Romeo T Guzman/BCU Athletics
(Source: – Bethune-Cookman)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Baseball had seven players invited to next month’s HBCU Swingman Classic Presented by T-Mobile scheduled for July 11, during All-Star Week at Truist Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The announcement came via press release from MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation.
For Bethune-Cookman, the invited players include Yoansell Diaz, Irvin Escobar, Darryl Lee, Andrey Martinez, Edwin Sanchez, Jesus Vanegas and Jean Carlos Zambrano, respectively.
Yoansell Diaz – known to all by “Yo-Yo”, is a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Hialeah, Florida, finished the 2025 campaign with a 5-5 record, holding a 5.48 ERA in 14 appearances totaling 23 innings and 36 strikeouts for the Maroon and Gold. He was instrumental in B-CU winning its first-ever Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament title with his late-inning performances out of the bullpen in back-to-back games against perennial SWAC power Alabama State.
Announced to his second Swingman Classic team, Irvin Escobar saw most of his action behind the dish for the Wildcats during his senior season, earning the distinction of being “one of the hardest players to strikeout” nationally, striking out just six times in 132 at-bats. From his catcher position, defensively, he was second in the conference in fielding percentage (.991) and sixth in putouts (310), all while throwing out 12 runners attempting to steal – placing him seventh in the league in that category. He added a .280 batting average to go along with 37 hits and 21 RBIs, as he suited up in 48 games with 37 starts across the campaign.
In his first season for the Wildcats, outfielder Darryl Lee played primarily in left field as he would be named All-SWAC Second Team at the end of the regular season. The Coastal Alabama CC transfer was second in the league in triples (5) and ninth in stolen bases (23). He tallied a .299 batting average with a team third-most tying 13 doubles and nine home runs (fourth-most on the B-CU squad). He also used a .988 fielding percentage as he picked up 84 assists and one assist in 85 total plays in the outfield.
Andrey Martinez quickly made a name for himself in his first season with the Wildcats, tying the school record for single-season home runs (20), matching MLB product Peter O’Brien from the 2010 campaign. A junior from Barranquilla, Colombia, Martinez also led the SWAC in home runs on his way to being named SWAC Co-Hitter of the Year and a SWAC First Team member. His walk-off home run in the ninth inning against Florida A&M allowed the Wildcats to win the SWAC Tournament title. On the year, the third baseman carried a .353 batting average and a SWAC second-best .725 slugging percentage. He finished the season with the third-most RBIs in the SWAC with 64, as well as registering a .943 fielding mark with 83 putouts and 33 assists, respectfully.
An All-SWAC Second Team performer, Edwin Sanchez quickly cemented himself as a weekend starter on the mound for Head Coach Jonathan Hernandez, beginning the season as a Sunday starter before moving up in the rotation due to the season-ending injury sustained by Tanner Boccabello. Sanchez finished the season second in the SWAC with eight wins, compiling an 8-1 record on the campaign. He also finished with a SWAC-low 3.05 ERA across a team-high 82.2 innings pitched (third-most in the league).
Another all-conference performer, appropriately voted to the All-SWAC First Team, junior second baseman Jesus Vanegas recorded a .285 batting average for the Cats as he played and started all 60 games across the campaign – the only player on the roster to do so. He also held a team third-highest .566 slugging percentage with a team second-most 63 hits, 12 doubles and 16 home runs (fourth-most in the SWAC). He swiped five bases on the season and fielded at a .972 clip in amassing 109 putouts and 138 assists altogether.
Another pitcher having been selected from the Wildcats – seeing most of his action out of the bullpen, is right-handed junior Jean Carlos Zambrano who carried a 6-2 record for the 2025 campaign and used a team second-lowest 4.25 ERA in 20 appearances. On his way to being tabbed SWAC Relief Pitcher of the Year, Zambrano collected a team-high matching two saves in 42.1 innings worked on the bump with teams hitting .239 against him. During the conference season, the native of Caracas, Venezuela, posted his season-high tying five strikeouts against Maryland Eastern Shore and Alcorn State.
Fans can watch the HBCU Swingman Classic live on MLB Network or stream it on MLB.com. Game time for the event will be announced at a later date. This philanthropic & educational All-Star Week event will take place at Truist Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves.
