Murfreesboro, TN. – It seems like just yesterday that MTSU baseball had its season ended at the hands of the Sam Houston State Bearkats when the two met at the CUSA Tournament in Ruston, LA. Even though MTSU has been finished for over two months. Blue Raider baseball players have been working extremely hard this summer to work on their craft for the 2025 campaign.
Many of the big-time contributors like Chandler Alderman, Trace Phillips and Eston Snider stayed home to rest and begin training for the next season. However, the Blue Raiders still have a plethora of guys playing with summer league teams, including eight standout performers.
Tyler Minnick – Catcher – Junior
The brand-new Blue Raider backstop entered the transfer portal in June, then later committed to MTSU on June 14th. Following his short recruitment, he began playing for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL.
Thus far, Minnick has played in 17 games for the Gulls. Batting .273 with three home runs, nine RBI and a .911 OPS while playing exceptional defense behind the dish.
The former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket looks to be the early favorite to be the starting catcher for MTSU next season.
Brady Holloway – First Base – Senior
Holloway appeared in 29 games with 18 starts last season for the Blue Crew. Batting .209 with four long balls and 13 RBI. The rising senior took his talents to the Tarboro River Bandits for the summer and had a solid season, batting .293 with 16 RBI and a near .500 OBP in 25 games.
Holloway, along with his two other Blue Raider teammates, will play in the ONSL quarterfinals starting Saturday night in a best-of-three series against the New Bern Southpaws.
Rex Pendergrass – Infielder/Utility – Freshman
The Dayton, TN. Native put pen to paper in 2023 to play college ball with the Blue Raiders, then proceeded to have an outstanding senior year with Rhea County High School. Batting .364 while taking home All-Region and All-District honors as an infielder.
Pendergrass played his summer baseball with the Myrtle Beach Surf of the Beach Collegiate Baseball League and was the best player on his team at just 18 years old.
The sample size was small with just nine games played, but Pendergrass crushed three home runs to go along with a .375 batting average and nine RBI.
Brett Vondohlen – Third Base – RS Sophomore
The redshirt sophomore struggled to break the lineup at the beginning of the 2024 season but over the last month, was a key contributor. Mashing four homers with 19 RBI in 17 consecutive starts for the Blue Raiders.
He carried that success over to the summer with the Full Count Rhythm of the Prospect League. Vondohlen has made 42 starts with a .263 batting average, six home runs, 41 RBI and a .756 OPS.
With just three games left in the regular season, Vondohlen will try to put the Rhythm into the playoffs and extend their season.
Nathan Brewer – Left Field – RS Sophomore
Brewer couldn’t find his footing with MTSU in the 2024 season, slashing .188/.275/.275. However, the Murfreesboro native has been the surprise of the summer with the Southern Maryland Senators.
In 33 starts, he batted .331 with four home runs, 18 RBI, 16 extra-base hits and swiped 14 bags. Brewer even earned a spot on the CRSCBL All-Star team as the starting outfielder.
With the recent graduation of Jackson Galloway, Brewer could find himself starting in the outfield or DH spot next season.
Brett Rogers – Center Field – RS Freshman
The Chattanooga, TN native redshirted his freshman season with the Blue Raiders but went to play for the Tarboro River Bandits and has shined as the everyday center fielder.
Rogers started 34 games with a .326/.405/.796 slash line to go along with 22 RBI, 25 stolen bases and nine extra-base hits. The center field spot is up for grabs in the 2025 season after three-year starter, Luke Vinson graduated in May.
So, Rogers could see playing time somewhere in the outfield for the upcoming season.
Ollie Akens – Right-Handed Pitcher – Junior
Akens is another underclassman who struggled to find his footing in the beginning of last season, but by the end of the year was a staple in the bullpen. Giving up just four earned runs in his final seven outings of the season.
Akens played for Tarboro in June and was a very good option in the rotation. Tossing 18 1/3 innings with a 1.09 WHIP and a 16/3 K-BB ratio as one of the first guys out of the ‘pen for the River Bandits.
The right-handed pitcher is entering his junior season with the expectation of taking the next step for the Blue Raiders. We’ll know more about Akens as Fall practices start in a few months, but one thing is for sure. The righty had a great summer and has momentum heading into the start of the school year.
Colin Kerrigan – Left-Handed Pitcher – Sophomore
Last but certainly not least, is rising sophomore, Colin Kerrigan. He was one of four Blue Raiders to play for the Tarboro River Bandits but had maybe the best summer of them all.
Kerrigan was flat-out dominant in 26 1/3 innings this summer, punching out 36 batters which was top five in the ONSL. While boasting a 1.37 ERA and 1.29 WHIP for the River Bandits.
This past season with MTSU, he tossed the third most innings among relievers and became the guy that head coach Jerry Meyers relied on in clutch spots. After a solid freshman year and an outstanding summer, Kerrigan will be looked on to step up in the Blue Raider bullpen next season.
