Justin Journette HBCU Baseball Large School Player of the Year
Norfolk State will open its 2025 baseball season on Feb. 14 in a three-game non-conference series versus Mount St. Marys (Md.) at Marty L. Miller Field.
Keith Shumate is in his ninth season as NSU’s head baseball coach.
The outfield should be the strength of the 2025 Spartan baseball team. Returning to play left field will be sophomore Jalan Jones who hit .318 as a freshman. The right field returner will be Justin Journette who was HBCU Player of the Year named by Black College Nines and a second-team all-conference NEC selection. Fifth-year senior Jamal Ritter will bring stellar defense to centerfield as he returns from a year where he hit .275 with a team-leading 33 stolen bases.
Returning senior catcher Brendan Burke will be a mainstay behind the plate. Burke, who hit .227, threw out a whopping 52% of base stealers in 2024. He will be backed up by senior Rob Beatty, and newcomer junior Brayden Daulton and freshman Ryan Hoeft.
The infield will be anchored by newcomer shortstop Jaydan Israel, a junior from Mesa Community College in Arizona. The fall’s most improved player is sophomore returner Kydese Queen, who will start at third base. Terrence Rhodes will play second base.
First base and designated hitter candidates will include fifth-year senior Emmett Jefferson, juniors Collin Curry and Cam Mazell, as well as freshmen Ryan Hoeft, Myles Crocker, and Christian Velez.
Sophomore Ethan Blakeney who had a 5.89 ERA will likely play a prominent role on the pitching staff. Bringing needed experience to the staff will be returners sophomore Parker Hampton, and junior Liam Royster, Mac Yarbrough, and Donovan Whitfield.
Newcomers to the pitching staff who should contribute immediately include Nate Varnier, Walker Fuller, Tyler Mitchell, Reid Driskill, Ryan Sellers, and CJ Patterson. The lefthanders who give the staff balance are Landen Campbell and two-way players Myles Crocker and Christian Velez. Yaseel Samboy is a righthander who will also provide infield depth as well as pitch for the Spartans.