SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State closer Kade Brown was one of 36 players from across the nation named to D1 Baseball's Freshman All-America Team on Friday, picking up second-team honors according to a vote of D1Baseball editors and national writers.

The Elk Grove, Calif., native becomes the second Hornet to earn Freshman All-America honors from the organization, joining Wehiwa Aloy in 2023. Brown is one of five West Coast players to earn a nod on this year's squad and one of four pitchers from the Western Athletic Conference selected to the second team.

One of the top relievers in the WAC in 2024, Brown finished 3-3 with a 3.72 ERA and eight saves in 22 appearances on the mound for Sacramento State, posting the most saves by a Hornet freshman since Sutter McLoughlin set the school single-season record (17) in 2013 and ranking tied for 10th — and No. 34 in the NCAA — on the school's single-season chart.

Currently pitching for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the prestigious Cape Cod League, Brown finished with 54 strikeouts in 38.2 innings of work against only 18 walks while holding opposing hitters to a .189 average. He struck out a season-high six in four innings against Abilene Christian on March 24, allowing just two hits, and finished with at least one strikeout in 20 of his 22 appearances -- including striking out multiple hitters in a game 16 times.

He led the WAC in opponent batting average and saves, ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings (12.57), third in fewest hits allowed (27), and tied for eighth in fewest runs allowed (19).

His three wins on the year all came against conference opponents (Utah Valley, Seattle U, and UT Arlington) and was named the WAC Co-Pitcher of the Week on April 22 after picking up a pair of saves at USC. He also posted back-to-back saves on the road in appearances against Grand Canyon on March 28 and Nevada on April 2.