Sun Devil Baseball's season is on the rise, with opening day against Ohio State scheduled for Valentine's Day. However, there is much curiosity about who out of the five talented outfielders will be announced as the three opening-day starters.
"I truly, firmly believe we have the best outfield in the country," junior outfielder Isaiah Jackson said. "(Bloomquist) is going to have a tough time writing up that starting lineup."
Jackson is known by ASU fans as one of the star outfielders, both defensively and offensively for this team, but he isn't the only one with major contributions to give. Junior Kien Vu, freshman Ky McGary, redshirt sophomore Brandon Compton and redshirt junior Jonathon Hernandez are all outfielders with strong resumes themselves.
Vu is coming off a breakout season with one of the best offensive performances the University has seen in recent years. He held a .413 batting average with a .793 slugging percentage. He also produced 62 hits, 14 home runs and 56 RBIs, making him key to the Sun Devil offensive. On the flip side, he tallied 72 putouts and ended with a .987 fielding percentage.
Due to his successful at-bat last spring, Vu is focusing on hitting this season without the added pressures of repeating that success.
"Just go play," said head coach Willie Bloomquist. "Focus on what he has to do to be a good player and don’t let numbers factor into it. Be who he is. A dynamic, fun, energetic player, that can do a lot of things."
Back to Jackson, who was seen last year front and center for the Sun Devils, hoping to keep his title as a defensive powerhouse alive. He was named a Pac-12 All-Defensive Team for two straight seasons heading into the Big 12.
His statistics last spring consisted of a .972 fielding percentage, 102 putouts, a .263 in the batters' box, eight homers and a .345 OBP%. More specifically, Jackson came out swinging in last year's opener against Santa Clara, racking up six hits and nine RBIs in the span of two games.
Jackson worked hard over the off-season on skills such as arm strength and base running and is projected to have another strong start.
"The best I've seen him look since he's been here," Bloomquist said. "I anticipate him having a nice year. He’s got a lot to prove and is focused on what he has to do. Defensively, I’ve said it from day one: he's the best center fielder in our conference, hands down, and will continue to be. Not too many guys cover as much ground as he does out there."
Compton made a name for himself in 2024 as the 37th freshman in University history to be named an All-American and the fourth to be given Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year.
Most of his talent was shown at the diamond, with the third-best batting average on the team hitting .354 last season. In addition to his 14 home runs, 51 RBIs, and his .661 slugging percentage, Compton also finished with 12 putouts and a 1.000 fielding average.
"Everyone doubts his outfield abilities, but he's an amazing outfielder," Vu said via SunDevil Source. "He's quick, actually faster than he looks, and he's got an amazing arm. How far he's come into the defensive side and continuing to swing the bat the way that he does, it's pretty awesome to watch."
With a solid core already formed, newcomer McGary and Central Arizona transfer Hernandez have given these seasoned Sun Devils some competition.
McGary is looking to make his collegiate debut with a 94 outfield velocity that ranks in the 98th percentile nationally. At Sandra Day O’Connor, he was a .392 hitter during his three varsity years. In club, he bettered that with a .397 batting average along with a 1.089 OPS.
"That is the most tooled-out kid you'll ever meet," Vu said via SunDevil Source. "Ky has grown so much. He's become an unbelievable baseball player over this past fall."
Hernandez put up a .344 batting average, an OBP of .470, 59 RBIs, 59 walks, and 22 stolen bases at Central Arizona in his two seasons in the program.
Stacked with talent, the coaching staff has their work cut out for them before the opener.
"I think it takes the pressure off of the guys and the leaders of this club," Jackson said. "If you’re not showing up that day, you don’t have your stuff, which happens. You know the guys to the left and right of you are going to get it done for you."
This group has become closer after watching and pushing each other, and through that competition, they've become a powerful unit.
With the abilities and promising season these athletes have going for them, Sun Devil fans can expect any of these five athletes to run out to the green under the Friday night lights.
Edited by Henry Smardo, Alysa Horton and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at linunez@asu.edu and follow @laurentahuka on X.
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Lauren is a junior studying sports journalism with a minor in digital audiences. This is her third semester with The State Press. She has also worked at Blaze Radio Sports, WCSN and Sun Devil Athletics.
