Honors and Awards
- 2025: CSC First Team Academic All-American
- 2025: D1Baseball Second Team All-American
- 2025: College Baseball Foundation All-American
- 2025: Baseball America Second Team All-American
- 2025: ABCA First Team All-American
- 2025: NCBWA Stopper of the Year
- 2025: NCBWA First Team All-American
- 2025: Perfect Game Second Team All-American
- 2025: ABCA West All-Region First Team
- 2025: CSC Academic All-District
- 2025: Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team
- 2025: Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- 2025: All-Big 12 Second Team
- 2025: NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List
- 2024: Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll
- 2024: Cape Cod League All-Star
- 2024: CSC Academic All-District
- 2023: All-Northwoods League
- 2023: Northwoods League All-Star
Arizona 2025 (Junior)
Had a sensational junior season in which he was named the NCBWA Stopper of the Year, in addition to being named an All-American by DSBaseball (Second Team), College Baseball Foundation, Baseball America (Second Team), ABCA (First Team), NCBWA (First Team), Perfect Game (Second Team)...Also recognized as a CSC First Team Academic All-American…All-Big 12 Second Team and Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team honoree…Appeared in 30 games on the mound throughout the season in relief…Had a record of 3-0…Recorded 14 saves…Compiled an exceptional ERA of 1.46 across 37 innings of work…Held opposing hitters to an average of .219 and recorded 34 strikeouts to seven walks…Did not allow a home run throughout the season and only surrendered three extra base hits…Threw two perfect innings against San Diego (2/22)...Pitched 1.2 innings against Rice (2/26) and did not give up a run while allowing just one hit and striking out three batters…Pitched a perfect ninth inning against Mississippi State (3/1) to earn the save and secure the victory for Arizona…Threw two innings against West Virginia (3/23) and allowed no runs or hits. POSTSEASON: Threw two scoreless innings against BYU (5/22), allowing just one hit in the Quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament…Pitched two scoreless innings while striking out three batters in the Big 12 Tournament Championship Game against TCU (5/24)...Threw one scoreless inning against Cal Poly (5/30) in the first game of the Eugene NCAA Regional…Came in and threw 2.1 scoreless innings to earn the win in the second game of the Chapel Hill NCAA Super Regional against North Carolina (6/7)...In the pivotal game three of the Chapel Hill NCAA Super Regional (6/8), earned the save with a dominant ninth inning performance, not allowing a baserunner.
Arizona 2024 (Sophomore)
Key piece of the Arizona bullpen during breakout sophomore season...Pac-12 Conference regular season and tournament team champion...Made 25 relief appearances for the Wildcats and went 2-1 with two saves, a 3.07 ERA, and 21 strikeouts in 29.1 innings...Picked up CSC Academic All-District honors...Issued just two walks all year and did not surrender a home run...Limited opposing hitters to a paltry .213 batting average...Picked up first career win on April 21 against Washington State (1.0,1,0,0,0,0)...Tallied first career save on April 5 at California (1.0,1,0,0,0,0)...Held opponents without an earned run in 20-of-25 appearances; did not allow a hit in 11 outings...Struck out multiple batters seven times...Strung together eight consecutive scoreless outings from March 23 at Oregon – April 14 against Louisiana Tech...Dominant in Pac-12 Conference play, going 1-0 with one save and a 1.98 ERA in 12 appearances...Struck out nine and limited opposing hitters to a .191 batting average during 13.2 innings of conference play...Allowed just two extra-base hits to Pac-12 opponents, both doubles.
POSTSEASON: Nearly perfect in postseason play, allowing just one base runner over two relief appearances while going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA...Tossed two scoreless innings against Washington at the Pac-12 Tournament (2.0,0,0,0,0,1)...Followed up with another pair of scoreless frames against Dallas Baptist at the Tucson NCAA Regional (2.0,0,0,0,0,1).
Arizona 2023 (Freshman)
Made seven relief appearances as a true freshman, posting a 7.71 ERA (6ERx7.0IP) with six strikeouts...Held opponents scoreless in three of six outings...Struck out at least one opposing batter in four of six outings, with a pair of two-strikeout performances on March 4 against North Dakota State and March 31 against Oregon...Made collegiate debut on Feb. 25 against West Virginia (2.0,0,0,0,0,1).
POSTSEASON: Did not register an appearance in Arizona's six postseason contests.
High School
Attended Saint Viator High School in Palatine, Illinois where he lettered three years in baseball under head coach Mike Manno…Spent time at pitcher and catcher during prep career…2020 and 2021
Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American…2022
Perfect Game Preseason All-American and All-Region…Earned Illinois 3A All-State honors as a senior…During varsity career, logged 74.2 innings of work and posted an 8-1 record with a 2.34 ERA and 116 strikeouts…Picked up All-Conference recognition as a junior and senior…Excelled in the classroom, earning the role of Salutatorian of the Class of 2022…National Honor Society member.
Personal
Anthony Joseph Pluta…Son of Joe and Lisa Pluta…One older sister, Kelly…Enjoys hiking, camping, watching movies, and playing guitar in his free time…Eagle Scout who spent 13 years in Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts…Majoring in Aerospace Engineering...Chose Arizona because, “Academic and athletics; Arizona is a top research university with great connections to the professional world. The coaching staff really showed interest in me, regardless of my size, and gave me the opportunity to play at the next level. It was the best place for me to continue chasing my dream of playing professional baseball.”
