Coming off a year where ASU pitching saw runners cross home plate on average over five times a game, something needed to change. So far this season, the Sun Devils have minimized damage.
ASU's starting rotation has shined so far in 2026. Coming off the first weekend of Big 12 conference play, the group allowed only five earned runs en route to a series victory over No. 17 TCU.
Another stellar weekend on the mound lowered the Sun Devils' team ERA to 3.89, third-best in the Big 12 and 35th nationally, a significant turnaround for a unit that entered the season with a lot of unknown.
That doubt was evident in the preseason, when Baseball America's Jacob Rudner cited "uncertainty" on the mound as one of the primary reasons for leaving ASU out of his Top 25.
"Until the pitching stabilizes and the results follow the talent, Arizona State remains just outside the rankings," Rudner said in his article.
ASU cracked Baseball America's rankings for the first time this season, coming in at No. 24 on March 16, and is poised to continue to move up if they handle business this weekend on the road against Kansas State.
So far in 2026, the Sun Devil rotation has answered the call emphatically, and the national attention is starting to follow.
Led by program staples and breakout newcomers, if the ASU rotation sustains this level and the program's traditionally potent offense holds, a return to the NCAA Tournament might be undeniable, with a deep run into June potentially on the horizon.
"Things are going to shake out through the season, there's going to be bumps and bruises," pitching coach Jeremy Accardo said in the preseason, per SunDevilSource. "But if all these guys are focused on what they can control, I think we're going to be in a good spot."
READ MORE: ASU baseball collects ranked series win over TCU to open conference play
Cole World
Leading ASU's rotation is junior left-hander Cole Carlon. The ace of the staff has washed out concerns about his transition from reliever to starter so far this season. He is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA and second in the conference with 40 strikeouts in five starts.
The Tempe native gives ASU a shot to win against any team in the nation. That was evident in the Sun Devils' game against then-No.4 Mississippi State in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, a game in which Carlon carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before running into some trouble and having to leave the game due to cramps.
Carlon has run into some trouble with the long ball, allowing a home run in four out of his five starts, all at the hitter-friendly Phoenix Municipal Stadium. But he still maintains an opponent's batting average of .170.
"(I'm) naturally getting used to going deeper in the games, (throwing) more pitches," Carlon said per DevilsDigest. "It's gone good."
Weekend Warriors
Coming onto the scene in the weekend rotation over the past couple of weeks have been transfer right-handers senior Kole Klecker and junior Alex Overbay.
Klecker is coming off a seven-shutout-inning performance against his former school, TCU, helping lead ASU to a series victory. The Hamilton grad started the season as a midweek starter before entering the weekend slate against LMU.
He is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in four starts this season, striking out 22.
Overbay is still ramping up into the starter role for the first time in his collegiate career. He started the season in the bullpen and, in his first two starts, has seen mixed results. He had four shutout innings against LMU, but allowed four earned runs in three innings against TCU.
"We can compete with any team in the country, and that's the mentality we have in that locker room," Klecker said per SunDevilSource. "This team has a chance to do special things; now it's just on us to execute, so it's very exciting."
Shutting the door
Headlining the bullpen has been senior team captain, left-hander Sean Fitzpatrick, and junior right-handers Derek Schaefer and Josh Butler.
Fitzpatrick has struck out 50% of the batters he's faced, allowing no earned runs in his 8.1 innings of work. He appears to be the primary lefty out of the bullpen for head coach Willie Bloomquist, as he enjoys his early success following a 2025 season where he had an 11.57 ERA.
"The biggest thing that's helped me the most is my relationship with God," Fitzpatrick said per SunDevilSource. "Second was sitting in the (team) weight room for two months, lifting and getting stronger, adding some (velocity) helps a little bit. But, the bottom line is that if you execute pitches ... you earn the opportunity to get whiffs and get strikeouts."
Schaefer is the only Sun Devil pitcher to have recorded saves this season, with two, and looks to be an anchor for ASU closing games down the stretch in Big 12 play. In nine appearances, he has a 1.93 ERA with a loss and a blown save coming against Oklahoma.
In eight appearances out of the bullpen, Butler is 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA, striking out seven.
The old baseball adage goes, "good pitching beats good hitting." If ASU can continue to get both in 2026, they could scratch a lot of W's on their schedule.
Edited by Niall Rosenberg, Henry Smardo and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at eapache3@asu.edu.
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