Cincinnati Bearcats baseball freshman designated hitter/catcher Enzo Infelise has been picked to the National College Baseball Writers’ Association (NCBWA) Freshman All-America team, per an announcement on Monday, June 8.. He was placed on the second team and was one of just three Big 12 players to earn a spot on the list.
Infelise is Cincinnati’s first Freshman All-American since Griffin Merritt in 2022. He is among five underclassmen who have already committed to return for UC head coach Jordan Bischel in 2027. Joining Infelise next season will be Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist Quinton Coats, plus starters Ryan Tyranski, Derrick Pitts and reliever Adam Buczkowski.
Infelise led the Bearcats with a .374 batting average, hitting 10 home runs while adding 48 RBI, 10 doubles, and 38 runs scored. Infelise collected 85 hits in his first college season, the most among all freshmen in the country as of the end of UC’s season. That figure also ranks tied for seventh in school history and is the most hits by a Bearcat since Lance Durham’s record-setting 99-hit season in 2009.
In addition to his hitting, Infelise was UC’s catcher behind Jack Natili and stands to be the starter after Natili is likely picked in the Major League Baseball Draft next month. His fielding percentage was .992, just off of Natili’s .993. Natili threw out 13 of 35 stolen base attempts, and Infelise threw out six of 13.
Infelise was named the Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year and earned first-team all-conference honors last month.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats baseball’s Enzo Infelise is freshman All-American
Reporting by Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
