Honors and Awards
- 2025: Baseball America Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year
2024 MLB Draft
Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 20th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft
High School
Lettered four years in baseball at Casteel High School under head coach Matt Denny…Finished prep career ranked as the No. 3 prospect and the No. 2 left-handed pitcher in Arizona by Perfect Game…Also tabbed as the No. 40 prospect and No. 6 left-handed pitcher in the nation by Perfect Game…Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 20
th round of the 2024 MLB Draft but elected to continue his career at Arizona…Won back-to-back Arizona 5A state championships at Casteel HS as a junior and senior…Played at the USA Baseball National High School Invitational as a senior…Threw the second no-hitter in the history of the USA Baseball NHSI…Across four varsity seasons spanning 41 appearances and 155.2 inning pitched posted a 2.52 career ERA with 201 strikeouts…As a senior in 2024, went 7-0 with a 2.02 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 59 innings…Threw a no-hitter as a junior in the Arizona 5A semifinals on the way to his first state title with Casteel…First Team All-Conference as a senior and Second Team All-Conference as a sophomore…First Team All-City, All-District, All-Region, and All-State as a senior…Participated in the 2023 Area Code Games with the Reds…Participated in the 2022 Area Code Underclass Games with the Reds…Participated in the 2023 Perfect Game National Showcase…Also excelled in the classroom, graduating high school with a 3.86 GPA.
Personal
Mason Garrett Russell…Son of Stanley and Shanel Russell…One brother, Tyler, and one sister, Paisley…Undecided on major...Twin brother Tyler, an outfielder, also plays for Arizona…Father played basketball at Pima Community College…Hobbies include spending time with family and friends,
playing guitar, and being outdoors…Was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 10 years old…Chose Arizona because, “I got the opportunity to play college baseball with my brother, something I am very grateful for. The coaching staff was also a main factor in my decision. It felt like home once I toured the campus and arrived in the summer. Being close to home was also something I wanted to take advantage of.”
