Two HBCU baseball stars are featured in the World Baseball Classic. Alabama State’s Caio Araujo is representing Brazil, and Bethune-Cookman’s Justin Morales is representing the Netherlands.
Morales recently transferred from Tallahassee State College to Bethune-Cookman, where he played two seasons. As a freshman in 2024, he saw action in seven games, including three starts. In 20 innings pitched, he compiled a 2–2 record with a 6.75 ERA. He recorded 20 strikeouts compared to 14 walks and finished the season with a 1.95 WHIP. His strikeout rate during the year averaged 9.00 per nine innings.
During the 2025 season, his final season at Tallahassee State College, he appeared in 14 games and made 10 starts on the mound. He finished the year with a 3–4 record and a 6.38 ERA across 48 innings of work. Over that span, he struck out 42 batters while issuing 38 walks and posted a 1.88 WHIP. He averaged 7.88 strikeouts per nine innings. He has played 4 games for Bethune-Cookman this season as a pitcher, with his last game against Delaware State on February 27th.
Meanwhile, Araujo is making history. He is the only Brazilian-born Division I baseball player to compete in the World Baseball Classic. After spending time at John Wood Community College, he transferred to Alabama State in 2024. Before arriving at Alabama State, he played junior college baseball at John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois, under head coach Adam Hightower.
During his two seasons there, he earned All-American honors twice. He appeared in 23 games, including 17 starts, and finished with a 6–5 record. In 73.2 innings pitched, he recorded 87 strikeouts while issuing 68 walks and allowed 97 runs, 89 of them earned, on 97 hits.
In 2024, he was a key arm for Alabama State’s pitching staff, appearing in 21 games with one start. He compiled a 3–1 record while also picking up a save and finishing the season with a 2.48 ERA across 39 innings pitched. Over that span, he struck out 40 batters while walking just 10.
Opponents managed 34 hits as he allowed 18 total runs, 11 of which were earned. One of his strongest outings came in a win against Auburn, where he struck out four batters. He also recorded four strikeouts in a game at Bethune-Cookman and earned SWAC Pitcher of the Week honors once during the season. During the 2025 season at Alabama State, he did not see game action after suffering an arm injury in the fall and ultimately received a medical redshirt.
Also of note, he has competed for Brazil before, helping them win the bronze medal in the 2015 Pan American Games. He was only in high school at the time.
