Baylor Baseball’s Kemp and Craig Gather All-Region Honors

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – June 10, 2025

Baylor Baseball’s Kemp and Craig Gather All-Region Honors
Kemp named first-team shortstop, Craig a second-team relief pitcher
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Baylor baseball’s dynamic duo of senior shortstop Tyriq Kemp and sixth-year senior right-handed pitcher Gabe Craig have earned ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region honors, as announced Tuesday by the organization.

Kemp was named one of two first-team shortstops, while Craig earned second-team praise as a relief pitcher. The duo marks BU’s first All-Region honorees since Andy Thomas (C, First Team), Luke Boyd (RP, Second Team) and Jared McKenzie (OF, Second Team) were each recognized in 2021.

A native of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Kemp had a breakout 2025 season, hitting .358 and slugging .542 with a .988 OPS. He led the Bears with 72 hits, including 14 doubles, one triple and a career-high seven home runs. The sparkplug moved from the nine-spot in the BU batting order up to the three-hole by the latter stages of the season, scoring 48 runs and driving in 39 on the year.

One of the nation’s premier defenders, Kemp ranked third among Big 12 shortstops and 21st nationally with 11.10 defensive runs saved in 2025. He committed just nine errors and fielded at a .962 clip, marking one of the best defensive seasons by a Baylor shortstop in the Statcrew Era (since 2003).

Craig recorded one of the best seasons by any relief pitcher in the country this year, finishing 2025 with a 3-0 record and earning 10 saves. He posted a microscopic 0.56 ERA across 32 innings of work and held his opponents to a .124 batting average. Craig racked up 51 strikeouts and allowed just three walks, leading the nation with a 17-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Of his 24 appearances, Craig logged 22 scoreless outings, 14 hitless outings, and struck out at least two batters 16 times. He finished the year on a 20.1-inning scoreless streak across his last 12 appearances, a stretch that spanned back to April 4. Craig was named one of five finalists for the 2025 College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award and one of 13 finalists for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award.

Both Kemp and Craig earned First Team All-Big 12 praise earlier this summer at their respective positions. Kemp, along with Kansas State’s shortstop Maximus Martin and other first-team selections, will be eligible for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors. Craig joined Oklahoma’s Dylan Crooks as second-team relievers behind the first-team selections of Houston’s Antoine Jean and Texas’ Dylan Volantis.

ABCA/Rawlings All-Region teams are voted on by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association. ABCA/Rawlings All-America teams will be announced on Friday, June 13, prior to the start of the 2025 College World Series. Finalists for the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team will be announced on Monday, June 16, with winners in all divisions to be announced on Wednesday, June 18.

To stay up to date on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorBaseball.


-BaylorBears.com-


__________________________________

Max Calderone | Director of Athletics Communications (Baseball, Football)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-265-1639

[signature_4121937235]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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