Latest news with #All-BigEast
Indianapolis Star
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
MLB Draft: Brebeuf grad, Butler OF Jack Moroknek selected by Washington Nationals
Butler outfielder Jack Moroknek knew he'd have a tough decision to make ahead of the 2025 MLB Draft, now the clock has officially started ticking. The Washington Nationals selected the Brebeuf Jesuit grad and Carmel native with the 321st pick (11th round) during Day 2 of the MLB Draft Monday. Welcome to the @Nationals, Jack!With the 321st pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Nats select OF Jack Moroknek from Butler. Moroknek used a breakout redshirt junior campaign to catapult on MLB scout's radars. The lefty led the Bulldogs in hits (81), batting average (.372), total bases (153), RBIs (57), home runs (18), runs scored (57), slugging percentage (.702) and OPS (1.145). The 153 total bases set a school record, and he was a Second Team All-Big East selection. The 6-foot-3 outfielder projects as a corner outfielder with plus power at the next level. Moroknek also became a hot commodity in the transfer portal, choosing to transfer to powerhouse Texas in the SEC. He now has two weeks to negotiate a contract with the Nationals or honor his commitment to Texas. "It's hard going back and forth with these decisions because there's not a bad option," Moroknek said last week ahead of the draft. Last year's 321st pick, Jon Jon Gazdar, a shortstop out of Austin Peay signed for $250k. There are no slot value restrictions after the 10th round, so MLB teams are free to disburse bonus pool money however they'd like. Last year's 322nd pick, prep righty Trey Gregory-Alford signed with the Los Angeles Angels for a record $1.96 million.
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Connor Misch began college career at Xavier and intends to finish there. The Lake Central alum has hit it big.
Connor Misch isn't interested in the nomadic lifestyle that has taken over college sports. The 2022 Lake Central graduate arrived at Xavier three years ago with the expectation that he wasn't going anywhere else. 'With the landscape of how everything is going in college baseball, it's hard to find a guy who's been at the same program for their entire career,' he said. 'I came in here on day one, ready to buy in to what was in front of me, which was an awesome coaching staff and a great locker room — and that's led me to stay in the program for so long.' During his time at Xavier, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Misch has steadily developed into one of the top hitters in the Big East. Also a standout pitcher in high school, he was named to the all-conference first team this season after starting all 59 games at first base for the Musketeers (32-27) and hitting .332 with a team-high 65 hits and a team-high 50 RBIs. Misch was at his best during Big East games, hitting a conference-leading .448. Xavier assistant Riley Bertram said Misch's success this season is the result of his commitment to improving since he arrived on campus. 'He's earned everything he's done here,' Bertram said. 'He's one of those players that you cheer for because you know that they've been putting in the work behind the scenes, and you want them to have that success.' Misch struggled during one stretch in March, when his batting average dipped to .233 after he went hitless in seven of eight games. But conversations with second baseman Nolan Tucker, a 2019 Hanover Central graduate who was an All-Big East second-team selection after leading Xavier with a .339 batting average, helped Misch shake off that slump. 'He was playing every day, but he wasn't playing his best baseball,' Tucker said. 'We were joking around about it, but I told him that he had to stop looking at his stats because it was the worst thing for him.' Misch's batting average soared past .300 over the next month. 'Baseball is so mental, and when you're struggling — or even if you're playing well — having the weight of your batting average constantly on your mind makes the game that much harder,' Tucker said. 'Letting that go helped him have that good year.' Misch improved in just about every statistical area compared to his sophomore season, when he was named to the All-Big East second team after hitting .268 with eight home runs and 23 RBIs. At the time, he was encouraged by those numbers, given that it was his first season as an everyday player. 'That was a successful season,' Misch said. 'But I knew that I needed to do more. I needed to get on base more, I needed to hit for average more and I needed to drive in more runs. So I really focused on developing as a whole hitter and specifically just getting on base.' Misch proceeded to draw 44 walks this season, doubling his 2024 total, and his on-base percentage jumped from .382 to .485. Looking ahead to his senior year, Misch hopes to increase his home run total. He hit four this season. 'I checked a lot of boxes this year, but not that one,' he said. 'I'm trying to find the appropriate launch angle for my swing so that I can lift the ball on my pull side and hit more home runs. But it's about finding that fair trade between your home runs and your strikeouts and your batting average.' So plenty of work awaits, but Misch said he's enjoying every second he spends in the sport. 'I tell everyone that it's the best job in the world,' he said. 'It's so awesome, what we get to do. I've been able to take a look back, and I'm really proud of where I am. It's all a credit to my parents and to all of the coaches who've helped me along the way.'
Indianapolis Star
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Pacers sign 2nd-round pick Kam Jones, re-sign Quenton Jackson to two-way deal
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers signed second-round pick Kam Jones to a standard contract and are bringing back guard Quenton Jackson on another two-way deal to help provide backcourt depth in the wake of Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles tendon tear, the team announced Tuesday. A league source confirmed Jones' contract is a standard contract on the second-round pick exception scale. It is worth up to $8.7 million over four years with a team option in the fourth season. The Pacers acquired the No. 38 pick in the 2025 draft from the Spurs and used it on Jones, a second-team All-American at Marquette. The 6-4 combo guard played shooting guard in each of his first three seasons but moved over to point guard after the graduation of Tyler Kolek and averaged career highs in scoring (19.2 points per game), assists (5.9 per game) rebounds (4.5 per game)and steals (1.4 per game) to earn first-team All-Big East and second-team All-America honors. Insider: How Kam Jones can answer Pacers' biggest backcourt question Jones gives the Pacers a third point guard option after Andrew Nembhard — a point guard by trade who is expected to slide over from shooting guard to start at the 1 with Haliburton out for the season — and veteran T.J. McConnell, who is expected to maintain the backup role leading the second unit. However, Jones could also see work as a second unit shooting guard. Jackson initially signed a two-way contract with the Pacers in March of 2024 and has stayed with the organization since, making an impact for both the Pacers and the Mad Ants at the G League level. Thanks to early season injuries to Nembhard and wings Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard, Jackson started seven games for the Pacers this season and appeared in 28, averaging 5.8 points and 1.9 assists per game. He scored in double figures six times, scoring 24 points in a November game against the Rockets and 21 in the season's final game against the Cavaliers, helping the Pacers rally to claim their 50th victory. After averaging 22.3 points and 5.4 assists in nine games at the end of the 2023-24 season for the Mad Ants, he averaged 22.5 points, 5.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds for the Mad Ants in 16 games in 2024-25. The Mad Ants relocated and this season will be named the Noblesville Boom.
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sam Presti: Thunder GM reveals Summer League plan for Thomas Sorber
Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Thomas Sorber will miss the NBA Summer League due to ongoing rehabilitation from a foot injury, vice president Sam Presti said on Monday. Sorber was an All-Big East third-team selection last season as a freshman at Georgetown, averaging 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals on 53.2% shooting from the field. He became the first Hoya since Markel Starks (2012-13) to earn all-conference third-team recognition. The 15th pick was limited during the predraft process after undergoing surgery in February for a turf toe injury that limited him to 24 games with the Hoyas. He is still working to regain full health and will require additional time to recover. "Sorber will not play in summer league," Presti said. "He is still in the return-to-performance phase, and the draft process doesn't really allow for great progress in that because he is traveling all over the place." Sorber was highly touted out of Georgetown after establishing himself as a dominant threat in the paint, either as a roller or back-to-the-basket scorer. He was also among the freshmen leaders in defensive win shares and wins above replacement. The 6-foot-10 center was on the Thunder's radar after impressing Presti in a practice early last season. His maturity struck Presti as an incoming freshman, and how detailed and focused he was during those on-court sessions with the Hoyas. Sorber is looking forward to the challenge of joining the newly-crowned champions and to learn from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and the rest of the team. He is ready to get to work with them. "I would say just having the mentality to come in and try to do what those guys do," Sorber said on Saturday. "Just come in, play hard and give all that I have and try to catch up with those guys and see what I can learn from the older guys."
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Xavier Musketeers standout Zach Freemantle agrees to deal with Orlando Magic
Zach Freemantle was not one of the five Big East players selected in this week's NBA Draft, which wrapped up from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 26. However, it didn't take long for the former Xavier Musketeers forward to find an NBA suitor. Advertisement Freemantle has agreed to a deal with the Orlando Magic, the school announced Friday afternoon. Freemantle will suit up for the Magic in the NBA Summer League, which begins next month. More: Xavier will host Missouri State as part of 2025-26 non-conference basketball schedule In April, Freemantle was named to the all-tournament team at the 71st annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) in Virginia. The Teaneck, New Jersey native was also selected to play in the NABC-Reese's Division I College All-Star Game in San Antonio as part of Final Four weekend. Xavier forward Zach Freemantle (32) was a second-team All-Big East selection in 2025. Over a six-season collegiate career with the Musketeers, Freemantle battled a slew of injuries but still etched his name in Xavier history. Advertisement During Xavier's first-round Big East Tournament loss to Marquette at Madison Square Garden in March, Freemantle became the fourth Xavier player to rank top 10 all-time in scoring and rebounding, joining David West, Romain Sato and Tyrone Hill. More: Who is Vaughn Karvala? Xavier hosting 4-star, Class of 2026 forward on Wednesday Freemantle ranks 10th in Xavier history in career points (1,749) and ninth in career rebounds (888). In 136 total games, Freemantle made 107 starts and averaged 12.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per night. After missing all of the 2023-24 season due to a foot injury, Freemantle returned for one more season and helped lead Xavier to the NCAA Tournament. Advertisement More: 'A lot of hugs.' For Xavier's Zach Freemantle, NCAA Tournament was the missing piece Freemantle averaged 16.8 points and 6.8 rebounds and scored in double figures in Xavier's first 30 games before a season-ending loss to Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Freemantle was a second-team All-Big East selection for the second time in his career (2021). This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Former Xavier standout Zach Freemantle signs with NBA's Orlando Magic
