LINCOLN – Arizona State fell into a feeling of despair and disappointment as its season came to an end on Sunday night. As the final Ole Miss run ran across the plate, Sun Devil players dropped to their knees and were visibly crying. Many of them shared hugs before a final team embrace.
For many of them, it would be their final time stepping on the field as college baseball players.
Many of those players are either graduating or likely to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team. But first, those Sun Devils (39-21, 19-11 Big 12) played through a 5-4 regional defeat at the hands of Ole Miss.
“I can’t put into words really how proud I am of our guys,” head coach Willie Bloomquist said. “They left everything on the field. They played their best baseball on the biggest stage they played on all year. We’d always kind of wondered what it looked like if we clicked on all cylinders, and we did this weekend, and we played our guts out.”
While the departing players were not able to help the Sun Devils out of the Lincoln Regional, they made an impact on a team that played in its first regional final in a decade.
Redshirt junior second baseman Nu’u Contrades served as ASU’s longest tenured player, as he played with the Sun Devils in all four years of his collegiate career. Bloomquist even said he considers him on his “Mount Rushmore” of players he’s ever coached.
Contrades dealt with injuries for much of his career, but when he was on the field, he was arguably ASU’s best player. In 2026, when he was able to be healthy for the postseason, the Sun Devils captain hit four home runs in a regional, along with some acrobatic defense to help them reach the final.
In 2026, Carlon lept to the next level.
Not only did Carlon become a starting pitcher for ASU, but he also became its ace. The junior finished the season with a 3.87 ERA, a 5-2 record, and a team-leading 133 strikeouts. Carlon is likely to be drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft, with projections having him go as high as the 15th pick.
“And then I can’t say enough about my returners,” Bloomquist said. “Guys that have been here for two, three years, Carlons and the Contrades. They’ve left everything they could for this program. For me, for the people who really, truly follow this program, and they’re really invested in it. I feel like they should appreciate the efforts that these kids have put into this program, and the imprint that they’ve left.”
Another long-tenured Sun Devil was its other captain, senior pitcher Sean Fitzpatrick, who became one of ASU’s top relievers. Fitzpatrick struggled at times in his junior season, but after putting in work over the offseason, Bloomquist named him a captain.
Fitzpatrick proved worthy of that title, as he finished the season with a 3.12 ERA and 43 strikeouts, many of which came in situations with runners in scoring position.
“It’s the biggest blessing I’ve ever given my whole life,” Fitzpatrick said. “This program means the world to me, and I’m just super thankful for the coaches giving me the opportunity a couple of years ago, coming here and being part of such an amazing baseball program. The development, just sticking with me through the ups and downs, just the belief that was always there. I cannot say enough about this team this year.”
In the new age of college athletics, with the transfer portal and players leaving school early for the draft, it can often be forgotten that these athletes are also students. One of the many things Bloomquist believes is special about his group is the 10 of them who walked the graduation stage to receive their degree.
“Our team GPA is almost a 3.3 team GPA,” Bloomquist said. “We’ve had a ton of guys graduate this year. I think again in this crazy world that we’re in, to lose focus on, yes, we’re coming to be an athlete, but you’re also coming to get your degree as well. These guys work their butts off in the classroom, they do it right, just again from top to bottom, it’s just the functionality of the program.”
Now, as Bloomquist looks ahead into the future, he will have to look to replace the key pieces that helped the Sun Devils get to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. In doing so, he will likely have to use the transfer portal to find guys that fit his style.
“We want to bring in the kids in the transfer portal,” Bloomquist said. “We’re not going after the prima donna type kids. We want the hard-nosed, tough kids that play the game the right way, that want to buy into this type of program, and leave their emotions on the field, as these guys have.”
While the season is now over, the Sun Devils will hope that their accomplishments this season, led by their departing leaders, are just the beginning, expecting the newer players to build upon the foundation that was laid.
“Each team leaves a little imprint on your soul, and these guys probably leave a little deeper one than any other team I’ve had. These guys just come together sometimes. When you play the transfer portal dance, you never know what you’re going to get, really, till these guys step on campus. We hit it right with the personality of these kids, man.”
