Every spring, a panel of NCBA writers and executives cast votes on who should be awarded All-Region distinctions and, ultimately, whose contributions on the field merit All-American honors. The Cardinal, despite closing out the season on a five game winning streak, finished the year 10-11 (9-9 in conference) with a +38 run differential. Though the team was disappointed to fall short of its postseason aspirations, Evan Schieber shone blindingly bright over the course of the campaign. The senior backstop set the table at the top of the lineup for the Card by slashing a ridiculous .544/.667/.754 over 78 plate appearances - to the tune of a blistering 1.421 OPS. Watching Schieber masterfully navigate deep counts out of the leadoff role could only be compared to watching Michaelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel. His determination to grind opposing starting pitchers down to a nub provided immense value for the Card through his entire career, but in his ultimate season he demonstrated that compared to his freshman self, he had aged like a fine wine. His .544 batting average, the top mark of his career, was 3rd in the nation among qualifying players - his (also-peak) OBP of .667: 2nd among qualifiers.
To make matters worse for the opposition, pitchers couldn't even take a breath to relax after Schieber (almost inevitably) reached base. He proved a potent threat on the basepaths, nabbing 17 bags over 18 games (equivalent to around 194 SB over a full 162 nine-inning-game season) while only getting caught once. For reference, the single-season stolen base record in Major League Baseball is 138 from Hugh Nicol of the 1887 Cincinnati Reds, who set the mark in a version of professional baseball so infantile, baseball statisticians had yet to separate walks from base hits. Unreal from the Cardinal skipper.
On top of swinging the stick with extreme proficiency (Schieber led Stanford in R, H, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, BB, SB, AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, TB, XBH), Schieber provided top-of-the-line defense at the catcher position - by far the most physically demanding role in baseball. He managed the unorthodox pitch profiles and personalities of Stanford's rotation with grace, serving as an emotionally steadying force behind the dish over a season that many players on the team would characterize as frustrating - a season that saw many new faces take the mound…a season marred by injury and unfortunate circumstance. Through it all, Schieber served behind the plate with a smile on his face and a calming veteran demeanor that gave the team confidence they could win on any given day against any team in the nation. Not to mention, he had a howitzer attached to his right shoulder, framed at an elite level, and though the Cardinal pitching staff would've liked to limit his opportunities to demonstrate his blocking proficiency, Schieber served as a proverbial brick wall all season.
For all of those reasons, Schieber was selected unanimously as the 2025 NCBA All-American First Team catcher. He also received First Team All-Region Honors. Previously, he had been awarded 2022 First Team All-Region, 2024 First Team All-Region, and 2024 Second Team All-American honors.
Outside of his Ruthian on-field contributions, Schieber was a top-notch president, leader, and human being. Notorious for his personal discipline and mental toughness, the skipper almost certainly would order some sort of chicken salad when eating on the road, refused to go to bed later than 9:30 PM and would lift every morning at 7 AM. All the while, he worked for the City of San Bruno, crushed his Public Policy degree, and went above and beyond as president and manager of the team. In recognition of his herculean on-field efforts, as well as his professionalism, integrity, and leadership as club baseball president, Stanford Club Sports selected Evan for the 2025 Stanford Club Sports Leadership Award, the top honor among all club sports presidents on campus. A testament to his discipline, the of-age Schieber staunchly refused to let a drop of alcohol pass his lips and insisted on his normal 9:30 bedtime despite the team's call for celebration.
Schieber was not the only member of the squad to receive recognition. Another award recipient for the Cardinal was Gabe Seir, who received Third Team All-Region Honors as a second baseman. The fifth-year batted .326 and reached base at a spicy .463 clip, while swatting his first collegiate home run. His grit and gumption were admirable - he played through much of the 2024 season and the entire 2025 campaign with an injured meniscus in his left knee. Seir had previously garnered 2024 Second Team All-Pacific second baseman and 2024 Third Team All-Pacific starting pitcher placements. He received the 2024 Stanford Club Sports Leadership Award in recognition of his presidency, as well.
By some miracle, both players managed to graduate, and will be dearly missed, both as players and as human beings. If a Stanford Club Baseball Mount Rushmore were to exist, it would include the likes of Alex Rejto, Gregory Block, Ben Caven, Wesley Rojas, Ben Zuercher, and Cameron Vaughan, to name a few. This pseudo "hall of fame" has undoubtedly expanded with the retirement of Schieber and Seir. They will be forever enshrined in the musty confines of the Sandhill shed, to share the honor with those who came before them as players, friends, and leaders who left Stanford Club Baseball better than they found it. As they turn the page on their Stanford careers and trot off into the sunset, their impact on the club will never be forgotten. Stanford Club Baseball wishes them congratulations on their fantastic careers, thank you for their innumerable contributions, and a heartfelt good luck in their future endeavors.
The Cardinal will look to the aging Caden Denning and Donnie Raymond, as well as more limber returners like Cooper Tenney and Joseph Seddon, to attempt to replace the graduates' production and lead the squad towards a deep postseason run. The Cardinal open in-season play at home against Cal on January 24.
