Erik Tolman received a text message from Arizona State assistant coach Ben Greenspan Sunday morning at around 9:30.

“Hey, you’re going to hit as the designated hitter (today,)” Tolman said the text read, adding. “I was surprised but I was ready.”

‘Ready’ is a confident word. Less than 12 hours earlier, Tolman, one of ASU’s two left-handed pitchers, tossed three perfect innings in relief for the Sun Devils (15-0). With no real time to rehab after his outing, he was thrust into the Devils’ lineup.

Sun Devil head coach Tracy Smith became a fan of Tolman’s bat during ASU’s fall scrimmages but, with no major injuries or slumps, there was no need to throw a freshman into the fire of becoming a two-way player right away.

After No. 23 ASU’s 11-6 victory over Xavier (5-8), Smith noted he’s seen moves like that go awry in a hurry. Nonetheless, his confidence in Tolman was too high for doubts. It starts on the mound where the lefty has pitched 14 ⅓ innings while allowing just six hits and one earned run this year.

As they should, the stats more than please Smith, who’s in his fifth year as ASU’s head coach. But he handed Tolman the post-game ‘Win shirt’ Sunday because, in everything he’s done this season, Tolman’s been aggressive.

“Whatever he does, you know he’s giving it his best,” Smith said.

Tolman pinch-hit in a February win over UC Davis, battling for two at-bats that both ended in outs. The day prior, in the first leg of a double-header, Tolman was thrust onto the field to play left field for a couple of innings.

On Sunday, in his first attempt at collegiate designated hitter, Tolman went 3-3, scoring two runs and driving in an important RBI-single in the fourth.

When he spoke to the media after the Sun Devils sweep, he tried to downplay his performance. Despite admitting to only get to work on hitting about half as much as everyday position players, he was quick to alert everyone to the fact that he was a two-way player in high school.

Smith seemed to think differently.

“This guy has split time, he doesn’t get a lot of the reps that the guys get offensively but he still goes out and produces,” Smith said. “If you’re given the opportunity, go compete -- no excuses.”

Much has been said -- and written -- about ASU’s thin roster, which currently holds a Pac-12 worst 25 players. It doesn’t seem like it should be sustainable throughout an entire season but then you look at what Tolman did on Sunday, and what he’s done, versatility-wise, this season.

All the sudden, ASU’s bench looks a lot longer. That may not come in the form of an everyday, defined two-way player -- as Xavier has in Conor Grammes, who DH’d on Friday and Saturday and started on Sunday -- but it gives ASU options.

“It’s big for our roster that he can do something like that,” said center fielder Hunter Bishop, who hit a three-run home run Sunday, boosting his season total to eight. “Tolman is talented on both fronts. His approach to the field is freaking awesome.”

Added Sunday starter RJ Dabovich: “It always helps, especially with a short-handed roster, assuming it’s an off day. (Today,) we were able to get (catcher Sam) Ferri an off day. Him stepping up and performing just helps in the long run too.”

A month in, Smith seems pleased, almost enthused with the small roster. Sure it may limit what the Devils can do out of the bullpen on some nights and force them to have relief pitcher Luke La Flam pinch run, as they did Sunday, but, other than that, not much changes.

Smith was asked, of all the wins and all the big moments that have come in ASU’s first 15 games, what stands out the most to him. He bypassed talking about Spencer Torkelson’s walk-off home run or when the Sun Devils scored 20 runs against Notre Dame.

Instead, he spoke about the small roster, and all the bonds its provided after many thought it was going to put Smith and the Sun Devils in a grave.

“The genuine passion, the genuine care that these guys have for each other,” Smith said. “And I think a lot of that probably developed, and I’ll just say it, these kids have heard nothing but negative things for a long time and when you’re constantly bombarded like that you can do one of two things.

“You can succumb to that. Or you tighten your circle, you become closer. For me, what I like, there’s a genuine closeness with this team.”

It’s quite evident ASU has taken the latter approach, one that has been working effectively this season.