The Central Methodist baseball program garnered two NAIA All-Americans in graduate pitcher Alan West and senior shortstop Robbie Merced. 

It marks the seventh time in the last eight seasons that the Eagles have earned at least one NAIA All-American selection and the third-straight season of two or more All-American nods. 

The first and second teams are also recognized as ABCA/Rawlings All-Americans by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods. The ABCA began recognizing All-Americans in 1949 and named the first ABCA NAIA All-America team in 1969.

West landed on the second team after a stellar showing for the Eagles on the bump. The graduate transfer from Lewisville, Texas, posted a 9-3 record in 13 starts while boasting a 3.02 earned run average and recording 117 total strikeouts. He threw just the second no-hitter in program history against Benedictine College on April 2, earning both conference and NAIA National Pitcher of the Week honors. 

For his play in the conference, West was named the Heart Pitcher of the Year and a Heart First Team All-Conference selection. The ace was also one of Central’s strongest hitters in 2023, leading the team in both batting average (.404) and triples (seven).

Merced earned an honorable mention nod after earning first-team honors as a junior in 2022. The native of Springfield, Missouri, appeared in 55 games as Central’s primary shortstop in 2023. Merced finished the year batting .378 with 76 hits, including 15 doubles, five triples, and nine home runs. Altogether, he drove in 43 RBI while swiping 18 stolen bases. Merced was named the Heart Player of the Year for the second-straight season, in addition to earning Heart First Team All-Conference honors and landing on the Heart Gold Glove team. 

Central finished the year with a 36-19 overall record, a Heart Regular Season Championship, and its seventh straight appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.