BREAKING: 2024 Freshman shuts down his recruitment with NC State
The Wolfpack have now solidified their corner infield positions for the 2025 season.
It is evident from the information above that NC State has secured a commitment from a transfer first baseman from Vanderbilt. Ossenfort has three years of eligibility left, though he will be a draft-eligible sophomore in 2025. Depending on his playing time in 2024, he might qualify for a redshirt that season, making him a redshirt freshman in 2025 with four years of eligibility remaining.
The 6’3″, 218-pound left-hander served in a reserve role for the Commodores as a freshman in 2024. He posted a batting line of .182/.250/.545, with an 8.3% walk rate, a 50.0% strikeout rate, and no stolen bases in 12 plate appearances over 6 games, including three starts. Those starts occurred in late March, with his last appearance for Vanderbilt coming on April 9th as a pinch hitter.
Ossenfort was ranked among the top 350 players coming out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. There, he was teammates with Devin Fitz-Gerald, one of NC State’s top commitments for the incoming 2024-2025 freshman class. This relationship may help persuade Fitz-Gerald to decline MLB draft opportunities and join the Raleigh team.
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin had this to say about Ossenfort, according to his Vanderbilt bio:
Matt comes to us with a high aptitude for hitting. He is a well-rounded hitter who has power and uses the whole field. I love his potential inside our program. Ozzie is a very competitive player with a strong desire to be good. He is a personable young man with a curious mind. A lot of fun to coach.
D1 Baseball praised Ossenfort’s power in their 2023 Fall Report on the Commodores. During the summer between high school and college, he played in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League and excelled, hitting .376/.480/.693, with a 16.5% walk rate, a 17.3% strikeout rate, 4 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and 8 home runs against college pitchers in 28 games. These impressive stats are clearly more reflective of his abilities.
