CHICAGO – As the 2025 baseball season comes to a close, we take a look back at how former members of the UIC baseball program performed as they continue to make strides on diamonds across the country.

Charlie Szykowny (2023), Eugene Emeralds (High-A), San Francisco Giants

.276 batting average, 21 home runs, 85 RBI, 135 hits and five stolen bases.

Szykowny found great success in his first full season in Eugene, reaching career highs in nearly every offensive category. Defensively, he saw most of his time at first base, tallying 741 putouts, 48 assists, and posting a .994 fielding percentage. The Oak Lawn native capped his third professional season by earning a spot on the 2025 Northwest League Postseason All-Star Team.

Zane Zielenski (2024), Eugene Emeralds (High-A), San Francisco Giants

.240 batting average, four home runs, 44 RBI, 135 hits and 32 stolen bases.

In his first full professional season, Zielinski showcased his versatility across the infield, with most of his playing time coming at shortstop. He recorded 131 putouts, 233 assists, and helped turn 37 double plays. Offensively, Zielinski was a consistent threat on the bases, ranking second on the team with 32 stolen bases. Throwing to his former Flames teammate, Charlie Szykowny, often felt routine.

Cole Conn (2023), Midland RockHounds (Double-A), Athletics

.237 batting average, four home runs, 32 RBI, 60 hits and 5 stolen bases.

In just his second season in the Athletics organization, Conn earned a promotion to Double-A Midland in June, where he helped the RockHounds make a deep playoff run, ultimately falling to the Springfield Cardinals in the Texas League Championship Series. Behind the plate, Conn caught 1,293 innings, recorded a .984 fielding percentage, and threw out a career-high 71 runners attempting to steal.

Ryan Smith (2024), Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Single-A), Houston Astros

3-5 record, 3.13 ERA, 54.2 innings pitched, 56 strikeouts, four saves, 34 appearances

Smith spent his first professional season entirely in the bullpen, never throwing more than three innings per outing. On April 13, he earned his first career win against the Delmarva Shorebirds after three shutout innings in a 6–0 victory. His best month came in June, when he held opposing hitters to a .075 average across 12 innings with 14 strikeouts in seven appearances.

Nate Peterson (2022), Nashville Sounds (Triple-A), Milwaukee Brewers  

6-6 overall record, 4.00 ERA, 31 games, 74.1 innings pitched, eight starts and 59 strikeouts.

After spending most of the 2025 season with Double-A Biloxi, Peterson earned a call-up to Triple-A Nashville to close out the year. He tied a career-high in wins (six) and reached two milestones in Biloxi — his 10th career win on April 18 against Birmingham and his 15th career win on July 1 against Pensacola.

Luke Nowak (2025), Columbia Fireflies (Single-A), Kansas City Royals

.446 batting average, 29 hits, 12 RBI, 28 total bases and six stolen bases.

Less than five months after donning a UIC uniform, Nowak made an immediate impact in his professional debut. He tallied nine multi-hit games, including a four-for-five performance against Myrtle Beach on August 13. Nowak played a key role in the Fireflies' run to the Carolina League Championship Series before falling to the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Cameron Nohos (2025), Lake Elsinore Storm (Single-A), San Diego Padres

0-1 overall record, three appearances, four innings pitched and three strikeouts.

Weeks after signing as an undrafted free agent in July, Nohos finally found a home in the Padres farm system, pitching in the final weeks of the season with the Lake Elsinore Storm in the California League. His best outing came on September 4 against Inland Empire, where he threw 1.1 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and no runs.

For more information on UIC Athletics and UIC baseball, visit UICFlames.com. Fans can also follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Baseball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_baseball and @uicflames).

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