Zach Cole Getting Called Up to Astros; Set to Become Fifth Ball State Alumnus to Play in the Major Leagues this Season
September 12, 2025 | Baseball
Ball State baseball alumnus Zach Cole is set to be called up to the Houston Astros on Friday and will be the fifth former Ball State student-athlete to play in the Major Leagues this season when he makes his debut.
An outfielder from Ozark, Mo., who was selected in the tenth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by Houston, Cole has posted a .279/.377/.539 slash line with 22 doubles, seven triples, 19 home runs, 65 RBI, 63 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in 358 at bats between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land this season.
Cole has been on a tear since being promoted to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, as he was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week on Sept. 8 for only his second week in Triple-A. The left-handed batter boasts a .353/.459/.745 slash line, five home runs and 16 RBI in just 15 games with the Space Cowboys.
Cole will join Alex Call (Dodgers/Nationals), Kyle Nicolas (Pirates), Chayce McDermott (Orioles) and Drey Jameson (Diamondbacks) as Ball State baseball alumni to play in a Major League game this year upon his debut. McDermott was the most recent to make his debut in the big leagues when he did so on July 24, 2024 in Miami for the Baltimore Orioles.
"It is always special when one of our former players realizes his dream of becoming a big leaguer," Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said. "Zach Cole through hard work, persistence and a belief he could do it stayed the course for his special moment. From a coach's standpoint, watching Zach develop as a player and as a person has been a great joy!
"The call when a player reaches out to tell you he is going to the show is always very emotional because these players give everything they have in a long hard process to reach the pinnacle. Tears of joy are shed over the excitement of their incredible accomplishment. Our Ball State Family couldn't be happier for Zach's accomplishments! Zach was a key contributor on our 2022 MAC Championship team. The last six weeks of his Ball State career he was truly one of the best players in college baseball. Zach is our fifth Cardinal to wear a big league uniform this year which is extra special."
A 2022 First Team All-MAC, MAC All-Defensive Team and MAC All-Tournament Team selection, Cole set a Ball State record and led all of NCAA Division I with nine triples in his breakout 2022 campaign. The outfielder slashed .361/.449/.727 in 183 at bats with 10 doubles, the nine triples, 13 home runs, 47 RBI and 49 runs scored as a junior that year.
Cole has tallied a .249 batting average and .826 OPS with 51 home runs, 180 RBI and 87 steals in parts of four seasons in professional baseball. MLB.com listed Cole as the No. 19 prospect in the Astros system.
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An outfielder from Ozark, Mo., who was selected in the tenth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by Houston, Cole has posted a .279/.377/.539 slash line with 22 doubles, seven triples, 19 home runs, 65 RBI, 63 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in 358 at bats between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land this season.
Cole has been on a tear since being promoted to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, as he was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week on Sept. 8 for only his second week in Triple-A. The left-handed batter boasts a .353/.459/.745 slash line, five home runs and 16 RBI in just 15 games with the Space Cowboys.
Cole will join Alex Call (Dodgers/Nationals), Kyle Nicolas (Pirates), Chayce McDermott (Orioles) and Drey Jameson (Diamondbacks) as Ball State baseball alumni to play in a Major League game this year upon his debut. McDermott was the most recent to make his debut in the big leagues when he did so on July 24, 2024 in Miami for the Baltimore Orioles.
"It is always special when one of our former players realizes his dream of becoming a big leaguer," Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said. "Zach Cole through hard work, persistence and a belief he could do it stayed the course for his special moment. From a coach's standpoint, watching Zach develop as a player and as a person has been a great joy!
"The call when a player reaches out to tell you he is going to the show is always very emotional because these players give everything they have in a long hard process to reach the pinnacle. Tears of joy are shed over the excitement of their incredible accomplishment. Our Ball State Family couldn't be happier for Zach's accomplishments! Zach was a key contributor on our 2022 MAC Championship team. The last six weeks of his Ball State career he was truly one of the best players in college baseball. Zach is our fifth Cardinal to wear a big league uniform this year which is extra special."
A 2022 First Team All-MAC, MAC All-Defensive Team and MAC All-Tournament Team selection, Cole set a Ball State record and led all of NCAA Division I with nine triples in his breakout 2022 campaign. The outfielder slashed .361/.449/.727 in 183 at bats with 10 doubles, the nine triples, 13 home runs, 47 RBI and 49 runs scored as a junior that year.
Cole has tallied a .249 batting average and .826 OPS with 51 home runs, 180 RBI and 87 steals in parts of four seasons in professional baseball. MLB.com listed Cole as the No. 19 prospect in the Astros system.
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