Garrett Workman made the most of his opportunities in his first college baseball season.
And now he’s being rewarded for it.
On Tuesday, May 20, the Southwestern Athletic Conference named the first-year Florida A&M pitcher its Freshman of the Year.
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Workman’s nod as the SWAC’s top Freshman comes a year removed from becoming the All-Big Bend Pitcher of the Year for his senior season at Tallahassee’s North Florida Christian.
Florida A&M pitcher Garrett Workman prepares to pitch during a Rattlers fall ball baseball game on Moore-Kittles Field in Tallahassee, Florida. Workman was the Tallahassee Democrat’s 2024 All-Big Bend Pitcher of the Year as a senior at North Florida Christian.
Workman played a significant role for the Rattlers this season, emerging as the ace pitcher and Friday night starter after Caleb Granger, last year’s SWAC Pitcher of the Year, had a season-ending elbow injury in April.
On the mound, Workman had an 8-4 win-loss record for the Rattlers. The lefty had a 3.92 earned run average and 67 strikeouts in 80.1 innings pitched.
This season, FAMU was the SWAC’s third-best pitching team, with Carson Kelly and Jesus Campa joining Workman in the league’s top ten of the ERA statistical leaderboard.
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Other FAMU baseball players who got SWAC postseason honors are Broedy Poppell, a catcher, and Jay Campbell at third base. Both made it on the All-SWAC First Team.
The Rattlers, riding an 11-game winning streak, finished the regular season 30-23, becoming FAMU’s third team to win 30 games before the postseason.
FAMU will open the SWAC Tournament as a two-seed and face the seven-seed Southern on Wednesday, May 21, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Birmingham’s Rickwood Field.
Fans can watch the eight-team, double elimination tournament on the SWAC Digital Network via YouTube.
The SWAC Championship game is on Sunday, May 25, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. ESPN Plus will stream the title game.
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SWAC Baseball 2025 Honors
Florida A&M Rattlers catcher Broedy Poppell makes a throw during an NCAA Southwestern Athletic Conference game versus the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Moore-Kittles Field in Tallahassee, Florida, Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Coach of the Year
Jonathan Hernandez, Bethune-Cookman
Player of the Year
Cardell Thibodeaux, Southern
Co-Hitter of the Year
Co-Hitter of the Year
Andrey Martinez, Bethune-Cookman
Pitcher of the Year
Relief Pitcher of the Year
Jean Carlos Zambrano, Bethune-Cookman
Freshman of the Year
Garrett Workman, Florida A&M
Newcomer of the Year
Cardell Thibodeaux, Southern
All-SWAC Baseball First Team
Catcher – Broedy Poppell, Florida A&M
First Base – Juan Cruz, Alabama State
Second Base – Jesus Vanegas, Bethune-Cookman
Third Base – Jay Campbell, Florida A&M
Shortstop – Bryce Hughes, Texas Southern
Designated Hitter – Taj Bates, Southern
Outfield – Cardell Thibodeaux, Southern
Outfield – Andrey Martinez, Bethune-Cookman
Outfield – Kameron Douglas, Alabama State
Starting Pitcher – Eric Elliott, Jackson State
Starting Pitcher – Kenney Fabian, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Relief Pitcher – Jean Carlos Zambrano, Bethune-Cookman
All-SWAC Baseball Second Team
Catcher – Chris Marcellus, Grambling State
First Base – Wilbert Perez, Jackson State
Second Base – Alex Espaillat, Alabama State
Third Base – KJ White, Southern
Shortstop – Jeter Polledo, Bethune-Cookman
Designated Hitter – Damian Garcia, Texas Southern
Outfield – Trey Rutledge, Alabama A&M
Outfield – Darryl Lee, Bethune-Cookman
Outfield – Jordan McCladdie, Jackson State
Starting Pitcher – Jorhan Laboy, Alabama State
Starting Pitcher – Edwin Sanchez, Bethune-Cookman
Starting Pitcher – Nick Luckett, Southern
Relief Pitcher – Ethan Bates, Grambling State
Relief Pitcher – Peyton Huff, Southern
SWAC Baseball Tournament 2025 Seeding
Florida A&M head coach Jamey Shouppe speaks to his team during an NCAA Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball game versus the Jackson State Tigers on Moore-Kittles Field in Tallahassee, Florida, Sunday, April 6, 2025.
SWAC Baseball Tournament 2025 Schedule
Florida A&M Rattlers infielder Jay Campbell prepares to bat in an NCAA Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball game versus the Grambling State Tigers at Moore-Kittles Field, Sunday, April 27, 2025.
Wednesday, May 21
Game 1 – No. 1 Bethune-Cookman vs. No. 8 Texas Southern, 10:00 a.m.
Game 2 – No. 2 Florida A&M vs. No. 7 Southern, 1:00 p.m.
Game 3 – No. 3 Alabama State vs. No. 6 Jackson State, 4:00 p.m.
Game 4 – No. 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. No. 5 Grambling State, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 22
Game 5 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3, 10:00 a.m.
Game 6 – Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 4, 1:00 p.m.
Game 7 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3, 4:00 p.m.
Game 8 – Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 4, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 23
Game 9 – Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, 10:00 a.m.
Game 10 – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 1:00 p.m.
Game 11 – Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9, 4:00 p.m.
Game 12 – Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 8, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 24 (If Necessary)
Game 11b – Loser Game 11 vs. Winner Game 11, 1:00 p.m.
Game 12b – Loser Game 12 vs. Winner Game 12. 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 25
Game 13 – Championship Game, 2:00 p.m.
All times listed Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU baseball pitcher Garrett Workman named SWAC Freshman of the Year