WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball alumnus Jo Stevens is set to continue his career as a professional in his native Australia, signing with the Sydney Blue Sox for the upcoming 2024-25 season, but first he's headed to China in September for the WBSC Under-23 Baseball World Cup.
Stevens was a two-year starter for the Boilermakers at third base, impressing with his defensive consistency and baseball instincts. His improvements at the plate as a senior in 2024 helped him post a .307/.431/.531 slash line, raising his batting average by .084 points and OPS by .342 from Purdue's 2023 campaign. Stevens' nine home runs and 43 RBI helped the Boilermakers set team records in both categories this past spring.
Stevens also played for Australia at the 2019 U18 World Cup in South Korea. Five years later, he's been selected to represent Australia again in the 12-team U23 tournament set for Sept. 5-15 in Shaoxing City, China. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world's governing body of the sports and organizer of World Cup events as well as the WBSC Premier12, which shares top-tier status with the World Baseball Classic.
Stevens was among six players with playing experience at the NCAA level selected for Australia's 24-man U23 World Cup roster. He's also among a dozen players on Australia's roster that have played in an U18 World Cup.
The Sydney Blue Sox are part of the six-team Australian Baseball League, which plays its season from November through February during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also recognized among professional baseball's winter leagues like many in the Caribbean and Central America.
Stevens earned his bachelor's degree in communications in just two years at Purdue, graduating in May.
Incoming Boilermaker Maclane Finley – a righthander pitcher from Topeka, Kanas, and transfer from Kansas City Kansas Community College – also got a taste of international action in a WBSC tournament this summer. He pitched for the NJCAA's USA All-Stars at Baseball Week Haarlem, contested in mid-July in the Netherlands. Finley made two appearances on the mound in the tournament as the U.S. won silver at the six-team event. He worked five innings of one-hit ball as the USA All-Stars shutout Spain on July 17.
Stevens is one of nine Purdue graduates to move on to the professional ranks this summer. That full list includes…
• Connor Caskenette, 2023-24 – Drafted by the Miami Marlins in July, made his MiLB debut Aug. 6
• Ricky Castro, 2020-22 – Signed with the Minnesota Twins in May, made his MiLB debut June 1
• Jo Stevens, 2023-24 – Signed with the Sydney Blue Sox in July
• Jordan Morales, 2024 – Signed with the State College Spikes for the second half (pro) of the MLB Draft League
• Calvin Schapira, 2021-23 – Signed with the Milwaukee Milkmen* in August
• Jackson Dannelley, 2023-24 – Signed with the Chicago Dogs* in August
• Paul Toetz, 2022-23 – Signed with the Lake County DockHounds* in July
• CJ Valdez, 2022-23 – Signed with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks* in June
• Davis Pratt, 2023-24 – Signed with the Chicago Dogs* in May
* – Teams that play in the American Association of Professional Baseball
AUSTRALIA'S SCHEDULE AT WBSC U23 WORLD CUP (GROUP A)
• Sept. 6 vs. Colombia (W, 4-2)
• Sept. 7 vs. Puerto Rico (L, 5-4)
• Sept. 8 vs. Japan (L, 4-1)
• Sept. 9 vs. Great Britain (W, 13-12)
• Sept. 10 vs. China (L, 4-1)
• Sept. 12-14 – Placement Round Games vs. Group B for World Rankings
• Sept. 12 vs. The Netherlands (L, 3-2)
• Sept. 13 vs. Chinese Taipei
• Sept. 14 vs. South Africa
Stevens was a two-year starter for the Boilermakers at third base, impressing with his defensive consistency and baseball instincts. His improvements at the plate as a senior in 2024 helped him post a .307/.431/.531 slash line, raising his batting average by .084 points and OPS by .342 from Purdue's 2023 campaign. Stevens' nine home runs and 43 RBI helped the Boilermakers set team records in both categories this past spring.
Stevens also played for Australia at the 2019 U18 World Cup in South Korea. Five years later, he's been selected to represent Australia again in the 12-team U23 tournament set for Sept. 5-15 in Shaoxing City, China. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world's governing body of the sports and organizer of World Cup events as well as the WBSC Premier12, which shares top-tier status with the World Baseball Classic.
Stevens was among six players with playing experience at the NCAA level selected for Australia's 24-man U23 World Cup roster. He's also among a dozen players on Australia's roster that have played in an U18 World Cup.
The Sydney Blue Sox are part of the six-team Australian Baseball League, which plays its season from November through February during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also recognized among professional baseball's winter leagues like many in the Caribbean and Central America.
Stevens earned his bachelor's degree in communications in just two years at Purdue, graduating in May.
Incoming Boilermaker Maclane Finley – a righthander pitcher from Topeka, Kanas, and transfer from Kansas City Kansas Community College – also got a taste of international action in a WBSC tournament this summer. He pitched for the NJCAA's USA All-Stars at Baseball Week Haarlem, contested in mid-July in the Netherlands. Finley made two appearances on the mound in the tournament as the U.S. won silver at the six-team event. He worked five innings of one-hit ball as the USA All-Stars shutout Spain on July 17.
Stevens is one of nine Purdue graduates to move on to the professional ranks this summer. That full list includes…
• Connor Caskenette, 2023-24 – Drafted by the Miami Marlins in July, made his MiLB debut Aug. 6
• Ricky Castro, 2020-22 – Signed with the Minnesota Twins in May, made his MiLB debut June 1
• Jo Stevens, 2023-24 – Signed with the Sydney Blue Sox in July
• Jordan Morales, 2024 – Signed with the State College Spikes for the second half (pro) of the MLB Draft League
• Calvin Schapira, 2021-23 – Signed with the Milwaukee Milkmen* in August
• Jackson Dannelley, 2023-24 – Signed with the Chicago Dogs* in August
• Paul Toetz, 2022-23 – Signed with the Lake County DockHounds* in July
• CJ Valdez, 2022-23 – Signed with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks* in June
• Davis Pratt, 2023-24 – Signed with the Chicago Dogs* in May
* – Teams that play in the American Association of Professional Baseball
AUSTRALIA'S SCHEDULE AT WBSC U23 WORLD CUP (GROUP A)
• Sept. 6 vs. Colombia (W, 4-2)
• Sept. 7 vs. Puerto Rico (L, 5-4)
• Sept. 8 vs. Japan (L, 4-1)
• Sept. 9 vs. Great Britain (W, 13-12)
• Sept. 10 vs. China (L, 4-1)
• Sept. 12-14 – Placement Round Games vs. Group B for World Rankings
• Sept. 12 vs. The Netherlands (L, 3-2)
• Sept. 13 vs. Chinese Taipei
• Sept. 14 vs. South Africa