Marcus Brown’s hoodie said it all.

The hoodie was branded Roc Riggio merchandise, featuring a cutout of Riggio, OSU’s sophomore second baseman, swinging a bat, which overlayed his No. 7 jersey number.

Riggio became a fan favorite by last season’s end for his spirited play and big personality, such as prancing around third base in an NCAA Regional and his blond-dyed hair. His infectious character grew down the stretch, as did his performance.

His All-Big 12 Freshman season didn’t just earn him fans’ approval, though.

“I’m Roc Riggio’s biggest fan,” Brown said.

Now, Riggio begins the 2023 season as one of OSU’s key pieces.

It took Riggio until the second half of last season to get going. He played the first month and a half of the year ahead of schedule after a shoulder reconstruction surgery in the fall, while balancing being a freshman. He batted just .167 through the first dozen games.

By season’s end, Riggio found his stride. He batted .556 with four home runs at the Stillwater Regional and improved his average to .295. On defense, Riggio led the team in assists and held a .975 fielding percentage.

Still, Riggio only tapped the surface. “I started to get comfortable in my own skin after the season,” Riggio said. “You look back at my season and realize my highs and lows and what kind of player that I need to be to be successful.”

Riggio started 53 games as a freshman and will play a larger role this season. Brown said Riggio is a boost for the team, both in energy and on-field play.

“I figured out that I’m for the boys,” Riggio said. “That’s kind of cliche, but everything that I try to do is to fire these guys up, make another guy smile, and ultimately, help us win ballgames.”