photo by: AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

Western Kentucky infielder Carlos Vasquez (25) makes a tough catch on a Georgia Tech pop-up during an NCAA regional baseball game on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Oxford, Miss.

Carlos Vasquez and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers had an unforgettable year in 2025.

The Hilltoppers won the Conference USA baseball tournament and made an NCAA regional for the fifth time in school history. Vasquez was a crucial part of that, as he finished second on the team in batting average at .366 and started every game for the Hilltoppers at third base.

So when Vasquez entered the transfer portal at the end of the year, he had a lot of high-level suitors. Ultimately, Vasquez committed to Kansas State with offers from Kansas, Florida, Texas A&M and others as a redshirt senior transfer.

“K-State called and said they had some interest, so we set up a visit,” Vasquez said. “I went down there and I loved it. The coaches were great — the facilities were amazing. I was picking up a really good vibe.”

Vasquez is set to join a baseball program coming off a 32-26 season with a 17-13 record in the Big 12. The Wildcats earned the No. 3 seed in the Austin Regional held at the University of Texas. One year prior, the Wildcats won a regional tournament and advanced to the Super Regional round.

This past season wasn’t the first time Vasquez’s team made a regional. In 2022, with Missouri State, the Bears went to Stillwater, Oklahoma, for a regional at Oklahoma State. That time, however, he wasn’t a regular starter and didn’t play in the tournament.

This time, Vasquez got first-hand experience of collegiate postseason baseball, and he’s ready to take that experience and grow on it with K-State.

“It was probably the coolest experience I’ve ever had,” Vasquez said of the 2025 Oxford, Mississippi, regional. “This year, we had a really good team at Western (Kentucky), and I think it was the highest-level competition I’ve ever been in. The stadium was packed, the atmosphere was crazy, and I loved it. I want to get back there with K-State.”

With the Wildcats, Vasquez said he’s looking to bring energy and confidence to the dugout. Along with an effective bat, Vasquez said he can bring versatility to the K-State defense.

Vasquez has gone through a few different recruitment processes. Coming out of Lawrence High School, Vasquez committed to Missouri State in 2022 before transferring to Wallace Community College for 2023. After a junior college year, Vasquez transferred to Western Kentucky where he medically redshirted in 2024 before starting in 2025.

The first few cycles, Vasquez slowly worked his way through the sport, climbing from different levels of Division I baseball to be able to end his career at a power-conference program like K-State. To decide where he’d finish his college career, Vasquez was more diligent in visiting programs and finding the right fit.

“In high school, I kind of took one visit and committed to Missouri State,” Vasquez said. “This time around, I probably took five or six visits. There’s a lot more going on, so a lot bigger schools, and I guess that kind of made the decision a little bit harder.”

Being close to home was a big draw for Vasquez. His family made the trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for every home series the Hilltoppers had last year. This time, the Lawrence-based Vasquez family will only have an hour-and-a-half drive.

It’s been a few years since Vasquez was playing baseball around Lawrence as an LHS graduate of 2021. But the program still holds a special place in his baseball career, as he grew and developed in his time with the team.

“I’m very grateful to have gone to Lawrence High — I met a lot of people very important to me in my life there,” Vasquez said. “Coach (Brad) Stoll, the entire coaching staff, did great things for me. I do take pride in being a Chesty Lion.

“There’s a lot of good players that have gone to Lawrence High, and it’d be very cool to have a really good career and reflect on all my time in high school, because it has meant so much to me.”

Vasquez is looking forward to the season, especially coming off the year that he had at Western Kentucky. Even with transferring around and having to medically redshirt in 2024, Vasquez took things day by day and stuck to his process and routine. It paid off, and Vasquez will take that same approach to Manhattan for his final year of college baseball.

“I’m very confident for this next year,” Vasquez said. “I think everything has come to this point, so I’m looking forward to Manhattan and working hard and having a good year.”

photo by: AP Photo/James Kenney

WKU third baseman Carlos Vasquez (25) hustles to first base during the second game of an NCAA doubleheader baseball matchup between Western Kentucky University and Lafayette College on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Bowling Green, Ky. WKU beat Lafayette in both games, 9-3 in the first game and 8-1 in the second game.

photo by: AP Photo/James Kenney

WKU third baseman Carlos Vasquez (25) dives back safely to first after a pickoff attempt during the second game of an NCAA baseball doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in Bowling Green, Ky. WKU beat ISU 9-7 in the first game of the doubleheader and 4-3 in 11 innings in the second game.

photo by: Chance Parker

Lawrence High shortstop Carlos Vasquez throws the ball to first base against Blue Valley North. Lawrence High fell 6-0 Saturday, April 24, 2021 at Hoglund Ballpark.