Towering at 6-foot-3-inches, Caden Favors is a goal-driven, soft-spoken student who gets right to the point. On the field, the senior left-handed pitcher shows his true colors as a competitor and leader.
“When he gets on the mound, he finds a way to turn it on a little bit more,” pitching coach Anthony Claggett said.
Entering the season, coaches selected Favors as a preseason all-conference member of the American Athletic Conference. Favors was also part of the 2022-23 all-academic team in the AAC. Despite the prestigious ode to his play, Favors said he does not feel any extra pressure.
“I’ve felt like an underdog my whole life,” Favors said. “Baseball is a game of failure, and if you put more pressure on yourself, you’re going to fail more.”
Growing up, Favors found baseball at a young age. He said it was his getaway if he had a bad day.
“I hold it close to my heart, so I take it personally if I don’t do as good as I wanted to,” Favors said.
Favors is from Midwest City, Oklahoma, and attended the juggernaut Carl Albert High School, which has won seven state championships since 2007. In his senior season at Carl Albert, Favors was named team captain and led his team to a Class 5A runner-up finish in the state playoffs.
After high school, Favors attended Seminole State College, a junior college in Seminole, Oklahoma, for a year and racked up a total of 33 strikeouts in 13 appearances for the Trojans.
Favors transferred to Wichita State in 2022, and the quiet star has been on a steady incline ever since.
“The intangibles of his demeanor when he gets on the mound … competing at a high level and being consistent with that is something that separates himself from other pitchers,” Claggett said.
Over Favors’ two seasons as a Shocker, he has made 44 appearances and amassed a record of five wins and five losses in nine starts. Equipped with a gnarly sinker and cut fastball on the mound, Favors carries a 3.38 ERA, 84 strikeouts and has held the opponent’s batting average to .247.
Not only does Favors show poise out on the mound, but Claggett said he is starting to help the young guys learn what the Shocker program is about.
“Him having some experience here, he’s done a great job of leadership. I’m really proud of that,” Claggett said.
Favors said his parents have been there the most for him, offering a shoulder to lean on when he needs it.
“They’re always a phone call away,” Favors said.
Favors said his goal for the end of the season is to hoist the AAC trophy, play in a regional and make it to Omaha, where the national championship tournament is held.
“Winning is everything,” Favors said.
