By LONNIE KING | © 2025, Big Daddy’s Texas Sports

If you’ve followed Houston Cougar Baseball over the last couple of seasons — especially if you’ve had the chance to hear or watch the games — you’ve probably noticed a certain calm, focused presence take the mound when the bullpen door swings open.

That presence is Antoine Jean. And after two years of watching him grow, compete, and quietly dominate, it comes as no surprise to see the national spotlight finally shining his way.

Jean was recently named a First-Team All-American by D1Baseball.com, marking his sixth All-America nod this year. That alone is impressive.

But let’s add some context: Antoine is now the first Cougar since Brad Lincoln in 2006 to earn multiple First-Team All-America honors in the same season. He’s also just the second reliever in the country to land on all six of this year’s major All-America teams.

Let me say that again — six different national publications agree: Antoine Jean is among the best in college baseball.

As one of the play-by-play voices for UH Baseball, I’ve had the privilege of seeing Antoine’s Cougar career up close. I’ve watched the innings, the adjustments, and the growing confidence.

What strikes me most isn’t just the strikeout totals or the minuscule ERA. It’s how he carries himself. There’s a maturity in how he prepares, how he competes, and how he leads — even from the bullpen.

And he’s done all of that in circumstances that would rattle a lot of young college arms.

Antoine played for a different pitching coach each year he was at UH. That’s not a minor detail. Constant turnover in leadership can derail development — and often does. It messes with mechanics, mindset, and trust.

For some players, it leads to transfers. For others, it leads out of baseball altogether. But Antoine stayed. He embraced the situations, adapted his approach, and kept getting better.

He also accepted a role change with grace and purpose. The Cougars saw him as a starter — and honestly, he probably saw himself that way too. In 2024, he was the only pitcher on the staff to start all 14 weeks of the season, logging more than 63 innings.

But in 2025, he transitioned fully into a late-game reliever. That decision didn’t just benefit the team — it may have opened the door to a long professional career. He didn’t just accept the closer role. He thrived in it.

There were a number of key outings that defined his season, but one in particular felt like a national coming-out party.

In late March, UH traveled to Orlando to face UCF — a team that, at the time, ranked among the nation’s statistical leaders in multiple offensive categories.

On that Friday night, the Knights jumped out to a 5–1 lead through four innings. But the Cougars stormed back with six runs in the top of the fifth, and head coach Todd Whitting didn’t hesitate. He handed the ball to Jean — and Antoine slammed the door.

He pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, no walks, and striking out 11. It wasn’t just effective. It was dominant.

Later in the season, on a Sunday in Manhattan, Kansas, Jean was summoned in the first inning after the Cougar starter recorded just one out and gave up three early runs to Kansas State.

Antoine wasn’t perfect out of the gate, giving up a pair of runs. But he didn’t flinch. He dug in. And over 6 2/3 innings, he helped stabilize the game while UH mounted a comeback to earn a gritty road win.

That outing won’t stand out on a stat sheet quite like Orlando — but it’s exactly that kind of resilience that earned him national accolades.

2025 was a career-defining season:

• First reliever in Big 12 history to win Pitcher of the Year
• Finalist for NCBWA Stopper of the Year
• 110 strikeouts — most by a Cougar pitcher since 2018, and ninth-most in school history
• National top-20 ranks in ERA, WHIP, K/9, K/BB, and more
• 13 outings with five or more strikeouts
• Nine outings with no walks
• 12 scoreless relief appearances

Born in Montreal, developed in Houston after a brief stop in Tuscaloosa, and now standing on the cusp of the big leagues, Antoine Jean is a reminder that talent is only part of the story. The rest is persistence, adaptability, and heart.

He’s already left his mark on Cougar Baseball — and for those of us who got to watch it up close, it’s been a privilege.

So when the MLB Draft rolls around on July 13–14, do yourself a favor: keep an ear out for Antoine Jean. Wouldn’t shock me one bit if his name gets called earlier than most expect. And wherever he lands, some pro team is about to get a good one.