Lehigh University Athletics
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Whitlinger Named Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player Of The Year
1/30/2025 2:06:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 2025 Patriot League preseason poll, major awards and all-league team were announced by the league on Thursday afternoon. Senior outfielder Jake Whitlinger took home Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors and earned a spot on the all-league team while the Mountain Hawks were picked to finish in fifth place.
The Patriot League Baseball Preseason Honors are voted on by coaches and SIDs around the league.
The Mountain Hawks enter 2025 off of a 24-23-1 season in 2024, finishing in fifth place in the Patriot League standings. Lehigh recorded the second lowest team ERA in the league at 5.33 and ranked fourth in batting average at .262. Whitlinger and shortstop Tyler Young were named to the First Team All-Patriot League team while starting pitcher Cole Leaman and third baseman Rafe Perich earned Second Team honors. Two Mountain Hawks were picked in the 2024 MLB Draft in July, as Perich was drafted in the seventh round by the Texas Rangers while pitcher Alex Bouchard was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fourteenth round.
Whitlinger's selection as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year is Lehigh's first preseason major award win since Casey Rother and Luke Rettig were named Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year in 2023. Whitlinger was Lehigh's primary leadoff hitter, batting .319 with 51 hits, a team-high 44 runs scored, 18 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple and a team-high 21 stolen bases. He now sits in fifth place all-time in program history with 52 stolen bases. Whitlinger was also excellent defensively from the center field position, recording a .989 fielding percentage with 90 putouts and only one error.
Lehigh is set to begin the 2025 campaign on the road in Norman, Oklahoma on February 14 for a three-game series against the Oklahoma Sooners.
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2025 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Army West Point, 50 points (10 first-place votes)
2. Navy, 34
3. Holy Cross, 32 (2)
4. Bucknell, 32
5. Lehigh, 20
6. Lafayette, 12
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2025 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Major Awards
Player of the Year – Sean Scanlon, Holy Cross, Sr., DH/1B/RHP
Pitcher of the Year – Justin Lehman, Army West Point, Sr., RHP
Defensive Player of the Year – Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr., CF
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2025 Preseason Baseball All-Patriot League Team
Starting Pitcher: Justin Lehman, Army West Point, Sr., RHP
Starting Pitcher: Tyler Grenn, Navy, Jr., RHP
Relief Pitcher: Landon Kruer, Navy, Sr., RHP
Catcher: Ethan Swidler, Lafayette, Jr.
Infielder: Chris Barr, Army West Point, Jr., (2B)
Infielder: Billy Kender, Bucknell, Sr., (2B)
Infielder: Michael Trommer, Bucknell, Jr. (3B)
Infielder: Brock Murtha, Navy, Jr. (2B)
Outfielder: Billy Parker, Army West Point, Jr.
Outfielder: Chris Morabito, Bucknell, So.
Outfielder: Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr.
At-Large: Sean Scanlon, Holy Cross, Sr. (DH/1B/RHP)
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The Patriot League Baseball Preseason Honors are voted on by coaches and SIDs around the league.
The Mountain Hawks enter 2025 off of a 24-23-1 season in 2024, finishing in fifth place in the Patriot League standings. Lehigh recorded the second lowest team ERA in the league at 5.33 and ranked fourth in batting average at .262. Whitlinger and shortstop Tyler Young were named to the First Team All-Patriot League team while starting pitcher Cole Leaman and third baseman Rafe Perich earned Second Team honors. Two Mountain Hawks were picked in the 2024 MLB Draft in July, as Perich was drafted in the seventh round by the Texas Rangers while pitcher Alex Bouchard was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fourteenth round.
Whitlinger's selection as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year is Lehigh's first preseason major award win since Casey Rother and Luke Rettig were named Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year in 2023. Whitlinger was Lehigh's primary leadoff hitter, batting .319 with 51 hits, a team-high 44 runs scored, 18 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple and a team-high 21 stolen bases. He now sits in fifth place all-time in program history with 52 stolen bases. Whitlinger was also excellent defensively from the center field position, recording a .989 fielding percentage with 90 putouts and only one error.
Lehigh is set to begin the 2025 campaign on the road in Norman, Oklahoma on February 14 for a three-game series against the Oklahoma Sooners.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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2025 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Army West Point, 50 points (10 first-place votes)
2. Navy, 34
3. Holy Cross, 32 (2)
4. Bucknell, 32
5. Lehigh, 20
6. Lafayette, 12
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2025 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Major Awards
Player of the Year – Sean Scanlon, Holy Cross, Sr., DH/1B/RHP
Pitcher of the Year – Justin Lehman, Army West Point, Sr., RHP
Defensive Player of the Year – Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr., CF
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2025 Preseason Baseball All-Patriot League Team
Starting Pitcher: Justin Lehman, Army West Point, Sr., RHP
Starting Pitcher: Tyler Grenn, Navy, Jr., RHP
Relief Pitcher: Landon Kruer, Navy, Sr., RHP
Catcher: Ethan Swidler, Lafayette, Jr.
Infielder: Chris Barr, Army West Point, Jr., (2B)
Infielder: Billy Kender, Bucknell, Sr., (2B)
Infielder: Michael Trommer, Bucknell, Jr. (3B)
Infielder: Brock Murtha, Navy, Jr. (2B)
Outfielder: Billy Parker, Army West Point, Jr.
Outfielder: Chris Morabito, Bucknell, So.
Outfielder: Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr.
At-Large: Sean Scanlon, Holy Cross, Sr. (DH/1B/RHP)
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