landscape that is not as often talked about is retaining talent.
Arizona State baseball will need to keep the talent that it has, as seven players have used up all of their years of eligibility, seven more players are possibly entering the draft and reportedly three players are in the transfer portal already. That is 17 of the 41 players ASU had rostered in the 2025 season. ASU head coach Willie Bloomquist, who reportedly will be back next season, will want to retain as much of last year’s team as possible.
There is a small chance that some of the non-seniors who are eligible can stay, with the most likely one being right-handed reliever Lucas Kelly. Most of these players appear high on prospect lists like outfielders Brandon Compton, Isaiah Jackson, Kien Vu and lefty starter Ben Jacobs.
Third baseman Nu’u Contrades suffered a season-ending hand injury in May, as that was his second injury in as many years, as he missed most of the 2024 season with a back injury, which could affect his status. Second baseman Kyle Walker will likely declare for the draft as well.
There is always the chance that those players choose not to sign or might not get drafted and return to ASU, like first baseman Jacob Tobias did last season. If those players do not wind up signing a professional contract, they will go to the top of the list of players ASU must keep.
With all that being said, here are five players that Arizona State must retain for the 2026 season. Note: players are listed in alphabetical order.
Max Arlich, freshman left-handed pitcher
In a pitching staff that struggled immensely, Max Arlich had a great season. Arlich threw only 14 and a third innings in the 2025 season but was effective with a 1.88 ERA. The southpaw started a pair of games and saw usage from the pen with the same season total of strikeouts and hits, with 13. He allowed a concerning 10 walks, which is something he will look to improve on next season.
Come next spring, Arlich could find himself as a Sunday or midweek starter, or a high-leverage bullpen arm. ASU has yet to bring in any transfers, as the portal opened on Monday. ASU will need to hang on to as many arms as it can, as the team lost the majority of its offense from last season.
Easton Barrett, freshman left-handed pitcher
Easton Barrett had a good season, showing versatility as he was used as a starter and a reliever. Barrett had a 4.31 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP on the season, with better numbers from the bullpen. He struggled with walks with a 6.66 per nine innings, but struck out plenty as he had 9.41 per nine innings.
Like Arlich, Barrett could be in a similar spot next spring as he will likely be a Sunday or midweek starter. He could play as a high-leverage lefty as well. He could compete for the rotation with guys like Arlich, right-handers Wyatt Halvorson, Derek Schaefer and Jaden Alba, with a few of them going to the bullpen and fighting for high-leverage spots with guys like righty Josh Butler.
Cole Carlon, sophomore left-handed pitcher/first baseman
Cole Carlon took a huge step forward in his sophomore season from his freshman year, improving his ERA by over 4 and WHIP by over 0.8. Carlon became a good closer, which landed him on the Big 12 Second Team. Carlon struck out over a third of the batters he faced.
Carlon had a great offensive season in the 2024 Alaska league (a summer collegiate baseball league), batting .349 with a .907 OPS. He has yet to come to the plate in an NCAA game, but he did bat in ASU’s fall intersquad games.
Carlon could take over as the Friday starter from the likely departing Ben Jacobs. The local product is capable of length, which makes him capable of the job. He could be an option for ASU to play at first base or as a designated hitter, which expands ASU’s depth.
Landon Hairston, freshman utility
Landon Hariston was the player who had the biggest breakout on the team, batting .333 on the year with a .908 OPS. He played a bit of first base and spent most of his time playing corner outfield.
Hairston will likely bat second next season, as that is where he played most of his time. He could move to third in the lineup as his extra-base tally rose in the second half of his season. Defensively, it is hard to predict where he will play, as it is unclear who will fill what roles. His versatility will be something the Sun Devils appreciate next season.
Beckett Zavorek, freshman infielder
It was a tough choice on who would get the final spot as Jax Ryan and Beckett Zavorek both had solid seasons before and after the Nu’u Contrades injury. Catcher Brody Briggs had a good season as he jumped past the transferring Manny Garza as the “B catcher” behind Josiah Cromwick. Of the three, Zavorek had the best numbers with a .385 average and .871 OPS in limited playing time.
Zavorek went 3-6 as a pinch hitter on the season, as he missed a month due to injury. He went 3-7 in the NCAA regional, getting his first extra base hit in his collegiate career. Zavorek played perfect defense throughout the year with no errors, with most of his time at the tough second base spot.
In the spring, Zavorek could be a top-of-the-lineup bat as he is an exceptional contact hitter. He had two stolen bases last season, which would make him a great replacement for the outstanding Kyle Walker.
In what could be a rebuilding year for Bloomquist, ASU will need to retain as many players as possible as they aim to make back-to-back regional appearances, for the first time since 2015-16, the first two years of the Tracy Smith era.