Stanford Club Baseball was awarded three All-American honors and nine All-Region Honors given to seven different players, including to three players who had not received All-Region awards in the past. The awards ranged from graduating 6-year veterans to freshman, demonstrating the strength of the Stanford lineup and the team's staying power as one of the most feared and talented programs in the Pacific Region. Six of the seven All-Region and all three All-American recipients will be returning for the 24-25 season, looking to anchor the team's lineup and rotation and make another run for the NCBA World Series next May. Below are season recaps of all the award winners.
Donnie Raymond (Jr) - First Team All-American at SS, First Team All-Region at SS, Third Team All-Region at SP (previously awarded 2022 First Team All-American, 2022 First Team All-Region)
Donnie Raymond has been the backbone of Stanford Club Baseball for the past three years, providing historic offensive output and stellar pitching on the mound. His contributions were rewarded with his second First Team All-American award. Reading through his hitting stat line is a similar experience to looking at Barry Bonds' Baseball Reference page. The rising senior slashed .588/.642/.985 (OPS of 1.627!) with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 9 walks in 81 plate appearances. If these numbers are not eye-popping enough, he also pitched 34.1 innings (the second most on the team) to a 3.26 ERA with 42 strikeouts. Raymond provided some of the team's most memorable moments of the season, such as his heroic 150-pitch complete game to end Sacramento State's season at the regional tournament.
Caden Denning (Jr) - First Team All-American at OF, First Team All-Region at OF (previously awarded 2022 Second Team All-American, 2022 First Team All-Region)
Caden Denning is a true five-tool player, providing the fielding acumen and flexibility of a Daulton Varsho while hitting and running the bases like Ronald Acuña Jr. He was recognized for his incredible play with his second All-American honor and his first First Team All-American award. The rising senior slashed .515/.587/.773 (1.360 OPS) with 9 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, and a team-leading 12 stolen bases. He didn't just flash his speed on the base-paths but also in center field, playing plus defense with amazing range and a cannon of an arm. Denning also split time with Schieber behind home plate, gunning down three runners and acting as a brick wall. Denning also had a flair for the dramatic, delivering a 2 out walk off double to complete Stanford's improbable comeback in Game 2 of their series against Santa Clara.
Evan Schieber (Jr) - Second Team All-American at C, First Team All-Region at C (previously awarded 2022 First Team All-Region)
Evan Schieber got on base this season, earning himself his first All-American recognition as the Second Team catcher. The rising senior made pitchers work as much as anyone in the NCBA, hitting to a slash line of .468/.616/.581 (1.197 OPS) with 4 doubles and 1 home run. Schieber did not care if it was a walk or a hit, as he led the team in walks with 20. Schieber also provided a steady presence as the team's primary backstop this year, providing plus defense while managing the eccentric personalities of Stanford's arm barn. One of his most memorable performances was a 3 hit, 2 walk, and 2 RBI game against Sacramento State in the regional playoff.
Gabe Seir (Sr) - Second Team All-Region at 2B, Third Team All-Region at SP
Stanford's ace started swinging the bat excellently this year, earning himself honors for both his performance on the mound and in the batter's box. Seir was the team's workhorse with a team-leading 38.2 IP to an excellent 2.35 ERA and 46 strikeouts. Throughout his Stanford career, Seir has shown the ability to keep hitters completely off-balance with his two different breaking ball looks. This was on display, for example, when he struck out 11 and allowed only 1 ER in 6.2 IP against Saint Mary's despite the Gaels dugout screaming at their own players to just sit on the curveball. Seir found his groove on the hitting side, slashing .381/.444/.413 (.857 OPS) and moving his way into the clean-up spot for the Cardinal as the season progressed. Despite Seir's incredible pitching, his most memorable moment came in the batter's box with his 2 RBI single in the bottom of the 7th of Game 2 of the Santa Clara series, where the season was potentially one out away from being ended.
Cameron Vaughan (5th Yr) - Second Team All-Region at DH (previously awarded 2022 Third Team All-American, 2022 Second Team All-Region)
Cameron Vaughan (aka the Godfather of Stanford Club Baseball) etched one more accolade into his storied career with Stanford Club Baseball. The graduating 5th year put together an excellent season in the box with an OBP of .400 thanks to Vaughan's ability to draw walks and put together gritty at-bats. Vaughan also played lots of first base for Stanford, always impressing with his field awareness, dazzling picks, and ability to get the 1st base umpire on our side with his friendliness. Stanford Club Baseball will be losing a true leader and valued member of the team as Vaughan graduates and goes on to do bigger and better things. However, the impact he has made on revitalizing the program will last far beyond his time at Stanford.
Elijah Meltzer (So) - Third Team All-Region at SP
Elijah Meltzer rounded out the arm barn for the Cardinal, tossing 28.1 innings to 2.97 ERA with 24 Ks. Meltzer was tied with Seir for the team's best batting average against (.233) among pitchers who threw more than 10 innings. Meltzer relied on a mid to upper 70s explosive fastball and a vicious curveball to neutralize his opponents. His most memorable start came in Game 1 of the Cal Poly Humboldt Series, where he threw a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts in a game where he had to be perfect, as Stanford eked out a 1-0 victory.
Angel Villeraldo Amador (Fr) - Third Team All-Region at OF
Angel Villeraldo had an impressive freshman campaign for the Cardinal, providing a quality contact-first bat for the lineup and versatile defense. Villeraldo finished the season with an average of .297 and an OBP of .435 to an OPS of .732. Villeraldo showed great plate discipline, walking 7 times this season and consistently working long at-bats. Villeraldo split time between the outfield and second base, providing steady and reliable defense wherever he was slotted in. His most memorable moment was a walk-off single against Saint Mary's in extra innings to get the Cardinal their first conference win of the season.
