College Basketball is at its peak right now and the March Madness frenzy is right around the corner. College Hockey also had its moments and the amount of top tier talent at that level is very fun to watch. The other sport that’s phenomenal to pay attention to at the collegiate level is College Baseball.

When you think of the top tier teams in the power rankings, it is highlighted by the SEC and the ACC, which is expected. One team that has been fun to watch to start the college season is the Arizona State Sun Devils. They are not ranked, but are currently 5-1 on the season. One of the big reasons to watch and pay attention is for pitcher Ben Jacobs.

Keep Your Eye on Jacobs

If you don’t know about Ben Jacobs, you’ll get to know him now. Jacobs is the front line starter for the Sun Devils and man what a start he has had to the season. He has made two starts this season, one against Ohio State and one against Oral Roberts. His start against Ohio State was good. He did pitch four innings and managed to punch out five batters while also walking one. He did have four earned runs against him, but did pick up the win. The start against Oral Roberts was more of a treat.

Benjamin Jacobs, everyone.

That’s 🔟 punchouts through four innings.

📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/rX9KVakFUT

— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 22, 2025

It depends how you want to look at it, but overall it was a good start. Jacobs did give up a home run immediately in the first inning, but was flawless after that up until the fifth inning. After the home run, he struck out ten batters and was putting forth a dominant showing.

He gave up another two home runs in the fifth inning, which has been a recurring theme to start the season. Jacobs did have his best set of strikeouts, punching out 11 in that outing.

Yep, the ERA sits at 7.00, which isn’t ideal, but there is a lot under the hood to want to make you tune into Jacobs and become more familiar with his game.

Jacobs is a Top Prospect

Watching the MLB Draft is a lot of fun and it’s great seeing these guys get their names called. Whether it’s college or high school, that next player gets to live out their dream. For Jacobs, he is one of the top prospects entering the 2025 MLB Draft.

According to Fangraphs, Jacobs is ranked 14th on their board. Also, he is the second ranked left handed pitcher on the board. There is good reason for this and nobody should be surprised when his name gets called. He would be a tremendous asset on any teams staff.

Jacobs brings quite the arsenal to the table. His fastball does not have the highest velocity around, but has been able to top 95 MPH. What he works his magic with is his off speed pitches, which he has shown to generate more swing and miss on. He throws a change up, curveball, and slider.

M2 | Jacobs settles in and strikes out the side on just 10 pitches (and the one ball definitely looked like a strike on TrackMan 👀)

1-0, ORU

📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/OjEhW4qodG

— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) February 22, 2025

Jacobs is competitive and has a way of working all around the zone. If he ever gets into a jam, he finds as way out. Command is something he will want to improve on, but Jacobs is a pitcher you want on your staff. He finished the 2024 season with 102 strikeouts and already has 16 in two starts.

Become familiar with Jacobs, as he will be someone you’ll hear about more frequently.