The New Mexico State Aggies baseball team represents New Mexico State University, which is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Aggies are an NCAA Division I college baseball program that competes in the Conference USA. They began competing in Division I in 1962 and joined C-USA before the 2024 season.
The New Mexico State Aggies play all home games on campus at Presley Askew Field. The Aggies have played in four NCAA tournaments. Over their 15 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, they have won two WAC regular season titles and one WAC Tournament.
Since the program's inception, 5 Aggies have gone on to play in Major League Baseball. A total of 64 Aggies have been drafted, including Joey Ortiz who was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.
Conference Membership History 1962–1970: Independent 1971–1983: Missouri Valley Conference 1984–1991: Independent 1992–2000: Big West Conference 2001–2005: Sun Belt Conference 2006–present: Western Athletic Conference
Presley Askew Field
Presley Askew Field is a baseball stadium on the New Mexico State campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico that seats 1,000 people. It opened in 1981. A record attendance of 1,615 was set on February 27, 2015, during the home opener against Incarnate Word.
Head coaches Records taken from the 2020 NMSU baseball media guide. 1962–1965 Presley Askew 4 42–69–3 .378 1966–1968 Pat Ryan 3 23–59 .280 1969–1982 Jim Kwasny 14 300–380 .441 1983–1986 Curt Cook 4 78–104 .429 1987 Sal Gonzalez 1 20–34 .370 1988 Mike Ryan 1 38–18 .679 1989–1996 Elliott Avent 8 225–213 .514 1997–2000 Rocky Ward 4 81–136 .373 2001–2002 Gary Ward 2 69–48 .590 2003–2014 Rocky Ward 12 374–322–2 .537 2015–2019 Brian Green 5 158–122–1 .564 2020–2023 Mike Kirby 2 32–38 Totals 11 coaches 60 seasons 1,440–1,543–6
Year-By-Year Results Records taken from the 2020 NMSU baseball media guide.
NCAA tournament History The NCAA Division I baseball tournament started in 1947. The format of the tournament has changed through the years.
YearRecordPctNotes 2002 0–2 .000 Eliminated by San Diego in Tempe Regional 2003 1–2 .333 Eliminated by UNLV in Tempe Regional 2012 0–2 .000 Eliminated by Missouri in Tucson Regional 2018 0–2 .000 Eliminated by Kent State in Lubbock Regional 2022 0–2 .000 Eliminated by Vanderbilt in Corvallis Regional Totals 1–10 .091
Awards and honors
12 Patriots have been named to an NCAA-recognized All-America team. Over their 15 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, 26 different Patriots have been named to the all-conference first-team.
All-Americans
YearPositionNameTeamSelector1980OFKevin Wilner3rdNCAA2002OFRyan Kenning1stNCBWADHGabe Veloz1stCB20031BBilly Becher1stNCBWA3rdBA20041BBilly Becher1stNCBWA3rdBA2009SSBryan Marquez1stABCA2ndNCBWA2016OFDaniel Johnson3rdABCA2017CMason Fishback2ndCB2018PJonathan Groff2ndCB20192BNick Gonzales1stABCACB2ndBANCBWASSJoey Ortiz1stCB2ndABCANCBWA1BTristan Peterson1stCB3rdNCBWAOFTristen Carranza2ndNCBWA3rdABCA
Freshman First-Team All-Americans
YearPositionNameSelector2016PKyle BradishCB
Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year
YearPositionName2016OFDaniel Johnson2019SSJoey Ortiz
Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year
YearHandednessName2018LeftJonathan Groff
Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year
YearPositionName20182BNick Gonzales
Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year
YearPositionName20031BBilly Becher
Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year
YearPositionName20051BLuke Hopkins
Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year
YearPositionName20031BBilly Becher20042BXardiel Cotto
Taken from the 2020 NMSU baseball media guide. Updated February 28, 2020.
Aggies in the Major Leagues
= All-Star = Baseball Hall of Famer
Athlete Years in MLB MLB teamsJerry Hinsley1964, 1967New York MetsFernando Ramsey1992Chicago CubsMark Acre1994–1997Oakland AthleticsJason Rakers1998–2000Cleveland Indians, Kansas City RoyalsTyler Sturdevant2016Tampa Bay RaysJoey Ortiz2023-presentBaltimore Orioles, Milwaukee BrewersNick Gonzales2023-present Taken from the 2020 NMSU baseball media guide. Updated February 28, 2020.
See also List of NCAA Division I baseball programs
References