NMJC (BB) Opens Season in Hobbs Versus NJC
The NMJC baseball team begins the 2025 season with a three-game set Friday, Jan. 24 against Northeastern Junior College at Ray Birmingham Field in Hobbs, NM.
The Thunderbirds host the Plainsmen in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. MST. NMJC will close the series on Saturday with first pitch set for 11 a.m. MST. The T-Birds defeated NJC last year in the season opener 10-2.
NMJC will be led by sixth-year head coach Michael Robbins and assistant Lauro Felix. The non-conference schedule is one of the toughest in the country. The T-Birds will face three teams (Salt Lake, Weatherford, and McLennan) who have competed in the NJCAA College Baseball World Series in the last two years.
This season the Thunderbirds will match up against ranked opponents in No. 2 McLennan, No. 7 Salt Lake, No. 11 Weatherford, No. 15 Wabash Valley, and No. 18 San Jacinto College-North. The T-Birds also face Seminole State (OK) and Midland College who are receiving votes in the 2025 NJCAA DI Baseball Poll. The schedule adds up to eight games against currently ranked programs and eight against teams receiving votes in the preseason poll.
The T-Birds are led by a trio of stellar sophomores starters on the mound. Donovan Becerra returns to the T-Birds after recording a 4.89 ERA with a team-high 70 strikeouts in 57 innings of work. Cade Smith led the team in innings pitched last year on his way to a 6.10 ERA with 48 strikeouts. Brayan Orrantia is the third returning starting pitcher as he registered a 4.93 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 49.1 innings of work.
Now let's take a look at the offensive side of the plate. Outfielder Travis Vlasek batted .382 with 13 doubles, nine homers, and 41 RBIs in his first year in a T-Bird uniform. First baseman Lane Arroyos hit .350 from behind the plate adding 16 doubles, eight homers, and 58 RBIs. Catcher Jorge De Los Santos finished his freshman season batting .385 behind the dish with 52 hits and 34 RBIs.
The T-Birds will start on the mound with Donovan Becerra in Game 1 against Northeastern JC and in Game 2 Cade Smith will get the call as the starter. The T-Birds return 12 members of the 2024 squad and have added 22 new players in 2025.
The games this weekend will be streamed live on the NMJC YouTube page.
Returners
No. 3 Luis Urias
No. 8 Santana Hernandez
No. 10 Issei Yanagisawa
No. 16 Travis Vlasek
No. 17 Cade Smith
No. 21 Lachlan Maude
No. 25 Donovan Becerra
No. 26 Lane Arroyos
No. 30 Brayan Orrantia
No. 35 Monty Bognar
No. 42 Justin Nicks
No. 46 Jorge De Los Santos
Newcomers
No. 2 Jesus Mejias
No. 4 Talan Barraza
No. 5 Omar Reluz
No. 7 Moises Lamon
No. 9 Jeter Battles
No. 11 Callum Donnelly
No. 12 Casen Savage
No. 13 Brian Guzman
No. 15 Tanner Carranza
No. 19 Gavin Hoffman
No. 20 Liam Schulz
No. 22 Peyton Pierce
No. 23 Julius Ramirez
No. 24 Ricardo Rojas
No. 27 Felix Rodriguez
No. 29 Dominick Maese
No. 31 Brandon Stewart
No. 32 Joseph Stevenson
No. 36 Tadum Widner
No. 37 Lucian Dixon
No. 38 Noah Swift
No. 40 Caden Orr
