TicketsCINCINNATI – Junior Josh Kross has been named First-Team All-Big 12 and Christian Mitchelle was named Second-Team All-Big 12, two of seven Bearcats to earn all-conference honors on Monday
In addition to Kross and Mitchelle, Nathan Taylor was named to the league's all-freshman team and was also named honorable mention all-conference. Lauden Brooks, Kerrington Cross, Josh Hegemann, and Tommy O'Connor were all named Honorable Mention All-Big 12 as well.
Cincinnati's group of all-conference players helped lead the team to an outstanding regular season. UC was 31-23 and 17-13 in the Big 12, earning the No. 5 seed in this week's Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship. UC will face No. 8 seed UCF at 5 PM ET on Tuesday.
Below is a closer look at UC's all-conference honorees:
Josh Kross – First-Team All-Big 12
Kross has been one of the best hitters in the conference in his first year in the league. He leads the Big 12 in home runs (19) and RBI (65) , and has reached on hit by pitch a league-leading 24 times as well. It's been one of the best offensive season by a Bearcat in recent memory, as Kross ranks tied for third all-time on the single-season home run list and tied for eighth in single-season RBI. His 24 HBP are the most ever in a season in school history. One of two players to start all 54 games this year, Kross is hitting .321 and slugging .656 while getting on base at a .440 clip. In a game at Saint Louis on March 22 he tied UC's single-game home run record with three homers.
Christian Mitchelle – Second-Team All-Big 12
Mitchelle has made his mark in the field and on the mound this year. The John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award watch list selection is hitting .315 with four home runs and 32 runs scored in the batter's box while starting 39 games, primarily at shortstop. Mitchelle also sports a 3.86 ERA across 37.1 innings as a reliever and ranks sixth in the Big 12 with six saves.
Nathan Taylor – All-Freshman Team/Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Taylor has been a part of Cincinnati's weekend rotation the entire season and owns an 8-2 record while leading the team in strikeouts (68) and innings pitched (69.1). He is one of three freshmen pitchers in the nation with at least eight victories and is tied for most in the Big 12. Taylor has four outings of at least six innings this year and struck out a season-best 10 hitters against Illinois on Feb. 24.
Lauden Brooks – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Brooks has started 46 games this year, 40 of which have come at second base and shortstop. He is hitting .307 with two home runs, 33 RBI, and 42 runs scored with 12 stolen bases. Brooks has been adept at getting hits in bunches this season, collecting 19 multi-hit efforts which ranks second on the team.
Kerrington Cross – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Cross has started all 54 games this season, with 53 of those starts coming at third base. He is hitting .325 this season with 10 home runs, 50 RBI, 61 runs scored, 42 walks, and 15 stolen bases. Cross ranks third in the Big 12 in runs scored, fifth in walks, fifth in stolen bases, and ninth in RBI. He has really come on strong to end the season, hitting .429 with five home runs and 14 RBI over the last 10 games.
Josh Hegemann – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Hegemann leads UC with a .345 batting average, which ranks 10th in the Big 12. He also leads the team with a .460 on-base percentage and has 15 stolen bases, which ranks fifth in the conference. Hegemann has started 46 games in the outfield (18 in CF, 15 in LF), 13 in RF) and has 17 multi-hit performances. In the final game of the regular season he hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel UC to a 10-6 win vs. No. 12 Oklahoma.
Tommy O'Connor – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
O'Connor has started 50 games this year, 27 at first base and 23 at designated hitter. He is second on the team with 12 home runs and also has 43 RBI, 44 runs scored, 39 walks, and eight doubles. O'Connor has 14 multi-hit efforts and 13 games with at least two RBI. A feared slugger, he also had 13 games with at least two walks, and a season-high three walks on three occasions.
// 2024 BIG 12 AWARD RECIPIENTS
Player of the Year: Max Belyeu, Texas
Pitcher of the Year: Payton Tolle, TCU
Freshman of the Year: Dominic Voegele, Kansas
Newcomer of the Year: Payton Tolle, TCU
Coach of the Year: Skip Johnson, Oklahoma
All-Big 12 First Team
C: Jake English, Kansas
IF: Brady Day, Kansas State
IF: Michael Snyder, Oklahoma
IF: Jalin Flores, Texas
IF: Jared Thomas, Texas
IF: JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia
OF: Carson Benge, Oklahoma State
OF: Zach Ehrhard, Oklahoma State
OF: Max Belyeu, Texas
DH: Easton Carmichael, Oklahoma
UT: Josh Kross, Cincinnati
SP: Braden Davis, Oklahoma
SP: Brian Holliday, Oklahoma State
SP: Payton Tolle, TCU*
SP: Derek Clark, West Virginia
RP: Ben Abeldt, TCU
RP: Gage Boehm, Texas
*- unanimous selection
All-Big 12 Second Team
C: Kevin Bazzell, Texas Tech
IF: Kodey Shojinaga, Kansas
IF: Kaelen Culpepper, Kansas State
IF: Colin Brueggemann, Oklahoma State
IF: Peyton Powell, Texas
IF: Reed Chumley, West Virginia
OF: Cary Arbolida, Houston
OF: Bryce Madron, Oklahoma
OF: Nolan Schubart, Oklahoma State
DH: Wesley Jordan, Baylor
UT: Christian Mitchelle, Cincinnati
UT: Justin Murray, Houston
SP: Dom Stagliano, UCF
SP: Reese Dutton, Kansas
SP: Dominic Voegele, Kansas
SP: Kyson Witherspoon, Oklahoma
SP: Sam Garcia, Oklahoma State
RP: Tyson Neighbors, Kansas State
RP: Robert Cranz, Oklahoma State
Ties resulted in five starting pitchers and two utility players on the second team
Honorable Mention
Baylor: Ethan Calder, Cole Posey
BYU: Stone Cushing, Mason Olson, Collin Reuter
UCF: Dominic Castellano, Chase Centala, Kyle Kramer, Danny Neri, Matt Prevesk
Cincinnati: Lauden Brooks, Kerrington Cross, Josh Hegemann, Christian Mitchelle, Tommy O'Connor, Nathan Taylor
Houston: Cade Citelli, Harold Coll
Kansas: Michael Brooks, Hunter Cranton, Ben Hartl, John Nett
Kansas State: Owen Boerema, Nick English, Brendan Jones, Raphael Pelletier, Jackson Wentworth
Oklahoma: Cater Campbell, Anthony Mackenzie, Scott Mudler, Jackson Nicklaus, John Spikerman, Jaxon Willits
Oklahoma State: Aidan Meola, Tommy Molsky
TCU: Kurtis Byrne, Zachary Cawyer, Logan Maxwell, Sam Myers
Texas: Rylan Galvan, Will Gasparino, Max Grubbs, Jared Thomas (UT), Ace Whitehead
Texas Tech: Damian Bravo, Gavin Kash, Cade McGee, T.J. Pompey, Kyle Robinson, Drew Woodcox
West Virginia: Aidan Major, Sam White (OF/UT), Kyle West
All-Freshman Team
Kuhio Aloy, BYU
Nathan Taylor, Cincinnati
Ace Reese, Houston
Dominic Voegele, Kansas
Blake Dean, Kansas State
Jaxon Willits, Oklahoma
Chase Brunson, TCU
Sam Myers, TCU
Will Gasparino, Texas
Mac Heuer, Texas Tech
Parker Hutyra, Texas Tech
T.J. Pompey, Texas Tech
In addition to Kross and Mitchelle, Nathan Taylor was named to the league's all-freshman team and was also named honorable mention all-conference. Lauden Brooks, Kerrington Cross, Josh Hegemann, and Tommy O'Connor were all named Honorable Mention All-Big 12 as well.
Cincinnati's group of all-conference players helped lead the team to an outstanding regular season. UC was 31-23 and 17-13 in the Big 12, earning the No. 5 seed in this week's Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship. UC will face No. 8 seed UCF at 5 PM ET on Tuesday.
Below is a closer look at UC's all-conference honorees:
Josh Kross – First-Team All-Big 12
Kross has been one of the best hitters in the conference in his first year in the league. He leads the Big 12 in home runs (19) and RBI (65) , and has reached on hit by pitch a league-leading 24 times as well. It's been one of the best offensive season by a Bearcat in recent memory, as Kross ranks tied for third all-time on the single-season home run list and tied for eighth in single-season RBI. His 24 HBP are the most ever in a season in school history. One of two players to start all 54 games this year, Kross is hitting .321 and slugging .656 while getting on base at a .440 clip. In a game at Saint Louis on March 22 he tied UC's single-game home run record with three homers.
Christian Mitchelle – Second-Team All-Big 12
Mitchelle has made his mark in the field and on the mound this year. The John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award watch list selection is hitting .315 with four home runs and 32 runs scored in the batter's box while starting 39 games, primarily at shortstop. Mitchelle also sports a 3.86 ERA across 37.1 innings as a reliever and ranks sixth in the Big 12 with six saves.
Nathan Taylor – All-Freshman Team/Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Taylor has been a part of Cincinnati's weekend rotation the entire season and owns an 8-2 record while leading the team in strikeouts (68) and innings pitched (69.1). He is one of three freshmen pitchers in the nation with at least eight victories and is tied for most in the Big 12. Taylor has four outings of at least six innings this year and struck out a season-best 10 hitters against Illinois on Feb. 24.
Lauden Brooks – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Brooks has started 46 games this year, 40 of which have come at second base and shortstop. He is hitting .307 with two home runs, 33 RBI, and 42 runs scored with 12 stolen bases. Brooks has been adept at getting hits in bunches this season, collecting 19 multi-hit efforts which ranks second on the team.
Kerrington Cross – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Cross has started all 54 games this season, with 53 of those starts coming at third base. He is hitting .325 this season with 10 home runs, 50 RBI, 61 runs scored, 42 walks, and 15 stolen bases. Cross ranks third in the Big 12 in runs scored, fifth in walks, fifth in stolen bases, and ninth in RBI. He has really come on strong to end the season, hitting .429 with five home runs and 14 RBI over the last 10 games.
Josh Hegemann – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Hegemann leads UC with a .345 batting average, which ranks 10th in the Big 12. He also leads the team with a .460 on-base percentage and has 15 stolen bases, which ranks fifth in the conference. Hegemann has started 46 games in the outfield (18 in CF, 15 in LF), 13 in RF) and has 17 multi-hit performances. In the final game of the regular season he hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel UC to a 10-6 win vs. No. 12 Oklahoma.
Tommy O'Connor – Honorable Mention All-Big 12
O'Connor has started 50 games this year, 27 at first base and 23 at designated hitter. He is second on the team with 12 home runs and also has 43 RBI, 44 runs scored, 39 walks, and eight doubles. O'Connor has 14 multi-hit efforts and 13 games with at least two RBI. A feared slugger, he also had 13 games with at least two walks, and a season-high three walks on three occasions.
// 2024 BIG 12 AWARD RECIPIENTS
Player of the Year: Max Belyeu, Texas
Pitcher of the Year: Payton Tolle, TCU
Freshman of the Year: Dominic Voegele, Kansas
Newcomer of the Year: Payton Tolle, TCU
Coach of the Year: Skip Johnson, Oklahoma
All-Big 12 First Team
C: Jake English, Kansas
IF: Brady Day, Kansas State
IF: Michael Snyder, Oklahoma
IF: Jalin Flores, Texas
IF: Jared Thomas, Texas
IF: JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia
OF: Carson Benge, Oklahoma State
OF: Zach Ehrhard, Oklahoma State
OF: Max Belyeu, Texas
DH: Easton Carmichael, Oklahoma
UT: Josh Kross, Cincinnati
SP: Braden Davis, Oklahoma
SP: Brian Holliday, Oklahoma State
SP: Payton Tolle, TCU*
SP: Derek Clark, West Virginia
RP: Ben Abeldt, TCU
RP: Gage Boehm, Texas
*- unanimous selection
All-Big 12 Second Team
C: Kevin Bazzell, Texas Tech
IF: Kodey Shojinaga, Kansas
IF: Kaelen Culpepper, Kansas State
IF: Colin Brueggemann, Oklahoma State
IF: Peyton Powell, Texas
IF: Reed Chumley, West Virginia
OF: Cary Arbolida, Houston
OF: Bryce Madron, Oklahoma
OF: Nolan Schubart, Oklahoma State
DH: Wesley Jordan, Baylor
UT: Christian Mitchelle, Cincinnati
UT: Justin Murray, Houston
SP: Dom Stagliano, UCF
SP: Reese Dutton, Kansas
SP: Dominic Voegele, Kansas
SP: Kyson Witherspoon, Oklahoma
SP: Sam Garcia, Oklahoma State
RP: Tyson Neighbors, Kansas State
RP: Robert Cranz, Oklahoma State
Ties resulted in five starting pitchers and two utility players on the second team
Honorable Mention
Baylor: Ethan Calder, Cole Posey
BYU: Stone Cushing, Mason Olson, Collin Reuter
UCF: Dominic Castellano, Chase Centala, Kyle Kramer, Danny Neri, Matt Prevesk
Cincinnati: Lauden Brooks, Kerrington Cross, Josh Hegemann, Christian Mitchelle, Tommy O'Connor, Nathan Taylor
Houston: Cade Citelli, Harold Coll
Kansas: Michael Brooks, Hunter Cranton, Ben Hartl, John Nett
Kansas State: Owen Boerema, Nick English, Brendan Jones, Raphael Pelletier, Jackson Wentworth
Oklahoma: Cater Campbell, Anthony Mackenzie, Scott Mudler, Jackson Nicklaus, John Spikerman, Jaxon Willits
Oklahoma State: Aidan Meola, Tommy Molsky
TCU: Kurtis Byrne, Zachary Cawyer, Logan Maxwell, Sam Myers
Texas: Rylan Galvan, Will Gasparino, Max Grubbs, Jared Thomas (UT), Ace Whitehead
Texas Tech: Damian Bravo, Gavin Kash, Cade McGee, T.J. Pompey, Kyle Robinson, Drew Woodcox
West Virginia: Aidan Major, Sam White (OF/UT), Kyle West
All-Freshman Team
Kuhio Aloy, BYU
Nathan Taylor, Cincinnati
Ace Reese, Houston
Dominic Voegele, Kansas
Blake Dean, Kansas State
Jaxon Willits, Oklahoma
Chase Brunson, TCU
Sam Myers, TCU
Will Gasparino, Texas
Mac Heuer, Texas Tech
Parker Hutyra, Texas Tech
T.J. Pompey, Texas Tech