Bryson Ayala and Evan Burg have been named Freshmen to Watch by the acclaimed media outlet.
Excitement is heating up for the Tulane Green Wave on the diamond, as opening day of college baseball season is Friday.
While the Green Wave boasts a solid blend of standout returners and transfers who are looking to make an immediate impact, some of the youngest players on the team are receiving some well-deserved recognition.
Freshmen Bryson Ayala and Evan Burg were recently recognized as Freshmen to Watch by D1 Baseball, one of the biggest media outlets in the sport. Each player is expected to make some noise out of the gate for Tulane, and there's hope that their contributions can help propel the team to postseason success this year.
Ayala, an infielder from Melbourne, Florida, made his mark in the Sunshine State during his time at Melbourne High School. He totaled 100 hits, 77 RBI and 90 runs scored while batting .310 throughout his high school career. Additionally, he played a major role in helping his team win a Cape Coast Championship and reach the playoffs four times.
Ayala picked up All-District honors as well as being named the team's MVP and Defensive Player of the Year following his senior season. Perfect Game ranked him as the 16th-best shortstop in Florida for the Class of 2025 and the 107th-best shortstop nationally.
Meanwhile, Burg is right at home -- literally. The Kenner native graduated from Archbishop Rummel High School, where he had a standout career as Louisiana's third-ranked outfielder and 15th-ranked player overall. Burg was a two-time All-District selection at Rummel and helped lead the team to a district championship and two appearances in the state semifinals and championship. He ended his career with 89 RBI.
The Green Wave has the talent needed to make a run at a postseason appearance, even against what's expected to be a loaded field of competition in the American Conference. The team finished the 2025 season with a 33-25 overall record, including a 13-14 mark in league action. Tulane came close to reaching the NCAA Tournament thanks to a massive run in the conference tournament, but a finals loss to the East Carolina Pirates ultimately ended its hopes.
There's growing confidence within the program that the team can find that same level of success this year. The Green Wave will look to reach the tournament for the third time in the last four seasons and reclaim a conference title after doing so in both 2023 and 2024. Of course, the end goal is the College World Series in Omaha -- something that the team reached in 2001 and 2005.
The year gets started on Friday, as Tulane will travel to face the Loyola Marymount Lions for Opening Day. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. CT from Los Angeles.