Landon Hairston has been hitting like a video‑game create‑a-player: a .468 average with a 1.544 OPS and 15 home runs in 28 games is production that almost never shows up in real life. These numbers aren't just unbelievable, they're the kind of once‑in‑a‑lifetime statistics that makes you double‑check the stat sheet to be sure it isn’t a typo. We are witnessing something special for Sun Devil baseball in 2026.
A senior left‑hander who has become one of ASU's most reliable late‑inning options, trusted to take on the tougher pockets of a lineup and work through the moments that matter. His track record of handling inherited runners and navigating leverage has made him a go‑to arm in tight situations.
Beckett Zavorek has settled in as a reliable infield presence, showing the same quick transfer and clean defensive instincts that defined his Bullard High days. He’s already stacked a pair of multi‑hit games this season and continues to put together competitive at‑bats. A lean, athletic sophomore who plays with quiet confidence, he looks more comfortable every week.
Landon Hairston crushes his 3rd Grand Slam of the season to help lead ASU to a 15-8 win over TCU on Saturday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Redshirt sophomore catcher Brody Briggs gets another look at TCU this weekend, a year after he stunned them in Fort Worth with his first two collegiate homers — a three‑run shot and a grand slam out of the nine‑hole for seven RBIs in the 12–11 win. A quiet, steady presence behind the plate since then, he’s back at Muni with another chance to make noise against the Horned Frogs.
AI‑generated tribute illustration of Sun Devil for life Lyle Lin, celebrating his selection to the Chinese Taipei roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Austen Roellig cruises into second against St. John’s, adding another extra‑base hit to a strong early stretch. The redshirt sophomore has appeared in 11 of ASU’s first 12 games and is hitting .306 with five doubles, a home run, and 7 driven in.
Matt Polk has opened his ASU career with the kind of steady, efficient production that translates no matter the opponent. Through his first stretch of games he’s hitting .308 with a 1.000 OPS, already logging a triple, a homer, four RBIs, and a clean stolen base attempt. It’s a small sample, but the at‑bats have been mature and the contact has been loud.
Landon Hairston steps in during a key trip to the plate in Saturday's 3-1 win over St. Johns, a tight pitching duel that pushed the Sun Devils to a 6-0 start on the season. Through the first two weekends, Hairston is leading the Devils with a .409 average (9-for-22), a 1.227 OPS, 10 RBI and 2 stolen bases. He sits in the top four on the roster in every major offensive category and currently leads the team in Hits and Doubles.
On a warm afternoon at Phoenix Muni, Nuʻu Contrades gets loose before the start of play against Omaha. Through the first two games of the 2026 season, the junior infielder has been a force at the plate, hitting .500 with a double and a grand slam in Saturday’s win. He’s also been perfect in his nine defensive chances at second base, providing steady play in the middle of the diamond. A strong start for a veteran Sun Devil who knows exactly where this team wants to be when June rolls around.
Commentary in Give 'Em Hell Devils by Barry S. Stahl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License 
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