SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team had two players named to the 2025 Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference First Team the league office announced Thursday morning.  

Rey Mendoza (DH) and Josh Salinas (SP) earned preseason honors after being named to the Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference First Team. 

Mendoza, the 2023 Newcomer of the Year battled an injury for most of the season but still put-up numbers for the Cardinals with 31 runs, 37 hits, seven doubles, four home runs, and 24 RBIs through 38 games. Defensively, he held a perfect fielding percentage at left field with 80 catches, 78 POs, and two assists.  In his first season as a Cardinal in 2023, Mendoza made an immediate impact, earning the title of Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year. As the go-to player for UIW all season, he came in clutch with three walk-off homers to help the team to crucial victories and the highest SLC seed in program history at No. 2. Mendoza led the team in runs with 48 and in RBIs with 61 which put him first in the conference and the UIW season record book. 

In his first season at UIW Salinas led the Cardinal pitching staff with a 5-3 record through 14 starts on the mound, with one shutout and two complete games. He pitched 77 innings, striking out 76 batters for a 4.89 ERA while limiting opponents to a .234 batting average.   

Baseball kicks off the 2025 season Friday, February 14 against Saint Peters University at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B.  

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