The SLU Billikens went 37-16 and won the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season championship this past season. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
ST. LOUIS, MO — The Saint Louis University baseball program announced the addition of four transfers that have signed to join the Billikens for next season.
Earlier this spring, Saint Louis announced it had added six transfers and four incoming freshmen for the 2025 season.
Here’s a quick snippet about each of the four new players provided by SLU athletics, along with a quote about each player from head coach Darin Hendrickson:
Joe Connolly – RS Fr. – UT – Omaha, Neb. (Iowa)
Connolly spent 2024 at the University of Iowa after a stellar prep career at Skutt Cathlolic. In high school, he was a first-team All-State selection and was the No. 5 ranked player in Nebraska by Prep Baseball Report. As a senior, Connolly hit .395 with a .495 OBP for the SkyHawks.
Hendrickson on Connolly: “Joe is a great athlete who will have the ability to do a lot of different things for us. He plays hard and is capable of playing infield or outfield while also being a switch hitter who adds speed and versatility to our lineup.”
Riley Iffrig – So. – 1B – Edwardsville, Ill. (Indiana State)
Iffrig is coming off his freshman season at Indiana State, where he played in 10 games and made six starts for the Sycamores. He started at designated hitter in three games for ISU in the NCAA Tournament and totaled three hits with an RBI. A standout at Edwardsville HS, Iffrig helped the Tigers to two-straight state titles and was named second-team All-America his senior year.
Hendrickson on Iffrig: “Riley is a high-level defender at first base who also has the ability to hit in the middle of a lineup. He will make us better on both sides of the ball.”
Justin Lee – Jr. – RHP – Mt. Juliet, Tenn. (Middle Tennessee State)
Lee totaled 42 appearances on the mound over two seasons at Middle Tennessee State. As a freshman in 2023, he tied for team-high honors with 21 appearances and matched that in 2024. Lee was a 2022 Class 4A Tennessee Mr. Baseball finalist after posting an 8-1 record and a 1.23 ERA at Mt. Juliet High School.
Hendrickson on Lee: “Justin brings veteran experience to our staff, having already appeared in 42 career Division I games on the mound. He has the ability to throw multiple pitches in any count and we expect him to contribute right away.”
Karl Ralamb – RS So. – RHP – Las Vegas, Nev. (Rice / Coastal Carolina)
Ralamb spent last season at Rice, where he appeared in 10 games with three starts. The Owls were 3-0 in games he started, and Ralamb posted a career-high four Ks in 1.2 innings against Houston. He attended Coastal Carolina in 2023 but did not appear in any games. Ralamb prepped at Faith Lutheran in Las Vegas.
Hendrickson on Ralamb: “Karl is a physically talented pitcher with big-time arm strength and the ability to generate swing and miss with multiple pitches. He will find a role right away for us and is expected to throw significant innings.”
The Billikens won the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season title in 2024 and advanced to the championship round of the A-10 Tournament in 2023. SLU is 70-39 over the last two seasons.