Completed Event: Baseball at McNeese State on February 20, 2026 , Win , 11, to, 2
Final
Baseball
11
at McNeese State
2
2024 Baseball Roster
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Jersey Number 32
Hunter Cranton
- Position:
- RHP
- B/T:
- R/R
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 210
- Hometown:
- Newport Beach, Calif.
- High School:
- JSerra Catholic
- Prev School:
- Saddleback College/San Diego State
SINGLE-GAME CAREER HIGHS
- Innings pitched: 5.0, Oakland, Feb 26, 2023
- Walks allowed: 4, Valparaiso, Feb 19, 2023
- Strikeouts: 5, Valparaiso, Feb 19, 2023
- Batters faced: 22, Oakland, Feb 26, 2023
- Field chances: 3, Oakland, Feb 26, 2023
- Putouts: 1, 4 times
- Assists: 2, Oakland, Feb 26, 2023
- Runners CS: 2 [t-4th], at Oklahoma, Apr 29, 2023
REDSHIRT SENIOR – 2024
- Drafted in the 3rd round (No. 91 overall) by the Seattle Mariners in the 2024 MLB Draft; tied for the second highest draft pick in program history
- All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
- CSC Academic All-District Team
- Academic All-Big 12 First Team
- Appeared in 25 games out of the bullpen
- 4-3, 2.16 ERA, 25.0 IP, 9 BB, 38 SO, 7 SV
- Recorded the third-highest strikeout/9 innings pitched ratio in a single season in program history (13.68)
- Tied for fifth in the Big 12 in saves (7)
- Started the season without allowing an earned run in his first 11 appearances (12.1 IP)
- Did not allow an earned run in 10 of his final 11 appearances
- Recorded a strikeout in 20 of 25 appearances and had multiple strikeouts in 14 of those outings
- Saved both games of the doubleheader at BYU 3/29/24
REDSHIRT JUNIOR – 2023
- Appeared in 14 games (six starts)
- 3-4, 8.19 ERA, 29.2 IP, 16 BB, 23 SO
- Starter: 1-3, 11.78 ERA, 18.1 IP, 14 BB, 15 SO, .380 BAA in six starts
- Reliever: 2-1, 2.38 ERA, 11.1 IP, 2 BB, 8 SO, .256 BAA in eight appearances
- His first five appearances were starts before coming out of the bullpen eight of his last nine appearances
- W, 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO vs. Missouri State 4/4/23
- W, 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO vs. Baylor 4/2/23
- W, 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 SO vs. Oakland 2/26/23
- Began the season as the Sunday starter
- Transferred to Kansas with two years of eligibility remaining
- Committed in July 2022
SOPHOMORE – 2022 (SAN DIEGO STATE)
- Spent one year at San Diego State
- 0-1, 3.86 ERA, 9.1 IP, 3 BB, 13 SO in six appearances (one start)
- Opponents’ batting average was only .216
- Listed among the Top 612 MLB Draft prospects for the 2021 MLB Draft by Perfect Game
SADDLEBACK COLLEGE – 2020-21
- Spent two years in the Saddleback program
- 0-1, 12.60 ERA, 5.0 IP, 4 BB, 6 SO, 2 SV in five appearances as a freshman in 2021
- Collected two saves vs. Mt. San Antonio College (4/15/21) and Golden West College (4/22/21)
- His 98 mph velocity was the fastest JUCO pitcher in California in 2021
- Missed the 2020 season recovering from shoulder surgery
- Ranked the No. 13 incoming JUCO freshman by Perfect Game in 2019
- Ranked the No. 210 incoming freshman by Perfect Game in 2019
HIGH SCHOOL
- Played four years of baseball (first three years at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, California and final year at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California)
- Named Most Valuable Player of the Boras South Classic as a senior in 2019 after helping JSerra Catholic High School capture the tournament title with an 8-1 victory over La Mirada High School
- Helped his team finish second in the Trinity League that season and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs
- Ranked No. 284 nationally among all college prospects by Perfect Game and 93rd for right-handed pitchers in 2019
- Ranked 16th in California for right-handed pitchers by the same website and 48th for all players in the state
- Named a preseason All-American by Perfect Game all four years in high school, including first-team distinction for the California region in 2019
- Earned preseason second-team All-America honors for the underclass category in 2018 after meriting high honorable mention in 2017
- Named to the Top Prospect Team at the prestigious Perfect Game National Showcase in 2018 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, after receiving the same honor at the 2017 PG California Underclass Showcase in Monterey Park, California
- Selected to all-tournament teams at six Perfect Game events, including the PG California Underclass World Series (2016-17) and the 2016 WWBA 16U National Championships, competing for various BPA traveling squads
- Originally committed to Arizona in high school before withdrawing commitment to follow junior college route
- Earned a spot on the President’s Honor Roll all four years of high school
PERSONAL
- Son of Shane and Carey Cranton
- Has one older brother, Chris
- Picked Kansas over Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas, Southern California, UNLV, Nevada, Mississippi State and Washington State
- Chose Kansas because, “The excellent new coaching staff, incredible tradition of athletic excellence, phenomenal facilities, and to have a chance at winning a national championship. Coming to Kansas will give me the opportunity to play in one of the best baseball conferences in the country and a chance to further develop as a baseball player.”
- Plans to obtain a business degree and become an entrepreneur after baseball
- Selected No. 32 because of the rich history of pitching excellence who have worn the number. Sandy Koufax and Steve Carlton were the best left-handed pitchers to ever wear the number and he wants to bring some right-handed love to the historic number.
- Majoring in liberal arts & sciences
Dan Fitzgerald Preseason Press Conference
Thursday, February 05
Baseball 2026 Preseason Press Conference
Tuesday, February 03
Fitz Fridays: The 2026 Pitching Staff
Friday, January 30
Fitz Fridays: The 2026 Defense
Friday, January 23
