Alabama State College made historical past this week as two of its standout baseball gamers—Juan Cruz and Kameron Douglas—had been chosen within the twentieth spherical of the 2025 MLB Draft. The pair marks the primary Hornet duo to be drafted in the identical yr since 2015, signaling a continued rise in this system’s visibility and expertise improvement.
Cruz was chosen 591st general by the Washington Nationals, whereas Douglas was taken just some picks later, 609th general by the Detroit Tigers. Their alternatives come after a dominant season for each gamers, the place they performed pivotal roles in Alabama State’s success throughout the SWAC.
Juan Cruz: Dominant on the Plate
Cruz’s 2025 season was nothing wanting stellar. The senior infielder appeared in all 60 video games for the Hornets, ending with a team-best .420 batting common. He totaled 106 hits, 23 doubles, 14 dwelling runs, and 73 RBIs, establishing himself as one of the crucial productive hitters in Division I baseball.
He was named the SWAC Co-Hitter of the 12 months, earned First Group All-SWAC honors, and was acknowledged nationally as a Third Group All-American by the Nationwide Collegiate Baseball Writers Affiliation. His offensive manufacturing additionally included a .480 on-base proportion and a .690 slugging proportion, inserting him among the many nation’s elite in practically each statistical class.
Cruz led the SWAC in whole hits, doubles, and hits per sport. He ranked high 5 in batting common, runs scored, dwelling runs, RBIs, and slugging proportion. His 106 whole hits had been second most within the nation, and he was high three in hits per sport.
Kameron Douglas: Energy and Consistency
Douglas, a fellow senior, was additionally a constant power on the plate. In 55 video games, he posted a .338 batting common, with 16 doubles, 14 dwelling runs, and 56 RBIs. Like Cruz, he was named to the First Group All-SWAC and ranked amongst convention leaders in dwelling runs, RBIs, and whole bases.
His offensive numbers included a .616 slugging proportion, and he was high 10 within the SWAC in sacrifice flies, whole hits, and slugging. His robust play helped anchor Alabama State’s offense throughout a season the place the Hornets had been among the many best groups within the convention.
Draft Milestone for Alabama State
Cruz and Douglas turning into back-to-back alternatives in the identical spherical marks a serious achievement for the Hornets program. The final time ASU noticed two gamers drafted in the identical yr was a decade in the past in 2015, when Jorge Pantoja and Amando Ruiz had been chosen by the Nationals and Athletics, respectively.
The Hornets’ current draft success additionally contains Randy Flores, who was taken within the eighth spherical of the 2024 MLB Draft—the second-highest draft decide at school historical past. With three gamers chosen in two years, Alabama State’s popularity as a legit MLB pipeline is solidifying.
This second not solely displays the person excellence of Cruz and Douglas but additionally highlights the rising competitiveness of SWAC baseball. Their success on the nationwide stage provides to the momentum for HBCU baseball packages as they proceed producing next-level expertise.
