CARMEL, Ind. – Following the 2025 season, the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the Baseball major award winners and members of the All-Conference Teams.
Following a stellar senior campaign,
Rocco Hanes (
Ossian, Ind.) from Manchester University was named the 2025 HCAC Player of the Year in a vote among coaches. The pitcher led the league in several statistical categories. Hanes led the league in innings pitched (51.1) and strikeouts (54). Hanes ended his Spartan career with a ..71 average and a .516 slugging percentage. In his 61 at bats, Hanes cranked out 23 hits, 6 runs and 32 RBIs.
On the mound, it was Transylvania University's
Drew Bowles (Lexington, Ky.) who was tabbed as the 2025 HCAC Baseball Pitcher of the Year. The sophomore pieced together an impressive campaign, going 4-1 in seven starts in league play. He was the league leader with a 3.16 ERA, amongst pitchers with five or more starts, picking up 51 strikeouts in 2025.
Transylvania University had a fresh face earn recognition, with
Giancarlo Gonzalez (Lexington, Ky.) voted as the 2025 HCAC Baseball Newcomer of the Year. The first year left-handed pitcher pitched a total of 33.1 innings with four wins and one loss. Frye's 2.43 ERA was the best lowest in the conference.
Manchester front man
Rick Espeset led the Spartans to a first place regular season finish, leading Manchester back to the postseason, the 2025 Baseball Championship title, and the automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Spartans amassed a 25-12 regular season record and a 15-7 mark in league play. For his efforts, Espeset was voted as the 2025 HCAC Coach of the Year by his peers.
Player of the Year: Rocco Hanes, Manchester University
Pitcher of the Year: Drew Bowles, Transylvania University
Newcomer of the Year: Giancarlo Gonzalez, Transylvania University
Coach of the Year: Rick Espeset, Manchester University
The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team, Second Team, and Honorable Mention. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches and are listed below.
All-Conference First Team
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Matt Armstrong |
Relief Pitcher |
Transylvania |
| Drew Bowles |
Starting Pitcher |
Transylvania |
| Garrett DeHart |
Short Stop |
Franklin |
| Ethan Dillon |
Outfield |
Transylvania |
| Reid Douglas |
Catcher |
Hanover |
| Josh Girvan |
Second Base |
Franklin |
| Giancarlo Gonzalez |
Starting Pitcher |
Transylvania |
| Rocco Hanes |
Starting Pitcher/Third Base |
Manchester |
| Charlie Jones |
Short Stop |
Anderson |
| Joel Kennedy |
Designated Hitter |
Manchester |
| Anton Mere |
Outfield |
Mount St. Joseph |
| Connor O'Connell |
Third Base |
Rose-Hulman |
| Jake Sanders |
Outfield |
Mount St. Joseph |
| Landon Southern |
Starting Pitcher |
Anderson |
| Zac Stawski |
Outfield |
Anderson |
| Griffin Wolf |
First Base |
Anderson |
All-Conference Second Team
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Mitchell Roether |
First Base |
Earlham |
| Jake Danneman |
Short Stop |
Hanover |
| Michael Dierckman |
Outfield |
Manchester |
| Trey Dorton |
Outfield |
Anderson |
| John Girard |
Starting Pitcher |
Hanover |
| Gavin Gleason |
Catcher |
Manchester |
| Jackson Harms |
Designated Hitter |
Rose-Hulman |
| Dylan Hogan |
Second Base |
Anderson |
| Matthew Johnson |
Starting Pitcher |
Franklin |
| Ty Layson |
Starting Pitcher |
Manchester |
| Brennan Martin |
First Base |
Mount St. Joseph |
| Nolan Miller |
Starting Pitcher |
Mount St. Joseph |
| Ian Nuckles |
Outfield |
Franklin |
| Tyler Otroszko |
Outfield |
Rose-Hulman |
| Josh Simpson |
Relief Pitcher |
Hanover |
| Baxter Tedesco |
Third Base |
Transylvania |
All-Conference Honorable Mention
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Cam Bortone |
First Base |
Manchester |
| Ryan Caulfield |
Pitcher |
Mount St. Joseph |
| Wyatt Colvin |
Pitcher |
Hanover |
| Nic Deering |
Outfield |
Franklin |
| Mason Rasmussen |
Catcher |
Rose-Hulman |
| Noah Rosato |
First Base |
Earlham |
| Ayden Spriggs |
Infield |
Bluffton |
| Brendan Tabor |
Catcher |
Anderson |
| Austin Taylor |
First Base |
Transylvania |
| Peter Torbicki |
Relief Pitcher/Centerfield |
Berea |
| Jack Towell |
Third Base/Pitcher |
Bluffton |
| Talon Yates |
Outfield/Catcher |
Berea |
For more information on HCAC Baseball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on X and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.