Vandy should be preseason #1 as long as Corbin is there. Florida and UCLA seem to disappoint in the postseason of late.
I remember back around 2008 when Gordon Beckham was at UGA, they were using Nike bats that shattered like all the time. Was insane seeing shards of metal flying at pitchers and infielders 2009 was such an outrageous year for bats. Will never forget Mike Minor giving up what should have been pop flys against UTenn only to see the balls hit off the light poles. Things were rolled so hot
Miami made the CWS with Yonder Alonso, Jemille Weeks, and a freshman Yasmani Grandal...they really choked that year But holy shit at some of the bombs they hit
Graduated in 2009 and played some in college through my junior year...still have my old bat (TPX EXO) and it is undeniably the most juiced metal bat ever made
Gonna do a D1Baseball Season Preview dump of the major conferences. If I don't hit your conference, let me know and I'll include it.
2021 ACC Preview: Deeper Than Ever SEASON PREVIEW Aaron Fitt - February 2, 2021 The ACC has never been more loaded with legitimate postseason contenders. In fact, all 14 teams in the conference appear to have regional-caliber rosters — in any other year. The shortened five-round draft caused a boatload of established ACC stars to return as fourth-year players, leading to perhaps the strongest collection of position-player talent in the history of the league. Another bumper crop of freshmen across the league further boosted the talent level, as Miami brought in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, leading a pack of six ACC programs in the Top 25 of our newcomer rankings, with four others knocking on the door. Needless to say, the future looks bright for the ACC, and the present is awfully exciting. Perennial power Louisville looks like the clear-cut team to beat even after losing a pair of first-round picks from its weekend rotation, but there’s a huge jumble of contenders behind the Cardinals, without any real separation between them. NC State, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Wake Forest, Miami and Florida State all landed between No. 13 and No. 24 in our preseason Top 25 rankings, and reasonable arguments can be made for lining them up in any order. Duke and Boston College checked in just outside our Top 25 rankings in the “next 10” group, while name-brand powers Clemson and North Carolina are lying in the weeds more than usual but are always dangerous. And there is a lot to like about Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh as well — all of them have the talent and/or experience to make runs at regionals. There shouldn’t be any gimme weekends on the ACC schedule, which will be even more of a slog because the league added two weekends of conference play due to the pandemic. Instead of playing 30 conference games over 10 weekends, ACC teams will play 36 conference games over 12 weekends. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish COASTAL DIVISION 2020 RECORD Georgia Tech 11-5 Virginia 14-4 Miami 12-4 Duke 12-4 North Carolina 12-7 Virginia Tech 11-5 Pittsburgh 10-6 ATLANTIC DIVISION 2020 RECORD Louisville 13-4 NC State 14-3 Wake Forest 9-8 Florida State 12-5 Boston College 6-9 Clemson 14-3 Notre Dame 11-2 Projected Regional Teams (10): Louisville, NC State, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Wake Forest, Miami, Florida State, Duke, Boston College, Clemson Player of the Year: Adrian Del Castillo, C, Miami Pitcher of the Year: Mason Pelio, RHP, Boston College Freshman of the Year: Carson Montgomery, RHP, Florida State Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Adrian Del Castillo C Miami 2 Henry Davis C Louisville 3 Alex Binelas 3B Louisville 4 Jose Torres* SS NC State 5 Levi Usher OF Louisville 6 Sal Frelick OF Boston College 7 Cody Morissette INF Boston College 8 Mason Pelio RHP Boston College 9 Zack Gelof 3B Virginia 10 Glenn Albanese RHP Louisville 11 Robby Martin OF Florida State 12 Ryan Cusick RHP Wake Forest 13 Luca Tresh C NC State 14 Jake Smith RHP Miami 15 Andrew Abbott LHP Virginia 16 Ethan Murray SS Duke 17 Tyler McDonough 2B/OF NC State 18 Brant Hurter LHP Georgia Tech 19 Michael Kirian LHP Louisville 20 Cort Roedig RHP Georgia Tech 21 Luke Waddell SS Georgia Tech 22 Michael Rothenberg C Duke 23 Danny Serretti SS North Carolina 24 Chris Lanzilli OF Wake Forest 25 Jack Perkins RHP Louisville 26 Lucas Dunn SS Louisville 27 Elijah Cabell OF Florida State 28 Brendan Tinsman C Wake Forest 29 Kyle Hess OF Pittsburgh 30 Matheu Nelson C Florida State 31 Chris Gerard LHP Virginia Tech 32 Nic Kent SS Virginia 33 Michael Turconi SS Wake Forest 34 Nick Biddison 2B/OF Virginia Tech 35 Justice Thompson OF North Carolina 36 Carter Raffield RHP Clemson 37 Jared Poland RHP Louisville 38 Luke Bartnicki LHP Georgia Tech 39 Bobby Seymour 1B Wake Forest 40 Devonte Brown OF/3B NC State 41 Reese Albert OF Florida State 42 Cooper Stinson RHP Duke 43 Mike Vasil RHP Virginia 44 James Parker SS Clemson 45 Mack Anglin* RHP Clemson 46 Griff McGarry RHP Virginia 47 Emmet Sheehan RHP Boston College 48 Antonio Menendez RHP Wake Forest 49 Joey Loperfido OF Duke 50 Niko Kavadas 1B Notre Dame TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Chris Newell OF Virginia 2 Kevin Parada* C Georgia Tech 3 Victor Mederos* RHP Miami 4 Nate Savino LHP Virginia 5 Parker Messick LHP Florida State 6 Jack Brannigan 3B/RHP Notre Dame 7 Mac Horvath* 3B North Carolina 8 Alex McFarlane RHP Miami 9 Henry Williams RHP Duke 10 Sam Highfill RHP NC State 11 Jake DeLeo* OF Georgia Tech 12 Marquis Grissom* RHP Georgia Tech 13 Michael Prosecky LHP Louisville 14 Zach Maxwell RHP Georgia Tech 15 Bryce Hubbart LHP Florida State 16 Drew Compton 3B/1B Georgia Tech 17 Jared Thomas C Miami 18 Fritz Genther SS Virginia Tech 19 Luke Gold INF Boston College 20 Gavin Cross OF Virginia Tech 21 Stephen Reid OF Georgia Tech 22 Dalton Rushing 1B/C Louisville 23 Dylan Simmons 1B/RHP Florida State 24 Dylan Brewer OF Clemson 25 Jackson Finley RHP/OF Georgia Tech 26 Liam Simon RHP Notre Dame 27 Max Gieg RHP Boston College 28 Geoffrey Gilbert LHP Clemson 29 Carson Palmquist LHP Miami 30 Tomas Frick* C North Carolina 31 Marcus Johnson RHP Duke 32 Doug Kirkland RHP Florida State 33 Chris Villaman LHP NC State 34 Tres Gonzalez OF Georgia Tech 35 Cade Hunter C Virginia Tech 36 Adam Cecere OF Wake Forest 37 Nick James LHP North Carolina 38 Matt Siverling LHP Virginia Tech 39 Eric Adler RHP Wake Forest 40 Brandon Walker RHP Florida State 41 Billy Seidl RHP Duke 42 Matt Willadsen RHP NC State 43 Chad Knight C Duke 44 Jonathan French C Clemson 45 Austin Pace RHP NC State 46 Tyler Martin INF Florida State 47 Matt Wyatt RHP Virginia 48 Dominic Cancellieri RHP Notre Dame 49 Eric Grintz C North Carolina 50 Caleb Cozart RHP North Carolina IMPACT FIRST-YEAR FRESHMEN 1 Carson Montgomery RHP Florida State 2 Kevin Parada C Georgia Tech 3 Kyle Teel C/INF Virginia 4 Yohandy Morales SS Miami 5 Alejandro Rosario RHP Miami 6 Victor Mederos RHP Miami 7 Mac Horvath 3B North Carolina 8 Brock Wilken 3B Wake Forest 9 Jake DeLeo OF Georgia Tech 10 Caden Grice LHP/1B Clemson 11 Teddy McGraw RHP Wake Forest 12 Marquis Grissom Jr. RHP Georgia Tech 13 Joseph Vetrano LHP/1B Boston College 14 Eddie Eisert INF NC State 15 Christian Knapczyk SS Louisville 16 Tomas Frick C North Carolina 17 Camden Minacci RHP Wake Forest 18 Max Carlson RHP North Carolina 19 Carlos Perez C Miami 20 Wyatt Crowell LHP Florida State 21 Luke Fox LHP Duke 22 Ross Dunn LHP Florida State 23 Ty Olenchuk RHP Clemson 24 Luke Storm 3B Duke 25 John Anderson 2B Georgia Tech 26 Blake Wright INF Clemson 27 Chad Born OF Miami 28 Cameron Leary OF Boston College 29 Jack Hurley OF Virginia Tech 30 Jackson Nezuh RHP Florida State 31 Cannon Pickell RHP North Carolina 32 Jake Gelof INF Virginia 33 Cooper Ingle C/OF/INF Clemson 34 Max Wagner 2B Clemson 35 Jack Payton C Louisville 36 Richie Morales SS Florida State 37 Carson Falsken SS NC State 38 Jack Riedel INF North Carolina 39 Johnny Castagnozzi INF North Carolina 40 Tanner Schobel INF Virginia Tech 41 CJ Funk OF Pittsburgh 42 Channing Austin RHP Virginia 43 Tanner Quick RHP North Carolina 44 Collin Bosley-Smith RHP Duke 45 Jake Berry LHP Virginia 46 Crawford Wade LHP Wake Forest 47 Ben Wiegman RHP Louisville 48 Adam Boucher RHP Duke 49 Jackson Phinney C Pittsburgh 50 Danny Neri C Notre Dame Projected Regional Teams • For in-depth reports on the seven ACC teams in our Top 25 rankings, you can find expansive team breakdowns below: No. 5 Louisville Breakdown No. 13 NC State Breakdown No. 15 Georgia Tech Breakdown No. 16 Virginia Breakdown No. 17 Wake Forest Breakdown No. 21 Miami Breakdown No. 24 Florida State Breakdown DUKE Head Coach: Chris Pollard 2019 Record: 35-27 (15-15) 2020 Record: 12-4 (2-1) Strengths: Few teams in college baseball have more star power up the middle than Duke, which has a third-team All-American behind the plate, a potential top-50 pick at shortstop, and a talented fourth-year player in center field. This lineup is crammed with proven veterans and features a strong blend of power, speed and defensive playmakers. The pitching staff might be the deepest of the Chris Pollard era. Question Marks: The Blue Devils lack a proven Friday night ace and an established shutdown closer, roles that were previously occupied by first-rounder Bryce Jarvis and fellow righty Thomas Girard, both of whom are now in pro ball. There’s no shortage of talent on the mound, but the linchpins of the staff still need to solidify. Star Power: It seems crazy that Michael Rothenberg is back in college for a fourth year. He’s a switch-hitting catcher with power, arm strength and a nice offensive track record, and it feels like he surely would have played his way comfortably into the top five rounds last spring had the season continued. Shortstop Ethan Murray also has obvious All-America potential, as an instinctive defender with good actions and arm strength as well as emerging righthanded power potential at the plate. Duke’s Joey Loperfido (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: When Joey Loperfido went down to injury in 2019, Duke foundered. When he returned, the Blue Devils caught fire and made a run to their second straight super regional. It wasn’t a coincidence; Loperfido is simply a winning player with an invaluable presence, in addition to his athleticism in center field and his emerging lefthanded power. 1B Chris Crabtree (a hulk who started to unlock his own power potential after making a swing adjustment last summer), 3B Erikson Nichols (a defensive whiz) and speed merchant OF Chase Cheek are three more seasoned veterans in their fourth or fifth years at Duke. LHP Matt Dockman is the consummate “glue guy” on the mound — a wily veteran who isn’t afraid of battling his way through some “dirty innings,” as Pollard put it this fall. Dockman isn’t overpowering but he pounds the zone with three pitches and holds runners very well, with a superb move to first base. Pick to Click: Henry Williams has all the ingredients to be a frontline ACC ace. A high-profile recruit last fall, Williams didn’t get a chance to show what he could do in the spring, logging just two-third of an inning before being sidelined by soreness. A lean, projectable 6-foot-5 righty with an easy high three-quarters delivery, Williams showed feel for three quality pitches in the fall, attacking at 91-93 with a high spin rate in the 2400-2550 rpm range, a power slurve at 79-82 with tight spin, and a solid changeup that he could throw against righties and lefties alike. He’s an obvious breakout candidate in his second year in the program. Top Newcomer: Peter Matt, a graduate transfer from Penn, has some of the best bat speed on the team and could put up big numbers as a power/speed threat in left field. From the freshman class, expect lefthander Luke Fox to be a mainstay of this pitching staff from the jump; he’s a low three-quarters southpaw who is very tough on lefthanded hitters, with a 89-91 fastball, a good sweeping slider at 80-82, and the ability to throw his changeup for a strike to righties and lefties alike. Outlook: This is a program with wind in its sails. Duke knocked on the door to the College World Series in 2018 and ’19, and it looked like it had its best chance to break down that door in 2020. The pandemic robbed the Blue Devils of that opportunity, but Duke’s window remains wide open. There are a couple of significant questions to answer on the mound, but Duke has a deep supply of potential answers. If they click, this may well be the best Duke team yet. From the Fall Report: Chris Pollard doesn’t shy away from bold talk. Every fall for the last four years, Pollard has said he believes his roster is the best he’s had since he took over as Duke’s head coach before the 2013 season. And the Blue Devils have backed him up by going to back-to-back super regionals in 2018 and ’19, then entering 2020 ranked in the preseason Top 25 and getting off to a 12-4 start, punctuated by an ACC-opening series win over Florida State. They ranked No. 10 in the D1Baseball Top 25 when the season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll never know if the 2020 Blue Devils would have been the first Duke club to break through to Omaha since 1961, but the 2021 Devils just might be. This program is really rolling right now, and when Pollard says he’s got another very good team, it’s wise to believe him. “I really think top to bottom, man one through man 44, I think this is the deepest, most talented team that we’ve had in my nine years at Duke,” Pollard said. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING BOSTON COLLEGE Head Coach: Mike Gambino 2019 Record: 31-27 (12-18) 2020 Record: 6-9 (0-3) Strengths: Premium star power. Preseason All-Americans Cody Morissette and Sal Frelick plus our preseason ACC Pitcher of the Year Mason Pelio give Boston College one of the most talented cores in all of college baseball. The lineup is deep, balanced and experienced, with impact speed and power as well as high-end defenders at key positions. Question Marks: BC has some exciting power arms, but several of them still must prove themselves as reliable strike-throwers. This is something of a risk/reward pitching staff — the upside is real, but there’s also a chance it simply doesn’t pan out. Star Power: Morissette, a first-team preseason All-America third baseman, can stake a strong claim as college baseball’s best pure hitter, with a silky-smooth lefthanded stroke and surprising pop in his wiry frame. He’s also a good runner and a fluid defender at three different infield positions, though he fits best at the hot corner on this club. Frelick is a 5-foot-9, 175-pound dynamo whose frame, tool set and hyper-aggressive style of play evokes Lenny Dykstra. He’s fully recovered from the knee injury that cut short his 2019 season, and he was a force of nature in fall ball. And Pelio showed better stuff this fall than ever before, sitting regularly in the 94-97 range with a plus changeup and a much-improved slider. They call him “Moose”, and he looks like the premier workhorse ace in the ACC. Boston College’s Cody Morissette, right, with Brian Dempsey (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: 5YR SR Jack Cunningham has established himself as one of the most dangerous hitters in the ACC, having hit nine homers in 2019 and putting together a strong .424/.478/.576 start to the 2020 campaign. He has a pretty lefthanded stroke with real bat speed, and he’s also a 6.8 runner who holds his own just fine in the outfield, but he likely fits best at first base on this BC team filled with outfield burners. Catcher Pete Burns and shortstop Brian Dempsey are ultra-reliable defenders at vital positions, helping Morissette and Frelick anchor what should be an elite defense. Pick to Click: 2YR FR second baseman Luke Gold will be counted upon to provide righthanded punch in a lefty-dominant lineup. His power potential is big, and he has good feel for hitting and a smooth swing. The breakout pick on the mound is 3YR SO righthander Emmet Sheehan, who has always tantalized with his raw stuff but has struggled with his control thus far in his career. Long and lean at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Sheehan has a clean arm action that generated 93-96 mph heat this fall, and he’s bumped 98 at times. He also flashes the makings of a swing-and-miss breaking ball and quality changeup. Now he just has to put all the pieces together and throw more strikes, and the Eagles are counting on him to hold down the Saturday starter job. Top Newcomer: Two-way talent Joe Vetrano has a chance to be a big star. He’s a physical 6-foot-3, 220-pounder whose powerful lefthanded stroke should make him a key run producer in the heart of the order early in his career. Off the mound, he features a lively fastball up to 92 from the left side, along with the makings of a very promising slider and changeup. Outlook: Mike Gambino hasn’t shied away from high expectations. He thinks Boston College has a legitimate chance to make an Omaha run this year, which will surely be the final season of the Frelick/Morissette/Pelio era. If the pitching comes together as hoped, BC has a very real chance to host a regional at beautiful 2-year-old Brighton Field come June. From The Fall Report: The time is now for Boston College. For the first time since they joined the ACC, the Eagles have as much high-end star power as any traditional powerhouse in the conference, with three third-year sophomores who have legitimate shots to be drafted in the first round. Players like Sal Frelick, Cody Morissette and Mason Pelio don’t come around too often, and BC was robbed of their second year on campus by the COVID-19 pandemic, which leaves just 2021 for the Eagles to make a run at their first College World Series appearance since 1967. Of course, Mike Gambino’s program is clearly on an upward trajectory, and the opening of the Pete Frates Center this fall at the beautiful 2-year-old Brighton Field complex will only enhance BC’s recruiting prospects going forward. But still, Gambino knows his current core is special, and the supporting cast is stronger than it has been since at least the 2016 club that reached super regionals. These Eagles are determined to take advantage of the opportunity in front of them in 2021. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN CLEMSON Head Coach: Monte Lee 2019 Record: 35-26 (15-15) 2020 Record: 14-3 (3-0) Strengths: Clemson welcomes back its entire lineup from 2020, and the offense should feature a nice blend of athleticism and power potential, along with excellent bench depth. The Tigers also have strength in numbers on the mound. Question Marks: The Tigers must replace third-round pick Sam Weatherly and fourth-rounder Spencer Strider in the weekend rotation, plus stalwart closer Carson Spiers. As a result, the pitching staff has a lot to prove. Star Power: First-team preseason All-American Davis Sharpe is one of the most valuable players in college baseball, as a three-year starter in the heart of the order as well as in the weekend rotation. A physical 6-foot-3, 210-pounder who bats and throws righthanded, Sharpe’s power production spiked in the shortened 2020 campaign, when he hit .311/.436/.622 with four of Clemson’s 10 home runs. And he continued to pound the strike zone as a pitcher, going 1-1, 3.93 with a 20-4 K-BB mark in 18.1 innings. Off the mound, he’s a clinician who keeps hitters off balance with an 87-90 mph fastball with natural cut, a big sweeping slurve at 76-79 with tight spin in the 2700-2800 rpm range, and a solid changeup at 81-84 that induces soft contact against lefties. It’s not overpowering stuff, but his pitchability and experience should make him one of the toughest Friday night starters in the ACC. LHP Geoffrey Gilbert also has star potential at the back of the bullpen, as an aggressive competitor who attacks the zone at 90-93 with a putaway breaking ball. Clemson’s Davis Sharpe (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: James Parker came into his own in the shortened 2020 season, hitting .294/.315/.392 in 13 games as the starting shortstop. He’s an emerging talent who took another step forward this fall, and he could hit double-digit homers while providing rock-solid defense. Outfielder Kier Meredith, a compact and explosive athlete at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, was limited to 22 games by injuries over his first two seasons on campus, but he got fully healthy in 2020 and was well on his way to a breakout campaign when the season was canceled, hitting .364/.455/.455 in 66 at-bats. He’s a lefthanded slasher who uses the whole field and is a tough out, and his above-average speed is a weapon on the basepaths as well as on defense in center field or left. 3YR SO Bryar Hawkins is the favorite for the primary third base job; he hit seven homers as a freshman in 2019 and led the Tigers in average exit velocity this fall. The thick-bodied Adam Hackenberg stands out most for his catch-and-throw skills (Lee said he throws in game action better than anybody he’s ever coached) as well as his leadership, which made him a unanimous choice for team captain in the player voting. Pick to Click: Last year’s prized freshman bat, Dylan Brewer, showed off a patient approach in 16 games last spring, drawing 14 walks against 13 strikeouts, and he offers an exciting combination of athleticism and emerging lefthanded power potential. He’s a long-levered athlete who can run the 60-yard dash in 6.7 seconds, and his strike zone awareness gives him a chance to be an on-base machine. On the mound, keep an eye on 3YR FR Carter Raffield, who is now two years removed from Tommy John surgery and showing the arm strength that made him a blue-chip prospect out of high school. He made four relief appearances last spring, posting a 1.17 ERA, and he ran his heater up to 95-96 mph in our fall look, along with a quality changeup with good diving action and an adequate slider at 80-84. If Raffield can continue to sharpen the slider, he could give Clemson’s rotation the front-line stuff it needs. Top Newcomer: Caden Grice has a legitimate chance to make a run at national Freshman of the Year honors if he can harness his enormous gifts as both a pitcher and hitter. A long-levered 6-foot-6, 230-pound specimen, Grice is a premier talent whose raw power has drawn 80 grades from scouts, which could earn him some action at DH. But he also could win a job in the weekend rotation, thanks to his ability to pound the zone at 89-93 from the left side, with a promising but inconsistent slurve at 76-79, and an excellent low-80s changeup with arm speed and late tumbling action. Most encouragingly, he has shown very good feel for pitching and control at a young age, posting some of the best numbers of any pitcher on staff this fall: 20 strikeouts and just six hits allowed in 16 innings, good for a .111 batting average against. Outlook: Clemson is one of the ACC’s most consistent programs, and it has continued to make the postseason every year under Monte Lee, including three straight home regionals from 2016-18. But despite those hosting chances, Clemson hasn’t won a regional since 2010, and the program is itching to get back to Omaha. If the young talent on this roster develops quickly this spring, the Tigers are certainly capable of making that deep postseason run in a year when external expectations are a bit lower than usual. Keep An Eye On NORTH CAROLINA Head Coach: Scott Forbes 2019 Record: 46-19 (17-13) 2020 Record: 12-7 (0-3) Strengths: Joey Lancellotti and Caden O’Brien headline a group of veteran holdovers who experienced a College World Series run in 2018 and a super regional in 2019, though most of the key players from the Omaha team are gone. The Tar Heels feel good about their overall depth, both on the mound and in the lineup. Question Marks: UNC got off to a disappointing 12-7 start last spring, opening ACC play by getting swept at home by Notre Dame, exposing some of the team’s flaws, particularly on the mound. The Tar Heels are banking on a big bounce-back season from righthander Austin Love, and they need a number of newcomers to bolster the pitching staff as well as the lineup. But it’s a strong group of newcomers, so there is reason for optimism. Star Power: Danny Serretti is a three-year starter at shortstop with a chance to make a run at All-America honors and the top five rounds of the draft. He has a quick line-drive stroke and has gotten stronger since last spring, and he remains the linch-pin of what should be a strong defense. Lancellotti was a star reliever over his first two years and moved into the ace job in 2020, going 2-1, 2.22 in 24.1 innings. He was shut down this fall while recovering from the nagging hip injury that bothered him all spring, but if he returns to top form then he can be an aggressive weekend workhorse who can miss bats with his heater and his power slider. He also can bring some righthanded punch to the DH mix. Love was a freshman All-American in 2019 as a bullpen stopper, and his stuff backed up last spring, but his velocity shot back up into the 92-94 range this fall, and he’s always featured one of college baseball’s best changeups. A quality slider completes his three-pitch arsenal, which should make him a good fit in the rotation if his stuff holds up. North Carolina righty Austin Love (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Fourth-year sophomore Angel Zarate really came into his own in 2020, leading the team with a .408 average in 71 at-bats. He’s a mature hitter with a nice lefthanded stroke and solid athleticism that plays in center or left. LHP Will Sandy has made 15 starts over the last two years and could pitch in the rotation or a swing role. He brings valuable experience, and he showed more velocity in the fall. Pick to Click: UNC is predicting a breakout year from 3YR FR righty Max Alba, who has a good arm and reminds coach Scott Forbes of former Tar Heel and big leaguer Luke Putkonen. He had an up and down fall, but his velocity is starting to get back to where it was before his Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2018. If he puts it all together, he could emerge as an impact weekend starter. Top Newcomer: There are plenty of candidates for this one. 3B Mac Horvath is one of the most polished freshman hitters in the country, with the ability to hit for average as well as power. He reminds Forbes of former Tar Heel Kyle Datres. Juco transfer Justice Thompson brings a very exciting power/speed combination to the center field spot — he has obvious star potential. Freshman Max Carlson is a competitive strike-thrower in the Zac Gallen mold who could find himself pitching in the weekend rotation early in his career. And graduate transfers Brett Centracchio and Max Troiani both have impressive track records, giving the lineup more valuable veteran at-bats and physicality. Outlook: North Carolina is a blue-chip program, and it isn’t used to getting the opportunity to sneak up on the ACC. But that’s exactly the position UNC finds itself in this spring. The Tar Heels upgraded their talent with a strong recruiting class this fall, and if the newcomers click as hoped, this club can still make a postseason run. There are questions to answer, but fortunately UNC has the depth that it can try a bunch of different combinations in the lineup and on the mound until it finds the right recipe for success. From the Fall Report: A new era is underway at North Carolina, and in many ways it feels a lot like the old era — which is a good thing. Mike Fox retired this summer after 22 years as UNC’s head coach and seven trips to Omaha since 2006, but Scott Forbes was by his side for all seven of those College World Series appearances, and now he sits in the big chair. And that’s still a little bit surreal for him. “It’s been everything you would dream of,” Forbes said. “I’ve always been the same routine-oriented person, you just work. But every now then, you’ll come in here early and I come into coach’s office — which is now my office but I still call it coach’s — and it’ll kind of hit me like, dang, you’re the head coach here. You also think about what you’re responsible for, which is very humbling. But I told myself, even years back after we had gone to Omaha those four years in a row and we went in ’13, I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as I should have in ’13 because you’re so caught up in winning it, which you should be. But getting there is so dang hard, so since that year I’ve made sure — in ’17, ’18, ’19, we went only in ’18 — to have fun. When I’m out here, you’ve got to coach, but I try just to be positive and enjoy every single moment, now more than ever. And the kids need it.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN VIRGINIA TECH Head Coach: John Szefc 2019 Record: 26-27 (9-21) 2020 Record: 11-5 (1-2) Strengths: This looks like a balanced roster, headlined by an athletic defense and a lineup that should grind out quality at-bats. The rotation of Chris Gerard, Anthony Simonelli and Peyton Alford also has a chance to go toe-to-toe with the best of the ACC. Question Marks: The Hokies must replace one of college baseball’s best catchers in fourth-round pick Carson Taylor, as well as a premier ace in second-rounder Ian Seymour. Those are two big holes to fill. How second-year freshman Cade Hunter handles the everyday catching duty is a major key for this club. Star Power: Seymour is a big loss, but the Hokies might not skip a beat atop the rotation with third-year sophomore lefty Gerard (1-1, 1.26) taking over as staff ace. Like Seymour did before his third year at Virginia Tech, Gerard has taken another jump with his stuff this fall. His velocity has ticked up into the 89-92 range with his typical natural cut action, and his good changeup has gotten even better. He also features a good sharp downer curveball. In the lineup, Nick Biddison has always hit for the Hokies, whether he’s played center field, second base or catcher. His athleticism and versatility are major assets, along with his ability to hit for both average and power. Virginia Tech lefty Chris Gerard (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Fritz Genther is an instinctive playmaker with smooth actions and excellent body control at shortstop, while Kevin Madden is a premier defender at the hot corner, giving the Hokies an elite left side of the infield. Brennan Reback brings blazing speed to center field, and left fielder Tanner Thomas is a veteran grinder who does all the little things to help the team win. Simonelli offers power stuff from the right side (90-94 with a swing-and-miss breaking ball). Fifth-year senior lefty Alford carves up the zone and can miss bats with a quality four-pitch mix: 88-91 fastball from a clean, compact high three-quarters slot, a 78 mph slider with solid tilt, a sharp 72 mph curve, and a 77 mph changeup with very good fading action. Pick to Click: Right fielder Gavin Cross looks primed to do big things as a second-year freshman. He brings intriguing lefthanded power potential as well as the ability to hit for average, run, defend and throw. The aforementioned Hunter is a good receiver and blocker who has worked hard to improve his throwing, and he brings a promising lefthanded gap-to-gap bat to the mix as well. Top Newcomer: The freshman who should make the biggest impact figures to be outfielder Jack Hurley, a lefthanded hitter with easy plus speed and intriguing power potential in his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. He’s one of the best pure athletes on the team, and he could force his way into regular action at an outfield corner, or get his feet wet as the DH. Texas Tech transfer TJ Rumfield adds much-needed punch to the heart of the order. He’s a 6-foot-5, 225-pound ox with a mature approach and good pull-side power. Outlook: John Szefc and his coaching staff have done a good job gradually building up the program’s talent level year over year, and there’s no question that Virginia Tech has its most talented roster yet in 2021. The problem is, so does everybody else in the ACC. The Hokies have regional-caliber talent and decent experience, and they should be a major factor in thick of the ACC race. From the Fall Report: It takes time to transform a struggling program into a contender in a power conference like the ACC, where it isn’t easy to move up the ladder. But Virginia Tech has made steady progress in the first three years of the John Szefc era, and the Hokies got off to a strong 11-5 start in 2020 before the pandemic shut everything down. That start included a quality series win at Louisiana and a sweep of Bryant — two perennial contenders — followed by a hard-fought series loss at Georgia Tech that could have gone either way. Four weeks is a small sample size, but the Hokies played pretty well in all facets, ranking inside the top 25 percent nationally in batting, scoring, ERA and fielding percentage. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING NOTRE DAME Head Coach: Link Jarrett 2019 Record: 24-30 (13-17) 2020 Record: 11-2 (3-0) Strengths: A high-powered offense fueled Notre Dame’s torrid start in 2020, which was capped by an ACC-opening sweep of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Most of the key pieces of that lineup are back, giving the Irish a balanced, deep lineup stuffed with tough outs. Question Marks: The Irish emphasized improving their team defense in the fall, and how that comes together will be critical. It’s also unclear whether Notre Dame has strong enough pitching to withstand the rigors of a long ACC season. Star Power: 1B Niko Kavadas should be one of the ACC’s most fearsome power hitters. He’s a burly slugger with enormous lefthanded pop that plays to all fields, giving Notre Dame a dangerous centerpiece in the heart of the order. Fellow fourth-year junior Spencer Myers is an elite catalyst atop the lineup, with advanced bat-handling skills, incredible plate discipline, and plus speed that he really knows how to use on the basepaths. Veteran lefty Tommy Sheehan is a reliable workhorse atop the rotation, with good command of an 89-93 fastball, a quality slider and changeup. Notre Dame fire-starter Spencer Myers (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Catcher David LaManna has gradually gotten better over the course of his four-year career, becoming a tougher at at the plate and providing invaluable leadership and steady defense behind the plate. Fellow veterans Jared Miller and Zack Prajzner should form a reliable double-play duo and turn in quality at-bats as well. Carter Putz, like Myers, walked more than he struck out last year and will be a key bat in the heart of the lineup. Pick to Click: Second-year freshman Jack Brannigan enormous upside as both a position player and a hitter. He’s a marquee athlete who can really run, throw and defend at third base, and his bat speed gives him significant offensive upside as his approach continues to mature. Off the mound, he can pump mid-to-high-90s cheddar, making him a valuable bullpen weapon. The other obvious breakout candidate on the mound is Dominic Cancellieri, who showed improved stuff across the board this fall, attacking with a four-pitch mix and running his heater up to 94. Look for him to occupy a weekend starter job. Top Newcomer: Juco transfer Tanner Kohlhepp, a bounceback from Tennessee, should make a huge impact in the bullpen. He attacked at 93-95 this fall with funk and deception that makes his stuff play up further. He also features an excellent swing-and-miss cutter, and his low slot makes for an uncomfortable at-bat for righties. UCF graduate transfer Joe Sheridan will also be a huge difference maker, as a polished lefthander with deception and guile who should help solidify the weekend rotation. Outlook: Notre Dame opened eyes in the shortened 2020 campaign, but some questions lingered on the mound and on defense. If the Irish can answer those questions this spring, Notre Dame will be right in the thick of the rough-and-tumble ACC this spring. From The Fall Report: Notre Dame and its first-year head coach, Link Jarrett, set the bar pretty high with an 11-2 record through 13 games in 2020. Playing in the ACC – one of the few conferences that actually began league play before the COVID-19 induced shutdown – the Irish swept North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, that put a loud exclamation mark on that fast start. Obviously, a lot of season was left and it’s impossible to predict what would have happened had things fully played out, but Notre Dame appeared headed the right direction. On offense, they were slashing .302/.414/.485 as a team and their star slugger, Niko Kavadas, already had blasted seven home runs. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING The Rest Of The Pack PITTSBURGH Head Coach: Mike Bell 2019 Record: 21-34 (8-22) 2020 Record: 10-6 (0-3) Strengths: Pitt stands out for a very experienced and balanced offense with some pop in the middle, a reliable defense and a solid strike-throwing rotation. Question Marks: Bullpen problems reared their heads late in the shortened 2020 campaign, and how the middle relief comes together is the biggest key to Pitt’s season. Star Power: Outfielder Kyle Hess has a power/speed tool set that evokes big leaguer Derek Fisher, a former Virginia star. Nico Popa could also reach double digits in homers and steals in the other outfield corner. Billy Corcoran is an imposing 6-foot-7 righty with good command of an improving three-pitch mix, giving the Panthers a dependable Friday ace. Pitt righty Mitch Myers looked good this summer with the Wilson Tobs (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Shortstop David Yanni is back for a sixth year at Pitt, anchoring the defense up the middle and providing some righty pop at the plate. 2B Sky Duff is an on-base machine who makes the offense go from the leadoff spot. On the mound, Mitch Myers is a competitive, funky righty with a high-spin heater in the 88-93 range and good feel for two secondary pitches, making him a great fit in the No. 2 starter job. Pick to Click: Catcher Riley Walsh posted a 1.010 OPS in a strong 2020 debut after transferring in from the juco ranks, and he could be primed for a star turn in his second year at Pitt. Physical and athletic with sneaky juice in his bat, Walsh also has above-average arm strength behind the plate. Top Newcomer: Jordan McCrum, a graduate transfer from Monmouth, missed most of 2019 and all of 2020 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but came back strong and showed 91-94 heat and a putaway slider this fall, making him a strong closer candidate. Outlook: The Panthers are undoubtedly better than they have been in recent years — but so is everybody else in the ACC. Don’t be surprised if Pitt sneaks up on the league, because this should be a competitive club, but somebody still has to finish in the bottom four of the conference. The Panthers, who have never made a regional as an ACC member, still feel likely to wind up in that bottom tier when the dust clears, but Bell has them going in the right direction. From The Fall Report: Count Pittsburgh’s Mike Bell among the hundreds of college baseball coaches who are confident their teams are much better now than they were a year ago, in light of the shortened draft and roster cap relief. The Pitt program already seemed headed in the right direction in Bell’s second year at the helm, jumping out to a 10-1 start before bullpen problems started to flare up, playing a part in a five-game losing streak to end the shortened campaign. Bell hopes the bullpen is stronger now, but there’s no escaping the fact that Pitt has more to prove than any other team in the ACC, as the only one of the current 14 members that has not been to a regional since joining the conference. The Panthers haven’t been to the NCAA tournament since 1995, so it’s fair to say they’ll be flying under the radar this spring. “I have no doubt when all the preseason polls come out, we’ll be one of the last two or three teams [in the ACC], and that’s fine. I have no problem with that,” Bell said. “Until we win, I have no problem going out there with my fighting Pitt Panthers. … Our team is better, but everybody across the league and across the country is better, so how does that equate? So in my short time here, this was the most competitive fall we’ve had, the most depth, the most talent. But when you know what’s gonna be out there, everybody should be better, so that’s gonna be the biggest challenge: not getting caught up in the standings and just stay focused on the process.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN
2021 Big Ten Preview: Strong Contenders Abound SEASON PREVIEW Patrick Ebert and Burke Granger - January 28, 2021 There isn’t a clear-cut front-runner in the Big Ten, which didn’t land a team in the D1Baseball Preseason Top 25. But that doesn’t mean the conference lacks contenders — the issue is, there are so many viable contenders that handicapping the race can almost feel like a crapshoot. Michigan still has pieces left from its 2019 CWS Finals run along with enough emerging talent to make a run at the conference crown. Indiana is loaded with pitching and a few impact position players, making the Hoosiers the other most obvious contender. But Maryland, Ohio State, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska all have the look of bona fide regional teams as well. This race figures to be a punishing free-for-all. The big X-factor for the Big Ten is how its modified schedule will affect its postseason chances with the selection committee. Because of the pandemic, Big Ten teams will play just 44 games instead of the normal 56, and they will be restricted to conference only games. The RPI will be a completely useless tool when evaluating the Big Ten because it won’t have any nonconference games. That could potentially hinder the Big Ten’s chances to get more than three teams into regionals, if the conference heavyweights beat up on each other and all finish closer to .500 overall than they normally might. It will be interesting to monitor. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish Team 2020 Record Michigan 8-7 Indiana 9-6 Maryland 10-5 Ohio State 6-8 Iowa 10-5 Illinois 8-5 Minnesota 8-10 Nebraska 7-8 Purdue 7-7 Rutgers 6-9 Michigan State 9-6 Northwestern 6-7 Penn State 10-5 Projected Regional Team (4): Michigan, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State Player of the Year: Maxwell Costes, 1B, Maryland Pitcher of the Year: Steven Hajjar, LHP, Michigan Freshman of the Year: Ryan Lasko, RF, Rutgers Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Steven Hajjar LHP Michigan 2 McCade Brown RHP Indiana 3 Seth Lonsway LHP Ohio State 4 JP Massey RHP Minnesota 5 Cade Povich LHP Nebraska 6 Sean Burke RHP Maryland 7 TJ Brock RHP Ohio State 8 Spencer Schwellenbach RHP/3B Nebraska 9 Mason Erla RHP Michigan State 10 Maxwell Costes 1B/DH Maryland 11 Branden Comia SS Illinois 12 Grant Richardson OF Indiana 13 Cameron Weston RHP Michigan 14 Andrew Hoffman RHP Illinois 15 Blake Beers RHP Ohio State 16 Garrett Burhenn RHP Ohio State 17 Aidan Maldonado RHP Illinois 18 Trenton Wallace LHP Iowa 19 Michael Trautwein C Northwestern 20 Colby Gomes RHP Nebraska 21 Ben Probst RHP Iowa 22 Calvin Starnes RHP Purdue 23 Jack Neely RHP Ohio State 24 Gabe Bierman RHP Indiana 25 Cam Wynne RHP Nebraska 26 Bailey Dees RHP Penn State 27 Ryan Hampe C/1B Illinois 28 Cole Barr 3B Indiana 29 Sam Ireland RHP/OF Minnesota 30 Willie Weiss RHP Michigan TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Bobby Zmarzlak OF Maryland 2 Connor Staine RHP Maryland 3 Leighton Banjoff 3B/1B Nebraska 4 Jett Jackson RHP Purdue 5 Trent Schoeberl RHP Minnesota 6 Nick Dean RHP Maryland 7 Peyton Williams 1B Iowa 8 Dave Falco RHP Maryland 9 Morgan Colopy OF Indiana 10 Clark Elliot OF Michigan IMPACT FIRST-YEAR FRESHMEN 1 Ryan Lasko OF Rutgers 2 Jason Savacool RHP Maryland 3 Mitch Jebb SS Michigan State 4 Kade Kern CF Ohio State 5 Max Anderson 3B Nebraska 6 George Klassen RHP Minnesota 7 Jay Harry 2B/SS Penn State 8 Logan Wood LHP Michigan 9 Matt Shaw 3B Maryland 10 Brennan Rowe SS Indiana 11 Keaton Anthony OF/IF Iowa 12 Isiah Coupet LHP Ohio State 13 Chad Rogers RHP Penn State 14 Brice Matthews 2B/3B Nebraska 15 Tank Espalin SS Indiana 16 Kip Fougerouss 3B/1B Indiana 17 Payton Hutchins LHP Illinois 18 Noah DeLuga RHP Minnesota 19 Costa Sirounis RHP/1B Indiana 20 Andy Nelson IF Iowa 21 Jack Crowder RHP Illinois 22 Logan Danzeisen RHP Purdue 23 Chase Allen RHP Michigan 24 Jaden Henline RHP Penn State 25 Kevin Keister 2B Maryland 26 Jay Beshears IF Northwestern 27 Joe Whitman LHP Purdue 28 Ethan O'Donnell OF Northwestern 29 Tyson James RHP Iowa 30 Garrett Boeckle RHP Northwestern Projected Regional Teams MICHIGAN Head Coach: Erik Bakich 2019 Record: 50-22 (16-7) 2020 Record: 8-7 (0-0) Strengths: Even after turning over the entire weekend rotation from the 2019 national runner-up season, the Wolverines return considerable depth in the pitching staff. An infusion of grad transfers affords Michigan the opportunity to retool rather than rebuild. Question Marks: The departed trio of Jordan Nwogu, Jack Blomgren and Joe Donovan accounted for 40% of the team’s total bases last season, requiring Bakich to get creative in replacing their offensive production. Star Power: Our conference Pitcher of the Year pick, Steven Hajjar was tabbed as the #16 draft prospect in college baseball in our preseason rankings. Rotation-mates Cameron Weston (1-0, 0.90) and Blake Beers (2-2, 3.13) are draft prospects in their own right, and Jimmy Obertop is an impact bat in the middle of the order who will split time behind the dish, at first base and designated hitter. Glue Guys: Armed with a mid-90s fastball and wipeout slider, Willie Weiss is a stabilizing force in the back of the bullpen after logging nine saves in 2019. Second baseman Riley Bertram knocked in a team best 10 runs last season, and Ted Burton is back to man the hot corner after logging 11 starts there as a freshman last season. Clark Elliott has feel for the strike zone and disruptive speed on the bases. Michigan’s Christian Bullock (Shotgun Spratling) Pick to Click: A quick twitch athlete with game changing speed, center fielder Christian Bullock slashed .268/.385/.407 during the special 2019 season and will be leaned on as an ignitor at the top of one of the more potent offenses in the Big Ten. Top Newcomer: After a decorated collegiate career at Kansas, grad transfer Ben Sems will slide into the shortstop role to give the Wolverines a battle tested leader up the middle. The sweet swinging former Jayhawk has a discerning eye at the plate, excellent first step quickness, and soft hands. Outlook: Equipped with a renowned rotation and torrance of bullpen arms with big game experience, the Wolverines can hang their hat on having one of the deepest pitching staff’s in the conference. Moreover, the replenished position player group is comprised of veterans at key spots up in the lineup. In short, the Michigan has the pieces to remain competitive at a national championship level. From The Fall Report: With four players selected and two others signing as undrafted free agents, Michigan was hit harder by the abridged draft than its peers within the Big Ten. Even when accounting for their departures, however, head coach Erik Bakich feels that this is the oldest and deepest team he’s ever had. With a deluge of graduate transfers joining a roster of veterans who’ve patiently waited their turn, Michigan once again has the talent to compete for the conference crown. Uncharacteristically mild weather this autumn provided a disproportionate number of opportunities for the team to get outside and scrimmage, which they relished after the abrupt ending of the season last spring and subsequent long layoff. “We were very fortunate that we had the opportunity to get outside and scrimmage more innings on the field this fall than we ever have in the eight years I’ve been at Michigan,” said Bakich. “It was a true testament to the sacrifices and the discipline the players made by not really engaging in much social activity and staying within their cohorts with each other when they did get together off the field. When we look back at all that we were able to accomplish in the fall, it was just an accumulation of a lot of innings played competitively; competitive scrimmages, competitive simulated games and we had a terrific weather.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN INDIANA Head Coach: Jeff Mercer 2019 Record: 37-23 (17-7) 2020 Record: 9-6 (0-0) Strengths: Grant Richardson, Cole Barr and Drew Ashley headline an experienced nucleus in what should be among the most dangerous lineups in the Big Ten. Question Marks: Tasked with turning over the whole rotation from the 2019 Big Ten Championship team, the Hoosiers need their young staff to pitch to their potential. Star Power: Richardson was superlative to commence last season, slashing .424/.453/.797 with five home runs through 15 games. A cerebral hitter and tireless worker, the third-year sophomore has average or better tools across the board. Indiana righty Gabe Bierman (Indiana Athletics) Glue Guys: Gabe Bierman (2-1, 2.45) and Tommy Sommer (2-1, 2.61) have been consistently productive throughout their respective collegiate careers. Bierman elicits groundballs with heavy sinkers in the 90-to-93 mph range and has advanced feel for a changeup thrown with arm-side fade. A 6-foot-4 lefty with a four-pitch mix, Sommer held hitters to a .177 batting average against last season. Working primarily out of the pen, Connor Manous has an ERA of just 2.58 over 47 career appearances. A glove-first backstop with advanced catch and throw skills, Collin Hopkins gets high marks for his ability to manage a pitching staff. A contributor on both sides of the ball, Grant Macciocchi is poised to see significant time at shortstop while also being called upon as a late inning reliever. Pick to Click: Despite being one of the most talented pitchers in the conference, McCade Brown has a bloated 14.86 ERA and has logged just six and two-thirds collegiate innings. After a strong fall, the coaching staff is enthused that Brown is ready for his loud metrics to translate into games that count. At his best, the 6-foot-6 righty effortlessly produces mid-90s octane, and pairs it with two high spin breaking pitches. Top Newcomer: Transfer Morgan Colopy (Univ. of Cincinnati) was 34th round pick out of Centerville (OH) in 2019. Lauded has having the best raw power in the team, the right fielder has plus bat speed, an all fields approach and a strong arm. Outlook: Top to bottom, the Hoosiers are one of the more balanced teams in Big Ten and finished in the top half of the conference in both hitting and pitching last season despite the toughest schedule in the Big Ten. A master motivator, Mercer is a rising star in the collegiate coaching ranks who can be counted on to get the most out of his players. From The Fall Report: In what turned out to a banner year in 2019, first year coach Jeff Mercer led Indiana to a conference title and a regional two-seed while a remarkable 10 players were drafted after that season. Despite the unprecedented turnover, we still pegged them to once again contend in the Big Ten in 2020. On their way to another winning campaign before things shut down last year, Indiana logged statement wins against LSU and East Carolina on the road and finished with a 9-6 record. In looking ahead to the spring, Mercer is cautiously optimistic about the club, recognizing that ultimately much of their team success hinges on the work they need to do individually between now and February. “I think it’s a good group,” said the reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year. “I’m apprehensive to evaluate because I know where we should be, and I don’t think we’re there yet. I think the talent is good, but I don’t think that we were terrific this fall overall. I think a lot of it has to do with missing six to eight months of consistent training time. So, as we’re able to get that back this fall and invest that time over Christmas break, a ton of our ceiling and our floor will be determined by the work and the training over the next two or three months before we get the season off the ground. I don’t say that in a negative way, that’s just an honest evaluation. So much will be determined by our physicality when we get back.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN MARYLAND Head Coach: Rob Vaughn 2019 Record: 29-29 (12-12) 2020 Record: 10-5 (0-0) Strengths: Maryland has some serious star power in both their everyday lineup and their pitching staff. Their projected Nos. 1-3 hitters – Chris Alleyne, Randy Bednar and Maxwell Costes – are all proven and productive players while Sean Burke is one of the Big Ten’s top prospects with the results to match. Question Marks: Although the team does have exciting players at the top of their lineup and among their weekend starters, the lower half of the Terps’ lineup, the team’s bullpen and overall pitching depth is in question. Star Power: Look no further than Alleyne (.333/.413/.500), Bednar (.387/.459/.581) and Costes (.432/.620/.750), who will hit one, two and three in the everyday lineup. Sean Burke, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound righthander, went 2-0, 1.99 with 35 strikeouts and 11 walks in 22 2/3 innings with the stuff to match. Closer Sam Bello also hurls mid-90s heat. Maryland slugger Maxwell Costes (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Shortstop Benjamin Cowles is a solid all-around player across the board. Second-year freshmen righthanders Nick Dean and Connor Staine will follow Burke in the starting rotation after enjoying productive, albeit abbreviated, true freshman seasons. Side-arming righthander Elliot Zoellner has been effective bridging the gap from the starters to Bello. Pick to Click: Designated hitter Bobby Zmarzlak was one of the team’s prized recruits a year ago, and despite hitting .185 in 10 games, three of his five hits went for extra bases (one double, two homers). He’s expected to take a big step forward. Top Newcomer: Jason Savacool is projected to be the team’s fourth starter, which could effectively be on Sundays considering the Big Ten is expected to play four-game weekends. Matt Shaw, who could start at third base from day one, looked good in the fall and has an athletic toolset. Outlook: Coach Vaughn is focused on guiding Maryland to the postseason for the first time since being at the helm of the program, and overall the Terps might have the most talent on their roster since they lost to Virginia in back-to-back super regionals in 2014 and 2015. With a diverse lineup full of incredibly patient and keen-eyed hitters, scoring runs shouldn’t be a problem for what could be the conference’s most dangerous lineup. The starting staff could also be one of the Big Ten’s best, particularly if Sean Burke establishes himself as one of the nation’s best draft prospects. From The Fall Report: The Terps have not returned to the NCAA postseason during Vaughn’s time as head coach, but it’s clear they’re on an upward trend. Last year’s recruiting class was ranked seventh-best in the nation by D1Baseball and the players that represented that class barely had a chance to prove what they can do on a baseball field. Vaughn and his two assistants – pitching guru Corey Muscara and recruiting coordinator Matt Swope – aimed to supplement a promising core group of players, which included the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Maxwell Costes. While Muscara was added from the St. John’s staff, both Vaughn and Swope learned the ropes under Szefc’s guidance. “There was so much, it’s almost ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ until you’re sitting in that chair,” Vaughn said reflecting on his first year as the team’s head coach. “I spent the first year-and-a-half figuring out what kind of head coach I was going to be. Coach Szefc was very much ‘hire assistants, let them work and kind of hands off [except] infield defense and team defense.’ That was his thing. He kind of CEO’d everything else, but that was his baby. “So that’s kind of how I spent my first year doing it, and honestly, I looked at myself in the mirror and [thought], ‘I didn’t get into coaching to be a CEO, that’s not me.’ I made some adjustments on how we did things the next year and got a little more involved in certain things I was passionate about and we made some strides in the second year.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN OHIO STATE Head Coach: Greg Beals 2019 Record: 36-27 (12-12) 2020 Record: 6-8 (0-0) Strengths: Retaining the entirety of the rotation from the 2019 regional team and a talent laden bullpen, the Buckeyes may have the deepest pitching staff in the conference. Question Marks: Gone are 2019 standout Dominic Canzone and 2020 second rounder (Tigers) Dillon Dingler, both of whom represented such vital pieces of to this lineup in recent years. As such, the offensive identify of this club remains one of the bigger unknowns heading into the 2021 campaign. Star Power: Seth Lonsway is back following a season in which he led the nation in strikeouts-per-nine (21.0) after punching out an absurd 42 hitters in just 18 innings. Ohio State’s Seth Lonsway (Ohio State Athletics) Glue Guys: The Friday starter since stepping foot on campus, unflappable righty Garrett Burhenn excels at sequencing his four-pitch mix and his velocity reportedly jumped this fall. Griffan Smith is a veteran lefty with a bulldog mentality. He locates to both sides of the plate and led the team in innings (96.2) and starts (17) in 2019. A significant piece since his freshman year, Bayden Root will once again be called upon to get big outs out of the pen. At 6-foot-5 and 225-pounds, Connor Pohl is an imposing presence in the box and can pick it around the bag at first base. Zach Dezenzo is a big and physical shortstop at 6-foot-4, 225-pounds with raw power to match. Pick to Click: After sitting in the low-90s last season, TJ Brock’s stuff has ticked upward across the board this fall. The righthander now sits 97-to-98 mph in short stints and features a biting high 80s slider with two-plane break. He’ll be called upon in high leverage situations this spring, potentially earning save opportunities. Top Newcomer: Jack Neely comes to Columbus via Iowa Western CC, with prior layovers at the University of Texas and San Jacinto. A prototypical power pitcher, 6-foot-9 righthander is can run his fastball up to 97 mph and he’ll show hitters in curveball with 11-to-5 break to go with a serviceable changeup. Toolsy freshman center fielder Kade Kern is slated to play a significant role right out of the gate. Outlook: Riding the star power and depth of the pitching staff, the Buckeyes should contend for a regional if they’re able to get league average production from the offense, with a chance to be special if the bats perform at the upper end of their potential range of outcomes. From The Fall Report: With three regional appearances and two conference tournament wins since 2016, Ohio State has established itself as one of the better programs in the Big Ten. Entering his 11th season at the helm, head coach Greg Beals has the requisite pieces to once again compete for a postseason run. “I feel really good about how my guys have embraced the challenges of this time,” Beals said. “It’s provided them with the time and opportunity to spend on development. “Like a lot of programs and a lot of young men, they’re champing at the bit and they’re going to be ready to go. I’m really excited about this team when I talk about the prospects for our season. I’m not yet sure what our season looks like, but we’re attacking day-to-day, and we’re going to continue to do that.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN Keep An Eye On IOWA Head Coach: Rick Heller 2019 Record: 31-24 (12-12) 2020 Record: 10-5 (0-0) Strengths: Team leaders Ben Norman (center field), Austin Martin (catcher) and Grant Leonard (closer) are fifth- and sixth-year seniors with years of experience. In fact, the entire lineup has significant experience and the pitching staff is deep with reliable options. Question Marks: With Grant Judkins beginning his pro career and Jack Dreyer out for the year due to injury, fourth-year sophomore Duncan Davitt is the only returning weekend starter. Projected staff ace Trenton Wallace did start eight games a freshman in 2018 and three as a sophomore, but pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 2020. Iowa’s Trenton Wallace (Iowa Baseball) Star Power: Wallace is a lefthander that peaks in the low-90s with a good four-pitch mix. He will also start in right field and hit in the middle of the lineup as one of the team’s more polished hitters. At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds, Peyton Williams has prodigious power and blasted 13 home runs in 33 games last summer in the Northwoods League. Fourth-year sophomore Ben Probst throws low- to mid-90s gas with a nasty slider. Glue Guys: Norman had a huge fall and could be poised for a big spring. Dylan Nedved hit .308 as the team’s starting shortstop and also had a 1.35 ERA in five relief appearances. Izaya Fullard can play both second and third base and hit .400/.449/.583 through 15 games last year. Left fielder Zeb Adreon (.333) and third baseman Matthew Sosa (.316) also hit on the sunny side of .300. Pick to Click: With 62 career innings and 72 career at-bats, Wallace doesn’t have a ton of accolades to point to, but given his projected role and expected impact he could be one of the most productive two-way players in the nation. Top Newcomer: Freshman outfielder Keaton Anthony is an intriguing 6-foot-4 athlete that really stung the ball hard during fall practices. He’ll battle for playing time despite the team’s depth and experience among their position player group. Fellow freshman Andy Nelson could do the same as a super utility option. Outlook: Iowa appeared destined for the postseason in 2020 and continue to have that kind of overall roster makeup heading into 2021. The lineup is as deep and talented as it has ever been and the pitching offers plenty of promise. If a few pitchers fall into place in the weekend rotation the Hawkeyes could be headed to their first regional, and Big Ten championship, since 2017. From The Fall Report: Head coach Rick Heller knows his team can handle the competition, and he also knows his team had more than a fighting chance a year ago. While a lot of teams have key returning pieces back in the fold, Iowa not only has talent but experience, and more importantly, leadership. “My favorite thing about this team is that all of the COVID seniors that came back are guys that you would want to come back from a leadership standpoint, not just as a talent or player standpoint,” Heller said. “All of the new guys on this team have really gelled quickly, as quick as any team I’ve coached, and with all of the leadership we have they were able to get the new guys on board quick.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN ILLINOIS Head Coach: Dan Hartleb 2019 Record: 36-21 (15-9) 2020 Record: 8-5 (0-0) Strengths: No team in the Big Ten uses the pitching and defense formula as well as Illinois, and with a deep staff with plenty of options and a proven defense up the middle, that will once define this team. Question Marks: Through 13 games in the shortened 2020 season, Illinois had only five home runs and a .330 slugging percentage. A power source or two will need to step forward and one could be JUCO transfer Ryan Hampe. Star Power: Shortstop Branden Comia was just getting started in 2020, hitting .426/.526/.702 with seven extra-base hits through 13 games. He’ll be one of the Big Ten’s biggest stars. The team’s projected Nos. 2 and 3 starters, righthanders Andrew Hoffmann and Aidan Maldonado, throw in the low- to mid-90s with good projectability. Illinois shortstop Branden Comia (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Lefthanded ace Cole Kirschsieper is a second-year freshman and opened his collegiate career with wins over West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Elon. Third-year sophomore Ty Rybarczyk is the swiss army knife of the staff and could fill a valuable swing role. Fellow third-year sophomore and catcher Jacob Campbell is a defensive stalwart who has worked hard to improve his offensive game. Pick to Click: Center fielder Taylor Jackson will lead off while providing excellent defense highlighted by his range. He slashed .296/.350/.370 last year before raising those numbers to .329/.366/.404 while swinging a wood bat in the Northwoods League over the summer. Top Newcomer: Hoffmann and Hampe both starred at John A. Logan College at the junior college level last season with Hoffmann posting a 2.08 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 26 innings and Hampe slashing .413/.482/.640. Hoffmann also twirls a high-spin rate breaking ball and was named the team’s most outstanding pitcher in fall ball. Outlook: With a staff of Kirschsieper, Hoffmann and Maldonado, and a defense led by Comia, Jackson and Campbell, Illinois will keep themselves in every single ballgame. They have a deep bullpen as well as 3-4 true freshman arms they’re excited about with a nice balance between righthanders and lefthanders. How the offense comes together will dictate how far this team goes in 2021 as Kellen Sarver, Brody Harding, Jackson Raper, Cam McDonald and Danny Doligale – in addition to Comia, Campbell, Jackson and Hampe – could all step forward this season. From The Fall Report: Similar to other teams across the country, Illinois’ 2020 roster will provide plenty of depth heading into 2021. All-time Illini saves leader Garrett Acton has moved on, as have a few other notable contributors, particularly on the pitching staff, but a handful of reinforcements combined with the returning players should allow Illinois to pick up where it left off. “We do have a really good core nucleus back,” Coach Hartleb said. “We did have some losses, but in college baseball that’s expected; you’re going to lose guys each and every year. I’m excited about this group, I really like them, we had more competition at positions than we’ve had in a long time. And it’s really healthy competition because we have good players that are pushing each other. I’m excited, I’m really excited about this group.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN MINNESOTA Head Coach: John Anderson 2019 Record: 29-27 (15-9) 2020 Record: 8-10 (0-0) Strengths: Eight of the nine regulars from the starting lineup return to the Gophers in 2021 for a squad that hit .284 a year ago. Projected starters JP Massey, Trent Schoeberl, Drake Davis and Patrick Fredrickson combined for 11 starts in 18 games. Question Marks: Considering the team ERA a year ago was 6.54 and departed ace Max Meyer – the No. 3 overall pick in last summer’s draft – had a 1.95 ERA, there’s considerable need for improvement on the staff. Star Power: Third-year sophomore righthander JP Massey is as projectable as they come with a high-waisted, broad shouldered and still-projectable 6-foot-5, 205-pound build. He throws in the low- to mid-90s and everything about him keeps trending upward. Minnesota’s J.P. Massey (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: Second baseman Zack Raabe (.463/.526/.612) led the nation in hits last year, third baseman Jack Wassel (.364/.475/.591) enjoyed his best season and center fielder Easton Bertrand continued to get better in all phases. Righthander Trent Schoeberl went 2-0, 2.75 as a freshman and lefthander Bubba Horton is a key bullpen arm. Pick to Click: Sam Ireland is a physical two-way talent with exciting power potential who is expected to play in right field, at first base and as the team’s designated hitter while also providing meaningful innings out of the bullpen. Top Newcomer: Lefthander Jack Liffrig had Tommy John surgery after transferring from Utah and would have pitched in 2020 had the season progressed. He looked strong in the fall and is expected to be the Saturday starter. Freshman righthander George Klassen has the team’s best pure stuff but it remains to be seen how many opportunities he’ll have. Outlook: Minnesota always seems to have one of the Big Ten’s best lineups and this year will be no different. There’s talent on the pitching staff but uncertainty how it’s all going to shake out. If Massey takes another big step forward, Liffrig proves to be healthy and Schoeberl continues to progress, the weekend staff could be a plus. The icing on the cake would be a return to form by Patrick Fredrickson, the 2018 Big Ten Pitcher and Freshman of the Year who hasn’t been the same since but has returned to the sinker/slider profile that made him successful. From The Fall Report: COVID-19 did indeed hit the program, but unfortunately for the Gophers, it didn’t work out that conveniently. One positive diagnosis within a group of housed players led to the team being shut down for two weeks. Losing two weeks is already a challenge considering how short the 2020 season was. With almost the entire roster returning, not to mention injured players from the previous season as well as the newcomers that were brought on board, a lot of different things need to be worked out to find a happy balance and build key relationships. “Like most programs we had more people come back than we thought,” Anderson said about his roster. “Obviously that bodes well for us and our program because right now we have a group back that’s going to be another year older … and have more experiences. “I feel for the younger players, the players that are freshmen and sophomores that haven’t played much in their careers. With a pretty experienced team coming back it’s going to have a big impact on some of the younger players and their development just because there aren’t going to be as many opportunities. That’s going to be [true] in a lot of programs.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN NEBRASKA Head Coach: Will Bolt 2019 Record: 32-24 (15-9) 2020 Record: 7-8 (0-0) Strengths: As a team, the Huskers slashed .281/.375/.432 in 2020 and have the most athletic and versatile starting lineup in the Big Ten. There’s some exciting upside on the pitching staff as well. Question Marks: Outside of transfer Chance Hroch, one of the team’s projected weekend starters, there is uncertainty on the pitching staff based on role and past results. Star Power: Those familiar with the program agree that shortstop and righthanded pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach is poised for a big, breakout season. He’ll hit near the top of the order, captain the infield defense and bring mid-90s heat out of the bullpen late in ballgames. Lefthanded starter Cade Povich and righthanders Colby Gomes and Cam Wynne have exciting arm strength. Nebraska’s Colby Gomes (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Both Leighton Banjoff and Cam Chick can play multiple positions and are among the team’s more productive hitters. Outfielder Logan Foster hit .285/.357/.464 in three years at Texas A&M. Jaxon Hallmark, who is expected to play center field more regularly after being the team’s everyday second baseman, is also an effective option out of the bullpen with a low-90s fastball. Hroch went 10-1, 2.74 in 2019 at New Mexico State. Max Schreiber is a reliable and frequently turned-to option out of the ‘pen. Pick to Click: Schwellenbach was a prized recruit coming out of high school and hasn’t been healthy enough to pitch at the college level. He’s armed with a mid-90s fastball and nasty breaking ball in addition to being a high-level all-around athlete that impacts the game in a variety of ways. Top Newcomer: Omaha native Max Anderson was so impressive in the fall that Coach Bolt expects him to earn regular playing time. He can play pretty much anywhere on the field but will open his college career at third base. Outlook: Nebraska should boast one of the league’s better starting lineups one through nine and scoring runs won’t be an issue. Preventing them will be the primary question, but they’re encouraged by the development of Povich, Shay Schanaman and Koty Frank when it comes to their starting staff, a unit that will be anchored by Hroch, whose track record of success is unquestioned. A bullpen consisting of live arms including Schwellenbach, Hallmark, Schreiber, Gomes and Wynne could be formidable, but again, that unit needs to prove their effectiveness in game action. From The Fall Report: The coronavirus pandemic may have cut Bolt’s first season in 2020 short, but he and his staff used that time to get to work, examining the roster and finding ways to strengthen their core. In addition to their own returning players they looked to transfers, both graduate transfers and those from the junior college level, in addition to a few late local additions from the high school ranks. “We had to get more experience on the mound [and] we needed to up the depth in the infield,” Bolt added. “We felt like we had some pretty talented front-line type guys, both on the mound and positionally, but I think we just needed to increase the depth around them. So, we were able to do that with the junior college route, the transfer route.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE IN-DEPTH TEAM BREAKDOWN The Rest Of The Pack PURDUE Head Coach: Greg Goff 2019 Record: 20-34 (7-16) 2020 Record: 7-7 (0-0) Strengths: Catcher Zac Fascia and center fielder Skyler Hunter are the unquestioned leaders of the team at key positions. The entire lineup has experience and there are some intriguing, high-powered arms on the pitching staff. Question Marks: For as much experience as they have in their starting lineup, they’re lacking a big bopper that is tough to pitch around in tight situations. Similarly, the pitching staff holds promise but lacks experience. Star Power: The focus on Purdue entering the 2021 season will be on its projected ace, Calvin Schapira, and Calvin Starnes, both of whom performed at the junior college level in 2020. Schapira, a lefthander, is at his best pounding the strike zone with an upper-80s to low-90s fastball that peaks higher and a low-80s slider. Starnes, a righthander, brings pure gas, frequently touching the mid-90s. Glue Guys: Fascia is a strong-armed, lefthanded hitting catcher. Hunter does is all from the leadoff spot and can really fly in the outfield. Left fielder Ben Nisle was one of the team’s best hitters during their magical 2018 run. Third baseman Kyle LaPlante and second baseman Evan Albrecht both have track records of success. Righthanders Trent Johnson and Jett Jackson pitched in the weekend rotation a year ago with strong performance numbers. Pick to Click: Shortstop Justin Walker began his career at Indiana and sat out last year after transferring. He’s a switch-hitter and a gifted defender with improving offensive talents. Top Newcomer: Looking past the additions of Schapira and Starnes to the pitching staff, Walker and Oklahoma State transfer Cam Thompson could have a similar impact on offense. Among the freshmen, both righthander Logan Danzeisen and lefthander Joe Whitman could make immediate, regular contributions. One other JUCO transfer, Nolan Daniel, is the team’s projected closer. Outlook: It’s hard to get a feel for what direction the program will take given the number of new faces. The Boilermakers look solid on both offense and defense with an athletic and experienced position player group. Much of the same is true on the pitching side of things, which was the team’s strength during the shortened 2020 season. If Schapira in particular is as good as he was at the JUCO level – where he went 4-1, 0.49 with 56 strikeouts and just 12 walks issued in 36 2/3 innings – this team could compete for the Big Ten title. From The Fall Report: Goff took the head job during the summer of 2019 when Mark Wasikowski left Purdue for Oregon, a school he had previously coached as an assistant. Goff joined Purdue two years prior to serve as an assistant, coming off head coaching gigs at Montevallo (Division II), Campbell and Louisiana Tech – leaving each program in better shape than how he found them – as well as a one-year stint at Alabama. Like many to most teams heading into the 2021 season, the Purdue roster will be filled with familiar faces, many players he helped recruit. “We’ve really got a good group of guys and it’s been awesome to coach them this fall,” Goff enthusiastically said. “Since we didn’t get a chance to play any outside competition, I’m really looking forward to them all putting the same uniform on and competing against somebody else, hopefully in February or March.” …CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN RUTGERS Head Coach: Steve Owens 2019 Record: 20-31 (9-14) 2020 Record: 6-9 (0-0) Strengths: During a normal year there’s no way Rutgers’ lefthanded ace Harry Rutkowski makes it back to campus. They also welcomed back their top hitter, lefthanded hitting center fielder Richie Schiekofer. Question Marks: As soon as last season came to a close the coaching staff began identifying transfer candidates to bolster the roster and be more competitive, however, it remains to be seen if they have the talent level to win series more consistently. Star Power: Rutkowski is 6-foot-2, 230-pounds and throws four different pitches for strikes, including an upper-80s to low-90s fastball. Schiekofer was a promising recruit that began his career at Maryland before transferring to Rutgers, sitting out the 2019 season as a result. Glue Guys: Leadoff hitting left fielder Mike Nyisztor, first baseman Chris Brito and third baseman Tim Dezzi are all multiple year starters. Shortstop Danny DiGeorgio provides a steady glove, and bat, at a key position. A second big-bodied lefthander starter, Tevin Murray, also returns to the weekend staff. Parker Scott, Kyle Muller and Eric Reardon will all get a lot of looks out of the bullpen. Pick to Click: A 6-foot-7, 230-pound lefthander, projected closer Brian Fitzpatrick saw action in three games during his freshman season in 2019 before injury shut him down. He looked good in fall ball with a low-90s fastball, a good changeup and a sharp breaking ball. Top Newcomer: The Rutgers coaching staff hit the transfer portal and JUCO ranks hard to focus on strengthening the pitching staff. Ben Wereski (Columbia), Brent Teller (Sacred Heart), Jayson Hoopes (Virginia), Nate McLain (Lackawanna) and Dale Stanavich (Herkimer) are all going to be in the mix for important innings. Hard hitting freshman outfielder Ryan Lasko could put up big numbers as the team’s everyday right fielder. Outlook: Coach Owens and his staff have already changed the culture at Rutgers, even if it takes a few years for their recruiting efforts to truly take hold on the overall success of the program. The pitching staff has intriguing talent complemented by newfound depth which should make Rutgers a more competitive program from the beginning of the season to the end. The lineup also has a few intriguing pieces and solid role players who get the job done. From The Fall Report: In five years playing in the Big Ten, Rutgers hasn’t had more than nine conference wins, and no fewer than 14 losses. An 8-16 season was basically an average year, and that quite simply wasn’t good enough. As a result, Rutgers has yet to participate in the always unpredictable Big Ten Tournament, which was a goal of Owens and his staff to achieve in their first year, a year in which factors off the field, and not on, prevented them from reaching that goal. “That was last year’s goal too and we didn’t get to play in any Big Ten games,” Owens said. “We would hope and aspire to finish in a position to be able to compete in the conference tournament. We don’t know how many games we’re going to get to play and how everything will play out, but we feel pretty good about our chances this year about being a much-improved baseball team that should be fun to follow.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN MICHIGAN STATE Head Coach: Jake Boss 2019 Record: 20-34 (8-15) 2020 Record: 9-6 (0-0) Strengths: The Spartans prioritize applying pressure on the bases, and they have enough speed on the roster to do just that. Outfielder Bryce Kelley has 72 career stolen bases, seven shy of the school record. Additionally, second baseman Bailey Peterson swiped eight bags in just 15 games last season. Question Marks: Though they have some capable thumpers on the roster, the Spartans hit just four home runs last season. Catcher Adam Proctor led the club in home runs in 2019 with nine and puts on light tower power displays in batting practice, but it needs to show up in game action more consistently. Star Power: If it weren’t for the shortened draft last spring, there’s no chance Mason Erla (2-0, 1.04) would have made it back to East Lansing after four dominant starts for the green and white. Working from a lower slot, the 6-foot-4 righthander used a mid-90s fastball and a wipeout slider to strikeout 42 hitters compared to just six walks in 26 innings last spring. Glue Guys: Peterson was off to a torrid start last season, slashing .441/.528/.542 when play was halted. Utilizing a smooth lefthanded stroke, Peter Ahn was slugging .571 and led the team with 15 RBIs. An elbow injury caused Jarret Olson (1-1, 2.02) to sit out this fall, but Boss is expecting to have him back before opening day. He’s a competitor on the mound and can throw three pitches for strikes. Pick to Click: Highly regarded out of high school, Zaid Walker was drafted in 2018 (Reds – 36th round). After two solid but unspectacular seasons in East Lansing, the right fielder will be leaned on as a middle of the order run producer after driving the ball with more consistency of late. Top Newcomer: Boss lauded the play of Mitch Jebb this fall, as the dynamic freshman earned the nod as the Spartan’s starting shortstop. A contact-oriented hitter and a pest on the bases, he’s also the presumptive leadoff hitter. Outlook: Prior to 2018, Boss had accounted for eight consecutive winning seasons and will look to return the Spartans to prominence in 2021. If Erla comes out and shoves again, Olson is his reliable healthy self and the Kelley/Peterson combination continue to be disruptive forces on the base paths, the Spartans should be a Big Ten Tournament team. From The Fall Report: As college programs around the country struggle to navigate COVID-19 protocols, Michigan State is playing the hand it has been dealt in working to make the best of an unfortunate situation. Now entering his 13th year at the helm, head coach Jake Boss has utilized the expanded rosters to split the roster into three groups, which allowed his team the opportunity to scrimmage more often this fall. “We divided our group up into three different smaller pods, with the idea of rotating guys in at different times, doing different things at practice on that day,” said Boss. “I think it’s really worked out well. We have a ton of skill development that’s getting done, which has been great. At the same time, we’ve been able to intrasquad a lot, which has been equally good since we’ve not played since March.” Boss went on to explain that his players accumulated nearly 1,000 plate appearances as a team this fall, an unprecedented amount of reps that will undoubtedly pay dividends this spring. “As far as what we’ve been able to get done and the way we’ve done it, I think has been one of the better falls that we’ve ever had,” Boss continued. “I think it’s result of the expanded roster. I don’t think we’ve been we would have had the personnel to be able to do what we’ve been doing from numbers standpoint if we were if we were at 35 guys.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN NORTHWESTERN Head Coach: Spencer Allen 2019 Record: 24-27 (11-13) 2020 Record: 6-7 (0-0) Strengths: The Wildcats’ 1-2 punch at the top of their weekend rotation, Mike Doherty and Tyler Uberstine, can compete opposite any other Friday and Saturday starter in Big Ten play. Positionally, they’re strong up the middle with Shawn Goosenberg at shortstop, David Dunn in center field and Michael Trautwein behind the plate. Question Marks: Northwestern lacks a defined, impact bat and that limits their overall offensive profile. Star Power: Uberstine has taken an interesting development path and is now throwing in the low- to mid-90s with improving secondaries. Trautwein is an advanced defensive catcher that can really shut down the opposing run game, and he offers some pop in his lefthanded swing. Goosenberg is a good all-around athlete with impact speed, and he’s the team’s best hitter. Glue Guys: Doherty sits in the upper-80s to low-90s with his power sinker, throws strikes and competes. Projected Sunday starter Ryan Bader was effective in a swing role in 2019. Lefthander Sam Lawrence has a 4.11 ERA in 105 innings pitched in his career at Northwestern and will close in 2020. Dunn, Leo Kaplan and Casey O’Laughlin all have considerable experience and should help anchor the lineup. Pick to Click: Uberstine went 2-0, 2.86 in 2020 but didn’t get a chance to show what he’s capable of over a full season. If Northwestern competes in 2021 it could very well be due to the development of middle-of-the-order hitters Anthony Calarco and Stephen Hrustich. Top Newcomer: Freshman righthander David Utagawa opened eyes in the fall by throwing heaving 94 mph fastballs. Freshmen infielders Jay Beshears and Vince Bianchina earned spring opportunities with strong fall performances. Outlook: The presence of Doherty and Uberstine makes Northwestern dangerous, with enough depth to keep them in plenty of ballgames. Being on the winning side of those games will come down to the effectiveness of the offense. There’s enough experience playing key positions all around the diamond, and should 1-2 players step forward with career years, Northwestern could surprise some people much like they did in 2017 when they fell just short of a Big Ten Conference Tournament championship. From The Fall Report: Head coach Spencer Allen, who will enter his sixth season as the team’s head coach when the spring season gets underway, understands the complexities of coaching at a high-academic institution and his Wildcats are always good for an upset. When you make just one Big Ten Tournament in four seasons you are of course are going to be considered a long shot, but it’s more than enough ammo for Allen to use as motivation. “We’re really just out to prove that we can be a consistent team in this league,” Allen said. “We know it starts internally, but there’s that little bit of chip that we need to prove that we belong. That’s the message. It’s not on any signs in the dugout or anything like that, we’ve just talked about it a lot, really making it [about] who we are and trying to break that down to what that looks like day-to-day.”… CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN PENN STATE Head Coach: Rob Cooper 2019 Record: 22-27 (4-18) 2020 Record: 10-5 (0-0) Strengths: With an accomplished rotation and deep bullpen, the Diamond Lions can pitch with any team in the conference. As a staff, they finished in the top 20 nationally in several key categories last season including ERA (2.16), WHIP (1.01), and Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (3.63). Question Marks: Penn State struggled with the defensive facet of the game last season, committing 25 errors in the truncated season and finishing with a team fielding percentage of .953 which was last in the Big Ten. Star Power: At 6-foot-8 and 250-pounds, Bailey Dees is an imposing figure on the mound with a fastball to match. The big righthander started hot last season, pitching to a 1.88 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and holding hitters to a .149 batting average. Quick-armed Connor Larkin was also terrific last season, using a mid-90s heater, a downer curveball and a late fading straight change to punch out 28 hitters in 21.2 innings. Glue Guys: Gavin Homer got off to an incredible start last season, slashing .400/.500/.689 and swiping eight bags in eight tries. Johnny Piacentino (.400/.511/.686) had no trouble adjusting to the college game as a true freshman and has a penchant for getting on base thanks to an advanced feel for the strike zone. Matt Wood is a quiet receiver behind the dish with uncommon athleticism for the position. Curtis Robison is an impact bat and he earns high marks for his work ethic and leadership skills. Pick to Click: Third baseman Justin Williams has a cannon for an arm, with easy carry across the diamond. Moreover, he has plus power potential and will be leaned on as a run producer in the middle of this lineup. Top Newcomer: Freshman middle infielder Jay Harry is a dynamic player with an appealing mix of speed and power. Additionally, his quickness is an asset defensively where he shows above average range to either side. Outlook: While the Nittany Lions started hot last year, they didn’t make it to conference play where they’ve struggled tremendously in recent years, winning just 11 league games since the 2016 season. With the Big Ten committed to a conference only schedule as of this writing, this talented pitching staff needs to prove they can get it done against a higher level of competition for this team to be successful in 2021. Furthermore, COVID restrictions provided limited opportunities for live reps this fall, which could lead to a stunted start compared to their peers. From The Fall Report: Despite three consecutive losing seasons from 2017 to 2019, things were trending upward in Happy Valley last season, as the Nittany Lions had a 10-5 record when play halted. Additionally, they sported a team ERA of just 2.16, which was good for best in the Big Ten by a considerable margin. The gains weren’t exclusive to the mound either. Offensively, Penn State was hitting .289 as a team and was leading the circuit with 33 stolen bases in 34 tries. “It’s no secret that we struggled going back to the 2017 season,” head coach Rob Cooper said. “We really started to turn some things around from a culture standpoint and implementing the type of winning mentality you want. I really felt like in 2019 we started to turn that corner, we showed it early, and then when the adversity hit, and we started struggling you could tell the process to turn it over wasn’t complete.” … CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL IN-DEPTH BREAKDOWN
2021 Big 12 Preview: Texas Trio Headlines Packed Big 12 SEASON PREVIEW Kendall Rogers - February 1, 2021 The Big 12 could be on the verge of having its best showing since 2017. That year, the conference, which has seen its complexion change over the past decade with the departures of Texas A&M, Missouri and Nebraska, got seven teams to the NCAA postseason. This season, the Big 12 might be aiming higher than ever for plenty of reasons. Though we have six teams from the league projected to make the tournament, including Texas Tech, TCU, Texas, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Kansas State are not far behind at all. The Bears have some incredibly intriguing pieces to its team, and it returns one of the league’s best overall players in Jared McKenzie. Meanwhile, Kansas State has one of the nation’s premier ace pitchers in lefthander Jordan Wicks, while the bar is also set very high for hard-throwing righthander Carson Seymour, who makes the move from the backend of the bullpen to the starting rotation. Even Kansas has some promising pieces, including ace pitcher and righthander Everhett Hazelwood. It should be an incredible season for the Big 12, and here’s our in-depth look at the league: Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish TEAM 2020 RECORD Texas Tech 16-3 Texas 14-3 TCU 11-4 West Virginia 11-5 Oklahoma State 13-5 Oklahoma 14-4 Baylor 10-6 Kansas State 10-7 Kansas 7-10 Projected Regional Teams (6): Texas Tech, TCU, Texas, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma Player of the Year: Dylan Neuse, OF, Texas Tech Pitcher of the Year: Ty Madden, RHP, Texas Freshman of the Year: Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas (Oklahoma’s Cade Horton was initial choice, out for the year with Tommy John surgery) Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Ty Madden RHP Texas 2 Jordan Wicks LHP Kansas State 3 Pete Hansen* LHP Texas 4 Austin Krob LHP TCU 5 Micah Dallas RHP Texas Tech 6 Johnny Ray RHP TCU 7 Ryan Bergert RHP West Virginia 8 Carson Seymour RHP Kansas State 9 Justin Wrobleski LHP Oklahoma State 10 Eric Kennedy OF Texas 11 Dalton Fowler LHP Oklahoma 12 Wyatt Olds RHP Oklahoma 13 Brandon Birdsell RHP Texas Tech 14 Marcelo Perez RHP TCU 15 Jackson Wolf LHP West Virginia 16 Kolby Kubichek RHP Texas 17 Mason Montgomery LHP Texas Tech 18 Dylan Neuse OF Texas Tech 19 Tanner Tredaway OF Oklahoma 20 Everett Hazelwood RHP Kansas 21 Zach Cable RHP Oklahoma State 22 Madison Jeffrey RHP West Virginia 23 Riley Cornelio* RHP TCU 24 Patrick Monteverde LHP Texas Tech 25 Hunter Dobbins RHP Texas Tech 26 Jason Ruffcorn RHP Oklahoma 27 Ryan Sublette RHP Texas Tech 28 Russell Smith LHP TCU 29 Will Rigney RHP Baylor 30 Dru Baker OF Texas Tech 31 Daniel Ouderkirk RHP West Virginia 32 Harrison Beethe RHP TCU 33 Davion Downey OF Baylor 34 Max Marusak OF Texas Tech 35 Cal Conley SS Texas Tech 36 Ivan Melendez 3B Texas 37 Christian Encarnacion-Strand 3B Oklahoma State 38 Paul McIntosh C West Virginia 39 Tyler Thomas LHP Baylor 40 Braxton Fulford C Texas Tech 41 Andy Thomas C Baylor 42 Huey Morrill INF Oklahoma State 43 Brett Squires 3B Oklahoma 44 Adam Tulloch LHP West Virginia 45 Tommy Sacco SS TCU 46 Tyler Hardman 1B Oklahoma 47 Connor McCullough RHP Kansas State 48 Kurt Wilson RHP/INF Texas Tech 49 Drew Hill RHP TCU 50 Kale Davis RHP Oklahoma State TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Peyton Graham 3B Oklahoma 2 Cade Horton RHP/INF Oklahoma 3 Bryce Osmond RHP Oklahoma State 4 Jake Bennett LHP Oklahoma 5 Nolan McLean* RHP/INF Oklahoma State 6 Jared McKenzie OF Baylor 7 Evan Godwin LHP Baylor 8 Trey Faltine SS Texas 9 Jace Jung 3B Texas Tech 10 Sam Walbridge LHP Texas 11 Colton Bowman LHP Oklahoma State 12 Nate Rombach C Texas Tech 13 Jacob Meador RHP TCU 14 Silas Ardoin C Texas 15 Andrew Devine RHP Texas Tech 16 Christian Ruebeck RHP Oklahoma 17 Andre Duplantier-INJ RHP Texas 18 Victor Scott OF West Virginia 19 Matt McCormick 1B West Virginia 20 Tre Richardson INF Baylor 21 Caeden Trenkle OF Oklahoma State 22 Ryan Vanderhei RHP Kansas 23 Dom Johnson OF Oklahoma State 24 Luke Boyers OF TCU 25 Kendall Pettis OF Oklahoma 26 Dillon Carter OF Texas Tech 27 Anthony Tulimero C Kansas 28 Justin Campbell RHP Oklahoma State 29 Kyle Nevin INF/OF Baylor 30 Chandler Freeman 1B Baylor IMPACT FRESHMEN 1 Cade Horton INF/RHP Oklahoma 2 Tanner Witt RHP Texas 3 Elijah Nunez OF TCU 4 Nolan McLean INF/RHP Oklahoma State 5 Garrett Wright RHP TCU 6 Brendan Girton RHP Texas Tech 7 Lucas Gordon LHP Texas 8 Jace Bohrofen OF Oklahoma 9 Cam Caley LHP/OF Baylor 10 Levi Wells RHP Texas Tech 11 Cam Brown RHP TCU 12 Tyler Chadwick RHP West Virginia 13 Nick Gorby LHP Texas Tech 14 Drew Woodcox OF/INF Texas Tech 15 Luke Boyers OF TCU 16 Maui Ahuna SS Kansas 17 Nick Goodwin SS/2B Kansas State 18 Trevor Martin RHP Oklahoma State 19 Aaron Nixon UTL Texas 20 Dylan Campbell 2B Texas 21 Dom Johnson OF Oklahoma State 22 Tavian Josenberger OF Kansas 23 Brayden Taylor INF TCU 24 Andy Owen RHP Baylor 25 Carlson Reed RHP West Virginia 26 Drew Leach RHP Baylor 27 Orlando Salinas INF Oklahoma State 28 Chase Hampton RHP Texas Tech 29 James Hitt LHP Texas Tech 30 Cade Currington UTL Baylor 31 Sam Brady LHP Kansas 32 Ben Abernathy 2B West Virginia 33 Braden Berry OF West Virginia 34 Hayde Key RHP Texas Tech 35 Ben Hampton LHP West Virginia 36 Jacob Dillon RHP Kansas 37 JD Gregson C Baylor 38 Robert Bavon RHP Oklahoma State 39 Lebarron Johnson RHP Texas 40 Jacob Schoenvogel UTL Baylor Projected Regional Teams • For in-depth reports on the five Big 12 teams in our Top 25 rankings, you can find expansive team breakdowns below: No. 3 Texas Tech Breakdown No. 9 Texas Breakdown No. 10 TCU Breakdown No. 14 West Virginia Breakdown No. 20 Oklahoma State Breakdown Oklahoma Head coach: Skip Johnson 2019 Record: 33-23 (11-13 Big 12) 2020 Record: 14-4 Strengths: Oklahoma will have a stout bullpen with righthander Jason Ruffcorn and others leading the charge, while the offense, which was off to a nice start in the spring, will be productive and experienced this spring. The Sooners welcome back almost every key player from their 2020 offense, and welcome some big-time potential producers in Cade Horton, Brett Squires and others. The Sooners also are expected to be an elite club from a defensive standpoint with experienced behind the plate and Brandon Zaragoza and Co., leading the way up the middle. Question Marks: There are not many question marks with this Oklahoma club. It is loaded. However, there is some uncertainty about the weekend rotation. There’s zero doubt the Sooners have some talent and experience in the rotation, but how will they fare in 2021? Wyatt Olds moves to the front-end of the rotation, JUCO transfer lefthander Dalton Fowler is a premium lefthanded arm, but will he make a quick transition to the Big 12? And the third spot in the rotation is up in the air with someone like Incarnate Word graduate transfer Luke Taggart in the hunt to take that spot. Again, there are strong options here, but also some guys who have something to prove in a weekend role. The same can be applied if Jake Bennett or Horton end up in the rotation sooner rather than later. Star Power: Two words: Peyton Graham. The Sooners were off to an amazing start back in the spring, and Graham, a premier true freshman at the time, was a big part of that. In addition to being a stable force at the hot corner, Graham was a terrific hitter, hitting .358 with eight doubles, three home runs and 10 RBIs. He also slugged .612, had a .457 OBP and tallied a 1.069 OPS. Graham is a mature, pure hitter and should have another strong season for Johnson’s club. Oklahoma’s Brandon Zaragoza (Kendall Rogers) Glue Guys: Olds, a hard-nosed righthander, is an obvious glue guy this spring, but keep an eye on Tyler Hardman, Tanner Tredaway and catcher Justin Mitchell as well. Hardman has had a productive career for the Sooners and provides power in the lineup, Tredaway was climbing in terms of his draft stock before the 2020 campaign ended and is back and Mitchell is a veteran backstop … something that will pay dividends throughout this ‘COVID’ season. Pick to Click: Give me Wyatt Olds. Olds tallied solid numbers through the first few weeks of the 2020 season with a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings, along with 29 strikeouts and eight walks. But now he goes from just one of the guys to the Friday night starter. Olds has a mean streak, filthy stuff and a fastball up to 94-95 with solid secondary stuff. I could be wrong, but put me down as someone who thinks he has a strong season. Top Newcomer: Cade Horton. The Sooners have some talented young players on this roster, but no one is more heralded than the potential two-way standout. Horton put together a strong fall for the Sooners, getting up to 95-96 mph with his fastball on the mound, while also showing light tower power at times at the plate. Skip Johnson doesn’t like to anoint anyone the next coming, but Horton could be one of those guys as the season progresses. But as they say … he’s still a freshman. Outlook: Let’s be honest, OU is one of those teams that we’re going to look back at the end of the season and wonder why we didn’t rank them in the Top 25. That’s my take, at least. OU has a solid weekend rotation, a lot of experience in the bullpen, and the lineup and defense are both expected to be improved across the board. That’s a recipe for success. From the Fall Report: Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson isn’t one to reflect on the past, but it’s hard not to think about what could’ve been when it comes to the 2020 season. The Sooners had all the tools to be an Omaha caliber club last spring. They had a strong weekend rotation with Cade Cavalli, Levi Prater and Dane Acker leading the charge. Acker, if you remember, actually threw a no-hitter against LSU right before the season was shuttered. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Keep An Eye On Baylor Head coach: Steve Rodriguez 2019 Record: 35-19 (14-8) 2020 Record: 10-6 Strengths: Like many teams around college baseball, the Bears will have plenty of experience at the back end of the bullpen and in the offensive lineup. Bullpen-wise, the Bears have a talented senior duo in Logan Freeman and Luke Boyd, while the offense has a strong nucleus with Andy Thomas, Davion Downey, Jared McKenzie and Chase Wehsener leading the charge. There’s also plenty of talent in the weekend rotation. Question Marks: I feel pretty good about BU when it comes to the bullpen and offensive lineup. Both of those pieces are proven commodities to me. But the starting rotation still has something to prove. Talented lefthander Tyler Thomas was off to a strong start last spring, but all were appearances out of the bullpen. He’s now expected to be in the starting rotation after having a strong fall. There’s also Evan Godwin, who was terrific in the fall but who had a 5.50 ERA in 18 innings last season. If those two guys have strong seasons, my concern about the rotation is alleviated. Star Power: Jared McKenzie. We didn’t have a Freshman All-American squad in 2020, but had we did, McKenzie would’ve been an absolute slam dunk to make it. McKenzie was outstanding in my look at him at the Shriners College Classic last season. He had a mature, smooth, lefthanded stroke with some definite power potential. He hit .406 with five RBIs, along with a .453 OBP and .902 OPS. Jared McKenzie is expected to have a strong spring. (Kendall Rogers) Glue Guys: With Nick Loftin gone from the lineup, I’ve got my eye on Andy Thomas and Davion Downey. Thomas is a talented backstop with some serious power potential at the plate. But there’s no doubt he got off to a slow start in 2020 with a .213 average. I think he returns to his normal form this season. Meanwhile, Downey had been an enigma before the 2020 season, where he hit well over .350 and was on his way to a massive season. Can he continue that form in ’21? We’ll soon find out. Pick to Click: Give me lefthander Evan Godwin. Godwin had just OK numbers in the shortened 2020 season, but he has huge upside for the Bears. Godwin was a little behind in the fall for various contact tracing reasons related to COVID, but he should be ready to roll this spring. Godwin will sit anywhere from 88-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball, along with a quality curveball and slider that rate well from a metrics standpoint. Top Newcomer: Cam Caley. The Bears love Caley’s potential both as a hitter and pitcher. Caley was anywhere from 88-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball in the fall, along with good pitchability and impressive athleticism. Meanwhile, he showed an ability to be a mainstay in the offensive lineup with some power potential. He also has power and speed and reminded Rodriguez of former Pepperdine two-way standout Aaron Brown. Outlook: The Bears have all the pieces not only to be an NCAA tournament team yet again, but to make some noise in the tournament. BU has some serious upside in the rotation with Godwin and Thomas leading the way, proven production and experience in the bullpen and the offense has a solid nucleus as well. This coaching staff gets the absolute most out of their players and that won’t change this season. From the Fall Report: Through two weeks of the 2020 season, we weren’t sure what to expect from the Bears. Though they took two of three from Nebraska to begin the season, they also dropped a series the following weekend, at home, to Oral Roberts. BU entered the Shriners College Classic with some question marks. It answered those questions in emphatic fashion. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Kansas State Head coach: Pete Hughes 2019 Record: 25-33 (8-16) 2020 Record: 10-7 Strengths: We’re banking on Seymour making a smooth transition to the weekend rotation, so we’re going with the rotation as the strength for this team. Both Wicks and Seymour have big-time velocity, while righthander Connor McCullough is another talented arm to watch. McCullough has quality stuff with a fastball up to 89-91 mph, while husky Kasey Ford is another starting option with improved velocity and overall stuff. Question Marks: I think the biggest thing is just how Kansas State handles expectations. Despite being picked second to the last in the Big 12, that is not exactly a horrible thing this spring with how loaded the conference is. This team has Omaha Sleeper type of potential, only if the weekend rotation pans out and the lineup continues to improve. Putting all the puzzle pieces together for an unproven program like K-State can be harder than you think. Star Power: LHP Jordan Wicks. I mean, who else? Wicks put together a strong summer and only improved his draft stock with an even better fall. Wicks is the total package. He has good measurables with premium velocity form the left side — he was up to 94-95 mph with his fastball in the fall. He also continues to command four pitches. Though we narrowly sided with UT’s Ty Madden as our top prospect in the Big 12, some high level scouts actually prefer Wicks. Kansas State lefty Jordan Wicks (KSU Athletics) Glue Guys: We’ve talked so much about the pitching staff with this team for obvious reasons, but the Wildcats do have some quality glue guys from an offensive standpoint. Zach Kokoska was off to a great start last spring, Cam Thompson is a veteran with a consistent offensive approach and can draw walks and Dylan Phillips hits for some serious power. I’m also expecting Terry Spurlin to have a much better season than the .210 average he put together last spring. Pick to Click: RHP Carson Seymour. Though Wicks is a proven commodity and likely first-round pick, the hard-throwing righthander still has some proving to do. Seymour has struggled with his command in the past, but there are signs that he’s ready to rid of that bugaboo. The righty was impressive in the fall, sitting 92-95 mph with his fastball, while also getting up to 97-98 at times. The continued development of his hard slider and changeup makes him a likely breakout candidate. Top Newcomer: Nick Goodwin. The Wildcats have several bats to watch this spring, but no one from the newcomer class impressed Hughes and Co., more in the fall than Goodwin. Goodwin can play in the infield or outfield and has a strong frame and athletic build. He has impressive bat speed and has a chance to hit for some legitimate power this season. Outlook: Could this finally be the year Kansas State takes a step forward in the national picture? The Wildcats have not reached the NCAA tournament since 2013 — the year it reached the Super Regional round and faced off against Oregon State. Kansas State certainly has a solid offensive lineup returning, but the season hinges on the success of Wicks and Seymour in the weekend rotation. This team will go the way they go. Stay tuned. From the Fall Report: It has been a rather odd last decade for the Wildcats. This is a program that shocked much of the country back in 2013 by not only hosting and winning a regional, but by also competing in a Super Regional, where they lost to Oregon State. KSU could have been one of those up-and-coming programs. Instead, it immediately fell on hard times and hasn’t won more than 29 games in a season since that point. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING The Rest Of The Pack Kansas Head coach: Ritch Price 2019 Record: 32-26 (12-12) 2020 Record: 7-10 (0-0) Strengths: Experience will be a huge key for this team, and the weekend rotation’s potential is another strength. Ryan Cyr, if he can stay healthy, will be a force in the rotation, while Hazelwood is the bell cow if he can put all the pieces together. Then, on Sunday’s, you have a guy like veteran lefthander Eli Davis, who’s finally completely healthy and will show excellent command of four offerings. The bullpen is also intriguing with Ulane and Nathan Barry leading the way. Barry is a lefty with a hard-nosed approach and command of multiple pitches. Question Marks: The Jayhawks might have some potential from an offensive standpoint, but it’s a unit with a lot to prove. KU got off to a slow start offensively last spring, and several returning hitters must rise to the occasion. With that said, catcher Anthony Tulimero has the ability to put together a strong season at the plate, while a newcomer like Tavian Josenberger has a chance to make an immediate impact. Josenberger is a solid runner and has a chance to hit lead off entering the season. Ryan Cyr needs to have a big season for KU. (KU Athletics) Star Power: If the Jayhawks can head into the latter innings with a lead, chances are good they can hold on to it with redshirt junior righthander Jonah Ulane serving as the ultimate stopper. Ulane did not allow a run in limited innings last spring, and he has electric stuff to boot. In the fall, he was up to 93-95 mph with his fastball, along with good metrics on the offering. His slider has improved as well. Glue Guys: In a season like this that promises to be challenging, it’s important to have seniors, and Kansas has several of them with righthander Ryan Cyr and position players James Cosentino and Brett Vosik leading the way. Cyr had bone chips removed from his arm during the offseason and is expected to start on Friday with a fastball up to 91-93 mph, while Cosentino needs to bounce back from a slow start in the spring and Vosik is coming off an injury that sidelined him last year. Pick to Click: Though he had a 5.23 ERA in the shortened spring season, Hazelwood is still a big-time arm with unbridled potential. The talented righthander was strong in the fall with a fastball ranging 90-94 and up to 95 mph, while he has a good slider and developing changeup. A three-pitch mix with good command could lead to not only great numbers this spring, but also a drastically improved draft stock. Top Newcomer: Maui Ahuna. Ritch Price has ties to unique places, Hawaii being one of them. That is how he landed a premier high school recruit like Ahuna in Lawrence, Kan. Ahuna is a 6-foot, 160-pounder, who certainly has room to get bigger, stronger and faster, but already has good speed, a strong arm, outstanding instincts and impressive talent from a defensive standpoint. He’s expected to make a huge impact this spring. Outlook: Kansas has some positives from an offensive standpoint this spring, but its success will depend on the pitching staff taking a step forward. Of all starters expected to be in the weekend rotation, none had an ERA under four during the shortened season. It’s a brutal year in the Big 12, but if the rotation has success, this Kansas team can not only finish higher in the league standings, it can make the NCAA tournament. From the Fall Report: That 2019 season was a good one for Kansas, going 32-26 overall and 12-12 within the Big 12 Conference. They enjoyed wins over Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech an West Virginia and series wins over Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas. Price was particularly encouraged entering the 2020 season considering they were already welcoming so many returning players back to the team. The same is now true for 2021. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING
2021 Pac-12 Preview: Can Anyone Stop UCLA? SEASON PREVIEW Mike Rooney - January 26, 2021 This is a fascinating year for the Pac-12 in that every single program in the league is showing some version of upward trajectory. Realistically, not all of that positive momentum will bear fruit in 2021, but there is cause for optimism regardless. UCLA is the class of the league, a team that has Omaha written all over it. Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State and Washington make up the next tier, and all four should be in the mix for a regional. Cal and Stanford do not lack talent, but rough starts in 2020 and the cancellation of fall baseball leave both programs with significant question marks. The rest of league is made up of programs with recent and intriguing coaching changes, and those rosters are all trending up from a talent standpoint. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish Team 2020 Record UCLA 13-2 Arizona 10-5 Arizona State 13-4 Oregon State 5-9 Washington 9-6 Oregon 8-7 California 5-11 Southern California 10-5 Stanford 5-11 Washington State 9-7 Utah 6-7 Projected Regional Teams (4): UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State Player of the Year: Matt McLain, SS, UCLA Pitcher of the Year: Zach Pettway, RHP, UCLA Freshman of the Year: Jacob Berry, 3B, Arizona Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Matt McLain SS UCLA 2 Kevin Abel RHP Oregon State 3 Noah Cardenas C UCLA 4 Ryan Holgate OF Arizona 5 Nick Nastrini RHP UCLA 6 Jesse Bergin RHP UCLA 7 Chase Silseth RHP Arizona 8 Grant Holman 1B/RHP California 9 Tyson Guerrero LHP Washington 10 Zach Pettway RHP UCLA 11 Will Frisch* RHP Oregon State 12 Brandon Boissiere 1B/OF/LHP Arizona 13 Jacob Palisch LHP Stanford 14 Sean Sullivan RHP California 15 Braiden Ward OF Washington 16 Austin Smith RHP Arizona 17 Caleb Sloan RHP Oregon 18 Brandon White RHP Washington State 19 Justin Fall LHP Arizona State 20 Erik Tolman LHP Arizona State 21 Drew Swift 2B Arizona State 22 JT Schwartz 1B UCLA 23 Tim Tawa SS/OF Stanford 24 Jamal O'Guinn OF Southern California 25 Jacob Pfennigs RHP Oregon State 26 Darren Baker 2B California 27 Brendan Beck RHP Stanford 28 Cullen Kafka RHP Oregon 29 Hunter Breault RHP Oregon 30 Sean Mullen RHP UCLA 31 Boyd Vander Kooi RHP Arizona State 32 Jacob Blas SS Arizona 33 Ben Ramirez SS Southern California 34 Kenyon Yovan 3B Oregon 35 Quentin Selma IF California 36 Troy Claunch C Oregon State 37 Jack Enger RHP Washington 38 Jaylon McLaughlin CF Utah 39 Zane Mills RHP Washington State 40 Donta Williams OF Arizona 41 Justin Kelly RHP Utah 42 Allbry Major OF Arizona State 43 Quinn Flanagan RHP Arizona 44 Tyler Thornton RHP Arizona State 45 Sam Stoutenborough RHP California 46 Clay Owens 1B Southern California 47 Kyle Manzardo 1B Washington State 48 Ryan Ober IF Oregon State 49 Kevin Kendall SS/2B UCLA 50 Isaac Esqueda LHP Southern California TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Brock Jones CF Stanford 2 Cooper Hjerpe LHP Oregon State 3 Michael Curialle UTIL UCLA 4 Kai Roberts 3B Utah 5 Daniel Susac C Arizona 6 Will Simpson OF Washington 7 Randon Hostert RHP Utah 8 Joe Lampe 3B-CF Arizona State 9 Jack Scanlon C Oregon 10 Micah McDowell OF Oregon State 11 Sean McLain UTIL Arizona State 12 Jacob Berry 3B Arizona 13 Quinn Matthews LHP Stanford 14 Darius Perry C UCLA 15 Owen Cobb MIF Stanford 16 Stuart Flesland LHP Washington 17 Anthony Hall OF-1B Oregon 18 Jared Karros RHP UCLA 19 Ethan Hoopingarner RHP Southern California 20 Trey Clarkson LHP/1B Utah 21 Brock Rudy C Utah 22 Chandler Murphy RHP Arizona 23 Nate Weeldreyer RHP Washington 24 Jake Saum LHP UCLA 25 Dawson Netz RHP Arizona 26 Emanuel Dean OF UCLA 27 D'Andre Smith MIF Southern California 28 Cooper Benson LHP Arizona State 29 Andrew Mosiello RHP Oregon 30 Ethan Long RHP Arizona State 31 Kayler Yates MIF Utah 32 Nick Wallerstedt RHP Arizona State 33 Cesar Valero Sanchez INF Oregon State 34 Josh Rolling INF California 35 Justin Boyd INF Oregon State 36 Kyle Wisch RHP Southern California 37 Toby Spach RHP Southern California 38 Brady Hill OF Washington State 39 Jayson Hibbard RHP Oregon State 40 Josh Kasevich SS Oregon IMPACT FIRST YEAR FRESHMEN 1 TJ Nichols RHP Arizona 2 Drew Bowser SS Stanford 3 Daniel Susac C Arizona 4 Michael Brown 1B Washington 5 Kai Roberts 3B Utah 6 Jacob Berry 3B Arizona 7 Jack Moss OF Arizona State 8 Joey Dixon RHP Stanford 9 Rio Britton LHP Oregon 10 Cole Fontenelle 3B Washington 11 Kyle Russell SS Washington State 12 Chase Davis OF Arizona 13 Max Rajcic RHP UCLA 14 Isaac Ayon RHP Oregon 15 Ryan Bruno LHP Stanford 16 Tommy Troy SS Stanford 17 D'Andre Smith MIF Southern California 18 Hunter Haas MIF Arizona State 19 Eddie Park OF Stanford 20 Drew Dowd LHP Stanford 21 Kyle Karros 3B UCLA 22 Jake Brooks RHP UCLA 23 Paul Myro SS Oregon State 24 Josiah Cromwick C Oregon 25 Duke Brotherton RHP Washington State 26 Jaden Agassi RHP Southern California 27 Carson Yates OF UCLA 28 Paulshawn Pasqualotto RHP/OF California 29 Nate Clow RHP/3B Southern California 30 Kenji Pallares RHP UCLA Projected Regional Teams • For in-depth reports on No. 2 UCLA and No. 22 Arizona, read our expansive Top 25 Breakdowns: No. 2 UCLA Top 25 Breakdown No. 22 Arizona Top 25 Breakdown Arizona State Head Coach: Tracy Smith 2019 Record: 38-19 (16-13) 2020 Record: 13-4 (0-0) Strengths: The Sun Devils are experienced on the mound, and this pitching staff has depth also. The rotation in particular looks to be a separator for ASU. Additionally, this club projects to play excellent defense. Question Marks: The draft was not kind to Arizona State, and replacing four hitters taken in the first 102 picks is a big hill to climb. Transfer Conor Davis (Auburn) looked like a massive addition given those losses but he suffered an ACL injury in the fall and will miss the 2021 season. Solidifying the middle of the order will be critical. Star Power: Shortstop Drew Swift is the best player on this roster, and he was hitting .365 when the season ended in 2020. He is an exceptional defender with a well-rounded offensive game. With 117 career starts, Swift is one of the most experienced players in the Pac-12. Arizona State’s Drew Swift (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: Sean McLain made a jump offensively this fall and he could play second base or center field. Righthanders Tyler Thornton and Boyd Vander Kooi are talented and reliable arms who could pitch in a variety of roles. These three may be undervalued from a raw tools standpoint but they are winning players for sure. Pick to Click: Erik Tolman was originally a two-way player but he is fully focused on pitching now. His velocity ticked up this fall and he already possess a plus breaking ball. His 2020 stats included 30 punchouts in just 18 innings. If it all comes together, Tolman offers top of the rotation stuff. Top Newcomer: True freshman Jack Moss is a 6-foot-5 lefthanded hitter with athleticism and a pure hit tool. Moss will play first base and while it is currently hit over power, he projects to grow into significant pop. He is a future middle of the order bat and there is first round upside here. Outlook: It would be easy to say that the Sun Devils, through no fault of their won, missed their window in 2020 and it’s time to move on. But if you look closely, this 2021 roster will sneak up on you. Pitching and defense will lead the way and this could be an outstanding run prevention outfit. There is a lot to figure out offensively, but as a program ASU rarely struggles to score runs. From the Fall Report: If the 2020 season had played out, someone was going to win the national title. And it very well could have been the Sun Devils. That team was experienced and loaded with high end talent. In fact, five Arizona State players (Spencer Torkelson, Alika Williams, Trevor Hauver, Gage Workman, R.J. Dabovich) were taken within the first 114 picks in the 2020 MLB Draft. Not only were these exceptional talents but from a volume perspective, five drafted players led the nation. Tracy Smith’s program is certainly not alone here, but the shortened 2020 draft was a two-sided coin for Arizona State. Of course, losing five players of that caliber is problematic. Yet the strengths of this team are a direct result of the lack of professional opportunities presented by the draft. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Oregon State Head Coach: Mitch Canham 2019 Record: 36-20-1 (21-8) 2020 Record: 5-9 (0-0) Strengths: Pitching headlines this roster and if Kevin Abel and Jake Mulholland return to previous form, this group could be a dominant one. Cooper Hjerpe and Jake Pfennigs are extremely talented and if these two take a step forward on the pitchability side, look out. The Beavers’ experienced lineup defends at a high level as well. Question Marks: Will there be enough offense? The 2020 lineup posted a fairly average triple slash of .267/.361/.372. Most of that group returns and they will need to be a year better. Star Power: Abel nearly won the 2018 CWS Most Outstanding Player (he was bested by teammate Adley Rutschman). If he shows that he is fully recovered from his 2019 Tommy John surgery, it is not outrageous to think of Abel as a potential first-round draft pick. Oregon State shortstop Andy Armstrong (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: Shortstop Andy Armstrong and catcher Troy Claunch provide top shelf leadership for Canham. Both are elite defenders and they are the heartbeat of this position player group. Pick to Click: This may be taking liberties with the verb “click”, but give us Kyler McMahan. McMahan already went off in 2020 with a .439 batting average that led the Pac-12. He is an undersized hit machine and his swagger fuels this offense. Top Newcomer: This is an extremely veteran roster so there isn’t much space for a newcomer to generate immediate impact. Garrett Forrester (MIF) and Jaren Hunter (RHP) lead a promising group of true freshmen. Outlook: This is a vintage Oregon State team: potentially dominant on the mound, outstanding on defense and scrappy and opportunistic on offense. If the rotation lives up to its billing, this is a club that could make some noise in June. From the Fall Report: The Beavers stumbled out of the gate in 2020 and this proud program is using that as motivation in 2021. It will be much the same team with one enormous addition: a healthy Kevin Abel. This club will remind you of an “old school” Oregon State team. The pitching staff is loaded with top end arms and the Beavers will play smothering defense. And while the offense lacks superstars, it will be a gritty, experienced group that is built to win close games. As the Mitch Canham era enters year two in Corvallis, this team has a feisty vibe reminiscent of Canham’s Oregon State playing days. I think Beaver baseball patriarch Pat Casey will like this squad. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Keep An Eye On Washington Head Coach: Lindsay Meggs 2019 Record: 28-24 (12-17) 2020 Record: 9-6 (0-0) Strengths: The strength of this team is its balance. There is depth on the mound, and that includes both strike throwers and a variety of arms with legitimate out pitches. On paper, this lineup is a nice blend of top end speed and imposing physicality. Question Marks: The offense struggled mightily in 2020. There is cause for optimism here because this is a very talented group but it would be naïve to ignore last year’s triple slash of .229/.325/.304. Star Power: Braiden Ward is the fastest player in college baseball and his return was an exciting surprise. Ward’s speed changes the game offensively and he is the only player in Pac-12 history to lead the conference in stolen bases in three consecutive seasons. Washington speed merchant Braiden Ward (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: Righthander Jack Enger and second baseman Noah Hsue do not offer the star power of some of the others on this roster but their consistency will be counted on. Enger pitches off a plus slider and he has excelled both as a reliever and a starter. The 5-foot-4 Hsue reaches base at an impressive clip and he plays with a winning edge. Pick to Click: Will Simpson is a righthanded hitter with size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and pedigree (18th-round pick of the Pirates in 2019). He was off to a rough start in 2020 (.174/.309/.261) but those 50-plus plate appearances should serve him well. Top Newcomer: Lefthander Tyson Guerrero started his career as a successful two-way player at Washington State and then became at pitcher-only at junior college last year. He is a good athlete with an electric arm. His fastball will touch 95 and he shows a plus breaking ball at times. If it all comes together this year, Guerrero could blossom into a Top 100 draft pick. Outlook: With so many unproven commodities, it is hard plant a flag on the Huskies. That said, we know they will be well-coached so that creates a floor that is reassuring. And the upside here is immense: this is an extremely talented team. If this group blossoms into an NCAA tournament team, they will be more than capable of winning a regional. From the Fall Report: Washington opened Husky Ballpark on March 21, 2014. It is a gorgeous facility with amenities worthy of an Omaha-caliber program. While a big-time ballpark doesn’t guarantee a winning operation, the Huskies have certainly capitalized on their new venue in a big way. From 2014-2018, Washington won 86 Pac-12 games. That was second in the league behind Oregon State. Given the pedigree of this baseball conference, that is an incredible achievement. And when you consider climate, finishing ahead of four California schools and two Arizona schools makes this run even more remarkable. Of course, there was more to this stretch than just conference wins. Washington earned three regional bids during this period, with the pinnacle being their incredible run to Omaha in 2018. It is easy to forget that the Huskies did it all on the road too: a regional at Coastal Carolina followed by an epic super regional at Cal State Fullerton. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING The Rest Of The Pack Oregon Head Coach: Mark Wasikowski 2019 Record: 27-29 (10-19) 2020 Record: 8-7 (0-0) Strengths: Three top of the league, middle of the order bats. The Ducks’ trifecta of Kenyon Yovan, Gabe Matthews and Aaron Zavala is a separator for this lineup. These veterans are proven producers, and traversing this part of the Oregon lineup will be treacherous for Pac-12 pitchers. Question Marks: The weekend rotation. There are plenty of options for Wasikowski here and the Ducks’ talent level on the mound is trending up. That said, there aren’t any current resumés here to hang your hat on. This will be something to follow as Pac-12 play approaches. Star Power: Yovan earned All-America honors as a pitcher in each of his first two seasons. And he was on his way to the same level of accolades as a hitter in 2020. Yovan has been an impact player since day one of his Oregon career, and his ability to contribute as a two-way player in 2021 is an intriguing part of the Ducks’ projection. Oregon’s Kenyon Yovan (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: Matthews anchors this team at first base and his four seasons at Oregon have been remarkably consistent. He is a hit machine with 181 career knocks and 173 career starts. Matthews is one of the most established players in college baseball. Pick to Click: 2YR FR Andrew Mosiello had pitched his way into the weekend rotation as a true freshman only to have the season come to an abrupt end. He comes from a baseball family and he shows advanced feel for pitching. Top Newcomer: True freshman righthander Isaac Ayon is another arm who will push for weekend innings. Ayon checks every box including frame (6-foot-4, 219 pounds), velocity (fastball up to 95) and the ability to miss bats (out pitch slider). He will also wear jersey No. 1 so his swag factor is also strong. This is a potential high draft pick for 2023. Outlook: This program is surging and the main question will be how quickly success arrives. The offense looks ready to compete right now while the pitching is more difficult to pin down. If the depth of the Ducks’ pitching talent advances to a playable level, this looks like a top half of the league team. From the Fall Report: Assessing the recent history of Oregon baseball is… complicated. The Ducks took 27 years off from baseball (1982-2008) and then made a huge splash hiring Hall of Fame coach George Horton. The first year of the return in 2009 was predictably difficult (14-42). But then Horton got the Ducks rolling. Year two in 2010 started a run of five regional appearances in six years. Oregon twice hosted those regionals. In 2012, it even hosted a Super Regional, only to fall in a dramatic walk-off game three loss to upstart Kent State. In summary, the Ducks went from not having baseball for nearly three decades to nationally relevant in short order. Unfortunately, that early success was not sustained. The last four completed seasons (2016-2019) have been challenging, and especially so in conference play. Three eighth-place finishes and a ninth-place finish led to the end of Horton’s tenure and former Oregon assistant coach Mark Wasikowski was hired for the 2020 season. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING California Head Coach: Mike Neu 2019 Record: 32-20 (17-11) 2020 Record: 5-11 (0-0) Strengths: The Bears’ entire weekend rotation returns, and these three righthanders (Grant Holman, Sean Sullivan, Sam Stoutenborough) have combined for 26 career starts. This is a talented group and if one or more of them puts together a breakout season, that changes the equation for Cal. Question Marks: It would be unfair to single out one position group for Cal’s difficult 5-11 start in 2020, but the offense appears to be the biggest area of concern. Much of that lineup returns but the numbers from a year ago were troublesome (.226/.320/.307). Star Power: 4YR JR third baseman Quentin Selma posted a .950 OPS in 2019, and he backed that up with a team-leading .825 OPS a year ago. Selma is a physical lefthanded hitter with a mature approach, and he gives this lineup a legitimate middle of the order bat. Cal’s Quentin Selma (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: 4YR JR Darren Baker is an elite defender at second base and he is also one of the fastest players in the conference. This will be his fourth year as a starter. Pick to Click: Holman is in his third year as a two-way talent for Cal and he showed signs of taking a big step forward in 2020. His profile is the classic college baseball two-way star player: middle of the order run producer and Friday night starter. Top Newcomer: True freshman outfielder Jag Burden is an intriguing lefthanded hitter from Huntington Beach who could make an immediate impact. Outlook: After playing in the Fayetteville Regional in 2019, Cal needed to reload with a young roster in 2020. The Bears’ 5-11 start is reflective of those growing pains. Most of that team is back but unfortunately, the program lost valuable development time in the fall as well. While those lost repetitions from a year ago are problematic, there may be enough top end talent to overcome that. The three juniors in the rotation are talented and experienced. If these three righthanders take a step forward, that will be an outstanding foundation to build upon. The bullpen also lines up as a strength as Joseph King and Ian Villers both excelled in the shortened season. The offense will lean heavily on Baker, Selma, and Holman. These three upperclassmen offer a diverse set of skills and that combination might be a perfect catalyst. Baker’s speed and on-base skills should set the table brilliantly for Selma’s run production and Holman’s immense power. This is a good place to start. If this offense is going to make a move forward, Nathan Martorella and Sam Wezniak will be critical. Martorella put up a .813 OPS in 2020 despite hitting just .241. The 6-foot-1, 217-pound lefthanded hitter walked more than he struck out as a true freshman and he is an intriguing combination of strength and a pure hit tool. Wezniak was the starting shortstop on the 2019 team and he hit 10 home runs that season. He brings 94 starts and a career slugging percentage of .432 to the table. From The Fall “Fast Five” with coach Mike Neu: 1- Since there was so much to replace from the 2019 season, was the COVID-shortened 2020 season sort of a blessing in disguise? “We were definitely disappointed to lose the season in 2020. We have some really talented players on this roster and we knew we were going to continue to get better as the season went along. So it was tough to lose that opportunity to compete in the conference.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Southern California Head Coach: Jason Gill 2019 Record: 25-29-1 (13-15-1) 2020 Record: 10-5 (0-0) Strengths: The Trojans return almost all of their position player group from 2020, and that unit performed well in the 10-5 start. This group defends at a high level and there is a nice blend of speed, power, and pure hit here. Question Marks: The pitching staff must replace two big arms in the rotation and its closer. There is enough talent on this roster to fill in the gaps but these are significant losses. Star Power: 4YR JR Jamal O’Guinn improved his numbers once again in 2020, and his OPS was a loud 1.044. He is a physical presence in the box (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) and also controls the strike zone at a level rarely seen in power hitters. O’Guinn’s upside is conference player of the year. USC’s Jamal O’Guinn (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: Shortstop Ben Ramirez and first baseman Clay Owens have been consistent producers over the last few seasons. Ramirez is a steady defender (.944 career fielding percentage) who has improved each year offensively. Owens’ excellent bat to ball skills play well in the middle of the order. These two lefthanded hitters are a steadying force in the USC lineup. Pick to Click: 5YR SR Brady Shockey enjoyed a breakout season in 2019 (.295/.331/.403), and the lefthanded hitter is one of the most experienced players in the program. His feel for the barrel fits well in a lineup that is replete with speed and extra-base power. Top Newcomer: Nate Clow is a lefthanded hitting freshman from the state of Washington and he is in the mix to start at third base. Clow is also an option on the mound and that speaks to his arm strength. Outlook: USC was off to an encouraging start in Jason Gill’s first year at the helm. While there was some unevenness to the start, wins over TCU and Vandy in the final weekend made a loud statement. The position player group improved in every meaningful category in 2020 and this group will need to lead the way. O’Guinn is a potential star and this has the makings of a lineup with length. Tyresse Turner is a shortstop by trade but he is athletic enough to play all over the field. He adds a speed element to the top of this lineup and he led last year’s club with six stolen bases. Turner also showed great command of the strike zone, striking out just four times in 44 plate appearances. In all likelihood, the Trojans’ season will be determined by their ability to replace power arms John Beller and Kyle Hurt in addition to surprise closer Ben Wanger. Beller was more statistically dominant than Hurt but both put up big strikeout numbers. USC will counter with an all-lefthanded rotation of Isaac Esqueda, Alex Cornwell, and Brian Gursky. The strikeout numbers will most likely decrease, but these three southpaws are more than capable of providing quality starts. Ethan Hoopingarner impressed in his true freshman season (1-0, 0.79, 11.1, 16-4) and he will take over at closer. Chandler Champlain enters his third year in the program and while his 1.23 ERA was an excellent step forward, the number of baserunners surrendered was not ideal. That said, Champlain’s strong pedigree suggests that there remains big upside here. This bullpen could end up being a separating strength for the Trojans. The thought of these power-armed righthanders finishing games for finesse-first lefthanded starters is intriguing. From The Fall “Fast Five” With coach Jason Gill: 1- Thoughts on the impressive 2020 start. “I was excited about the direction we were headed. From the first day of the fall I had asked the team to bring back the standards of USC Baseball. Think about that for a minute. We have the highest standard in college baseball history, so it’s not a small task! I can tell you that I have a bunch of guys that are being honest with each other and are on a mission to bring it back.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Stanford Head Coach: David Esquer 2019 Record: 45-14 (22-7) 2020 Record: 5-11 (0-0) Strengths: Young talent. The Cardinal played with a very young team in 2020, and while the results were sub-optimal, that was a wise investment in the future. Now the No. 11 ranked recruiting class enters the picture, and this true freshman class is the most talented group in the program. Question Marks: The position player group is extremely young, and while many of them gained valuable experience in 2020, the struggle was real. This group posted a triple slash of .207/.277/.280 while also fielding .950. There is too much talent on this roster for those results to continue but the youngsters will have to grow up quickly in a year when the rest of college baseball is more experienced than normal. Star Power: Ace Brendan Beck commands the baseball at a high level and now his velocity has jumped up into the low-90s. Beck’s career numbers (13-7, 3.07, 31 career starts) stand out, and he will be one of the toughest Friday night starters in the conference. Stanford’s Brendan Beck (Shotgun Spratling) Glue Guys: Tim Tawa started 58 games each on teams that won the Pac-12 (2018) and advanced to a super regional (2019). His offensive production has taken a perplexing downturn since his very productive freshman season (.845 OPS) but his athleticism and experience will be an asset for this club. Pick to Click: Brock Jones was a scholarship football player at Stanford, but he has chosen to focus full-time on baseball. The lefthanded-hitting Jones brings off-the-charts makeup in addition to being an electric athlete. His top-of-the-order, center-field profile makes him arguably the most exciting prospect in the program. Top Newcomer: Drew Bowser, who played at national power Harvard-Westlake School, is a rare combination of size (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) and middle-of-the-field athleticism. Bowser looks like a future star. Outlook: The trajectory of the Stanford program is positive, but the Cardinal is squarely in the middle of a rebuild. That rebuild was dealt a blow when the pandemic halted all baseball activities in 2020, including fall practice. Once this young, talented core gets their bearings, the Cardinal should be upwards from there. Whether that happens in 2021 is hard to say. From the Fall Report: Similar to several other programs in the state of California, the pandemic vaporized traditional fall baseball for the Cardinal. Despite this setback, there is much to be excited about regarding baseball on “The Farm”. And the shortened MLB draft may have benefitted Stanford as much or more than anyone. Head coach David Esquer’s first two seasons in Palo Alto went splendidly: two hosted Regionals, a super regional appearance, and the 2018 Pac-12 championship. That said, this is a program rebuild and the inevitable growing pains were evident in 2020. Stanford started as many as seven freshmen, and the resulting 5-11 record was not surprising. So, as we think about where Stanford baseball is going in 2021 and beyond, three foundations give great cause for optimism: a second-year freshmen class that was afforded significant playing time in 2020, a true freshmen class with potentially program-changing talent, and five returning upperclassmen (Brendan Beck, Jacob Palisch, Tim Tawa, Christian Robinson, and Nick Brueser) who would have been likely draft departures in a normal year. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Washington State Head Coach: Brian Green 2019 Record: 11-42-1 (3-26-1) 2020 Record: 9-7 (0-0) Strengths: The Cougars have the makings of a dynamic, run-producing middle of the order. Kyle Manzardo and Tristan Peterson have talent and track record. Both hitters combine pure hitting talent with an advanced approach and this part of the lineup should produce 100-plus RBI. Question Marks: Will WSU pitch enough to turn the corner? Only three pitchers return who had an ERA under four in 2020 and therein lies the concern: does this pitching staff match up with the rest of the conference in regards to talent and depth? Star Power: Manzardo would be a middle of the order bat for any team in the Pac-12 and he went off in 2020 (.435/.500/.694). He hits for a high average but also drives the ball to all fields. Wazzu’s Kyle Manzardo Glue Guys: Collin Montez leads the Cougars in career starts (84). Montez is an excellent defensive outfielder and he adds to the physicality of this offense. He was off to a great start in 2020 with an OPS of .952. Pick to Click: Zane Mills turned a corner in 2020 and he looked ready to take on the best arms in the Pac-12 on Friday nights. Mills’ slider is an out pitch and his K/9 improved to 11.52 a year ago. Top Newcomer: True freshman Kyle Russell will begin the year as the starting shortstop and he looks like a special talent. Russell has size and uncanny feel for the barrel and his steady defense comps to Brandon Crawford. Outlook: Green has infused his signature energy into the Cougars and the 2020 club was ready to blow by the previous year’s win total of 11. This offense is going to sneak up on people and it could easily be a top half of the conference group. If the pitching staff can hold its own, things get interesting in a hurry. From the Fall Report: The Cougars have made just two regional appearances (2009, 2010) in the last 30 years. So second-year skipper Brian Green, a turnaround specialist, looks like the perfect fit. Green’s coaching stops as an assistant include Oregon State (2001) and Kentucky (2009-2014). Those two programs are precedent for what Washington State is hoping to accomplish in baseball: a climb from the bottom of the standings to the top in a power league. And Green’s successful run as the head coach at New Mexico State further punctuated his chops as a program builder. The Cougs’ formula looks to be power and pitching. Physical righthanded hitters should be able to take advantage of the strong jet stream that drives balls out to right-center field at Bailey-Brayton Field. Speaking of the facility, the recent completed Cougar Baseball Complex represents a $10-million investment in the program and it is state of the art in every way. Let’s take a look at the 2021 squad. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Utah Head Coach: Bill Kinneberg 2019 Record: 16-33 (6-24) 2020 Record: 6-7 (0-0) Strengths: The Utes depth and experience are at a level reminiscent of their 2016 Pac-12 championship team. This depth is particularly important on the mound and several transfers will play key roles in 2021. Question Marks: While the Utah pitching staff gained valuable depth in the offseason, it remains to be seen if this weekend rotation matches up with the rest of the conference. The good news is that Kinneberg has a plethora of arms with starting experience. Star Power: True freshman third baseman Kai Roberts stood out this fall and he looks like a future star player. The 6-foot-4 lefthanded hitter is the son of a coach and while his immense talent is easy to see, he works at the game like he’s still trying to make the team. The sky is the limit for Roberts. Glue Guys: Lefthander Brayson Hurdsman will be a Swiss army knife for this pitching staff. He is a fifth-year senior who transferred in from the University of Houston where he made 13 starts and 62 total appearances. Hurdsman’s versatility and experience will be big for this pitching staff. Pick to Click: Friday night arm Justin Kelly is two years removed from Tommy John surgery and he is trending up in a big way. His start to the 2020 season was very encouraging and he backed that up with a strong summer performance in the Northwoods League. Top Newcomer: Jaylon McLaughlin should be plug and play in centerfield for Utah. His career at Nevada was somewhat of a roller coaster but his outstanding 2019 season (.339 with 25 stolen bases) shows what he is capable of. Outlook: The last time Utah fielded a team with this much depth and experience, they shocked the world and won the conference championship. This is a different Pac-12 certainly but the Utes have a roster that can play with anyone in the league on any given night. There is a wide range of possible outcomes for this team and finishing in the top half of the conference is doable. From the Fall Report: Utah transitioned from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 in the spring of 2012. Those first four years were understandably difficult as the Utes averaged a 6-24 record in league play. And then it all came together in 2016. Recruiting had recalibrated to Pac-12 levels and Bill Kinneberg had a very experienced team. That group shocked the proverbial world and won the Pac-12 championship. It’s easy to forget that Utah followed that up with a respectable 15-15 Pac-12 record in 2017, good for a fifth-place finish. The point of all this is that good things have happened when the Utes have fielded experienced teams. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING
2021 SEC Preview: The Mightiest Conference Gets Even Mightier SEASON PREVIEW Aaron Fitt - January 27, 2021 The Southeastern Conference has firmly established itself as the premier conference in college baseball over the past decade-plus, producing six of the past 11 national champions and 29 College World Series teams during that span. No other conference has invested as much in premium facilities and coaching salaries as the SEC, which has helped the league create significant separation from every other league on the recruiting trail. As a result, the SEC is college baseball’s deepest conference year after year, and it has justifiably been rewarded with a record 10 regional bids three times in the last decade (2019, 2018 and 2014). The pandemic-shortened season and five-round draft ensured that the SEC will have more talent than ever before from the top to the bottom — there are no gimmes on the conference schedule. Competition for regional berths will be ferocious, and the SEC should have a legitimate chance to set a record with 11 regional teams. And with six teams ranked in the top 12 and nine teams overall inside the D1Baseball Preseason Top 25, the SEC also has a bushel of bona fide national championship contenders, led by preseason No. 1 Florida. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish WEST DIVISION 2020 RECORD Ole Miss 16-1 Mississippi State 12-4 Arkansas 11-5 LSU 12-5 Auburn 13-5 Texas A&M 15-3 Alabama 16-1 EAST DIVISION 2020 RECORD Florida 16-1 Vanderbilt 13-5 South Carolina 12-4 Tennessee 15-2 Georgia 14-4 Kentucky 11-6 Missouri 11-5 Projected Regional Teams (11): Florida, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M Player of the Year: Jud Fabian, OF, Florida Pitcher of the Year: Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt Freshman of the Year: Dylan Crews, OF, LSU Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Kumar Rocker RHP Vanderbilt 2 Jack Leiter* RHP Vanderbilt 3 Jaden Hill RHP LSU 4 Jud Fabian OF Florida 5 Richard Fitts RHP Auburn 6 Tommy Mace RHP Florida 7 Jonathan Cannon* RHP Georgia 8 Christian Franklin OF Arkansas 9 Will Bednar* RHP Mississippi State 10 Gunnar Hoglund RHP Ole Miss 11 Max Ferguson 2B Tennessee 12 Christian MacLeod LHP Mississippi State 13 Isaiah Thomas OF Vanderbilt 14 Eric Cerantola RHP Mississippi State 15 John Rhodes* OF Kentucky 16 Bryce Miller RHP Texas A&M 17 Connor Pavolony C Tennessee 18 Jack Leftwich RHP Florida 19 Ryan Webb LHP Georgia 20 Jake Rucker INF Tennessee 21 Kamren James* SS Mississippi State 22 Hugh Fisher LHP Vanderbilt 23 Thomas Farr RHP South Carolina 24 Brannon Jordan RHP South Carolina 25 Julian Bosnic* LHP South Carolina 26 Nathan Hickey* C Florida 27 Jalen Battles SS Arkansas 28 Doug Nikhazy LHP Ole Miss 29 Oraj Anu OF Kentucky 30 Kris Armstrong 1B/OF Florida 31 Spencer Miles* RHP Missouri 32 Luke Murphy RHP Vanderbilt 33 Seth Halvorsen RHP Missouri 34 Casey Opitz C Arkansas 35 Dominic Keegan 1B/C Vanderbilt 36 Jackson Leath RHP Tennessee 37 Zebulon Vermillion RHP Arkansas 38 Peyton Wilson 2B/OF/C Alabama 39 Taylor Smith C Texas A&M 40 Luke Mann 3B Missouri 41 Ryan Bliss SS Auburn 42 Austin Schultz INF/OF Kentucky 43 Andrew Vail LHP Missouri 44 Patrick Wicklander LHP Arkansas 45 Landon Marceaux RHP LSU 46 Elijah Trest RHP Arkansas 47 Franco Aleman RHP Florida 48 Tyler Ras RHP Alabama 49 Tanner Allen OF Mississippi State 50 CJ Rodriguez C Vanderbilt TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Connor Prielipp LHP Alabama 2 Hunter Barco LHP Florida 3 Brennan Milone 3B South Carolina 4 Josh Rivera SS Florida 5 Jordan Beck OF Tennessee 6 Carter Young SS Vanderbilt 7 Hayden Dunhurst C Ole Miss 8 Kellum Clark 3B Mississippi State 9 Ryan Ritter SS Kentucky 10 Peyton Pallette RHP Arkansas 11 Cade Doughty INF LSU 12 Robert Moore 2B/SS Arkansas 13 Mason Barnett RHP Auburn 14 Brandon Sproat RHP Florida 15 Blade Tidwell* RHP Tennessee 16 Logan Tanner C Mississippi State 17 Nate LaRue C Auburn 18 Derek Diamond RHP Ole Miss 19 Zack Lee RHP Kentucky 20 Landon Sims RHP Mississippi State 21 Trevor Werner RHP/INF Texas A&M 22 Nate Wohlgemuth* RHP Arkansas 23 Bryson Ware INF Auburn 24 Alex Milazzo C LSU 25 Michael Doolin RHP Vanderbilt 26 Drew Gilbert OF/LHP Tennessee 27 Spencer Jones 1B/LHP Vanderbilt 28 Will Childers RHP Georgia 29 Sam Hliboki RHP Vanderbilt 30 Zane Denton 3B Alabama 31 Mo Hampton Jr. OF LSU 32 Maxwell Romero Jr. C Vanderbilt 33 Parker Noland 3B Vanderbilt 34 Zach Arnold SS/3B LSU 35 Logan Britt OF Texas A&M 36 Hayden Mullins LHP Auburn 37 Tyler Nesbitt RHP Florida 38 Blake Adams RHP Arkansas 39 Will Johnston RHP Texas A&M 40 Trace Bright RHP Auburn 41 Jack Mahoney RHP South Carolina 42 Zack Morris LHP Arkansas 43 Davis Rokose LHP Mississippi State 44 Ben Pedersen RHP Missouri 45 Michael Polk RHP Georgia 46 Owen Diodati OF Alabama 47 Collier Cranford SS LSU 48 Trey LaFleur OF/LHP Ole Miss 49 Peyton Chatagnier 2B Ole Miss 50 Antoine Jean LHP Alabama IMPACT FIRST-YEAR FRESHMEN 1 Dylan Crews OF LSU 2 Jacob Gonzalez SS Ole Miss 3 Enrique Bradfield Jr. OF Vanderbilt 4 Cayden Wallace 3B/OF Arkansas 5 Christian Little RHP Vanderbilt 6 Kalae Harrison SS Texas A&M 7 Kellum Clark 3B Mississippi State 8 Corey Collins C/DH Georgia 9 Cole Foster INF Auburn 10 Magdiel Cotto LHP South Carolina 11 Grayson Hitt LHP Alabama 12 Fernando Gonzalez C Georgia 13 Tre Morgan 1B LSU 14 Colby Halter INF Florida 15 Brandon Fields OF South Carolina 16 Jackson Fristoe RHP Mississippi State 17 Sterlin Thompson OF Florida 18 Kyle Booker OF Tennessee 19 Timmy Manning LHP Florida 20 Blade Tidwell RHP Tennessee 21 Cody Adcock RHP Ole Miss 22 Brody Drost OF LSU 23 Jaxon Wiggins RHP Arkansas 24 Cade Smith RHP Mississippi State 25 Ryan Hagenow RHP Kentucky 26 Nate Wohlgemuth RHP Arkansas 27 Luke Wagner LHP/OF Georgia 28 Jack Bulger OF/C Vanderbilt 29 Parks Harber 3B/1B Georgia 30 CJ Cepicky OF Missouri 31 Mac Guscette C Florida 32 Jackson Phipps LHP South Carolina 33 Blake Money RHP LSU 34 Dylan Carmouche LHP Mississippi State 35 Jaden Woods LHP Georgia 36 Will Sanders RHP South Carolina 37 Caden Rose MIF Alabama 38 Jordan Carrion SS Florida 39 Jordan Thompson SS LSU 40 Gage Bradley RHP Vanderbilt 41 Ty Floyd RHP LSU 42 Jack Mahoney RHP South Carolina 43 Wyatt Tucker RHP Texas A&M 44 Parker Wright RHP Missouri 45 Mikey Tepper RHP Mississippi State 46 Joseph Gonzalez RHP Auburn 47 Wyatt Hudepohl RHP Kentucky 48 Jalen Vasquez SS South Carolina 49 Nathan Dettmer RHP Texas A&M 50 Nelson Berkwich LHP Vanderbilt Projected Regional Teams • For in-depth reports on the nine SEC teams in our Top 25 rankings, you can find expansive team breakdowns below: No. 1 Florida Breakdown No. 4 Vanderbilt Breakdown No. 6 Ole Miss Breakdown No. 7 Mississippi State Breakdown No. 8 Arkansas Breakdown No. 12 LSU Breakdown No. 18 South Carolina Breakdown No. 19 Tennessee Breakdown No. 23 Auburn Breakdown Georgia Head Coach: Scott Stricklin 2019 Record: 46-17 (21-9) 2020 Record: 14-4 (0-0) Strengths: Even after losing first-rounders Emerson Hancock and Cole Wilcox to the draft, Georgia’s weekend rotation should rank among the top half of the SEC, provided Ryan Webb and Jonathan Cannon can transition from the bullpen as seamlessly as expected. C.J. Smith is a proven workhorse lefty on Sundays. The Bulldogs are also loaded with young power hitters in the lineup. Question Marks: Can Cole Tate hold down the shortstop job vacated by mainstay Cam Shepherd? He handled the crucial position well in fall ball. Can blue-chip freshmen Corey Collins, Fernando Gonzalez and Parks Harber hit the ground running? The Bulldogs need that trio (plus potentially Garrett Spikes) to add some punch to the lineup. And as noted, Webb and Cannon have yet to establish themselves in the rotation, but their physicality and four-pitch repertoires should be well suited for starting roles. Georgia lefty Ryan Webb (Aaron Fitt) Star Power: At 6-foot-6, 216 pounds, Cannon has first-round potential, with a heater that sat 94-96 in a relief role and sat 90-93 in longer stints in the fall, along with the makings of an above-average changeup and slider as well as a serviceable curveball. Webb has been a fixture in the bullpen over his first three seasons, but he looks ready to assume the ace role, with a 92-95 mph with a high spin rate in the 2300-2550 rpm range, a sharp downer curveball with good power at 77-79, a newly developed and promising 84 mph slider, and good feel for an 84-86 changeup that he can throw against lefties and righties alike, for a called strike or a swing-through. Glue Guys: The brothers Cole and Connor Tate have waited in the wings for their opportunity to play every day, and now the Bulldogs will count upon them to help lead this position player group. In addition to his sound defense at short this fall, Cole has good feel for his barrel and could hit in the 2-hole, while the more powerful Connor should serve as the everyday right fielder and a key run producer in the middle of the order. OF/INF Riley King is another key veteran leader who plays the game with infectious energy and grinds out every at-bat, and CF Ben Anderson is the fire-starter atop the order with game-changing speed and advanced barrel control. Smith is the “glue guy” off the mound, a polished and ultra-athletic three-pitch strike thrower from the left side. Pick to Click: Righty Michael Polk got his feet wet by posting a 0.00 ERA in five innings as a true freshman last spring, and now he looks like the front-runner to take over as the closer. Polk’s calling card is a very heavy 90-91 fastball that has bumped 94 and plays up because of the elite extension in his three-quarters delivery. He mixes in a promising 79-82 slider with solid tilt and a quality tumbling changeup at 79. Top Newcomer: Collins gets the nod, because he has a can’t-miss bat, with serious lefthanded power as well as an advanced approach. He should hit in the middle of the lineup every day, and see some action behind the plate as well, but fellow true freshman Gonzalez is an uncommonly advanced defender and natural born leader who should assume the primary catching duties right out of the gate. He also offers a promising gap-to-gap bat and righthanded pop. Also keep an eye on two-way talent Luke Wagner, who could vie for midweek starts as a polished southpaw in the Smith mold and could also push for at-bats in the outfield mix. Outlook: Georgia has been a highly ranked national contender over the last three years, and it’s only natural that outsiders would downgrade their expectations for the Bulldogs after the loss of two first-round weekend starters and a four-year starter at shortstop. But this Georgia club is lying in the weeds just outside the Top 25, and that’s not a bad position to be in. If the young talent in the lineup matures quickly and the pitching proves as good as anticipated, the Bulldogs could make that long-awaited run back to Omaha a year later than expected. From the Fall Report: When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 season after just four weeks, Georgia fans surely despaired more than most. It might have seemed like the Bulldogs had missed their window. After hosting regionals each of the previous two years, Georgia looked built to make a run at a national title in 2020, and it ranked No. 3 in the nation when the shutdown struck, cruelly cutting short the careers of weekend starters Emerson Hancock (the No. 6 overall pick) and Cole Wilcox, who combined to sign for $9 million in bonus money this summer. But UGa. coach Scott Stricklin and his fine coaching staff haven’t built their program to contend for a short window of time. The talent pipeline is gushing into Athens and has been for the last half-decade. So don’t expect some huge drop-off from Georgia after losing its two prized weekend starters — and mainstay shortstop Cam Shepherd — from a year ago. “We’ve had a really good three-year run where we’ve been ranked in the top 10. It’s kind of a good position to be in a little bit, for people to think that, ‘OK, that was their chance and now they’ll have to rebuild.’ You know, we feel like we’ve built this thing for the long haul,” Stricklin said. “We’ve got depth and we’ve had really good players that don’t play. I think that’s that’s the sign of a really strong program, when you have really good players that aren’t playing that are role players and wait their turn.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Texas A&M Head Coach: Rob Childress 2019 Record: 39-23-1 (16-13-1) 2020 Record: 15-3 (0-0) Strengths: With the notable exception of second-round pick Zach DeLoach, every key piece returns from an offense that ranked sixth in the nation in scoring during the shortened 2020 campaign. This lineup is loaded with speedy, athletic slashers, anchored by a proven group of mature veterans but bolstered by a trio of exciting newcomers. The pitching staff has outstanding depth of promising power arms, though many of them lack experience. Question Marks: The Aggies must two high-profile weekend starters in No. 4 overall pick Asa Lacy and second-rounder Christian Roa. Their replacements — likely Bryce Miller and Dustin Saenz — are talented but mostly unproven as workhorse starters. Star Power: Third baseman Logan Sartori made an instant impact as a juco transfer last spring, hitting .364/.446/.600 in the shortened season. He’s a dynamic player — a strong, quick-twitch athlete at 6-foot, 185-pounds with an open stance and a compact line-drive stroke with good balance and rhythm, which should make him a doubles machine. He’s also a plus runner, so he’ll help push the action on the basepaths, but not as much as center fielder Ray Alejo, who can really fly. On the mound, the Aggies will count upon flame-throwing righty Bryce Miller to replace Lacy atop the rotation, and he has obvious star potential, with a 92-95 heater that bumps 96-97, an improved curveball and changeup, and an 83-86 slider that flashes plus. Texas A&M’s Logan Sartori (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: First baseman Will Frizzell brings imposing physicality and a mature line-drive approach to the middle of the order, and he looks primed for a big year after dropping some weight and improving his physicality. 2B Bryce Blaum was a valuable power/speed threat in 2019 and should bounce back strong from his slow start in 2020. LHP Chris Weber has pitched mostly out of the bullpen over his first two years, though he made eight starts in 2019 and has proven he can handle longer stints. A polished four-pitch strike-thrower with a workhorse frame at 6-foot-4, 225-pound, Weber should thrive moving into a weekend rotation role, though he’ll have to compete with the more electric Saenz and fellow polished lefty Chandler Jozwiak. Pick to Click: Outfielder Logan Britt got his feet wet with 16 at-bats as a true freshman last spring, but he looks primed to make a big leap as a second-year player. He was one of the most improved players on the roster this fall, showing off premier athleticism and exciting bat speed. Top Newcomer: The Aggies have high hopes for freshman Kalae Harrison, the younger brother of former Oregon State star KJ Harrison. Kalae stands out for his uncommonly advanced offensive approach and smooth defensive actions at shortstop, where he looks poised to step right into the everyday role. He can flat-out hit, and he’s a 6.7 runner who should make things happen on the basepaths. The coaches think he can become one of the best players in the SEC as he matures, and he should be one of the top candidates for conference Freshman of the Year honors. Also keep a close eye on power-hitting, rocket-armed catcher Taylor Smith, a bounceback from Incarnate Word, where he was the 2019 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year. Outlook: Expectations are lower for this A&M squad after the departures of Lacy, DeLoach and Roa, but it would be a mistake to sleep on this program, which has been one of the most consistent winners in college baseball during the Rob Childress era. There might not be as much established star power on this club, but the coaches think they could rival the 16 draft picks they produced in 2016, even after losing a trio of top 50 picks to last year’s draft. The Aggies aren’t used to getting the opportunity to sneak up on people, but they’ll have that chance in 2021, and that makes them even more dangerous. From the Fall Report: Everyone in college baseball received a gut punch last March when the season was shuttered because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But the punch created a bit more sting for several coaches, including Texas A&M long-time skipper Rob Childress. The Aggies were in the midst of campaign that could’ve ended in a huge way. A&M welcomed talented hitting coach Chad Caillet in the offseason and was entering SEC play with a revamped offense when the season ended. But most gut wrenching for Childress and the Aggies was the inability to see ace pitcher Asa Lacy and fellow weekend starter Christian Roa go through a full spring against a rigorous SEC schedule. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Keep An Eye On Alabama Head Coach: Brad Bohannon 2019 Record: 30-26 (7-23) 2020 Record: 16-1 (0-0) Strengths: The Crimson Tide will have a major edge at the start of every weekend series with Connor Prielipp on the mound, as the first-team preseason All-American is one of college baseball’s most talented aces. The bullpen is anchored by a reliable one-two duo in Chase Lee and Brock Guffey, and the lineup has an intriguing blend of power and speed. Question Marks: This roster features very little SEC experience, and the coaches thought the Tide “played very young at times throughout the fall.” Improving the defense is a top priority, and the offense needs to show it can withstand the loss of its two best hitters last year, Tyler Gentry and Brett Auerbach. And though the weekend rotation is talented, all three starters must prove themselves as bona fide SEC workhorses. While the bullpen has a couple of nice pillars, it does not have nearly as much depth as many SEC staffs. Star Power: Prielipp didn’t allow a run and posted a sparkling 35-6 K-BB mark in his shortened debut season, and he got even better in the offseason, adding some 25 pounds of strength to his 6-foot-3 frame and showing improved overall command and better secondary stuff. He can really spot up with a 92-96 fastball from the left side, along with a legitimate plus to double-plus slider at 88-90 and a rapidly improving mid-80s changeup. He’ll be throwing to another emerging star in 4YR JR catcher Sam Praytor, who returned from injury to hit .350/.452/.667 last spring. Connor Prielipp had an unblemished ERA for the Crimson Tide. (Alabama photo) Glue Guys: Outfielder T.J. Reeves has plus raw power and hit nine homers in 2019; he’s back as the most established threat in the heart of the order, but the Crimson Tide would like to see him turn in more consistent at-bats and cut down on his swing-and-miss tendencies. 1B Drew Williamson has a mature all-fields approach from the left side and is starting to unlock his raw power potential after making some swing adjustments last summer. Lee, a sidewinder with uncommon velocity (90-92) from his low slot, is a bulldog at the back of the bullpen, and Guffey pounds the zone with four pitches and has the most experience on the staff. Pick to Click: Peyton Wilson got off to a great start as a true freshman last spring and has a chance to be one of the SEC’s most exciting catalysts in his first full season. A wiry, quick-twitch 5-foot-9 dynamo with blazing speed, Wilson is a switch-hitter with a knack for finding the barrel from both sides and using all fields. The brother of former Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson and former Tide second baseman Ross Wilson, Peyton can also play center field, second base or catcher, and his versatility earned him the nickname “Baby Auerbach” from teammates. Look for him to start out in center and make the Tide go from the leadoff spot. Fellow 2YR FR Owen Diodati has big-time breakout potential as a power-hitting corner outfielder; he gave a taste of what he can do last fall, smacking five homers in 55 at-bats. Top Newcomer: Brad Bohannon didn’t try to hide his excitement this fall over freshman lefthander Grayson Hitt’s potential. An ultra-athletic 6-foot-3, 185-pounder who turned down a scholarship offer to play wide receiver at Memphis in order to play baseball for the Tide, Hitt has shown 90-94 heat and the ability to throw a 78-80 mph slurve for a strike, though Bohannon said he still needs to fine-tune his command within the zone and learn to become more efficient. Outlook: There’s a whole lot to like about this Alabama squad, and nobody should be shocked if the Tide makes a big leap forward and finishes in the top half of the SEC this year. The problem is that everybody else in the league is better too, and there are only so many regional spots available out of the conference. Alabama should be right in the mix for one of those spots — this league is almost impossible to handicap — but the Tide also has more to prove than teams like Texas A&M, Auburn and Tennessee, which all appear to be on the same tier. From the Fall Report: Last year at this time, Brad Bohannon felt confident that his Alabama club was poised to take a big step forward after going 7-23 in the SEC in 2019. He knew the Crimson Tide had a lot to prove, but he was convinced that his roster belonged with the rest of the SEC physically and athletically — an improvement from his first two seasons as head coach. We never got to see how Alabama stacked up against the SEC, because the season was canceled before a single SEC game was played. But the early returns couldn’t have been any more encouraging for the Tide, who went 16-1 in nonconference play, highlighted by a week one sweep of Northeastern (which finished 10-5) and two of three against Lipscomb (11-5) in week four. “I think we had a regional team last year. Can’t prove it,” Bohannon said. “I’ll be the first one to say, I love our team [heading into 2021]. I think we have a very good team. I don’t know what that means. I don’t know how we match up. I think everybody else in the league’s probably — I think college baseball, much less the SEC — is gonna be as touch as it’s ever been, so we’re way better, but what does that mean? I don’t know.” … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Kentucky Head Coach: Nick Mingione 2019 Record: 26-29 (7-23) 2020 Record: 11-6 (0-0) Strengths: The Wildcats should have one of the most prolific offenses in the SEC, with loads of power, excellent balance and no real holes. This lineup features both power and speed, and a mature veteran core that has been through the rigors of the SEC. Question Marks: Just how much has Kentucky improved its pitching and defense? Those were major weaknesses during the 7-23 rebuilding season of 2019, and they remained weaknesses in 2020. A couple of key juco transfers up the middle should make a huge difference defensively. The key on the mound might be the continued maturation of second-year freshmen like Zack Lee and Cole Stupp. Kentucky’s John Rhodes (Aaron Fitt) Star Power: 2YR FR John Rhodes is a natural born hitter who raked to the tune of .426/.485/.672 with 10 doubles in the four-week 2020 campaign. He has electric bat speed, outstanding feel for his barrel and a mature approach, earning him third-team preseason All-America honors. 3YR SO Austin Schultz is another live-bodied athlete who can run and really hit, and he posted a .393 average last spring. 5YR 1B T.J. Collett is a proven SEC power hitter from the left side, and 4YR JR Oraj Anu has continued to improve his plate discipline, allowing him to make better use of his gargantuan raw power from the right side. On the mound, low three-quarters LHP Mason Hazelwood got off to a great start last spring and has continued to improve his breaking ball in the offseason, giving him a chance to hold his own as a Friday night starter in the SEC. Glue Guys: Zeke Lewis is a sixth-year senior with invaluable leadership skills and a fast motor. A quick-twitch 5-foot-9, 165-pound scrapper, Lewis provides serious field presence and defensive skill at the keystone sack, and that should keep him in the lineup given UK’s focus on defense (Mingione describes him as “an elite-level defender in the SEC”). He’s also a switch-hitter who can handle the bat, put the ball in play, bunt effectively and let his plus-plus speed work. 3YR SO righty Jimmy Ramsey is the consummate “glue guy” on the pitching staff, with experience as a starter and the ability to pitch in any role. The Wildcats are intrigued about the possibility of cutting him loose at the back end of the bullpen and seeing if his 90-94 mph turbo sinker plays up even more in short stints. Pick to Click: The Wildcats have high hopes for Lee, who posted a .935 ERA in 8.2 innings as a true freshman last spring but was dramatically improved this fall. Pitching coach Dan Roszel has worked with Lee to speed up his tempo, and it’s helped his fastball climb into the 93-95 range and bump 96, along with a putaway slider at 83-85. Kentucky hopes he can emerge as a legitimate No. 2 starter behind Hazelwood, and that’s a major key to UK’s chances. Top Newcomer: Shortstop Ryan Ritter was the top-ranked juco prospect to show up on a D-I campus this fall, and he instantly upgraded UK’s defense thanks to his fluid actions, excellent instincts, and a plus arm with easy carry. He also has good balance and rhythm in his righthanded stroke with intriguing bat speed, giving him a chance to be an impact hitter as well. Fellow juco transfer Alonzo Rubalcaba provides a similar defensive upgrade behind the plate, where he’s a high-end receiver and blocker with a strong arm. He also offers emerging righthanded pop. Outlook: The Wildcats have a lot to prove on the mound and on defense, but there is no question that they will be significantly improved in both areas. Kentucky doesn’t have to be an elite pitching team to compete in the SEC, because its high-powered offense will do plenty of the heavy lifting. But if the pitching can prove to be sound, Kentucky has a real chance to surprise in the SEC. From the Fall Report: Nick Mingione believes his Kentucky offense will be among the best in the SEC — and by extension, the nation. There’s a whole lot of reason to believe he’s right about that; these Wildcats (who ranked 20th nationally in scoring last spring) are uncommonly powerful, but also athletic, deep, balanced and experienced. But we’ll get to the offense later. Mingione also knows that for the ’Cats to rebound from a dreadful 2019 and a lackluster shortened 2020 season, they need to improve dramatically on defense and on the mound. “Right now, today, our lineup is the best part of our team. We’ve got to get it to where we can say that about our defense,” Mingione said. “We’ve totally changed the way we’ve gone about our defense. The way we train, the way we hold them accountable, the standards, we have totally changed and revamped everything about our defense. From the pitchers on the mound to our outfielders, infielders, catchers, we have revamped the whole thing, because this is an area we have not met the standard. And we believe we’re going to need it this year. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Missouri Head Coach: Steve Bieser 2019 Record: 34-22-1 (13-16-1) 2020 Record: 11-5 (0-0) Strengths: The coaching staff believes the roster is deeper overall than it was a year ago, as the freshman arms have proven more advanced than anticipated and the lineup has plenty of healthy competition for jobs. A handful of gritty veterans blend with some toolsy breakout candidates in the lineup, and the pitching staff is well stocked with power arms. Question Marks: While pitching might prove to be Mizzou’s greatest strength, the Tigers will surely miss departed ace Ian Bedell, a fourth-round pick by the Cardinals. Without him, Missouri doesn’t have an established workhorse with a track record as an SEC starter. Star Power: Missouri doesn’t have an established star who performed at a high level over a full season in 2019, though catcher Chad McDaniel had a solid campaign that year and has impact potential as a switch-hitter with as-yet untapped raw power. He missed the fall with hip surgery, and how well he progresses this spring will be key. 5YR SR Brandt Belk has a nice track record of hitting for average at Pepperdine and also in the short season at Missouri last year (.457/.544/.652). Trey Dillard has big-time stuff at the back end of the bullpen, with a heater that reaches the high 90s and a plus or better breaking ball, and he did a much better job throwing strikes in 2020 than he had previously. The Tigers will count upon RHP Spencer Miles to step into the Friday starter job after logging 15 innings as a true freshman last spring. His 90-94 mph turbo sinker should induce groundball contact by the boatload, and he can miss bats with an above-average sweeping slider as well. Missouri’s Chad McDaniel (left) (Aaron Fitt) Glue Guys: 4YR JR Mark Vierling is the essential “glue guy” — a grinder with a high baseball IQ who must be watched day in and day out to appreciate his full value. He’s a disciplined hitter who should hit for average and make the offense go out of the leadoff spot, while playing rock-solid defense at second base or potentially shortstop. He figures to team with Josh Day — who has more athleticism and very fluid actions but is less polished — in the middle infield. RHP Konnor Ash has experienced his share of success in the bullpen but will be counted upon to hold down a weekend starter job this spring. He is an aggressive pitcher who looks to improve the command of his 89-93 mph fastball and plus hammer at times. Pick to Click: Two-way talent Seth Halvorsen has always tantalized with his huge raw tools, and he looks ready to put them to good use this spring. He has run his heater up to 98 mph this preseason and could step into the weekend rotation while also bringing power and speed to the center field spot, though he’ll also swing and miss plenty. LHP Andrew Vail has made a velocity jump, bumping 96 mph with a quality breaking ball, and he could be an invaluable swingman. In the lineup, look for a breakout year from 3B Luke Mann, who is starting to harness his exciting raw power to all fields. Top Newcomer: From the freshman class, Parker Wright is a high-ceiling prospect with arm strength from the right side. He features a 91-93 mph fastball that can bump 95-96, along with a fringe-quality 79-81 mph slider. As he polishes his feel for his power sinker and improves his secondary offerings, he could be a big star. Juco transfer Drew Garrett can run his heater up to 97-98 mph and could also make a big splash on this staff. Outlook: Missouri was slated to serve a postseason ban in 2020, but the pandemic wiped out the postseason anyway, and now the Tigers are free to chase their NCAA tournament dreams again in 2021. Coach Steve Bieser and his staff have done an admirable job bolstering the program’s talent level and depth, but it’s just so hard to make headway in the rough-and-tumble SEC, particularly as the program with the worst facilities and worst weather in the league. Mizzou embraces a blue-collar mentality and is plenty used to the underdog role in this conference. And this roster is certainly talented enough to climbi the ladder and break through to a regional, but Missouri has yet to do that as a member of the SEC, so the “show-me” mantra still applies. From the Fall Report: After a strong start to the 2020 season, including a seven-game win streak that included wins over No. 22 Oklahoma and Texas at the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic, the Missouri Tigers look ready to compete for a 2021 regional berth. With most of that roster returning to Columbia for this upcoming season, plus another top recruiting class on campus, skipper Steve Bieser has his club poised for another year of success. Excluding the shortened 2020 season in which Missouri went 11-5, Bieser’s 104 wins are the most ever by any Mizzou baseball coach in his first three campaigns. He has also produced 39 wins in Southeastern Conference play since taking over the program, marking Mizzou’s best three-year stretch in league play since joining the SEC in 2013. The greatest strength of this year’s club can be found on the mound. Competing for starting roles are righthanders Spencer Miles, Seth Halvorsen, Parker Wright and Konnor Ash, while lefties Andrew Vail and Trae Robertson are also prominently in the mix. … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING
2021 American Athletic Preview: Tulane, Others Chasing East Carolina SEASON PREVIEW Kendall Rogers - February 5, 2021 Few teams were as disappointed to see the 2020 campaign come to an end as the top of the American Athletic Conference early last season. UCF, East Carolina, Tulane and Wichita State to be exact. UCF picked up a huge road series win over Auburn and was well on its way to a huge season that could’ve ended with a trip to the College World Series. ECU was doing ECU things with a 13-4 overall record at season’s end, and Tulane and Wichita State were both on the verge of taking big leaps forward. Tulane had a 15-2 record and looked like a sure-fire regional club with righthanded pitcher Braden Olthoff leading the way, and Wichita State was making quite the first impression in Eric Wedge’s first season at the helm with a 13-2 overall record. With last season a distant memory, every team now enters the 2021 campaign with a clean slate. East Carolina and UCF lead the way, but Houston and Tulane are most certainly within striking distance, and the Shockers have enough key pieces back to once again make some serious noise atop the league standings. Let’s take an in-depth look at the American: Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish TEAM 2020 RECORD East Carolina 13-4 UCF 15-3 Houston 6-9 Tulane 15-2 Wichita State 13-2 Cincinnati 7-8 Memphis 10-7 South Florida 6-11 Projected Regional Teams (3): East Carolina, UCF, Houston Player of the Year: Hunter Goodman, C, Memphis Pitcher of the Year: Braden Olthoff, RHP, Tulane Freshman of the Year: Alex Freeland, INF, UCF Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Hunter Goodman C Memphis 2 Evan Shawver LHP Cincinnati 4 Braden Olthoff RHP Tulane 3 Gavin Williams RHP East Carolina 5 Drake Batcho LHP Cincinnati 6 Jack Sinclair RHP UCF 7 Hunter Patteson* LHP UCF 8 Bryson Worrell OF East Carolina 9 Colton Gordon LHP UCF 10 Donovan Benoit RHP Tulane 11 Connery Peters RHP Wichita State 12 Thomas Francisco OF East Carolina 13 Jaycob Deese RHP Houston 14 Cam Prayer LHP Houston 15 Connor Norby 2B East Carolina 16 Steve Rivas 1B/OF Houston 25 Trevor Minder INF Tulane 27 Liam Eddy RHP Wichita State 17 Walker Brockhouse RHP Memphis 18 Ben Sears RHP Houston 20 Brandon Uhse OF Houston 21 Ryan Hernandez 3B Houston 22 Garrett Schoenle LHP Cincinnati 23 Gephry Pena OF UCF 30 Ross Cadena C Wichita State 24 Takoda Metoxen RHP Memphis 26 Keegan Gillies RHP Tulane 28 Nick Logusch RHP East Carolina 31 Paxton Wallace SS/3B Wichita State 29 Derrick Cherry RHP/OF Houston 32 Roberto Pena INF South Florida 33 Daniel Casto LHP Memphis 34 Brad Lord RHP South Florida 35 Luis Aviles C Tulane 19 Jake Hamilton RHP Wichita State 36 Riley Hogan 1B South Florida 37 Aaron Bechtel RHP Wichita State 38 Sean Bretz RHP Houston 40 Seth Caddell C East Carolina 41 Aaron Haase RHP Wichita State 42 Trystan Kimmel RHP East Carolina 43 Griffin Merritt INF Cincinnati 44 Elijah McCormack RHP UCF 45 Dawson Barr RHP South Florida 46 Robert Gasser LHP Houston 47 Garrett Kocis 1B Wichita State 48 Ben Brooks INF Memphis 49 Nick Gonzalez SS South Florida 39 Alec Trela 3B/SS Memphis 50 Jake Kuchmaner LHP East Carolina TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Carson Whisenhunt LHP East Carolina 2 Jack Jasiak RHP South Florida 3 Alex Freeland INF UCF 4 Pablo Ruiz OF UCF 5 Zach Agnos UTL East Carolina 6 Cooper Cornblum OF Wichita State 7 Ryan Nicholson 1B Cincinnati 8 Bailey Wimberley RHP Memphis 9 Brad Burckel 2B Houston 10 Dontae Mitchell OF South Florida 11 AJ Wilson LHP East Carolina 12 Dalton Kendrick LHP Memphis 13 Dylan Post C Houston 14 Luke Almendarez SS Houston 15 Skylar Brooks RHP/INF East Carolina 16 Joe Powell C Cincinnati 18 Taylor Howell C/1B Memphis 17 Ben Vespi RHP UCF 19 Carmine Lane UTL South Florida 20 Jack Sigrist 2B Wichita State IMPACT FRESHMEN 1 Alex Freeland INF UCF 2 Josh Moylan 1B East Carolina 3 Jackson Cothren RHP Memphis 4 Josh Grosz RHP East Carolina 5 Seth Stroh RHP Wichita State 6 Blake Mahmood RHP Tulane 7 Drew Brutcher RHP South Florida 8 John Montes INF UCF 9 Jake LePrairie OF Tulane 10 Cameron Bye RHP Wichita State 11 Jace Kaminska RHP Wichita State 12 Brandon Howell OF Tulane 13 Ben Vespi RHP UCF 14 Landon Ginn RHP East Carolina 15 Danny Beal RHP East Carolina 16 Matthew Bihm OF Tulane 17 Bennett Lee C Tulane 18 Will Pendergrass 3B/C Houston 19 Patrick Dunn RHP Houston 20 Max Bergmann RHP Cincinnati Projected Regional Teams • For an in -depth report on East Carolina, which was in our Top 25, click below: No. 25 East Carolina Breakdown UCF Head coach: Greg Lovelady 2019 Record: 36-22 (11-13) 2020 Record: 15-3 Strengths: The biggest strength from my vantage point is the weekend rotation with the return of Gordon, Patteson and addition of Serwa. Assuming Serwa can get healthy and pitch most of the season, that is a rotation mixed with intriguing pieces. Gordon is accomplished, Serwa is accomplished and has a plethora of experience and Patteson has the best stuff of anyone in the rotation. UCF is a sure-fire Top 25 team if those three guys have big campaigns. Question Marks: I’ll be intrigued to see how this team stacks up from a power standpoint. Two seasons ago, the Knights were loaded with premium power options, and last season, only Jordan Rathbone and Pablo Ruiz had more than a pair of home runs when the season ended. I don’t have a ton of questions about this team, but I am curious to see where big-time power production will come from. Star Power: After losing a couple of arms from last year’s club, the Knights will rely heavily on lefthanded pitcher Colton Gordon to have a huge spring. Gordon was off to a nice start last season with a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings, along with 24 strikeouts and five walks. He’s a hard-nosed pitcher who wants the ball, and his stuff was solid in the fall, sitting 90-93 mph with his fastball, along with a harder 84-85 mph slider and an 82-84 mph changeup. Glue Guys: The Knights have several glue guys from an offensive standpoint this season, but two in particular stand out — outfielders Pablo Ruiz and Gephry Pena. Ruiz is an athletic player who was off to a nice start last season. He has several impressive tools. Pena is the most talented upperclassmen in the lineup with elite athleticism and a spark plug approach atop the lineup. Pick To Click: LHP Hunter Patteson. Patteson did some positive things last season, but still had an ERA approaching five when the season came to a close. He has the stuff and potential to have a strong 2021 season after having a solid fall. Patteson is anywhere from 88-91 mph with his fastball, but was up to 93 with the offering as well in the fall. His 80-81 mph slider has some depth and the changeup is making strides at 83-84 mph. Top Newcomer: INF Alex Freeland. The Knights have a very, very good one in the ultra-talented freshman infielder. Freeland was terrific in the fall with an advanced toolbox of skills. He was impressive enough that Lovelady said in the fall that he might be the most toolsy player on the roster. He’s a switch-hitter with power who has an advanced offensive approach. Outlook: UCF was disappointed with the way last season ended, but the outlook is promising for the spring with the return of Gordon and rise of Patteson, along with the addition of Kenny Serwa to the weekend rotation. Serwa is out with a pulled muscle in his rib cage, but he should be fine a few weeks into the season. The back-end of the bullpen also is in good shape with the return of righthander Jack Sinclair. UCF’s offense doesn’t look overwhelming on paper, but I’m not sure it needs to be with the expectation from the pitching staff. From the Fall Report: His name is unique – and so is his story. Gephry Pena, the UCF Knights’ third-year sophomore center fielder, could barely hit the ball out of the infield when he arrived on campus as a true freshman. Now it’s two years later, and UCF coach Greg Lovelady believes Pena will get drafted between the third and eighth rounds in 2021. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING HOUSTON Head coach: Todd Whitting 2019 Record: 32-24 (12-12) 2020 Record: 6-9 Strengths: The Cougars will have one of their deepest pitching staffs ever from a quality standpoint. You can easily say that pitching coach Terry Rooney can dip into the treasure chest for seven or eight arms, minimum, and get good results on the mound. Furthermore, I really like the blend of UH’s offense with the speedy duo of Uhse and Burckel, along with big-time power bat of Hernandez. Question Marks: For me, the question mark is pretty clear — it’s the inexperience in the weekend rotation. Ben Sears and Cam Prayer are both junior college transfers. They’re talented, there’s no doubt about that. But they’re also expected to make a quick transition from the JC ranks to major Division I Baseball. There’s also righthander Sean Bretz, who is returning from Tommy John surgery. I’m a believer in those three, but they need to prove it. Star Power: Ryan Hernandez. The hard-hitting first baseman has really evolved as a hitter. He used to be a free swinger with a lot of swing and miss. However, he was improved last season with a .300 average, five home runs and 15 RBIs, and he was even better at the Texas Collegiate League throughout the summer. Hernandez will have a more polished approach this spring, along with continued power generation. Glue Guys: Kyle Lovelace and Luke Almendarez. I love the way these two play the game. Lovelace certainly leaves something to be desired at the plate, but he’s so good behind the plate and as a leader that it, frankly, doesn’t matter. If Lovelace can hit around .250-.275, that’s just a luxury for this team. As for Almendarez, he’s a solid, instinctual infielder who got off to a surprisingly good offensive start last season. Pick To Click: OF Steven Rivas. The Cougars should have a potent offensive lineup this spring, and Rivas will be be a significant part of that. Rivas only hit .236 with three home runs and nine RBIs on the young season in 2020, but he’s ready to have a massive spring. Rivas was terrific in the fall with a mature lefthanded swing with serious power generation. Put me in the camp of someone who believes Rivas will hit closer to .300 with double digit home runs. Top Newcomer: I really like what righthander Jaycob Deese brings to the table, but tall lefthander Cam Prayer is the choice. Prayer, a 6-foot-5, 205-pounder, was terrific in the fall with some whippy arm action and a 89-91 mph fastball. He also attacked hitters with a 77-80 mph slider that was swing and miss. Prayer’s arm angle creates some natural life, and he should be a mainstay in the weekend rotation. Outlook: Whatever happened with the Cougars early last season is washed away in my book. The Cougars will certainly need some guys to take a step forward from an offensive standpoint, but Rivas and Hernandez will have huge campaigns, and Brad Burckel and Brandon Uhse are both incredibly athletic and speedy guys who give this lineup some versatility. Meanwhile, the rotation has two solid options with Ben Sears and Prayer, while Sean Bretz will be a big-time weapon if he can stay healthy. The prognosis is good with the Cougars. From the Fall Report: Though the Cougars had the pieces to turn things around last spring, the early returns weren’t the greatest. UH dropped two of three the first four weekends, with the most disappointing series loss being the series opener against Youngstown State. Who knows if the Cougars were primed to turn the tide sooner rather than later when the season was shuttered in early March. But the Cougars aren’t in the business of looking back … they’re full speed ahead with the return of hard-hitting Ryan Hernandez, hard-nosed catcher Kyle Lovelace and a pitching staff that appears to be one of the deepest of the Whitting era. CLICK TO CONTINUE READING Keep An Eye On TULANE Head coach: Travis Jewett 2019 Record: 32-26 (12-11) 2020 Record: 15-2 Strengths: This team learned a lot from last season. It was going to be a huge year for Travis Jewett and his coaching staff, and the Green Wave played with a ton of urgency. I’m expecting the same tenacity this spring with a lineup that should be solid and a weekend rotation that has the potential to be the best in the American Athletic Conference. The pieces are there to make a strong run. Question Marks: It’s not necessarily a huge concern per se, but the Green Wave is relying on a cornucopia of fresh faces from a bullpen standpoint. They have some talented but unproven freshmen in the mix, while they also added some junior college and four-year transfers. It will be imperative for those guys to make an immediate impact. Star Power: I mean, who else here, right? Righthanded pitcher Braden Olthoff. Olthoff was incredible last spring with a 4-0 record and a 0.32 ERA in 28 innings, along with a whopping 47 strikeouts and three walks. His fastball velocity climbed to 93 mph in the fall and the curveball was sharp. It’s hard to emulate what he did early last season. But if he does, goodness gracious, he could have an incredible season. Glue Guys: Trevor Minder and Keegan Gillies. These two will be insanely important for two distinct reasons. Minder had an outstanding spring and fall and is ready to take a huge step forward. He has the ability to hit for a high average and with some big-time power. Meanwhile, Gillies is a bullpen arm who was up to 96-97 mph with his fastball in the fall. They will be crucial to TU’s success. Pick To Click: RHP Donovan Benoit. Benoit got off to just an OK start last season with a 4.19 ERA and just as many walks as strikeouts. But he appears to be ready to take a step forward after fall workouts. Benoit looks the part at 6-foot-4, 202 pounds and the fastball was up to 96 during fall workouts with ease. His command has improved, and that should be his big differentiator this season. Top Newcomer: Blake Mahmood. The Green Wave won’t have to rely on too many newcomers in the field this spring, but they will need some younger arms to rise to the occasion. Mahmood, a Minnesota native and righthander is one of those guys. Mahmood was terrific in the fall with a fastball up to 94 mph. He’s an aggressive strike thrower and had a ton of success during fall workouts. Outlook: I’m a believer in the weekend rotation with Olthoff back and Benoit having a strong fall, while Jack Aldrich is a quality, consistent arm at the back-end of the rotation. The offense doesn’t look overwhelming on paper, but there are some nice pieces for sure. Minder is expected to have a huge season, Luis Aviles is expected to have a productive campaign and Frankie Niemann has the potential to hit for average and power this spring. From the Fall Report: Much of that team returns and this is a regional caliber club on paper. The offense will need some reconstruction but that plays to the strengths of the program. Tulane’s trend is positive in every way and that begs this next question: is this group ready to challenge for an AAC championship? CLICK TO CONTINUE READING WICHITA STATE Head coach: Eric Wedge 2019 Record: 28-31 (9-15) 2020 Record: 13-2 Strengths: Color me a big fan of the pitching staff as a whole. Eddy and Peters give the Shockers two strong options in the weekend rotation, while righthander Preston Snavely is a veteran who pounds the zone. The bullpen also is deep and intriguing with hard-throwing Aaron Bechtel and Aaron Haase leading the way, while righthander Foster Gifford is a strike thrower who is up to 91 mph with his fastball. Question Marks: I would like to see the Shockers establish consistency from an offensive standpoint. They had a couple of guys get off to a solid start last season, but overall, they need talents like Cadena, Kocis and Sigrist to have strong campaigns to meet their goals. Star Power: We’ve already covered a couple of WSU’s big-time arms, and from a positional standpoint, no one is a table setter quite like outfielder Couper Cornblum. Cornblum was off to a terrific start last spring with a .354 average, four doubles, three triples and 12 RBIs. He also had a good fall with a mature offensive approach, and the coaching staff said he was an incredibly tough out for the pitching staff. Glue Guys: Ross Cadena and Garrett Kocis. Both players were off to slow starts in the spring, but retooled their approach and took a big step forward during fall workouts. Cadena and Kocis showed much better overall approaches in the fall, showing good strength and an ability to hit the ball to all fields. They’re expected to have a strong season. Pick To Click: Everyone knows about righthander Liam Eddy, who had a strong fall. But how about sophomore righthander Connery Peters? WSU’s best overall prospect also had a good fall, and he’s a 6-foot-5, 228-pounder with a fastball up to 96 mph, along with a consistent 90-93 with the offering. He also has a plus changeup at times, along with a serviceable curveball. He’s expected to start the season in the No. 3 starting spot. And if that happens, he could be one of the nation’s best Sunday starters. Top Newcomer: The Shockers have several key pieces back from that team that began the 2020 campaign in such impressive fashion, but one freshman to keep an eye on is projected starting outfielder Seth Stroh. Stroh, the younger brother of Gareth, had a terrific fall. He utilizes impressive speed with a 6.4, 6.5 in the 60, while also having some bat speed from the left side. Outlook: I really like the potential of this Shockers team, to the point where I wrote the projected order of finish and wondered to myself how Wichita State was so low. That gives you an idea of how deep this league is, because the Shockers should be very solid. WSU has a strong weekend rotation filled with a couple of high projection guys, while the offense has some definite balance. From the Fall Report: When Gene Stephenson’s storied 36-year career as Wichita State head coach came to an end in 2013, members of the Shocker baseball community reached out to one of the program’s most prominent alumni to gauge his interest in succeeding the legend. But the moment wasn’t right for Eric Wedge, the former Wichita State and major league catcher, who was managing the Seattle Mariners at the time. CLICK TO CONTINUE READING The Rest Of The Pack CINCINNATI Cincinnati is one of those intriguing American programs to watch for good reason. The Bearcats finished the 2019 season with a .500 overall record (31-31), but made the NCAA tournament after tallying a winning conference record and winning the conference tournament. They were a formidable foe in the NCAA Tournament. Now, after tallying a 7-8 record in 2020, the Bearcats hope to return to their winning ways in ’21. UC’s offense has potential to be productive this spring. Ryan Nicholson, Griffin Merritt and Paul Komistek are quality hitters to watch, while Joey Beillini is a talented senior who was off to an outstanding start in the spring with a .429 average and eight RBIs. Nicholson is a talented first baseman with plus power and some impressive feel to hit. He will hit in the middle of UC’s offense, while Merritt is another middle of the order bat with power and can hit for a solid average. Then there’s Komistek, a physical presence in the lineup who has tools, can run well and can hit for power. Jace Mercer is a potential breakout player for the Bearcats. He has speed, good instincts and actions and can be a table setter for this team, while Northern Kentucky transfer Jake Murray is expected to man center field. Murray hit .310 with two home runs and seven RBIs for the Norse last season, and he has quality lefthanded pop with good defensive skills in the outfield. The most exciting thing about this Cincinnati club is its potential on the mound — particularly in the weekend rotation. Junior ace lefthander Evan Shawver has a chance to be a high-round draft pick next summer. He was 91-94 and up to 95-96 mph with his fastball in the fall, while showing feel for three pitches, including a flashing plus breaking ball at 83-84 mph. Senior lefty Dean McCarthy is an Elon transfer who was 89-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball in the fall, while also showing a quality slider up to 83 mph, while another veteran lefty, Garrett Schoenle has big-time potential. Schoenle is 6-foot-4 and was up to 93-94 mph with the fastball in the fall. He controls the running game with his breaking ball and made a jump. He’s ready for a strong season. Junior lefthander Drake Batcho was off to a solid start before the spring season ended. He will get up to 92-94 and up to 95 mph with his fastball, along with a good slider, while closer Zach Segal looks to be a rock at the back-end of the bullpen. Segal throws from a 3/4 angle and has whippy arm action with a fastball up to 91 mph. He also has a quality cutter. MEMPHIS Memphis should have one of the more intriguing offenses in the American Athletic Conference. It all starts with premium draft prospect and catcher Hunter Goodman. Goodman has had an incredible career on Daron Schoenrock’s program, and it appears he’s ready to have a terrific final hurrah after hitting .357 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs last season. Taylor Howell is a talented young hitter who hit .283 with two home runs and four RBIs in the shortened season, and he’s got big-time pop with unbridle potential at the collegiate level. Meanwhile, Alec Trela needs to be more consistent at the plate, but he has big-time power potential and talents Ben Brooks and Zach Wilson are both guys with some power potential. Two interesting bats for different reasons are Braden Webb and Sterling Turmon. Webb is a utility player type who has athleticism and speed and can really set the table for the offense, while Turmon is a physical specimen at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and is a lefthanded hitter. Turmon needs to be more selective with his pitches. He can be a force in the lineup if he cuts down on strikeouts. Form a pitching standpoint, the Tigers have some quality options in the weekend rotation. Junior righthander Carson Stinnett is 88-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball, along with a slider at 82 mph and a three-pitch mix for strikes, while senior lefthander Chris Durham is back after not pitching last spring. Durham was an all-conference arm two summers ago, and is back and healthy. Righthander Blake Wimberley is a heavy sinker/slider pitcher with a fastball topping 89-90 mph, while the most intriguing young arm on this staff is freshman righthander Jackson Cothren. Cothren could find himself in the weekend rotation sooner rather than later with a fastball up to 92-93 mph, along with a slider at 83 mph. The Memphis staff feels like Cothren could have Jon Bowlan type of stuff before he leaves campus. In the bullpen, senior righthander Takoda Metoxen is 90-93 and up to 94 mph with his fastball, along with a slider at 80-84 and curveball and changeup combination, while lefthanders Daniel Casto and Dalton Kendrick are worth watching. Casto throws from a low 3/4 slot and has a fastball up to 91-92 mph, along with a slider and flash plus changeup, while Kendrick might have the best stuff of anyone on this staff with a fastball up to 90-91 mph and a plus changeup. SOUTH FLORIDA Head coach: Billy Mohl 2019 Record: 26-17 (8-16) 2020 Record: 6-11 Strengths: I think the general upside of this team is intriguing if all the pieces come together. For instance, Catcher Jake Sullivan is more talented than he showed early last spring, Riley Hogan has the ability to put up big numbers, Nicki Gonzalez and Dontae Mitchell are both athletic guys with upside and Carmine Lane is a redshirt freshman who struggled early last season but who led the team in hitting in the fall. Question Marks: This team has a plethora of question marks. Talented infielder Isaac Nunez left following fall workouts, so there will be some shifting in the infield. The offense needs to be much more consistent. Meanwhile, the weekend rotation is intriguing, but still has something to prove outside of Jasiak. Dawson Barr is a quality arm who has yet to find anywhere his home, while Lord is an unproven, but quality arm. Star Power: Look for talented righthander Jack Jasiak to have a strong spring on the mound. Jasiak has electric stuff with a fastball 90-93 and up to 94 mph, along with a quality slider and a changeup that continues to make strides. He has command of all three pitches in the zone. Glue Guys: Give me third baseman Roberto Pena and closer Orion Kerkering. Pena is an ultra-talented infielder who possesses big-time power generation potential in his bat. He will hit in the middle of the order. As for Kerkering, he had an ERA north of seven in 12 innings last season, but has huge upside with a fastball up to 95-96 mph, along with a slider and curveball. Pick To Click: He’s a huge key to their success offensively. We’re talking about Riley Hogan, of course. Hogan has some tools and is coming off a spring where he hit .271. Hogan is a physical switch hitter who tends to hit a little better from the left side. He can be a gap hitter this spring with 5-10 home run capability. Top Newcomer: Drew Brutcher. The Bulls could have one of the better two-way talents in the league this spring with the addition of Brutcher. Brutcher had a strong fall, showing a fastball 88-91 and up to 92 mph from a tall, downhill angle at 6-foot-7. He throws three pitchers for strikes and could have a future in the program as a hitter as well. Outlook: This is a huge season for the Bulls. They struggled two seasons ago and followed that up with a slow start in 2020. For this season to be a success, Jasiak must be a bonafide Friday night ace, while power-armed Brad Lord and Kerkering must have a strong season. The offense will need to make noticeable improvements, too. From the Fall Report: USF in 2020 was also last in the league in batting average (.189), runs scored and homers five). The Bulls were next to last in ERA (5.28). So, obviously, there’s more work to be done in terms of USF’s reconstruction. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
Pretty sure there's a Fullerton fan or two here. 2021 Big West Preview: Who Can Challenge UCSB? SEASON PREVIEW Eric Sorenson - January 29, 2021 Change is good. And good change is even better. For the past few years I have started my Big West preview in this forum with “C’mon Big West, ya gotta get better.” And now, I can proudly say, it has happened. In spades too. By mid-March of last year the Big West had made some real big ripples in college baseball for the first time in quite a while. UC Santa Barbara was thought to have a rebuilding year but started out 13-2, including a sweep at Oregon State. Long Beach State was limping from a 2019 team that went 14-41 but stunned the baseball world with series wins over Mississippi State and Wake Forest. CSUN, thought to be long dormant, got out to a 10-5 start. UC Irvine had a lot to reload from a 37-win team in 2019, yet the Anteaters can brag about a sweep at Rice, a series win over Sacramento State and a win over USC. Hawaii had some big moments in 2020, racing out to an 11-6 mark and coming inches from winning a series at Vanderbilt and going 3-1 vs. Oregon. Hell, even UC Riverside and UC Davis jumped out to 9-7 starts. There was all this momentum in what was going to be a turnaround season for the BWC. And then the pandemic hit. Thanks a lot COVID. Gah! Well, now we’ve got a whole new Big West starting up in 2021. It’s a new leaf to turn for the once proud conference that could be back on the national stage again. But the changes don’t stop with just the on-field success. There will also be a pair of new programs joining the Big West in former D2 national power UC San Diego and former WAC member CSU Bakersfield. As of press time, it appeared as if many members of this conference were going to attempt to play normal schedules, except for Long Beach and CSUN, who had originally announced they were set to play conference games only. We’ll see if they change their course as the season gets closer and the rest of the Big West agrees to play nonconference weekends. Either way, this is a conference worth watching in 2021. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish Team 2020 Record UC Santa Barbara 13-2 Long Beach State 10-5 UC Irvine 8-7 Hawaii 11-6 Cal State Fullerton 4-12 Cal Poly 5-11 Cal State Northridge 10-5 *UC San Diego 17-4 UC Davis 9-7 UC Riverside 9-7 CSU Bakersfield 5-9 *Record as a Division II member Projected Regional Teams (2): UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State Player of the Year: Denzel Clarke, OF, Cal State Northridge Pitcher of the Year: Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara Freshman of the Year: Anthony Mata, SS, UC Riverside Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Alfredo Ruiz LHP Long Beach State 2 Denzel Clark OF CSUN 3 Michael McGreevy RHP UCSB 4 Tanner Bibee RHP Cal State Fullerton 5 Kameron Guangorena C Cal State Fullerton 6 Trenton Denholm RHP UC Irvine 7 Kyle Luckham RHP Cal State Fullerton 8 Jason Willow OF UCSB 9 Jake Palmer OF UC Irvine 10 Sean Skelly C CSUN 11 Peter Van Loon RHP UC Irvine 12 Blake Sodersten RHP CSUN 13 Kole Kaler SS Hawaii 14 Rodney Boone LHP UCSB 15 Chris Troye RHP UCSB TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Brooks Lee SS Cal Poly 2 Luis Ramirez RHP Long Beach State 3 JJ Cruz SS Cal State Fullerton 4 Gavin Kennedy RHP Cal State Fullerton 5 Peyton Jones LHP Cal State Fullerton 6 Cameron Repetti 3B Cal State Fullerton 7 Tai Atkins LHP Hawaii 8 Nick Marinconz 3B Cal Poly 9 Nathan Church OF UC Irvine 10 Connor McGuire 3B UC Irvine IMPACT FRESHMEN 1 Nate Nankil OF Cal State Fullerton 2 Leo Mosby SS/2B UCSB 3 Safea Villaruz-Mauai DH Hawaii 4 Bryce Warrecker RHP Cal Poly 5 Christian Rodriguez RHP Cal State Fullerton 6 Sebastian Murillo SS/2B Long Beach State 7 Jake Vargas RHP Cal State Fullerton 8 Kenji Suzuki 2B Hawaii 9 Kyle Anderson RHP UC Riverside 10 Anthony Mata SS UC Riverside Projected Regional Teams For an in-depth report on No. 11 UC Santa Barbara, read our expansive Top 25 Breakdown: No. 11 UC Santa Barbara Breakdown LONG BEACH STATE The turnaround at Long Beach State has to be one of the biggest stories in all of college baseball. As mentioned in the opening, the Dirtbags finished the 2019 season with a putrid 14-41 mark, which led to the ouster of the very likable Troy Buckley. Then, after hiring up-and-coming Eric Valenzuela, the program took off. In the 2020 short season the Dirtbags made national headlines by taking series wins over Mississippi State, Wake Forest and Cal. They finished 10-5 overall and at No. 16 in the final D1baseball rankings. It would’ve been great to see how their 2020 season would’ve ended up, but of course we will never know. But the best part about this is nearly everyone returns for the Dirtbags this season and they still have that dirt-under-the-nails mentality that is tough to beat. Granted, losing Friday ace Adam Seminaris and top hitter Leonard Jones will be a setback, but this team was far from just being about one pitcher or one hitter. The pitching staff returned to Dirtbag form in 2020 with a team ERA of 2.38 (12th in the country and second behind UCSB in the Big West), and a 4.03 strikeout-to-walk ratio (eighth in the country). The two remaining starting weekend pitchers are RHP Luis Ramirez (2-0, 2.73) and LHP Alfredo Ruiz (3-1, 1.80), who are both described as having “electric” arms with low-90s fastballs. Ramirez was named a Freshman All-American and possesses a solid changeup and slider. Valenzuela says Ruiz, last year’s Saturday starter, uses his very advanced changeup to help him work deep into games. Both are projected to be top 10 round draftees this coming June and next June, respectively. Long Beach State’s Connor Kokx (Shotgun Spratling) The projected third starter looks to be 3YR sophomore Basilio Pacheco, who spent 2020 recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 2019 he made 10 appearances as a freshman and went 1-4, 5.03. He is also a former draft pick of the Brewers coming out of high school and held his opposing batters to a .221 average, so there is a lot of upside to this dude. The bullpen will feature a ton of usable arms, led by RHP Devereaux Harrison (0-1, 1.32), who is a mid-90s power arm, a future draftee-to-be and will spend this coming summer playing in the prestigious Cape Cod League. The closer role could be saved for RHP Matt Fields (1-0, 1.50), a 4Yr junior who sports a three-pitch mix and has a 89-91 fastball. Also look for JC transfer Jack Noble, a former Oregon commit who ended up at Orange Coast College. Fields hits the low 90s and can throw three pitches consistently for strikes. The Beach hit just .248 as a team in those 15 games, but coach Valenzuela states, “I love our offense. The batting average from last year doesn’t show the success we actually had. The pitching and competition we played against obviously had a lot to do with it.” But you can’t put any of the blame on OF Connor Kokx, who hit a hearty .400 and is “the heart and soul of this team and one of the best center fielders in the country” according to Valenzuela. He’ll be joined in the lineup by DH Aidan Malm (.306), who is a big time power threat and also has the speed to be a force on the basepaths as well. OF Calvin Estrada is another experienced leader who hit .290 last season, has good speed and is slated to return to his leadoff spot in the order. Middle infielders Riki DeSa (.235) and Tyler Porter (.171) did not post very good offensive numbers but the coaching staff loves their potential, competitiveness and their typical Dirtbag-like defense. They both have some power potential (DeSa is the only returnee who hit a home run last season) and cannon arms in the infield. They’ll throw to 1B Chase Luttrell, who hit .370 in 12 games (seven of them starts) and is also a potential top 15 round draft prospect. The coaches like his lefthanded power at the dish and think of him as a complete hitter. Keep An Eye On UC IRVINE After a 37-17 season in 2019, UC Irvine dipped a little in 2020, ending the truncated season at 8-7. The Anteaters experienced a lot of peaks and valleys in those 15 games, including a weekend sweep of Rice and a series win over Sacramento State, along with a handful of ugly losses. But the 2021 season will offer some upside, particularly in their Friday/Saturday combo on weekends that will give their opponents fits. Righthanders Trenton Denholm (2-2, 2.28) and Peter Van Loon (2-0, 2.78) give head coach Ben Orloff and his staff what they think will be one of the best one-two punches in the country. Denholm was named the Big West Pitcher of the Year in 2019, pitched for Team USA that summer and was on the Golden Spikes Award Watch list in 2020, so his quality is unquestioned. At 6-foot-5, 225, Van Loon is a low-90s big thumper who was starting to dominate as the 2020 season was shut down. He held opposing batters to a .159 average. UC Irvine’s Trenton Denholm (Shotgun Spratling) But don’t just stop there with the ‘Eaters pitching staff. Pitching coach Daniel Bibona thinks the top six pitchers are complete studs that give them a chance to win each time out. So also keep an eye on LHPs Nick Pinto (1-2, 4.91), Troy Wentworth (0-0, 14.40) and a trio of dominant relievers in LHP John Vergara (0-1, 2.89, 3 saves) RHP Josh Ibarra (1-0, 2.03) and LHP Dylan Riddle (0-0, 2.00). Wentworth made the biggest strides since the off-season began. Being a 6’4 lefty, he runs his speedball up in the 89-90mph range and has good movement. If he can avoid the injury bug he should be a key part in the mound corps. Coach Orloff says of his top arms, “In a normal year there is no way would have gotten all of those guys back to campus because of the draft. They all made big strides over the break and performed well in the fall.” Be it good news or bad, the Anteaters had 15 players with five or more starts in the field during last spring’s 15 game season. So there will be plenty of experienced players to cover the dirt and the meadow for the upcoming season. The coaching staff is confident in the gloves of catcher Jacob Castro (.304), 2B Riley Kasper (.260), SS Taishi Nakawake (.195) and OFs Jake Palmer (.368), Mike Peabody (.246, but hit .312 in 2019) and Nathan Church (.204). The coaches are particularly geeked about this outfield crew they have, calling them “all really good, complete players.” Church in particular was noted for the big jump he made from last spring and through the fall and is considered a favorite for the three-hole position in the batting order. Speaking of, obviously, looking at some of these batting averages, the offense will need to make a significant step up in 2021 if the Anteaters are to become contenders again in the Big West and on the national stage. UCI hit just .251 as a team in 2020. HAWAII Aw man. If there was one team that REALLY did not want the 2020 season to end, it has to be those wild Islanders of the Pacific. Yep, head coach Mike Trapasso and his Hawaii Rainbows were feeling like the 2020 season was going to be a turnaround season. The Men from Manoa were 11-6 and came THISCLOSE to taking a series from defending national champion Vanderbilt on the road and took three of four from Oregon before the season got shut down. What a drag, man. Coach Trap said, “That Vanderbilt series established a confidence that when we play well, we know we can play with anyone in the country. We had a two-run lead in the 11th inning of the rubber game but couldn’t quite close it out. Our guys were angry about not winning that series.” For 2021 the Rainbows return their entire batting order and fielding unit intact, along with their weekend rotation. The biggest question mark will come from the bullpen, where three of their best relievers were taken by pro ball. The coaching staff points to leadership, maturity and intelligence as the strengths of this club. Hawaii players celebrate with Scotty Scott It all starts with junior shortstop Kole Kaler (.407) and sophomore OF Scotty Scott who are the top returning hitters and an energetic pair of personalities that give this team a jolt of electricity. But a trio of players who have been in the program for five years could be the real key to the season. 3B Dustin Demeter (.236), OF Adam Fogel (.229) and 1B Alex Baeza (.241) didn’t post the best numbers last season but all of them battled through some injury problems that belied their talents. Demeter is a power-packed left-handed bat who can go gap to gap and started last season with a jog-off two-run home run in game one vs. Hawaii-Hilo. He also led the team with 13 walks. Left-fielder Fogel is a former Freshman All American who, like Demeter, missed 2019 due to injury and still wasn’t quite 100% last season. He’s got plus tools across the board and swift feet to run down line-drives in the meadow. Baeza is another left-handed power stick who will hit in the middle of the order and plays a pretty stout first base as well. As mentioned, the entire weekend rotation returns in RHPs Aaron Davenport (4-0, 2.15) and Logan Pouelsen (0-2, 6.48) plus LHP Brandon Ross (1-0, 1.35). Davenport was the Friday starter and is considered a solid draft prospect with a 90-93mph fastball with elite spin rate. Ross is one of the few lefties on the Rainbow roster and can fling it up to 89-to-92 with a lot of movement. He also held opposing hitters to a sickly .133 average. Pouelsen is a fifth-year senior who has yet to tap into his extensive potential. He’s a big-bodied power pitcher who can hit 93-94 on occasion with command of four pitches, but has gone just 6-7, 4.97 over his UofH career. He has also hit .255 with five home runs at the plate over the years. Part of the rebuilt bullpen will feature RHP Cade Halemanu (1-0, 1.35), a solid, low-90s fireballer who the staff thinks really made a big jump in the off-season and is primed for a breakout year. Another arm to watch is Li’l Pontes (1-0, 5.68), who we talked about in last year’s Big West preview as being a possible breakout pitcher and certain All Name Team member. Also, LHP Tai Atkins (0-1, 6.10) had one bad outing a year ago that inflated his numbers a little bit, but he is considered a top 10 round prospect for the 2022 draft. Coach Trapasso also admitted in our Fall Ball feature that had the draft not been cut to just five rounds, he would’ve lost a handful of recruits. Catcher Nainoa Cardinez, 2B Kenji Suzuki, DH Safea Villaruz-Mauai and JC transfer Jacob Hymel (former LSU commit who touches 90-93 on the mound) were all projected to be high-profile studs but instead of riding rickity old busses in the minor leagues this year they chose to spend some time in paradise with attractive coeds and playing some big time baseball. Good choice guys. CAL STATE FULLERTON If you felt a tremor underfoot or had a shudder go through your body or it seems like the Earth was just slightly off its axis, don’t freak out. It was just Cal State Fullerton finishing a baseball season with a losing record. This year? Eesh, who knows. Things could go many different directions, be it a Big West title or a finish in the bottom third of the standings. A lot depends on the amount of inner fight these guys got because all the tools are there. Yes, the 2020 season has a wicked-huge giant asterisk assigned to it. So take that Titan season with a sizable grain of salt. How do I figure things are going to be better for 2021? Because the always brutally-honest Rick Vanderhook told me in the fall that he “really likes this team.” Do you know how often coach Hook says something that? Think the moon turning blue. Cal State Fullerton’s Tanner Bibee (Shotgun Spratling) The optimism for this year is – as always – centered around pitching and defense. The Titans have both qualities in spades. Staff aces Tanner Bibee (1-3, 2.73) and Kyle Luckham (2-0, 2.52) will be two of the better pitchers in the country and give the Fighting Elephants a chance to win every Friday and Saturday. Bibee has been quite a story in the off-season, packing on some muscle and having his fastball tick up to 95 in the fall. This will be his third year of being a Friday starter for Fullerton and he has improved all his arsenal of pitches, including a 78-81 curveball, an 81-84 slider and an 80-83 changeup. And of course, his inner competitive streak is one of his better variables when he’s on the mound. Coach Vanderhook says Luckham has the stuff and mentality to be a Friday night starter in the Big West and had his speedball rising up to 93-94 with good movement this past fall and began to get further command of his changeup as well. Luckham had a 20-to-4 K-to-BB ratio and also was a DH in the batting order a couple times last spring. A pair of pitchers who missed 2020 will return and play big roles this year in LHP Timothy Josten, who was 3-4, 4.14 in 19 appearances in 2019 but also “one of the biggest surprises of the fall,” and RHP Gavin Kennedy, who has had such bad luck he has missed both of the last two seasons. The coaching staff thinks Kennedy could develop into a top five-round draftee for 2022 if he maintains his work ethic and keeps improving. The remainder of the pitching staff features a deep lot of quality arms. Keep an eye on talents like RHP Matthew Sanchez (0-0, 3.52, .079 OBA), LHP Peyton Jones (0-1. 5.50), LHP Titus Groeneweg (0-1, 5.40), RHP Michael Weisberg (0-0, 5.40) and former weekend starter Michael Knorr, who went 3-4, 5.50 in 11 starts in 2019 but had a disastrous 2020 season that he should make amends for this year. Beyond that, one of the more intriguing players to watch this year could be RHP/3B Cameron Repetti, who was 0-0, 3.00, .230 OBA on the mound and hit .231 at the dish. The staff also pointed out the big jump he made this off-season and in the fall. Those arms will be throwing to a trio of hyper-talented catchers who will be hard to keep off the field in 2021. Kameron Guangorena hit just .109 in the shortened season but the coaches glossed on about the marked improvement he showed in the fall and could be a potential All Big West performer behind the dish. But there has been talk of moving Guangorena around to the outfield or DH, not because his catching skills are lacking. No, actually it’s because the emergence of both Austin Schell (.261 in 12 starts) and Cole Urman (DNP) at the backstop position has given the staff confidence in all of their abilities. In the field, shortstop Zach Lew was the only Titan to hit .300-plus last year, topping out at .339. But his glovework in the dirt has been a calming force for the coaching staff. A typical Titan dirty-uniformer he could play three different positions on the diamond and not skip a beat. Oregon State transfer Jake Harvey (.255 at OSU) has been a big hit for this program and should team with Lew to give the Titans that usual rock-solid double-play combo they are used to having. The coaches are waiting for the highly-talented outfield duo of Jackson Lyon (.267) and Jason Brandow (.133) to play up to their potential. Lyon ended up being the best hitter on the team this past fall and the hope is that he can carry that over to the spring season. Brandow is one of those SEC-types body-wise and if he gets it clicking he can be an All Big West performer as well. At DH, Miguel Ortiz was second-best on the team in 2020 with a .281 average and brings another thunderstick to the middle of the order with some gap power. Although the Titans incoming class wasn’t highly decorated, you can’t tell that to Coach Vanderhook and Co. Nathan Nankil is an uber-talent in the outfield at 6’4, 210” and will battle with fleet-o-foot JC transfer Deylan Pigford (Midland TX JC) for the centerfield spot, though both will figure into prominent roles at some point. And had the draft not been shortened to five rounds, the coaches think Brendan Bobo, a big-stick 6’3, 240-pounder who can play third or first, would never have made it to school. In that same vein, strapping 6’6” RHP Christian Rodriguez was one of the best high school pitchers in the country to end up making it onto a college campus. The Rest Of The Pack CAL POLY You gotta love what Larry Lee has done with the Cal Poly baseball program. Since 2012 the Mustangs have averaged 34 wins, which is certainly a level above what that school had produced in the decades prior to that. This year, the program will feature the completed expansion of Baggett Stadium and the addition of the impeccable new Dignity Health Clubhouse down the third base line, which has all the whistles and bells for the players and coaches. Ya’ know, one of those shiny things that attracts recruits and shows you care about the sport at that school. So bully for the ‘Stangs and their future. On the field the Mustangs had a tough 2020, but it also should be noted that their five wins included Ws over defending national champion Vanderbilt, defending national runner-up Michigan, Baylor and UConn. Ain’t now way another five-win program out there has more impressive wins that that, so this points to a better 2021 for the Green and Gold. Though the pitching staff is a bit on the young side, there is plenty of talent to take on Big West bats. Staff ace Taylor Dollard was picked in the fifth round of the MLB draft last June but two other weekend starters return to their post in RHP Drew Thorpe (1-1, 3.21) and LHP Andrew Alvarez (0-1, 3.63). Thorpe doesn’t beat himself, posting a stellar 31-to-7 K-to-BB ratio and Alvarez gave up just five extra base hits in his 22.1 innings of work last spring. They’ll also get back righties Bryan Woo (1-3, 3.57) and Kyle Scott (1-1, 2.08), a pair of 3YR sophomores who made seven appearances last spring. And although he had 0-1, 11.23 numbers last spring, RHP Dylan Villalobos appears to have made a big jump from last March to this preseason and could be a big contributor out of the ‘pen. Keep an eye on Darren Nelson, a strapping 6’8”, 240-pound RHP who was felled by Tommy John surgery last spring. If he can make it back with his mid-90s heat and hulking presence that will be a huge boost to the potency of this team. Again, that is “If.” Cal Poly’s Jack Kuzma, left, and Brooks Lee (Shotgun Spratling) Coach Lee’s own son, Brooks, will be the bellcow for this team in 2021, after sitting out most of 2020 with a back injury. He only got two at-bats last season, but did end up hitting .345 up in the Northwoods League this past summer. The coaching staff projects the star shortstop to be a first round draft pick in June of 2022 so it will be interesting to see how Brooks adjusts to the D1 level with an injury-free season. Elsewhere, stalwarts like catcher Myles Emmerson (.317), OF Cole Cabrera (.274-2-8) and 1B/3B Tate Samuelson (.254, 10RBI) will be the upperclassmen leaders that are part of seven starters returning to the lineup. But keep in mind that the Mustangs hit an anemic .231 as a team last year (again, versus a tough schedule), so their lead-by-example bats will need to hope their hitting is indeed contagious. The newest Mustangs will make up a huge part of this 2021 season, perhaps more than any other group of newbies in all of the Big West. The biggest influx will be three transfers from Boise State, which unfortunately disbanded its program after just bringing it back for the first time since 1980. But the Broncos loss will be the Mustangs gain. OF Reagan Doss hit .333 with two home runs for Boise last spring and could find a home in right field to take advantage of his big-time arm. In contention at the first base position will be BSU transfer Joe Yorke, who hit .275 last spring. Finally, watch for LHP Travis Weston, who spent last spring as Boise’s Friday night starter, going 1-2, 5.06. But this past summer he really blossomed, gaining 43 strikeouts and issuing just five walks in 36 innings in the Northwoods League. True frosh Bryce Warrecker is also worth keeping tabs on. I saw the towering 6’8” RHP play for the Santa Barbara Foresters this past summer against college-aged competition and he more than held his own, going 3-0, 0.36 with 39 Ks in just 26 innings on the mound and also hit .300 as a DH. CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE One of the better feel-good stories of the short 2020 season had to be the fact that CSUN actually raced out to a fairly impressive 10-5 record and looked to be heading back to relevance for the first time in a long time. Of course the architect of that resurgence was Dave Serrano, a veteran of the SoCal coaching circles. Serrano inherited a team that had not experienced a winning season since 2016 and had not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2002. Obviously a trip to the NCAAs didn’t happen for anybody, but the winning mark has lit a fire under the Matadors heading into 2021. Coach Serrano appreciated the “buy-in” his players had to the new staff last season and loved the culture they created and always did things “the right way.” He points to the experience of his team and some of the lead-by-example upperclassmen as a big reason this team will be competitive once again this season, even without the help of a fall practice session. Get this, of the 10 players who made most of the starts in the field, seven of them will be fifth-year seniors. Not lyin’. The feature guy will be centerfielder Denzel Clarke, who hit .400 with three home runs and got plunked six times last season. He is a true five-tool player with 6.5 speed and posted a .530 on-base percentage. He’ll be joined in the outfield by projected leadoff hitter Robert Bullard (.310), who can cover some ground in the grass, and Kai Moody, who only hit .180 last year but is lauded for his tough, gritty play and fought some bumps and bruises last year. CSUN’s Denzel Clarke (Eric Sorenson) The infield is open to some competition before the season begins, but the catcher and second base spots are locked in with the hyper-experienced Sean Skelly (.296) as a block behind the dish and the emerging talent of 2YR frosh Mason Le (.262), who the staff lauds for his high baseball I.Q. and his above-average speed. There are plenty of experienced options for the other infield spots, but look for Carlos Arellano (.298), Jose Ruiz (.260) and Brandon Bohning to figure prominently. Bohning missed the 2020 season but started at second as a freshman and moved over to shortstop as a soph. He flashes a great glove on the diamond but has hit just .248 in his Matador career. The pitch staff is not littered with a ton of mid-90s flamethrowers but they did hold opponents to a .250 average and posted a team ERA of 3.42 last season. That may not be Earth-shattering but consider the corresponding 2019 numbers were .293 and 4.95. The staff ace is certainly an MLB draft prospect in the form of RHP Blake Sodersten, who went 2-1, 4.32 last season and held opponents to a .209 average. The projected top five-round draftee-to-be is a low-90s flinger who shows good command and can drop his slider at 83mph. Needless to say, Friday’s with Sodersten are completely winnable, no matter who they match up with. Sidearmer Blaine Traxel (2-1, 3.58) threw the most innings of any Mats pitcher and relies on his multiple arm slots and deception. RHP Gavin Lizik (1-1, 3.86) came to campus last year and immediately took over a weekend spot in the rotation despite being a rail-thin, yet confident, freshman. His fastball tips into the upper 80s, but that should improve as he packs on some muscle. Also keep an eye on two-way threat Jayson Newman as he is one of the more interesting players to watch for 2021. In 2019 he was hitting .404 through the first 16 games of the season and had also accrued three appearances on the mound, flashing his 93-94mph fireball, before being shelved by an arm injury. Last year he hit .333 and made three appearances on the mound. A couple newbies will make a big impact in the bullpen in the form of JC transfer LHP Justin Henry (81 Ks in 60 innings at Fresno City College) and true frosh RHP Hayden Cody, a well-put together 6’2, 195-pound flinger who could take over the fourth starter role on the bump. UC SAN DIEGO Let’s lay out the welcome mat for one of the two new members of the Big West Conference in UC San Diego. The Tritons (cool nickname, right?) will be an interesting team to watch, since they were one of the traditional powers at the D2 level and now we’ll get to see how they size up to D1 competition. They ended 2020 with a 17-4 mark in D2 play and ranked as the No. 1 team in the country by Collegiate Baseball when the season ended. And it wasn’t just last year. Under the direction of head coach Eric Newman, the Tritons had reached the D2 NCAA Tournament five times and advanced to the eight team D2 College World Series three times. This is NOT a program that will struggle for years at the D1 level waiting to get its sea legs. (And yes, that pun was intended). Sure they played at a lower level but UCSD was dominant in their 21 games of 2020. The Tritons hit .306 as a team and had an ERA of 2.86. Seven players hit .303-plus last year and six of them are back, led by SS Ryan McNally (.407, .541 OB%, slick-fielding glove) and OF Anthony Lucchetti (.400, 13 BBs, 3 HBPs, .506 OB%). McNally’s double-play combo mate will once again be 2B Michael Fuhrman, who hit .345 and was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases and 3B Everett Lau, who was merely seventh on the team in hitting last year but still posted a solid .303 average. They’ll throw to 1B Blake Baumgartner, who is the kind of player a coach loves having on the team. Baumgartner hit .343 with three home runs and 15 RBI, but also led the team with 21 walks a year ago. He has been in the program for five years now and is a team captain. A couple of four-year transfers will give the Tritons a real boost this season. Joining Baumgartner in the middle of the order will be Arizona transfer Tate Soderstrom, a strapping lefty who has “light tower power” according to the coaching staff and is slated to man the right field meadow. Also, the squad got a real boost when the well-traveled Paul Gozzo enrolled and looks to be the starting catcher for 2021. Gozzo began his career at Tulane, hitting .242 as a freshman starter. He then went to UConn for two years, hitting .282 in 2019 and was voted a team captain for the shortened 2020 season. He also spent the summer of 2019 playing in the Cape Cod League, so his talent potential is high. How good is this offense? Consider that Devon Hawks led the team with 21 RBI last year but in our preseason questionnaire, he wasn’t even listed as a starter. To be fair, he’ll still get plenty of playing time in 2021. Also watch for CF Brandon Stewart, who hit just .275 a year ago but his speed is legit, posting a perfect 14-for-14 in stolen bases last year. The entire pitching staff from a year ago comes back to campus and coach Newman says that the depth of the mound corps will be the strength of the team. The expected rotation of RHPs Cameron Leonard (3-0, 2.30), Brandon Weed (4-0, 2.17) and Noah Conlon (0-1, 3.00) can all fling it into the low-90s and feature a three-pitch mix with command. LHP Chris Gilmartin (3-0, 4.70) was the third weekend starter last year and should figure into the rotation or mid-week at the least this time around. He is also one of the few left-handed pitchers on the staff. The bullpen was pretty stout a year ago and will be a difference-maker for this team. RHPs Luke Mattson and Michael Mitchell are flashy relievers who can hit the low-90s and mid-90s respectively. Mattson (4-0, 0.78) is a fifth-year senior and this will be his third season in the program from the JC ranks. Mitchell had an impressive 2020, making seven appearances, earning four saves without issuing a single walk and striking out 15 batters in 12 innings. So it goes without saying that the Tritons have the potential to compete in the Big West right away, no doubt. UC DAVIS Another program that really hated to see the 2020 season come to an abrupt end was UC Davis. The Aggies finished with a 9-7 record, which is nearly half the victory totals that they had in both 2018 and 2019. It also marked the first winning season for the Ags since 2015. Coach Matt Vaughn is a UCD “lifer” being a former player and longtime assistant before becoming head coach at his alma mater in 2012. He thinks this year’s pitching staff could be one of the best he’s had with the heavy amount of experience coming back. As a unit they held opposing bats to a .242 average, but they definitely need to cut down on the free passes, notching a Big West high 76 base on balls through the 16 games. The three most-used pitchers on the staff from last year are expected to be the weekend rotation of RHPs Brett Erwin (2-0, 2.14), Nate Freeman (0-2, 3.66) and Jake Spillane (2-2, 3.81), who all posted pretty good numbers. Relievers Nick Johnson (1-0, 0.73, 2 saves, .146 OBA) and Steven Ouellette (did not pitch in 2020, but went 2-3, 2.79 in 22 appearances in 2019) are both solid lock-down bullpenners to lead the relief corps. Believe it or not the Aggies had the best offense in the Big West last season, hitting .289 as a unit. They’ll have to carry on without shortstop Tanner Murray, who was taken in the fourth round of the shortened MLB draft last June. But returning 1B Spencer Gedestad led the Big West in hitting with a .417 average and 2B Jalen Smith (.290) is expected to be a possible top 10 round draftee this coming summer, giving them a pair of talented bats to build around. Also coming back to the order will be senior power-bat Alejandro Lara, who hit .283 and tied for the team lead in RBI (9) and walks (10). Also, Michael Campagna is a talent to watch, having hit .367 and tying for the team-high in RBI (9), despite starting just seven games as a true freshman. UC RIVERSIDE Strange times have come to UC Riverside. Prior to last year the Highlanders have not had a winning record since 2013, and not since 2010 in Big West play. Then, in November, out of the blue, head coach and famous UCR alum Troy Percival resigned in order to help his son Cole with his big league dreams in the Dodgers organization. Now, associate head coach Justin Johnson will take over in the interim. Again, it is worth pointing out that the Blue & Gold did have a winning mark in the shortened season. And on top of that many of the culprits return to the fore this year, buoying hopes for continued success. Though they’ll move on without Cole Percival as their Friday horse, coach Johnson says this year’s squad will have the most depth of any Highlander team in the last six years. The pitching staff will be a strength, after allowing opponents to hit .322 off them in 2019, they held opposing bats to a .235 batting average last year. This time around they will be led by new ace Zach Jacobs (2-2 2.57), who threw a complete-game two-hitter to beat LMU last spring. Abbott Haffar (0-1, 6.48) didn’t have great numbers last year but did post 4-3, 4.35 numbers in the 2019 full season so he’s got potential for much better. The Highlanders do have the luxury of a deep bullpen headed up by RHPs Riley Ohl (0-1, 2.89) and Andre Granillo (2-1, 2.84, 3 saves), a pair of low-90s hurlers who are strike throwers and fearless. Centerfielder Travis Bohall (.344) led the Big West in stolen bases last season, going 7-for-9, and will be joined by DH/C Jacob Shanks (.324) who is a premier athlete, power-shot OF Cole Pofek (.258, 3 HRs) and two-way talent Nate Webb (.260), who will play third base and has 90-plus power on the mound in relief. Incoming true frosh SS Anthony Mata could be a Freshman of the Year candidate in the Big West with his rangy 6’2, 170-pound frame. Keep an eye on freshman catcher Mason Grace, who is also in the 6’2, 170-pound range but possesses a strong arm and could make a big impact right out of the gate, especially if he packs on some muscle. CSU BAKERSFIELD The other newbie to the Big West will be CSU Bakersfield, who move over to the BWC after being a member of the WAC for the past eight years. The program has only been in existence since 2009 (thank you Coach Bill Kernen) but the Roadrunners have already produced 20 MLB draft picks. Last year, they got out to a pretty good 4-3 start which included series wins over Washington State and San Francisco, before tanking in six of their final seven games. Coach Jeremy Beard likes the looks of this year’s ‘Runners, especially the depth and quality of his mound corps, which will be the strength of this team. For all intents and purposes the Runners mostly used seven pitchers last season and all seven of them return, led by weekend starters Ethan Skuija (2-1, 3.20) Davonte Butler (2-2. 4.12) and Aaron Charles (0-1, 4.50), all right-handers. Skuija is hard-throwing big body who has the potential to be a top 15-round draft pick this coming June and had a banner year in the Expedition League last summer. Butler is one of those “keep ‘em off-balance” types with a great changeup and pitch mix. The four other most-used arms are bullpen mates RHP Noah Cordova (0-0, 2.08, 2 saves, .103 OBA), LHP Kellen O’Connor (1-1, 2.53), RHP Jaykob Acosta (0-2, 3.46) and RHP Roman Angelo (0-2, 5.91, .238 OBA). Oh, and another very big acquisition during the offseason came in the form of Missouri transfer RHP Arthur Joven, a former Boston Red Sox draftee who went 3-1, 4.33 in 43.2 innings for the Tigers back in 2019. Joven is pegged for a weekend starting role for Bakersfield and if he cuts down on the walks, he’ll be a big hit in his old hometown. CSUB hit just .239 as a team last season but three of the returnees to the batting order hit .300-plus, so there is some ability there. 2B Daniel Carrizosa (.343) is a standout glove in the field and has gap-to-gap power at the dish. 1B Tyler Jorgensen (.315) was an All-WAC selection in both 2019 and 2020 and can also play third as well. Right fielder Nick Grossman is another 5Yr Senior who hit .304 last season, while leading the team in walks with nine. Beyond those three, centerfielder Jacen Roberson only hit .233 last year but is a true five-tool talent who has battled injuries in the last two seasons. He also spent the 2019 summer playing in the Cape Cod League. If he can stay out of the M*A*S*H unit and play up to his potential it could be a real difference-maker for this program. Finally, be on the watch for freshman infielder Jashia Morrissey, who was the sixth-rated shortstop in the state of California his senior year of high school. He sat out 2020 due to injury but will man the hot corner this season.
2021 Conference USA Preview: Southern Miss Remains Team To Beat SEASON PREVIEW Walter Villa - February 3, 2021 The Conference USA race should be as competitive as ever, with perennial power Southern Miss leading the way thanks to a loaded weekend rotation. Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion should remain right in the thick of the race as usual, while Charlotte and Florida International appear to be programs on the rise. Like many leagues, C-USA adjusted its schedule due to the pandemic. Instead of playing three-game series over 10 conference weekends, C-USA teams will play four-game series over eight weekends, with nine-inning games on Friday and Sunday sandwiched around a seven-inning doubleheader on Saturday. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish Team 2020 Record Southern Miss 12-4 Florida Atlantic 10-6 Louisiana Tech 11-6 Charlotte 9-8 Florida International 10-5 Old Dominion 12-4 Rice 2-14 Western Kentucky 10-6 UTSA 10-7 Middle Tennessee 7-10 UAB 7-9 Marshall 5-10-1 Projected Regional Teams (2): Southern Miss, Florida Atlantic Player of the Year: Parker Bates, CF, Louisiana Tech Pitcher of the Year: Gabe Shepard, RHP, Southern Miss Freshman of the Year: Slade Wilks, RF, Southern Miss Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Bryce McGowan RHP Charlotte 2 Christian Lothes LHP Charlotte 3 Tyler Myrick RHP FIU 4 Gabe Sheppard RHP Southern Miss 5 Alec Sanchez CF FIU 6 Dylan Rock CF UTSA 7 Jermaine Vanheyningen RHP FIU 8 Andy Garriola OF Old Dominon 9 Roel Garcia RHP Rice 10 Brady Choban RHP Marshall 11 Nick Toney C FAU 12 Andrew Lindsey RHP Charlotte 13 Austin Marozas RHP Charlotte 14 Arturo Guajardo RHP UTSA 15 Tommy Bell SS Old Dominion 16 BJ Murray 3B FAU 17 Jess Davis OF UAB 18 Parker Bates OF Louisiana Tech 19 Hunter Stanley RHP Southern Miss 20 David McCabe 3B/1B Charlotte 21 Justin Collins C Rice 22 Casey Bargo RHP Charlotte 23 Javi Rivera RHP FAU 24 Ryan Och LHP Southern Miss 25 Bobby Morgensen OF Florida Atlantic 26 Jacob Kates RHP Western Kentucky 27 Dillon Phillips RHP Charlotte 28 Blake Brogdon RHP Rice 29 Brock Helverson RHP Florida Atlantic 30 Riley Davis RHP UAB TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Slade Wilks* OF Southern Miss 2 Connor Walsh CF Rice 3 Noah Dean LHP Old Dominion 4 Dominic Pilolli OF Charlotte 5 Geo Rivera RHP Old Dominion 6 Ben Ethridge RHP Southern Miss IMPACT FIRST-YEAR FRESHMEN 1 Slade Wilks OF Southern Miss 2 Steven Ondina SS FIU 3 Nolan Schanuel INF FAU 4 Guy Garibay OF Rice 5 Michael Latulas 1B/OF Southern Miss 6 Caleb Pendleton C FAU 7 Dante Girardi SS FIU 8 Gino Groover INF Charlotte 9 Ryan Ward RHP UTSA 10 Mario Zabala OF FIU 11 Carson Paetow OF Southern Miss 12 Jake Cunningham OF Charlotte 13 Zac Addkison RHP Marshall 14 Kenny Levari INF/RHP Old Dominion 15 Carson Knight LHP UAB 16 Ryan Leitch C Marshall 17 Jack Julian RHP MTSU 18 Hursten Waldrep RHP Southern Miss 19 Jack Julian RHP Middle Tennessee 20 Spencer Giesting LHP Charlotte Projected Regional Teams SOUTHERN MISS The Golden Eagles are so deep in arms that two of their starters – Gabe Shepard and Walker Powell — were named by rival coaches as preseason Pitcher of the Year. And the irony is that neither is listed by Southern Miss coach Scott Berry as the team’s No. 1 starter. For now, Hunter Stanley (1-0, 1.42) sits atop the rotation because of his stuff (92-95) and command (22 strikeouts, 1 walk in 12.2 innings as last year’s closer). For his career, he is 7-2, 2.68 with seven saves. Shepard (0-1, 3.97) has the most electric stuff on the staff (94-97), and only the shortened draft kept him with the Eagles one more year. Powell looks the part at 6-foot-8, and he has been a rotation workhorse for four years, but he was on his way to his best season yet in the shortened 2020 campaign (3-0, 1.24). He fills up the zone and gives hitters fits with his trademark cutter at 88-91. The fourth starter is lefty Chandler Best, who had the best fall of anyone on the team. A 5-foot-11 southpaw with an over-the-top delivery, Best attacks at 88-91 mph with a big downer curve at 73-75 and a promising 82-83 changeup. Closer Ryan Och, another lefty, appears to be back to his pre-injury 2019 form, having shown an 88-90 mph fastball from a funky three-quarters arm action along with a good slider/cutter this fall. Ben Etheridge (3-0, 2.29) could help in the bullpen or slide into the rotation as needed. He works at 90-92 and can throw three pitches for strikes. Southern Miss pitchers led Conference USA in most strikeouts and fewest walks last year, and this 2021 staff should be even better. Newcomers Hursten Waldrep, Tanner Hall and Justin Storm add quality depth to the mix. But for the Eagles, who are searching for their fifth straight NCAA regional appearance, the key will be an offense led by sluggers such as first baseman Chris Sargent, DH Charlie Fischer and right fielder Slade Wilks. Sargent, a junior-college transfer, led the team in batting average and homers this fall. He’s a plus defender with middle-order power. Fischer went .322/.400/.542 last year but was banged up in the fall. The Eagles hope to get him back soon because he and Wilks – a true freshman – both have plus-plus power. Wilks is a very physical 6-foot-2, 220-pound lefthanded hitter who also shows good pitch recognition, excellent rhythm at the plate and lightning in his hands. Left fielder Gabe Montenegro is the leadoff batter. A stocky 5-foot-8 fireball with a line-drive stroke from the left side, Montenegro has hit .290 or better in each of the last three seasons, highlighted by a .342/.455/.494 slash line in 2019. The rest of the Eagles lineup contributes in a variety of ways, especially defensively, and that’s especially true of speedy center fielder Reed Trimble. The other starters are shortstop Dustin Dickerson, second baseman Will McGillis, third baseman Danny Lynch and catcher Blake Johnson. Dickerson is an obvious breakout candidate in his second year at Southern Miss. The son of Padres infield and bench coach Bobby Dickerson, Dustin is an instinctive, fundamentally sound playmaker with a good internal clock on defense as well as solid range, actions and arm strength. He’s also a good athlete with a wiry-strong frame, and in the last year he’s refined his offensive approach, focusing on putting together quality at-bats and barrel skill instead of selling out for power. FLORIDA ATLANTIC The Owls have one of the most solid and stable mid-major programs in the nation. John McCormack, who has been at FAU since 1991 as an assistant and since 2009 as the head coach, has led the Owls to an NCAA regional in five of the past seven completed seasons. This year, the Owls are very experienced – 24 returners plus eight transfers. But there’s some impressive young blood also as first baseman Nolan Schanuel, a lefty hitter with a smart and yet. simple approach at the plate, could challenge for Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors. “Nolan understands pitchers and takes what is given,” McCormack said of Schanuel, a former outfielder. “He can really hit, and he transitioned nicely to first base in the fall. He’s the most impressive freshman hitter we’ve had in 20 years.” The Owls are loaded with lefty hitters as the starting lineup includes six of them, including right fielder Bobby Morgensen, FAU’s best overall player. The other lefty-hitting starters are DH Jared DeSantolo, a Cape Cod League All-Star in 2019; center fielder Jackson Wenstrom, a physical beast at age 25 after having spent three years in the Army; left fielder Mitch Hartigan, who doubles as the closer; and shortstop Wilfredo Alvarez, a 6.5 runner who leads off after producing a ton of walkls and a .463 on-base percentage in the short 2020 season. The righty hitters are catcher Nicholas Toney, who will bat cleanup behind Morgensen; and second baseman Cade Parker, a first-year starter. Third baseman BJ Murray is a switch-hitter with power from both sides and untapped potential. It’s a daunting lineup, with Toney and DeSantolo the two offensive captains, and Murray, Alvarez and Wenstrom battling to be the best athlete. Wenstrom, a 6-3, 235-pounder, plays tight end on the FAU football team. Hartigan, who had two saves and a 1.25 ERA in three games last season, heads a bullpen that also includes Mike Entenza and his nast slider. Entenza went 3-0, 0.55 in 2020. The rotation is excellent, one through four, and sets up with Jacob Josey and Javi Rivera as well as lefties Matt Sparling and Hunter Cooley. Josey, a former shortstop, has hit 93 and has a plus slider. Rivera has hit 97 mph but needs to throw more strikes. Sparling had a great fall with his electric stuff, and he finally appears healthy. Cooley throws from different angles, competes well and gets outs without breaking speed guns. West Virginia transfer Brock Halverson is the wild card. He has bumped 95 and has what McCormack calls “a big league slider”, and he comes at hitters with a low three-quarters arm angle. Keep An Eye On LOUISIANA TECH In 2020, the Bulldogs ranked first in the league — by a landslide – in ERA (3.03). Offensively, they also ranked first in runs scored and homers. Louisiana Tech went 11-6 last season, including 5-0 at home, and Coach Lane Burroughs deserves credit for what the Bulldogs have accomplished in his four years in Ruston. In his first three seasons – pre-pandemic – he led the Bulldogs to records of 36-20, 39-20 and 34-24. The Bulldogs’ 109 wins during that span are a record for a Tech coach in his first three seasons. Burrough’s Bulldogs also set a program record in 2018 with 21 Conference USA wins. This season, the Bulldogs return their entire starting lineup from 2020, including three of Conference USA’s top five hitters: center fielder Parker Bates (.422), right fielder Steele Netterville (.407) and shortstop Alex Ray (.380). The Bulldogs also had the league’s top three home run hitters: Bates (eight), Netterville (six) and second baseman Taylor Young (five). Young, who also ranked second in the league with 21 runs scored, is Tech’s leadoff man. He went .309/.420/.588 last year. Two more hitters of note are Jorge Corona and Kyle Crigger. Corona had an .868 OPS last year as a true freshman starting catcher. Crigger, who went 1-1, 1.59 in four games as a reliever last year, is one of the better stories in the country. After being sidelined by elbow surgery, he returned this fall as a hitter, earning a starting job as the DH. “He was an elite bullpen arm for us, but he cannot pitch for the foreseeable future,” Burroughs said. “But that didn’t slow him down. He proved to be one of our most consistent hitters this past fall. He got on base regularly, and he hit for extra bases.” Tech’s weekend rotation is stellar: lefty Jonathan Fincher (2-2, 2.66), Tyler Follis (0-0, 3.79) and Jarret Whorff (3-0, 3.47). Batters hit just .174 against Fincher. The bullpen is also in good hands with Beau Billings (0-0, 1.17) and Kyle Griffen (1-1, 3.10). Each of them had one save last year, and Griffen had 19 strikeouts and just three walks. CHARLOTTE Coach Robert Woodard has brought in an incredible number of new players – 27 of them to go with 19 returners – and the strength of the team is its starting rotation and pitching depth. Woodard, the 36-year-old former North Carolina Tar Heel pitcher (he went 34-5 as a three-time All-ACC performer) is set to begin his second season with the 49ers. He has embraced cutting-edge technological and analytical innovations to create a unique identity for his rising program, and the 49ers saw incredible velocity gains throughout their pitching staff over the last year. Last year’s 9-8 season – interrupted by the pandemic – revealed an issue at catcher as the 49ers allowed the most stolen bases in Conference USA. Woodard said junior-college transfer Aaron McKeithan showed this past fall than he can be the solution, throwing out more than 40 percent of attempted basestealers. The former Tulane recruit will also bat in the middle of Charlotte’s lineup along with third baseman David McCabe and first baseman Will Butcher. McCabe, a 6-4, 240-pound native of Canada, has a plus arm, elite plate discipline and emerging power. Butcher, an NC State transfer, has plus bat speed and has improved his defense at first base. Charlotte will look for additional power from right fielder Craig Keuchel, who is the team’s strongest player in the weight room and also has a big arm, and DH candidates Rafi Vazquez and Gino Groover (a highly regarded freshman who turned down $600,000 overtures to attend Charlotte out of high school). Left fielder Dominic Pilolli will bat leadoff after leading the league with 27 hits last year. He is Charlotte’s best overall player and a 2022 draft prospect. Center fielder Parker Stinnett, second baseman Austin Knight and shortstop Jack Dragum all provide good defense. Knight is a Tennessee transfer, Stinnett is a plus runner, and Dragum is a plus defender with a strong arm. The pitching staff can be really good if it throws enough strikes, because there’s plenty of stuff here. One key is whether Sam Grace (1-1, 2.35) can establish himself as the closer. He was up to 95 this past fall, six months removed from knee surgery. He also features a good splitter at 83-84 and a quality three-quarters breaking ball at 77-78. Bryce McGowan, Christian Lothes, Andrew Lindsey and Austin Marozas make up what has a chance to be a stellar rotation. Woodard believes all four of them can be drafted in the top 10 rounds this June. All four of those starters have hit 95 mph, with McGowan flashing elite heat at 97 with a high spin rate. McGowan repeats a clean, simple arm action and shows the makings of three quality offspeed pitches. His slider has gotten much firmer and now flashes plus at 85-88 with late bite, and he’s added a promising power curveball at 81-82 to his arsenal. McGowan also has a much-improved changeup. The whole package makes him a potential top-three-rounds pick, and Lothes, a lefty who has reached 96, may get selected in the first three to five rounds. Lindsey and Marozas, the top two arms among the raft of impact juco transfers Charlotte brought in last fall, are both big, physical righties who can run their heaters up to 95 mph. Lindsey also showed the ability to throw strikes with three secondary pitches, while Marozas features a plus changeup and a developing slider. Charlotte, which had the second-worst ERA in the league last year at 6.54, sent 18 of its pitchers to train over the summer at P3 in St. Louis, and the 49ers formed a partnership with P3 that continues after players return to campus and all year long. P3 is one of the premier pitching facilities in the nation, and it will be interesting to track Charlotte’s mound improvement. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL The Panthers, 10-5 last season, lost Friday starter Logan Allen to the draft (Indians, second round). Catcher Jose Garcia, who ranks 13th in program history with 25 career homers, signed as an undrafted free agent. But even with those losses, FIU coach Mervyl Melendez is highly optimistic about the 2021 season, predicting his Panthers have a shot to make a run at the Conference USA title. The reason for Melendez’s optimism starts with old-school fundamentals: defense and pitching. Melendez believes his defense up the middle can rank with any program in the nation. FIU’s pitching staff is led by Tyler Myrick, whose fastball sat at 94 and touched 97 during a dominant fall. Lefty Garrett Rukes, a graduate transfer from Alabama, has the best curve on the staff, and he’s nailed down the No. 2 spot in the rotation. He had a 2.64 ERA in 30.2 innings in 2019 and a 0.00 ERA in 10 innings last year. Angel Tiburcio and Christian Santana round out the rotation, and Steven Casey and Jermaine Vanheyningen are the top two contenders to close out games. Casey (3-0, 3.38 last year) has the best changeup on the staff. Vanheyningen has the best fastball, sitting at 96-98 and reaching 102. “He’s going to be a beast, but he’s a work in progress,” Melendez said of Vanheyningen. “He’s never had a pithing coach before.” The starting lineup features three freshmen: shortstop Steven Ondina, a slick fielder who will bat leadoff; first baseman Adrian Figueroa, a lefty hitter with great size at 6-6 and 225 pounds; and third baseman Dante Girardi, the son of Phillies manager Joe Girardi. FIU’s middle of the batting order includes center fielder Alex Sanchez (.759 OPS last year, 4-for-4 on steals) and catcher Ben Rozenblum (.806 OPS). Rozenblum does an excellent job calling pitches and providing energy from behind the plate. Other hitters to watch include right fielder Justin Farmer (.375, 13 RBIs in 15 games), switch-hitting left fielder Juan Teixeira (fourth in the nation with a .482 batting average); and switch-hitting second baseman Derek Cartaya (.367). Cartaya (knee) and Sanchez (hand) missed most of the fall. OLD DOMINION The Monarchs, 12-4 last season, were second in the league in runs scored and fourth in ERA (4.59). ODU pitchers were also second in strikeouts. ODU features Hunter Gregory (2-0, 1.69) and Ryne Moore (2-1, 1.93) at the top of its rotation. Gregory’s three-pitch mix includes a fastball in the low or mid-90s. Polished lefty Jacob Gomez, a true freshman, fills out the weekend rotation, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the step up in competition. Aaron Holiday (1-0, 2.45) is the closer due to his mid-90s fastball, and lefty Noah Dean (1-0, 0.00) is the set-up man largely because of his wipeout breaking ball. The batting order is balanced with four lefty hitters and four from the right side and also switch-hitting shortstop Tommy Bell. DH/outfielder Kyle Battle, who hit .367 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 16 games last season, is a potent leadoff man. He had a 1.154 OPS in the shortened season. The middle of the lineup will feature right fielder Andy Garriola, first baseman Matt Coutney and second baseman Chris Dengler. Garriola redshirted last year but was a freshman All American in 2019, hitting .328 with 10 homers and 62 RBIs. The 62 RBIs are a school record for a freshman, and his power to all fields is special, according to coach Chris Finwood. Dengler hit .340 last season as a true freshman. Coutney has good plate discipline and a knack for hitting the ball hard the other and for getting knocks with runners in scoring position. True freshman third baseman Kenny Levari and junior-college transfer Thomas Wheeler in left field are two newcomer starters. The coaches are really excited about Levari, a lefty hitter who doubles as a righthanded pitcher with a low or mid-90s fastball. He could be a dynamite two-way player. The Rest Of The Pack RICE Matt Bragga, 28-47 in his two years at Rice, including 2-14 last season, has added some new talent for 2021, including Guy Garibay, Will Karp, Hal Hughes and Mitchell Holcolmb. Garibay, a true freshman who hits from the left side, is set to start in right field and bat cleanup. The Owls describe Garibay as “an absolute stud who can flat-out hit.” He also showed more power in the fall than the coaches expected to see at this early stage of his development. “He’s an absolute stud who can flat-out hit,” Bragga raved about Garibay. “He showed more power in the fall than we were expecting this early.” Karp, a graduate transfer from Division III Haverford College, was his league’s Gold Glove winner in 2019 and hit .489 with 13 doubles and 19 RBIs in 12 games last year. He is a switch-hitter who will be Rice’s leadoff man. Hughes started 109 games for LSU the past three years. He was also LSU’s 2020 Opening Day starter at shortstop, which is where he will play for Rice, giving the Owls excellent defense at the position. Holcomb is an Ivy League veteran, making 31 appearances for Penn, including 28 starts. He has a 4.08 career ERA, and he struck out 12 Yale batters during a 2018 start, went a league-best 6-1 in 2019 and tossed eight shutout innings against FIU last year. Roel Garcia, who pitched just once for Rice last season before needing elboy surgery, sits atop the Owls rotation. He is followed by Blake Brogdon and Holcomb. The bullpen is less certain. Alex DeLeon, who pitched on Fridays last year, will get first crack at the closer job after struggling as a starter last season (1-3, 8.69). Lefty Brandon Deskins, the surprise pitcher of the fall, will also be in the mix. Offensively, another player to watch is Braden Comeaux, Rice’s three-hole hitter. He had a .939 OPS last season Catcher Justin Collins has the tools to be drafted in the top 10 rounds this year, and the same can be said for toolsy center fielder Connor Walsh in 2022. Left fielder Cade Edwards and DH Austin Bulman have top-of-the-order potential, although Bulman missed the fall due to a hand injury. WESTERN KENTUCKY John Pawlowski begins his sixth season with the Hilltoppers, who led the league in doubles last year while ranking third in runs scored. DH Davis Sims (.910 OPS) is one of the team’s most dangerous hitters, a list that also includes left fielder Jackson Swiney, center fielder Ray Zuberer, right fielder Jackson Gray, catcher Matt Phipps, first baseman Richard Constantine and second baseman Jack Wilson. Zuberer (.958 OPS) is the leadoff batter because of his professional type at-bats. Swiney (.333/.522/.667) is the team’s best overall hitter. Defensively, shortstop Kevin Lambert just may be the best in the league, and third baseman Eric Riffe – a fourth-year starter – is also a plus defender. The WKU starting lineup is balanced with four lefty hitters and five from the right side, and that group supports a pitching staff that is led by closer Jacob Kates (2-0, 1.04). Kates is WKU’s best draft prospect – potentially a pick from rounds 11 to 20 in June – and Pawlowski believes he is one of the top five or 10 pitchers in the league. What makes Kates so good is his deception and his ability to throw a plus curve and a plus changeup in any count. Bailey Sutton is also getting pro interest. He led the team with six wins in 2019, striking out 54 in 42.1 innings. His fastball, which has touched 95, will be useful in a set-up role. The starting rotation features Michael Darrell-Hicks, Sean Bergeron, Ryan O’Connell and Colby Taylor. Bergeron (2-0, 2.59) had the best 2020 season among that group, although Taylor missed the year due to injury. UTSA On Jan. 21, Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark named Zach Butler as his new pitching coach. Butler, who spent the past eight years as the pitching coach at Nicholls, inherits a staff that last year ranked third in the league in ERA (4.25). Probably the biggest surprise of the fall was righthander Luke Malone, who started his career at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Malone can throw his changeup effectively on any count, and he is penciled in as UTSA’s third starter. Shane Daugherty (3-1, 3.92) is the Friday starter and is UTSA’s top returning pitcher overall. Hunter Mason (0-2, 4.32) is the other member of the weekend rotation. The UTSA bullpen, led by Arturo Guajardo, is more uncertain. Guajardo, for example, did not pitch last season. Offensively, true freshman Austin Ochoa has earned the first crack at the job at third base. Sean Arnold, a transfer from Incarnate Word, has won the job in right field. Griffin Paxton, a lefty-hitting first baseman, will bat leadoff after producing .327/.400/.385 last season. Center fielder Dylan Rock, UTSA’s best pro prospect among position players, is the three-hole hitter. He hit .365/.449/.508 last year. Left fielder Ian Bailey, a transfer from Grambling State, will bat cleanup. The native Texan has returned home to test himself on the Conference USA level. MIDDLE TENNESSEE The Blue Raiders finished bottom-three in the league in most errors and fewest runs, which explains their 7-10 record, including a pair of one-run losses. Jim Toman, entering his third season as Blue Raiders coach, believes this can be a breakthrough year because of a group of what he calls “hard-nosed grinders.” Shortstop Fausto Lopez, undersized at 5-8, is one of those grinders. He will bat leadoff after a strong debut last year, batting .328 with seven steals and just one error in 17 starts. Center fielder Nathan Sanders, a lefty hitter, went .323/.371/.477 in 17 starts and will bat third in the order. First baseman DJ Wright (.845 OPS) bats cleanup. He has power potential based on the 21 homers and 95 RBIs he produced in two junior-college seasons. Catcher Mason Speirs should also bat in the lineup middle. He hit .290/.353/.484 last season. Lopez, Speirs and projected Friday starter Aaron Brown (1-3, 3.63) are the team’s leaders. Lefty Peyton Wigginton (1-1, 3.58) and Zach Keenan (2-1, 3.06) are the other parts of the weekend rotation. Lefty David Zoz (7.04 ERA) sets up as the closer after not being particularly hard to hit in two years with the Raiders (.258 and .281 batting averages). UAB Brian Shoop, who had won more than 1,000 games in 39 years, including 14 at UAB, retired in May. Perry Roth was promoted from assistant to interim head coach. Roth will have to find a new closer with the departure of Mac McCarty, who was impenetrable last year (0.00 ERA, 16 strikeouts in 16 innings). McCarty allowed just two walks and three hits last season, covering 10 appearances. Lefty Austin Bohannon (2.66 ERA), UAB’s top starter last year, is moving to the back of the bullpen to try to fill the void left by McCarty. Tanner Rusk (4.02 ERA), also a starter last year, is the new projected closer. That means that only one member of the 2020 rotation, Tyler O’Clair (1-1, 5.21) will return in his same role. Riley Davis (6.92 ERA in two starts) now moves up to Friday starter. Evan Ingram, a graduate transfer from Division III Hendrix College, and true freshman lefty Carson Knight fill out the rotation. As for the hitters, UAB’s starting lineup includes two sets of brothers: catcher John Paul Fullerton, third baseman Pate Fullerton, center fielder Jess Davis and left fielder Zack Davis. John Paul and Zack – who are the older brothers – are UAB’s 3-4 hitters. Jess, who has elite speed, is UAB’s leadoff hitter. All four of them are lefty hitters. In fact the entire starting lineup tilts to the left, including second baseman Chandler Simpson, left fielder Colton Schultz and DH Thomas Johns. Shortstop John Marc Mullins is a switch-hitter, leaving first baseman Ian Ladner as the only righty bat. MARSHALL The Thundering Herd, 5-10-1 last season, finished next-to-last in the league in runs scored. Coach Jeff Waggoner, entering his 15th season at Marshall, has added a pair of new starters from the junior-college ranks: Cyrus Grimes in right field and second baseman Travis Sankovich. Both of them are lefty hitters. Grimes has the best arm in the program and the potential for significant power, but he missed most of the fall due to COVID-19. Sankovich makes consistent contact into the gaps and has shown a plus arm and smooth hands on defense. As for the returners, Geordan Blanton will again hit leadoff after scoring a team-high 14 runs in 16 games last year. He also hit two homers, including Marshall’s first grand slam since 2016. First baseman Zach Inskeep and third baseman Peter Hutzal are set to be the 3-4 hitters. They tied for a team-best.328 batting average last season. Left fielder Jordan Billups and center fielder Luke Edwards are two more hitters to watch. Billups led the team with five doubles and has home run potential. Edwards, who led the team with 13 RBIs, is also a plus defender with 6.4 speed. Marshall ranked eighth in the league with a 5.18 ERA, but the bullpen figures to be the Herd’s strength in 2021. That starts with closer Nick Jodway (0-0, 1.50), who throws 92-97 with a plus slider and a sinker he developed in the fall. The depth of the bullpen is also impressive, and that starts with set-up man Michael Guerrero, who has swing/miss stuff with his slider and changeup. Brady Choban, Ryan Capuano, Ray Pacella and true freshman Addkison comprise the rotation. Choban (followed by Jodway) is the best pro prospect on the team, possessing swing/miss stuff with an easy four-pitch mix.
2021 Missouri Valley Preview: The Patriot Way SEASON PREVIEW Patrick Ebert - February 4, 2021 Three teams from the Missouri Valley Conference made the NCAA Tournament in 2019: Dallas Baptist, Illinois State and Indiana State. Those three squads were ranked 26th, 24th and 23rd, respectively, in RPI, which gave the MVC the sixth-best conference RPI, more than proving its national status as a multi-bid league. But this year, we anticipate more at-large spots than usual will be gobbled up by the more-loaded-than-ever SEC and ACC, potentially leaving the MVC with just one regional team for the first time since 2016. But expect the top three or four Valley teams to be very competitive for at-large spots, and multiple bids still feel very attainable. In 2021, the MVC will have a mostly normal schedule, as the teams will play nonconference series early in the season and a small handful of midweek contests throughout. Once the conference slate begins in early April, teams will play each of their seven in-conference opponents once in four-game weekend series, with doubleheaders being played on Saturdays. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish Team 2020 Record Dallas Baptist 12-4 Illinois State 7-9 Indiana State 8-6 Missouri State 9-8 Bradley 4-6 Southern Illinois 12-6 Evansville 5-11 Valparaiso 2-14 Projected Regional Team (1): Dallas Baptist Player of the Year: Dan Bolt, OF, Bradley Pitcher of the Year: Dom Hamel, RHP, Dallas Baptist Freshman of the Year: Mason Burns, RHP, Illinois State Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Hayden Jones C Illinois State 2 Dom Hamel RHP Dallas Baptist 3 Ben Cruikshank LHP Missouri State 4 Ryan Wrobleski C/OF Dallas Baptist 5 Colton Johnson LHP Illinois State 6 Dakota Katowski OF Missouri State 7 Jared Viertel LHP Missouri State 8 Ray Gaither RHP Dallas Baptist 9 Brooks Gosswein LHP Bradley 10 Tristan Weaver LHP Indiana State 11 Derek Salata RHP Illinois State 12 Tristan Peters OF Southern Illinois 13 Gunner Peterson OF Illinois State 14 Luke Trahan RHP Dallas Baptist 15 Connor Cline RHP Indiana State 16 Jake McCaw 1B Illinois State 17 Connor Peplow RHP Illinois State 18 Tyler Grauer LHP Indiana State 19 Keaton Rice C Bradley 20 Collin Fields RHP Valparaiso TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Jeffrey David 2B Dallas Baptist 2 Ryan Cermak 3B lllinois State 3 Grant Magill C Indiana State 4 Trent Turzenski RHP Valparaiso 5 Jace Grady OF Dallas Baptist 6 Cam Edmonsen LHP Indiana State 7 Erik Kubiatowicz RHP Illinois State 8 Angel Acevedo LHP Bradley 9 Diego Gines IF Indiana State 10 Peter Hansen IF Bradley IMPACT FIRST-YEAR FRESHMEN 1 Mason Burns RHP Illinois State 2 Josh Dima LHP Illinois State 3 TJ Manteuful SS Bradley 4 Dylan Mach SS Dallas Baptist 5 Adam Euler OF Evansville 6 Brady Renfro OF Valparaiso 7 Luke Cheng SS Illinois State 8 Donovan Schultz LHP Evansville 9 Kaden Krueger LHP Bradley 10 Cole Robinson 1B Missouri State Projected Regional Team DALLAS BAPTIST Since the 2014 season, the year Dallas Baptist hosted their first regional thanks to a 46-15 season, the Patriots have been good for more than 40 wins, have two regular season MVC titles and two tournament championships. Plus, in each of those seasons (2016-19) they have advanced to the regional finals, losing to the regional host. So, while they’re still looking for their first super regional appearance, this could be head coach Dan Heefner’s best squad to date. Entering 2021 DBU will once again be the team to beat in the MVC and it starts with their pitching staff. Righthanded ace Don Hamel is one of the league’s top prospects and could push his way into first round draft consideration with a strong spring. He went 2-0, 4.58 with 27 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings last year and shows command of three pitches, his best of which is a mid- to upper-90s fastball. Saturday starter Ray Gaither also returns to the rotation and would be the Friday night ace on most MVC squads thanks to a diverse four-pitch mix. A third righthander, Chandler Arnold, also has good stuff with low-90s heat and a big breaker. There’s great depth to the bullpen as well, and although power-armed lefthander Burl Carraway took his talents to professional baseball, righthanders Luke Trahan and Kragen Kechley, as well as lefthander Peyton Sherlin, will see more than their fair share of high leverage situations. The offense should be just as potent, a unit led by leadoff hitter River Town with Blayne Jones, Jackson Glenn and Dan Pruitt providing a track record of success driving runners in. Town is a JUCO transfer, an elite bat-to-ball hitter who slashed .339/.535/624 for LSU Eunice in 2019. Jones is entering his fourth year as a starter at shortstop who took his offense to another level in the shortened 2020 season by hitting .286/.357/.619. Second baseman Jeffrey David and catcher Christian Boulware continue to give this team impact pieces up the middle of the field. Both Andres Sosa and Ryan Wrobleski can also catch with positional versatility and offensive upside; Wrobleski arrived at DBU over a year ago as one of their top recruits with a power/power bat/arm profile that makes him one of the league’s most exciting prospects. The Patriots don’t have a glaring weakness and could push their way into the Top 25 with strong performances against Missouri, Arizona and Oklahoma at the Frisco College Classic. Keep An Eye On ILLINOIS STATE Illinois State enjoyed a remarkable season under the leadership of first-year Head Coach Steve Holm in 2019. The Redbirds went 36-26 that season and made it to the NCAA Tournament for just the fourth time in program history. Many of the pieces that made that team so successful are back, including staff ace Colton Johnson. In a normal draft year there’s no way Johnson makes it back to campus, a 6-foot-4, 222-pound lefthander with a low-90s fastball and power breaking ball. He went 2-2, 3.60 last year with 37 punchouts and just six walks in 25 innings. Following Johnson in the weekend rotation will be a true freshman, righthander Mason Burns, who Holm and his staff are very excited about. A still-projectable athlete at 6-foot-3, 203-pounds, Burns also mixes low- to mid-90s heat with a promising breaking ball. A second-year freshman, lefthander Sean Sinisko, returns to the Sunday role after enjoying a promising start to his career (1-1, 3.80) a year ago. The bullpen is in good shape as well thanks to three hard-throwing righthanders: Derek Salata, Connor Peplow and Erik Kubiatowicz. Salata, the team’s closer, didn’t allow a single run to score in 10 1/3 innings last year, striking out 11 batters and walking just one. Mississippi State transfer Hayden Jones, who sat out last season, will be the team’s everyday catcher, and its top prospect. Don’t be surprised to hear his name called in the first round of the draft as a lefthanded-hitting catcher with a powerful stroke and a cannon for an arm. He created quite a buzz during the fall and will keep scouts in the stands at ISU games during the year. There are numerous familiar faces in the everyday lineup with postseason experience from the 2019 run including center fielder Joe Butler, left fielder Gunner Peterson, right fielder Jeremy Gaines, shortstop Aidan Huggins and DH Jordan Libman. Butler has the most impressive performance history, Peterson is the most athletic of the group with an exciting blend of power and speed and Huggins can really pick it defensively. Look for their corner infielders, first baseman Jake McCaw and third baseman Ryan Cermak, to take a step forward this year and provide additional thump in the middle of the order. INDIANA STATE It was a banner season for the Missouri Valley Conference in 2019 as three teams made the postseason. Indiana State got in as the league’s automatic bid after beating the top two seeds in the MVC Tournament, Dallas Baptist and Illinois State, taking down No. 1 DBU twice to earn the championship. One key holdover from that 2019 team is lefthanded closer Tyler Grauer, a third-team Preseason All-American. At 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, Grauer knows how to create difficult angles on opposing hitters and likes to pound the strike zone with upper-80s to low-90s fastballs before pulling the string on his signature changeup. He has 17 saves during his collegiate career and has been especially dominant the last two seasons, striking out 71 in 49 combined innings with only nine walks allowed. The strength of the team as a whole is its staff, and starting ace Tristan Weaver, another lefthander, got off to a great start in 2020, going 1-1, 1.85 with 34 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings, allowing just eight hits and eight walks during that time. He forms a potentially dominant weekend starting staff with yet another lefty, Cam Edmonson, and righthander Connor Cline. Add in proven relievers such as Zach Frey, Jake Ridgway, Geremy Guerrero and Lane Miller and the Sycamores look to be in good shape on the mound once again 2021. The lineup has more questions to answer but a few key transfers should help smooth out any holes while also providing needed depth. Corner infielder Mike Sears, who likely will see most of his time at third base, could have the biggest impact on the lineup. He posted video game-type numbers at the JUCO level the past two years, hitting .380/.505/.752 with 22 homers in two seasons at Sinclair CC. Projected center fielder Seth Gergely also played at Sinclair last year after beginning his career at Purdue and Head Coach Mitch Hannahs and his staff likes Gergely’s athleticism and potential offensive impact. There is consistency up the middle with shortstop Jordan Schaffer and catcher Max Wright while Brian Fuentes, Miguel Rivera and Diego Gines will battle for playing time while also providing some pop in the middle of the order. MISSOURI STATE Missouri State is just four years removed from a 43-20 season in 2017, a year in which they upset Arkansas in regional play. That season marked the second time in three years that they advanced to the super regional round. Considering they also won 40 games in 2018, the Bears and Head Coach Keith Guttin know what it takes to win at a high level, not only in the MVC, but nationally. The everyday lineup will look almost exactly the same, with the exception of second baseman Walker Jenkins, who transferred from Virginia. Leadership and a wealth of experience comes in the form of center fielder Jack Duffy, first baseman Ben Whetstone and catcher Logan Geha, each of whom has been playing regularly with the program since 2017. Duffy will lead off with proven on-base skills, Whetstone has 19 career home runs and will bat cleanup while Geha is a rock behind the plate defensively. Shortstop Mason Hull and right fielder Dakota Kotowski also are multiple year starters, with the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Kotowski providing the biggest punch in the middle of the lineup, batting .288/.381/.576 with 12 home runs during his freshman year in 2019. Similar to the lineup, the pitching staff will also have several familiar faces, and some key reinforcements, to a staff that pitched well through 17 games a year ago, posting a 3.50 cumulative ERA. Returning staff ace Logan Wiley has been with the team since their 40-17 season in 2018, ending the year as one of the team’s weekend starters while going 7-6, 4.13. In three years with MSU he has a career 3.80 ERA spanning 199 innings. Neither righthander Ty Buckner nor lefthander Ben Cruikshank – the team’s projected Saturday and Sunday starters – pitched in 2020 but offer promise and could be surprises once the season begins. In fact, Buckner hasn’t thrown since his freshman year in 2018, going 7-4, 4.81. Righthanders Hayden Minton and Matt Russell as well as lefthander Peyton Carson all started a year ago and could provide valuable depth should they not crack the weekend rotation. Hayden Juenger returns to serve as the team’s closer with Forrest Barnes, Trey Ziegenbein and Nick Schmidt all expected to get frequent looks out of the bullpen. The Rest Of The Pack BRADLEY Successfully navigating through the Bradley lineup will be no easy task, and a big part of that is due to the presence of slugging left fielder Dan Bolt, easily the preseason favorite for MVC Player of the Year honors. He hit .357/.449/.881 with seven home runs in just 10 games last year and .327/.453/.596 with 11 bombs the year before. One key player not returning to the 2021 lineup is Luke Shadid who formed a lethal 1-2 punch with Bolt in 2019 when each hit double-digit dingers. This year first baseman Connor O’Brien will provide some much-needed protection in the cleanup spot behind Bolt with team leader and third baseman Brendan Dougherty setting the tone at the top of the order. Catcher Keaton Rice and right fielder Eli Rawlinson will provide more needed stability to the lineup as the two middle infield spots will be manned by first-year players, freshmen TJ Manteufel (shortstop) and Jackson Chatterton (second base). The pitching staff as a whole is the biggest question heading into the season. Their three weekend starters – Nick King, Brooks Gosswein and Matt Hamilton – are all back, but they posted ERAs of 8.71, 5.94 and 6.00, respectively, so obvious improvement is needed for Bradley to enjoy success. Gosswein is the best prospect of the group, and one of the better ones overall in the MVC, an athletic lefthander with low- to mid-90s stuff from the left side; commanding the strike zone will determine whether he’s starting on Fridays or Sundays. The staff is hopeful JUCO transfer Dalton Mall – who throws low- to mid-90s heat – can step in and successfully man another one of the starting roles. Theron Denlinger had a 2.86 ERA and six saves as a junior in 2019 and brings his mid- to upper-90s heat back as the team’s closer. Taylor Catton will serve in a variety of roles after enjoying a successful start to his collegiate career in 2020, posting a 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, the only pitcher on Bradley’s staff to have an ERA below 4.00. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS This Southern Illinois team will hit, as they batted .288/.400/.412 as a team a year ago with 44 stolen bases in just 18 games. Four players hit well above .300 in 2020, led by leadoff hitter and third baseman Ian Walters (.411), catcher Austin Ulick (.362), shortstop Nick Neville (.347) and first baseman Philip Archer (.344). Each of those players has a strong defensive profile as well. Second baseman Cody Cleveland, center fielder Tristan Peters and designated hitter Vinni Massaglia all enjoyed success at the JUCO level and could help ensure the Salukis lineup is dangerous one through nine. The overall profile of the team is similar to that of Bradley as the Southern Illinois lineup is much more proven than their pitching staff. Righthander Ben Chapman, another JUCO transfer, has made the permanent transition from behind the plate to on the mound and can pound the zone with upper-80s to low-90s fastballs. Fellow righthander Gage O’Brien and lefthander Braden Babcock have also transferred in and are penciled in to serve as the team’s top starters along with Chapman. Holdover Brad Harrison, a finesse mid-80s lefthander, brings valuable starting experience and leadership to the staff with a career 4.25 ERA in 171 2/3 college innings. The strength of the staff will lie in its bullpen with righthanders Matthew Steidl and Trey McDaniel doing a lot of the heavy lifting late in games. Both throw 88-92 mph fastballs with Steidl frequently going a few innings at a time and McDaniel showing a knack for missing bats (22 strikeouts in 17.1 innings last year); McDaniel recorded 14 saves in 2019 and has 19 in his three-year career. Three more righthanders – Kyle Dixon, Bennett Shoptaw and Bennett Jackson – all performed well last year and provide valuable depth. EVANSVILLE The presence of two proven, productive starting pitchers will help keep Evansville competitive in the MVC this season as staff ace Shane Gray, a righthander, and Saturday starter Nathan Croner, a lefthander, both have a track record of success. Gray enjoyed immediate success during his freshman season in 2019, going 3-1, 4.25 with a 44-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 53 innings. The numbers were similar last year through four starts, lowering his ERA to 3.57. The 6-foot-6 Croner has been getting the job done since his freshman year in 2017, with a career 4.42 ERA in 163 career innings. Freshman lefthander Donovan Schultz and JUCO transfer Zac Cummins are expected to serve as the other two starters after both enjoyed strong showings in the fall. Jake McMahill moves from starter to closer with Jakob Meyer serving as the primary setup man. First baseman Tanner Craig offers a physical presence at 6-foot, 230-pounds and just appeared to be getting started a year ago, hitting .345/.479/.759 with seven home runs through 16 games when the season came to an abrupt halt. The coaching staff believes he’s in store for a big, big season. Second baseman Mason Brinkley (.359) and DH Danny Borgstrom (.313) were the only other hitters that batted over .300 for an Aces squad that cumulatively hit .224. Getting increased production out of fifth-year seniors Craig Shepherd and Troy Beilsmith, as well as second-year freshmen Mark Shallenberger and Brent Widder, will be key to a more productive offense. Keep an eye on freshman Adam Euler who is slated to be the team’s everyday starter in right field after showing well in the fall. VALPARAISO Valparaiso boasts a young squad, with 20 freshmen and sophomores on their roster. Even with that youth, all but 22 innings return to the pitching staff. Valpo’s most unique arm belongs to closer Easton Rhodehouse, who was used as an opener a season ago, making six starts and eight total appearances while tossing 15 2/3 innings. Rhodehouse gets great extension on his 88-91 mph fastball, leading to 119 strikeouts in 102 career frames. Trent Turzenski, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound second-year freshman, will take over as the team’s ace armed with the staff’s best stuff, a 90-94 mph fastball with sink that makes him tough to square up, much less hit at all; he posted the best ERA (2.84) on the team last year. Third-year sophomore and Saturday starter Colin Fields has seen his draft stock take an upward turn with 90-94 mph heat of his own. Ryan Mintz and fifth-year senior Jon Tieman will take the other two starting roles. Keep an eye on Nolan Lebamoff, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound JUCO transfer who throws in the low-90s and could be used in a variety of roles. The offense really struggled through 16 games in 2020, hitting .207/.300/.277 with only three homers. Right fielder Riley Dent is the team’s best batsman, hitting .290 and .311 the last two seasons and he showed some signs of increased power in the fall. There’s some promise up the middle of the field with center fielder Steven Fitzsimmons, who hit better in 2019 than he did a year ago, shortstop Damon Jorgensen, the team’s second-leading hitter (.264) last year, and catcher Angel DiFederico, who hit .348 in seven games.
2021 SoCon Preview: Carlson, Samford Are The Headliners SEASON PREVIEW Mark Etheridge - January 29, 2021 It’s a bittersweet spring for the Southern Conference. On one hand, the league is glad to be back on the diamond for another season. On the other, it proceeds without one of its long-time league members in Furman, which surprised everyone a few months ago by dropping its program. Looking ahead to 2021, Samford, led by hard-hitting Brooks Carlson, spearheads the SoCon, while Mercer and Wofford also should be in the mix for the league crown. Also keep an eye on The Citadel, which has a chance to surprise some people with the personnel it returns this season. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish TEAM 2020 RECORD Samford 13-2 Mercer 13-3 Wofford 14-3 The Citadel 10-6 East Tennessee State 12-3 UNC Greensboro 12-4 Western Carolina 8-8 VMI 4-13 Projected Regional Team (1): Samford Player of the Year: Brooks Carlson, IF, Samford Pitcher of the Year: Hayes Heinecke, LHP, Wofford Freshman of the Year: Colton Ledbetter, OF Samford Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Hayes Heinecke LHP Wofford 2 Jacob Pilarski RHP The Citadel 3 Sam Strickland LHP Samford 4 Ryan McCarthy OF The Citadel 5 Collin Price C/OF Mercer 6 Colin Davis OF Wofford 7 Angelo DiSpigna 1B Mercer 8 Justice Bigbie 3B Western Carolina 9 Brooks Carlson 2B Samford 10 Nate Tate RHP ETSU 11 Brendan Collins RHP UNCG 12 Cam Reeves RHP The Citadel 13 Hogan Windish 2B UNCG 14 Jeffrey Brown OF The Citadel 15 Alex Hoppe RHP UNCG 16 Zebby Matthews RHP WCU 17 R.J. Yeager SS Mercer 18 Sonny Dichiara 1B Samford 19 Bill Knight OF Mercer 20 Jesse McCord RHP Samford 21 Tyler Corbitt INF The Citadel 22 Corey Rosier CF UNCG 23 Kaden Dreier C Samford 24 Nathan Light LHP VMI 25 Daniel Cerda SS UNCG TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Colby Thomas OF Mercer 2 Pres Cavanaugh OF UNCG 3 Gant Starling RHP The Citadel 4 Chas Isbell RHP Samford 5 Noah Mitchell C The Citadel 6 Ashton King IF ETSU 7 Tyler McManus C Samford 8 Jason Starke C VMI 9 Hunter Loyd RHP ETSU 10 Tyler Bradt RHP VMI IMPACT FRESHMEN 1 Colton Ledbetter OF Samford 2 Wesley Franklin IF/RHP Mercer 3 Carson Hobbs RHP Samford 4 Matt Kemp IF UNCG 5 Pascanel Ferraras SS Western Carolina 6 Jackson Greene 3B ETSU 7 Zach Ketterman 3B Western Carolina 8 Shep Hancock RHP Mercer 9 Jacob Cravey RHP Samford 10 Declan Champey RHP Mercer Projected Regional Team • Expectations are elevated at Samford, where eight seniors lend experience and proven production to a team that was favored to win the league a year ago. Casey Dunn’s club was on their way with a 13-2 mark before the sports world stopped. The Bulldogs hit .310 as a team and had a 3.09 team ERA, good for second and third in the Southern Conference, respectively. Brooks Carlson (.500/.644/.760) led the team in batting at .500. Yep, he got a base hit half of the time and reached base in almost two-thirds of his plate appearances. The fourth-year junior second baseman also added three home runs and drove in 19, while adding four doubles and an impressive 20 walks. A year ago, Carlson led the conference in batting, on-base percentage, hits, and walks and finished second in slugging. Carlson reached base safely in all 15 games and had at least one hit in 13 of them. The Mobile, Ala., native had five three-hit games and never saw his average dip below .500 at the end of a game. In a traditional length draft, Carlson would have been snapped up but instead, he is back to lead what should be a potent Bulldog lineup. Sonny Dichiara (.328/.378/.475) returns and could hit in the third spot this spring. The first baseman has power and a good feel to hit. He should get protection from DH Tyler McManus (.440/.611/.960). The fourth-year junior, who will also split time at catcher, is another power bat. Kaden Dreier (.242/.342/.339) is a really good catch-and-throw guy behind the plate and has a chance for a big offensive year. Look for third-year sophomore Will David (.406/.524/.500) to build on his 2020 year and turn in a solid season while manning third base. Back for his fifth year as a starting infielder is Taylor Garris (.288/.377/.442). He brings a stabilizing force to the infield at shortstop. Max Pinto (.298/.444/.404) readies to start for the fourth consecutive season in center field and hit leadoff. He is flanked by exciting true freshman Colton Ledbetter. The rookie is an impact bat, plus runner, and projects as a high draft pick in 2023. Fifth-year senior Ryan Crockett (.283/.333/.348) started to figure it out last spring and had a huge offensive fall. He will play right field. Fifth-year senior Ayrton Schafer (.315/.371/.519) is another experienced outfield option. On the mound, Samford has a chance to compete against pretty much anyone they will play. They are led once again by fourth-year junior Sam Strickland (3-0, 1.17). The southpaw was 90-93 MPH this fall with a much-improved slider and solid change. He is joined in the rotation by righthander Jesse McCord (0-0, 2.00), who is back for an unprecedented seventh year. The veteran has battled injuries for a number of years after beginning his career at Mississippi State. McCord was healthy this fall and had the best stuff on the team, reaching 95 MPH with a feel for four pitches. They are joined in the rotation by fifth-year senior Zach Hester, who was injured in his first appearance last year. Prior to the injury, he impressed with pitchability as a high-80s/low-90s strike-thrower. After Hester’s injury, fifth-year senior lefty Hamp Skinner (1-0, 4.67) stepped into the weekend rotation. He will pitch in a variety of roles this year. Charles Crosby (3-0, 1.50) is a fifth-year senior who was good in a setup role last year and will get a chance to close. Fourth-year junior Billy Creger (1-0, 1.35) emerged as a solid lefty last year and continued to improve this fall. Carson Hobbs and Jacob Cravey are highly regarded freshman who should add depth along with RHP Jalon Long. With loads of experience returning at every position plus a mound corps with impressive stuff, Samford has the look of a team that could make noise if they find their way into a regional. Keep An Eye On • The top of the SoCon looks fierce thanks to another experienced club. Mercer has great depth with veteran leadership that has won a conference tournament (in 2019) and tasted NCAA Regional play. A year ago, Mercer went 13-3 with the only losses coming at Florida State and twice to West Virginia. The Bears led the SoCon in pitching with a 2.69 ERA and hit .271 with 15 homers (second in SoCon) offensively. Colby Thomas (.333/.403/.681) led the conference with five home runs and nine doubles a year ago as a freshman. The outfielder had a six-RBI game against Radford and had nine multi-hit games in 16 starts and had a two-RBI double in his first collegiate at-bat. An explosive athlete with plus power and a high ceiling, Thomas will play left field this spring. He is joined in the outfield by sophomore Bill Knight (.304/.391/.446), a very good defender with a big arm. Senior Brandon Michie (.339/.443/.559) returns to hit in the middle of the order and man right field. Junior R.J. Yeager (.263/.434/.386) is back to start at shortstop once again. Yeager is the team leader, a glue guy for the squad. Projectable sophomore first baseman Angelo DiSpigna (.328/.427/.547) is another middle of the order bat. Third-year sophomore Trevor Austin (.295/.340/.386) is versatile with great makeup. He should play third base. Garett Delano (.169/.231/.208), a high baseball IQ and an outstanding defender is the projected starter at second base. He could also see time on the mound. Sophomore Collin Price is a middle of the order type of bat and a good defensively behind the plate. Third-year sophomore Le Bassett (.250/.400/.458) has the potential to be a big-time bat at the DH spot. Ryan Archibald transferred in to provide a power bat. Versatile Anthony Brown is a talented player who could also find a spot. On the mound, Tanner Hall (3-1, 2.55) leads the staff. The senior southpaw has an 87-90 MPH fastball and three-pitch mix. Jackson Kelley (3-0, 0.70) emerged a year ago with his mid-eighties, three-pitch-mix, and high mound presence. Senior RHP Tyler Lobus (1-0, 4.26) is a vet with an 87-90 MPH fastball in his three-pitch mix while junior righty Josh Farmer (2-0, 2.30) worked as a spot starter a year ago and could be the midweek guy this spring. The two-way player Delando (1-2, 5.00) has a high-eighties fastball and competitive makeup as the closer. Luke Sutko (1-0, 1.54) is a three-quarter arm slot righty who comes at hitters. Righthanders Shep Hancock and Wesley Franklin should also contribute. • Wofford was off to a great start last season at 14-3, led the SoCon in batting at .316, and had a 3.12 team ERA. The Terriers stole a conference-best 41 bases. Todd Interdonato’s club has a chance to make noise in 2021 thanks to a strong group of returnees and the top pro prospect in the conference. Junior lefthander Hayes Heinecke (3-1, 1.75) will anchor the staff and projects as a top-three round pick. The 6’0”, 210 pounder led the team with 36 strikeouts in 25.2 innings pitched. Senior righthanders Josh Vitus (1-2, 2.18) and Elliot Carney are expected to join Heinecke in the rotation. Junior lefty Dom Agron is another starting option. Junior RHP Dalton Rhadans (4-0, 2.35) and sophomore RHP O’Kelley McWilliams (1-0, 1.80) lead the bullpen. Wofford returns four players who started over half their games a year ago led by senior center fielder Colin Davis (.348/.375/.591) led the team in home runs last year with four. Other returnees include senior catcher Lawson Hill (.467/.538/.578), sophomore second baseman Shane Lussier (.344/.475/.469), and junior DH John Dempsey (.314/.431/.569). Other projected starters include junior Brennen Dorighi (.333/.333/.833) at first base, sophomore Trey Yunger (.286/.400/.286) at third base, junior Matty Brown (.233/.343/.333) at short, junior Nolen Hester (.200/.429/.267) in left, and sophomore Ryan Galanie (.333/.429/.667) in right. Rest Of The Pack • If you are looking for a dark horse contender, The Citadel has a chance to make a move this spring. Fourth-year head coach Tony Skole feels this is his best team. The Bulldogs return every position starter and add some talented grad transfers to the mix. The roster is also much more physical than prior squads, evidenced by their average player weight rising to 199 pounds from 177 in 2018. The Bulldogs’ lineup will be led by second baseman Tyler Corbitt (.349/.413/.524). A three-year starter, the sophomore can really hit and should be one of the best players in the conference. He is joined by first baseman Noah Mitchell (.333/.432/.583). A freshman a year ago, Mitchell is a strong, physical player with loads of potential. Back to anchor the defense is shortstop Tilo Skole (.377/.492/.415). He is strong with the glove and has improved at the plate. Senior Jeffrey Brown (.350/.492/.415) was one of the top pro prospects in the SoCon in 2019 before an injury ended his season. He has improved physically the past two years and is poised for a big year. Speaking of athletes, football quarterback Ryan McCarthy (.288/.365/.470) has loads of potential on the diamond. If he puts it together, he could be a five-tool prospect. Furman transfer Logan Taplett (.229/.305/.303) had a huge fall batting .426 and brings experience to the infield at third base. Travis Lott (.153/.306/.256) is a freshman catcher who can defend and throw. Senior Cam Jensen (.283/.393/.370) is an athletic outfielder in left field. Sophomore Cole Simpson (.222/.263/.222) is a young power threat who had a good fall at DH. The questions come on the mound where improved youngsters and newcomers look to change the Bulldog staff. Senior RHP Jacob Pilarski should step into the Friday role. The transfer from Virginia Wesleyan where he was a D-III All American, pitches 92-96 MPH and commands four pitches. If he pitches to expectations, he could be an early-round selection. Righthander Cam Reeves (4-0, 1.04) is back after a great 2020 where he had a 25 consecutive scoreless inning streak. He will pitch 90-92 MPH with a wipeout slider. The third starter will likely be sophomore RHP Lathan Todd (1-1, 4.91) or D-III Rockford transfer Zack Jones, where he was the pitcher of the year. The Citadel bullpen is led by Gant Starling (0-0, 2.70, 2 svs). He will get his fastball into the mid-90s with a power slider. Liberty transfer Logan Barker is expected to be a relief workhorse. • After leading the SoCon in home runs a year ago, East Tennessee State has plenty of production returning for an exciting offense in 2021. Back to lead off the lineup is junior first baseman Bryce Hodge (.337/.390/.537). Hodge has power to all fields and hit four home runs a season ago driving in 42. Junior RF David Beam (.314/.366/.571) flashed power in the fall and could be the three-hole hitter this spring. Senior DH Ethan Cady (.375/.484/.542) is another power threat. Senior third baseman Jake Lyle (.362/.464/.638) is back to top the lineup. Other players to watch include sophomore center fielder Ben Jackson (.250/.418/.385), junior outfielder Reese Farmer (.250/.375/.333), freshman shortstop Ashton King (.226/.314/.613), junior second baseman Drew Haynie (240/.321/.480), and sophomore catcher Kyle Richardson (.238/.407/.429). Jackson Green is a freshman infielder to keep an eye on. ETSU is without last year’s ace Landon Knack, who struck out an astounding 51 in 25 innings. Moving into the ace role is sophomore Nate Tate (0-0, 1.29), a power righty with very good offspeed offerings. The coaching staff is excited about second-year freshman Hunter Loyd, another power righty. Sophomore Colby Stuart (2-1, 3.68) is a heady lefty with a good change. Senior RHP Hunter Townsend (0-1, 6.75) is another starting option. A pair of lefties should lead the Bucs out of the pen. Junior Matthew Mercer (2-0, 4.15) has a slider to watch while sophomore Daulton Montagna comes from the side, a rare look for a southpaw. • UNCG brings some velocity to the hill this spring as it looks to build on last season’s 12-4 mark. If the pitching staff finds consistency, the lineup may be good enough for the Spartans to contend in 2021. The pitching staff will be led by sophomore RHP Austin Koehn (1-0, 1.04). He will pitch mid-to-upper 80s and attack the zone. Junior righty Austin Parsley (3-0, 1.74) is another strike-thrower who could move into the rotation after being a bullpen guy in 2020. The staff wild card is junior righty Alex Hoppe (2-1, 4.82). In the fall, he was up to 96 MPH with the staff’s best slider. If he is consistent, he can be a force. The best pitcher in the fall may have been Mars Hall transfer lefty Jared Mathewson. Daniel Cerda, the probable starter at shortstop, will also pitch in relief this spring joining junior RHPs Kross Robinson (up to 93 MPH) and Brendan Collins (touched the high 90s this fall). Behind the plate will be Dallas Callahan, a junior college transfer from Brunswick who was formerly at Coastal Carolina. Callahan is strong defensively. Junior Josh Madole (.217/.372/.267) is an experienced option at first base. Hogan Windish (.217/.364/.383) has a power bat and flashed at the Coastal Plains League over the summer. Speedster Zack Budzik (.263/.419/.368) moves over to third base after playing shortstop the past two years to make room for Chipola CC transfer Cerda. Greg Hardinson (.338/413/.451) is the team’s top hitter and should bat third and play left. The junior has started since he got to campus. In center field, Corey Rosier is a good athlete who could leadoff. Pres Cavenaugh (.452/.500/.548) impressed as a freshman in 2020 and can also run. He will play right field. Spencer Smith (.333/.320/.500) has a big bat and will DH when he is not catching. Freshman Matt Kemp could also see time in the infield. • Western Carolina has a strong returning nucleus with a variety of newcomers that will compete for playing time and can contribute. Justice Bigbie (.290/.338/.435) returns in left field and is one of the top players in the SoCon. Bigbie hit .355 with a dozen home runs in 2019. Daniel Walsh (.386/.493/.439) led the team in batting last year and should play second base. Immanuel Wilder (.216/.420/.353) brings speed to center field and the leadoff spot. Luke Robinson (.333/393/.417) returns at first base and should be a run producer. Another freshman, Pascanel Ferraras is posed to play shortstop. Redshirt-sophomore Tom Brosnahan is expected to catch. while freshman Zach Ketterman is the third baseman. Daylan Nanny (.211/.328/.281) is expected to play right field while freshman Drew Needham is the DH. On the mound, look for sophomore RHP Zebby Matthews (3-1, 3.42) to pitch on Fridays. Second-year freshman RHP Corey Bright (0-2, 3.15) looks to build on a strong effort in 2020. Joining them in the rotation will be junior RHP Ryan Mitschele (2-1, 3.15). Righthanders Zach Franklin (1-1, 0.79, 3 svs) and Jack Snyder (0-0, 1.93) are top relief options. • VMI looks to improve on heading into 2021 with improved middle infield depth and rotation. If the hitting comes around, they could surprise. Will Knight (.431/.484/.586) is the top returning hitter and will play right field. Callen Nuccio (.197/.329/230) is a redshirt junior with loads of experience. He will provide solid defense at second base and likely hit leadoff. Fourth-year junior Cody Warner (.246/.352/.295) is a veteran leader who will play left field and hit in the middle of the order. Justin Nase brings speed to burn in center field. Redshirt freshman Justin Starke (.143/.182/.286) should catch and hit in the middle of the order. Redshirt-junior Noah Cook (.238/.385/.286) is a versatile player who could be the primary third baseman. Redshirt-freshman Zac Morris (.204/.291/.327) has improved his strength and confidence at shortstop. J.T. Inskeep (.094/.237/.094) is another improved hitter who should be a heart of the lineup batter and play first base. Another fourth-year player, Nathan Loyd should be the DH. Brett Cook is a freshman to watch. The rotation will look to strike-throwing righthander Jacob Menders (0-2, 5.09) and lefthander Nathan Light (1-1, 2.45) who has four pitches in the zone, including a good slider and a low 90s fastball. Other starting options are RHP Adam Jewell (2-2, 3.86) and LHP Trey Morgan (0-2, 3.54). Will Lopez (0-1, 2.25) has a chance to be a dependable reliever along with lower arm-slot righty Ryan Huffman.
2021 Sun Belt Preview: Welcome To A Wide Open Race SEASON PREVIEW Kendall Rogers - January 27, 2021 The Sun Belt is one of the more wide open leagues entering the spring. Texas State had a banner campaign two seasons ago before getting off to yet another great start last season. The Bobcats returns several players from the 2020 campaign, but they’re not alone. Coastal Carolina has all the pieces needed, both on the mound and at the plate, to make another run to the NCAA tournament, while South Alabama could have an outstanding season if a few pieces come together on the mound. Then, this league features other intriguing clubs such as Louisiana, Little Rock, Troy and UT-Arlington, among others. Let’s take an in-depth look at the Sun Belt: Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish WEST DIVISION Team 2020 Record Texas State 14-4 Louisiana 8-9 Little Rock 9-8 UT Arlington 12-4 UL Monroe 12-5 Arkansas State 7-9 EAST DIVISION Team 2020 Record Coastal Carolina 11-5 South Alabama 8-10 Troy 9-8 Georgia Southern 11-5 Georgia State 9-7 Appalachian State 10-6 Projected Regional Team (1): Texas State Player of the Year: Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama Pitcher of the Year: Connor Cooke, RHP, Louisiana Freshman of the Year: Hayden Durke, RHP, Louisiana Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Ethan Wilson OF South Alabama 2 Parker Chavers OF Coastal Carolina 3 Cade Winquest RHP UT Arlington 4 Conor Angel RHP Louisiana 5 Connor Cooke RHP Louisiana 6 Logan Cerny OF Troy 7 Collin Brougham RHP South Alabama 8 Reid Powers C South Alabama 9 Nick Lucky UTL Coastal Carolina 10 Ryan Watson RHP Georgia State 11 Caleb Balgaard OF South Alabama 12 Michael Sandle OF South Alabama 13 JoJo Booker RHP South Alabama 14 Caleb Bartolero C Troy 15 Nick Jones LHP Georgia Southern 16 Jordan Jackson RHP Georgia Southern 17 Orlando Ortiz RHP Troy 18 Aaron Funk RHP Little Rock 19 Shaddon Peavyhouse RHP Coastal Carolina 20 Jacob Parker RHP Georgia Southern 21 Reece Maniscalco RHP Coastal Carolina 22 BT Riopelle C Coastal Carolina 23 Dominick Miller LHP Troy 24 Carlos Tavera RHP UT Arlington 25 Zachary Leigh RHP Texas State TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Tyer Williams OF Little Rock 2 Eric Brown INF Coastal Carolina 3 Cooper Weiss INF Coastal Carolina 4 Erik McKnight RHP Little Rock 5 Will Mize SS Georgia State 6 Dylan Matela RHP Georgia State 7 Will Sullivan 1B Troy 8 Julian Brock C Louisiana 9 Cam Bush RHP Texas State 10 Jake Gish SS Arkansas State IMPACT FRESHMEN 1 Hayden Durke RHP Louisiana 2 Chase Dollander RHP Georgia Southern 3 Aaron Combs RHP Coastal Carolina 4 Luke Barrow RHP Coastal Carolina 5 Teddy Sharkey RHP Coastal Carolina 6 Jacob Weatherley RHP Little Rock 7 Carson Roccaforte OF Louisiana 8 Garrett Gainous RHP Troy 9 Jeremy Lee RHP South Alabama 10 Dalton Pearson OF Georgia State Projected Regional Team Texas State Head coach: Steven Trout 2019 Record: 36-20 (20-10) 2020 Record: 13-4 (0-0) Strengths: Texas State has experience all over the diamond. In addition to returning an impressive crop of hitters, it also has some serious experience at other positions with the return of guys like Tucker Redden, who arrived last season as a graduate transfer from Houston. The Bobcats also have as good of front-line weekend arms as anyone in the conference. Question Marks: There’s very little not to like about this Bobcats team, but if you had to poke holes into something, it’s uncertainty in terms of the bullpen and the addition of someone like Zeke Wood to the rotation. Wood has a premium arm and good stuff, but he’s still making the transition from junior college to the Sun Belt. Star Power: There’s one guy in particular on this roster who can change a game with one swing of the bat — John Wuthrich. The husky veteran slugger has had a productive career in San Marcos, and he’s back for another season. Wuthrich hit .322 with five doubles, four home runs and 12 RBIs in the shortened season, this after having a strong 2019 campaign as well. Glue Guys: Trevis Sundgren and Zach Leigh in the weekend rotation are proven commodities with good track records. Both will be instrumental to Texas State’s success this spring. Meanwhile, Dalton Shuffield, Jaxon Williams and Will Hollis are returning hitters who have had highly productive offensive careers for the Bobcats. Pick To Click: Junior college transfer righthanders Zeke Wood put together an impressive fall that included a fastball in the 90-93 and up to 94 mph range, along with a power breaking ball and strong changeup. Fellow weekend starters Zach Leigh and Trevis Sundgren are the headliners at the front of the rotation, but Wood’s production will be vital as the Sunday starter. Top Newcomer: Outfielder Ben McClain should provide an immediate impact at the plate for the Bobcats. The junior college transfer was impressive in the fall, finishing workouts second on the team in hitting with a batting average north of .400. He’s a 6-foot, 195-pounder, with some legitimate power potential. Outlook: The Bobcats have depth in the field and have what amounts to the strongest nucleus of returning hitters in the Sun Belt Conference. But their ultimate success will hinge on the success of the pitching staff with Leigh, Sundgren and a pair of less experienced arms — Zeke Wood and Cam Bush — leading the charge. The ability to pitch at a high level often creates distinction between the elite Sun Belt clubs and those not battling for a postseason berth. From the Fall Report:Texas State began the ’20 campaign with a bang. They were 14-4 when the season was shuttered in March, and it had some solid wins on its resume. Not only did Trout’s club beat Rice and Baylor in midweek contests, they also took two of three from Houston. Clearly, the Bobcats looked like a club ready to put together a strong spring and make the NCAA tournament. But that never happened, thanks to the pandemic … CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Keep An Eye On Coastal Carolina Head coach: Gary Gilmore 2019 Record: 36-26-1 (15-13) 2020 Record: 11-5 Strengths: Despite not necessarily having a bonafide Friday night guy to begin the spring, the Chanticleers still have a multitude of quality options on the mound. Quality pitching depth shouldn’t be an issue for this team. Furthermore, the offensive nucleus is strong with Nick Lucky, BT Riopelle, Cooper Weiss, Eric Brown, and of course, one Mr. Parker Chavers leading the way. Question Marks: The biggest question mark by far will be the front-end of the weekend rotation until Reese Maniscalco — they hope — comes back and healthy in April. The Chanticleers lost hard-throwing righthander Zach Cambley in the offseason, and need a bonafide Friday night guy to emerge. Nick Parker was up to 89-91 mph in the fall and could evolve into that guy, while Reid VanScoter and Daniel Kreuzer are other guys capable of forming into front-line aces. Star Power: There is no return more anticipated than that of Coastal outfielder Parker Chavers. Chavers was one of the nation’s premier sluggers two seasons ago with a .320 average, 15 home runs and 10 stolen bases. However, he missed the early part of last season because of a shoulder injury. Chavers showed his customary big-time bat in the fall with an exit velocity around 104-105 mph on several hard-hit balls. He’s expected to have a massive season. Glue Guys: We mentioned the return of Chavers but keep an eye on a guy like second baseman Nick Lucky, too. Lucky had a huge fall at the plate and is expected to put up big offensive numbers this spring. Likewise, on the mound, sophomore lefthander Reid VanScoter was up to 93-94 mph and strong in the fall, while the closer role is in good shape with righty Shaddon Peevyhouse leading the charge. Pick To Click: Cooper Weiss and Eric Brown. Both talented prospects, Weiss and Brown had strong falls and are expected to take a big step forward from an offensive standpoint this spring. Weiss hit .372 in the fall and played great defense in the infield. Brown, too, had a strong fall defensively and offensively, and reminds some around the CCU program of former Chants standout Mikey Paez, who hit 15 home runs as a junior in 2016. Top Newcomer: Reece Maniscalco. He will be out of commission until April because of an injury, but his return will be highly anticipated. The Wofford transfer righthander was outstanding during fall workouts, showing an uptick in velocity with a fastball in the 93-96 mph range and throwing four pitches for strikes. Coastal will just need to weather the storm from a pitching standpoint until Maniscalco can return to the bump. Outlook: Assuming the Chanticleers stay healthy over the next few months, this team has a chance to do something pretty special. Obviously, they want to get Maniscalco back and healthy in April, but Aaron Combs and Teddy Sharkey are expected to make a big impact on the mound, and the pitching staff as a whole has some quality options. The offense also is expected to click with Lucky and Brown expected to take a step forward and Weiss expected to continue where he left off in the spring. From the Fall Report: Gary Gilmore thinks his 2021 Coastal Carolina club has a chance to rival the prolific offenses he coached in 2018 and 2019. The biggest question mark facing the Chanticleers heading into this fall was finding a replacement for ace Zach McCambley, a third-round pick by the Marlins this June. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING South Alabama Head coach: Mark Calvi 2019 Record: 30-26 (16-14) 2020 Record: 8-10 (0-0) Strengths: There’s no doubt the Jaguars have a ton of depth from an offensive standpoint. Junior college transfers Caleb Balgaard and Cam Tissue will help boost an already-talented lineup that includes All-American Ethan Wilson and athletic center fielder Michael Sandle, among others. Question Marks: While the offense is in terrific shape entering the season, there is still some uncertainty about the pitching staff despite having some powerful arms. For instance, lefthander Andy Arguelles made four of his five appearances as a reliever in the spring, and he’s back as a key weekend starter. How does he make that transition? Matt Boswell appears to have taken a step forward, but will that come to fruition over the next few months? Then, there’s heralded righthander JoJo Booker, who was one of the most highly touted prospects and recruits to ever come through Mobile, Ala. Can Booker finally establish consistency? Star Power: Ethan. Wilson. Who else? Wilson had a monster 2019 campaign that led him to All-American honors. And while he entered last season with the same honors, he did hit just .282 with three home runs and 12 RBIs, along with six stolen bases. For most, that’s an impressive stat line, especially considering he had an OBP above .450. But for Wilson? He’s always expecting more. Glue Guys: In a year that will feature so many teams with key veterans, the Jaguars have a few of their own, including starting pitcher Andy Arguelles, first baseman Kaleb DeLaTorre and second baseman Hunter Stokes. Those guys, along with the returning veterans like Wilson, will guide this team this spring. Pick To Click: Jaguars Friday night starter Matt Boswell could be ready to take a massive step forward this spring. Boswell had a 4.50 ERA in 24 innings last spring, and that was while throwing more 87-88 mph with his fastball. Boswell has taken a big leap from a velocity standpoint, sitting more 92-94 with the offering in the fall with a plethora of strikes and command of a changeup and breaking ball. Top Newcomer: The Jags have several newcomers to watch this season, but no one has a chance to be as impactful as right fielder Caleb Balgaard. Balgaard, a transfer from McLennan (Texas) College, had a huge fall and is a plus runner with big-time power and a mature offensive approach. Outlook: I have to admit, it was incredibly difficult to pick the winner of the Sun Belt automatic bid in our conference preview. Texas State and Coastal Carolina might have a bit more balance on paper, but the Jaguars are loaded offensively and certainly have upside if Boswell and Booker are consistent forces this spring. From the Fall Report: Calvi said this group reminds him of the 2017 Jags that went 40-21 (22-8 in the Sun Belt) and won the conference tournament. Like that ’17 team, the 2021 Jags will be led by a likely future first-round pick in the outfield — that year it was Travis Swaggerty, this year it’s Ethan Wilson. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Louisiana Head coach: Matt Deggs 2019 Record: 28-31 (15-15) 2020 Record: 8-9 (0-0) Strengths: Oddly enough, even though Matt Deggs is known for his Pack mentality offense, the pitching staff is the strength with this club entering the season. Connor Cooke and Conor Angel had outstanding falls, and both are front-line starters. Then, there’s a guy like freshman righthander Hayden Durke, who has premium stuff, in the No. 3 spot in the starting rotation. UL has additional strong pitching options in the bullpen, too. Question Marks: Just the overall consistency of the offense. There are some definite sluggers with some high upside, such as junior college transfer Tyler Robertson. But all the hitters the Cajuns need to make an immediate impact must do so in the spring if this team wants to get back to the NCAA tournament. The offense has little room for error. Star Power: We’re going to go with Cooke and Angel here. Cooke was terrific in the fall with a fastball up to 94-95 mph with a quality power curveball at 82-84 mph, while Angel has the bigger arm with a fastball up to 96-98 mph, along with a power sinker and an ability to spin the breaking ball. Both have elite potential. Glue Guys: I call them the glue guys because both of them are veterans who have the potential to be much better offensively than they were in 2020. That’s graduate transfer catcher Drake Osborn and Cal State Fullerton transfer shortstop Brett Borgogno. Osborn, who had a knack for big hits during his time at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, hit .229 with five RBIs in the shortened season, and Borgogno, who we’ve been waiting on to click for a couple of years now, hit .200 with an RBI. Pick To Click: Keep an eye on junior college transfer slugger Tyler Robertson. Deggs isn’t the type to mince his words about hitters he covets, and he’s sky high on Robertson’s potential. Robertson is an athletic 6-foot-4, 200-pounder, who has strength in his bat and speed on the basepaths. Comp-wise, he reminds Deggs of Hunter Pence. Top Newcomer: Since we’re going with Robertson as the pick to click newcomer, we’re going with Durke, the talented freshman righthander, as the top newcomer. Durke has a chance to make the most significant impact, sitting 93-94 and up to 95-96 mph with his fastball in the fall, along with a quality overall repertoire. Outlook: Conventional wisdom would suggest that Deggs is probably a year away from totally restoring order in Lafayette, but never underestimate that coaching staff. UL has some intriguing hitters who just need to take a step forward, while the pitching staff is loaded with premium options, particularly when it comes to the weekend rotation. The offense, at least early in the season, could take some fine-tuning, but the pitching staff should allow this team to hold its own until all the pieces come together. From the Fall Report: Louisiana second-year head coach Matt Deggs returned to Lafayette to restore order for a program, that when he left to take the head coaching job at Sam Houston State, was in terrific shape and one of the rising mid-majors in college baseball. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Troy In a weird way, the pandemic was good for a lot of programs in college baseball. Instead of losing a plethora of veteran players, a ton of programs return those guys. Programs such as Troy have been a big beneficiary with the return of shortstop Drew Frederic and outfielder Rigsby Mosley. Frederic has been a dynamic player throughout his Trojans career and is coming off a season where he hit .409 with a home run and 13 RBIs. Frederic is extremely athletic and has some serious pop in his swing. Meanwhile, Mosley hit .351 with a pair of home runs in the shortened season and brings a mature, pure offensive approach with power to the table. In terms of returning hitters, Dalton Sinquefield and William Sullivan are coming off strong shortened seasons, while the Troy staff is thrilled about Caleb Bartolero’s potential behind and at the plate. Sinquefield is a gap-to-gap hitter with sneaky power, Sullivan has big-time power and was off to a terrific start in the spring and Bartolero is a complete hitter who has a mature offensive approach and possesses above average power. The Troy outfield is in great shape with the return of Mosley, Sinquefield and center fielder Logan Cerny. Remember the name Cerny, because he’s a big-time breakout candidate for this team. Cerny could be one of the more explosive players to ever come through the Troy program, but needs to take a step forward after hitting .194 with a pair of home runs and seven RBIs last spring. Cerny is an elite runner and defender, and there’s some definite juice in the bat. On the mound, the Trojans have experience and some quality stuff in the weekend rotation. Junior righthander Orlando Ortiz is one of the more talented arms in the Sun Belt, and he’s coming off a season where he had a 3.13 ERA in 23 innings along with 17 strikeouts and 11 walks. Ortiz will pitch in the 89-93 range and can touch 94 mph on the radar gun with his fastball. His changeup flashes plus and he has improved his command. Sophomore lefthander Kyle Gamble will sit 85-88 and up to 89-90 mph with his fastball and has some deception in his delivery with a high spin rate fastball, while freshman righthander Garrett Gainous is very intriguing. Gainous is supremely talented with a fastball sitting 92-93 and up to 94 mph, along with a quality slider/changeup combo. Bay Witcher and Dominick Miller are both intriguing as well. Witcher is 88-90 mph with some sink in his fastball, while the slider and changeup are both workable pitches. As for Miller, he will attack hitters with a fastball in the 93-94 and up to 95 mph range from a low 3/4 arm slot. He could rise up the draft boards with a strong spring. Last but not least, keep an eye on sophomore righthander Mason Kenney at the back end of the bullpen. Kenny will get up to 92-93 mph with his fastball and the slider is a swing and miss offering. Little Rock Sun Belt teams that are well tooled on the mound typically have a lot of success. Little Rock is one of those teams this season. Chris Curry’s club has a loaded pitching staff with over 500 innings returning from last year’s club. The starting rotation is spearheaded by junior righthander Aaron Funk, who was off to a strong start in the spring with 37 strikeouts and eight walks. Funk will sit primarily at 90-91 mph with his fastball but can get up to 92-93 at times. He also possesses a quality changeup that he can throw on both sides of the plate. Juniors Hayden Arnold and Jack DeCooman will round out the rotation. Arnold had 24 strikeouts and just three walks in the shortened season, and stuff wise, he’s 90-91 mph from a downward plane with his fastball. He also has a good 12-6 curve and changeup. Meanwhile, DeCooman, a Washington transfer, will sit 88-89 and up to 90 mph with his fastball, along with a hard slider that has evolved into a swing and miss offering. Junior righthander Cole Evans is a huge arm at the back end of the bullpen with a fastball up to 96 with a hard slider at 82. He’s a budding prospect and could be Little Rock’s closer when it’s all said and done. For now, freshman Jacob Weatherley is expected to close, and he’s a talented young arm with a fastball up to 92 mph, along with a slider up to 82. He throws a lot of strikes and is a hard-nosed competitor. Last but not least, keep an eye on freshman righthander Erik McKnight. The second-year freshman had limited innings for the Trojans in 2020, but the stuff is real. He made a huge jump in the fall with a fastball up to 95 mph, along with a hard slider and filthy changeup. To give you an idea of how much McKnight’s stock is rising, he will spend next summer at the Cape Cod League. The Trojans have a plethora of intriguing pieces to watch from an offensive standpoint, and it starts with outfielder Tyler Williams. Williams hit just .220 with a home run and four stolen bases during the shortened season, but his fall suggests a big year could be on the horizon. Williams is a premier prospect with 6.3 speed and the most raw power on the team. Williams is primed to have a breakout campaign. Chris Prentiss, is another quality athlete and hitter. He’s a 6.4 runner and has an advanced offensive approach, while first baseman Kobe Barnum is expected to have a productive 2021 season. Barnum got off to a slow start last season with a .235 average but had a productive fall and has an ability to hit for power to all fields. Lastly, keep an eye on Noah Dickerson and Canyon McWilliams. Dickerson has real power and bat speed and has a nice stroke from the left side, while McWilliams is a guy with sneaky speed and instincts and can hit for power to all fields. Also remember the names Miguel Soto and Nathan Lyons. Both talents were off to promising starts last spring. UT Arlington The Mavericks were off to a terrific start in 2020, and they’re looking to continue where they left off entering the 2021 campaign. One thing is for sure with this Mavericks club — they’re going to pitch. UTA’s weekend rotation is spearheaded by junior righthanded pitcher Carlos Tavera, who has a big-time arm and who tallied a 1.17 ERA in 21 innings last season, along with 31 strikeouts and 14 walks. Tavera has a fastball in the 92-93 and up to 94 mph range, and has evolved into a relied upon pitcher after tallying an 8.16 ERA in 14.1 innings just three seasons ago. The No. 2 spot in the weekend rotation is expected to go to junior lefthander Kody Bullard, who had a 2.95 ERA in 21.2 innings of work in the spring, while junior righthander David Moffat will round out the rotation after walking just four batters in 27 innings last season. Moffat might not have blow-away stuff, but he commands the zone well and is a perfect Sunday starter type. The most heralded pitcher on this staff is righthander Cade Winquest. Winquest is still evolving into an overall, pure pitcher, but his talent level is undeniable. He’s a 6-foot-2, 205-pound, righthander who was anywhere from 94-96 and up to 97 mph during fall workouts. Winquest will likely move into the starting rotation with a strong start to the 2021 campaign. Wyatt Divis and Tanner King are other arms to watch. Divis led the team last season with 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings, while King had an unblemished ERA in 16 innings, along with two saves, 15 strikeouts and seven walks. From an offensive standpoint, Connor Aube is a returning senior who’s the table setter for the Mavericks. Aube had a strong 2020 campaign that ended with a .375 average and five RBIs, while fellow outfielder Andrew Miller is expected to have another strong season. Miller has the ability to generate some serious power in his bat, leading the team in home runs with four and 11 RBIs in 2020. Philip Childs is another talented player with some potential from an offensive standpoint, while shortstop Josh Minarez gives the Mavericks experience and stability up the middle defensively. Assuming guys like Tavera and Winquest pan out on the mound, the Mavericks have a chance to not only get into the NCAA tournament discussion, but they’d then have the horses to compete for the league crown. The Rest Of The Pack Georgia Southern Much like UT Arlington, the Eagles have a ton of potential from a pitching standpoint this season. The starting rotation has some serious talent with junior righthander Jordan Jackson as the headliner at the front-end of the rotation. Jackson worked 23 innings last season and had a 1.57 ERA in 23 innings, along with 24 strikeouts and nine walks. Stuff-wise, he’s anywhere from 88-91 and up to 92-93 mph with his fastball, while he can throw four legitimate pitches for strikes. He has a low 3/4 arm slot that makes his pitches somewhat tough to identify for hitters. No. 2 starting pitcher Chase Dollander is someone I’m really excited to see at some point in the spring. Dollander has a massive arm and put on a show during fall workouts. He was 92-95 and up to 96-97-98 mph with his fastball at times, while he has an ability to attack hitters with a four-pitch repertoire. As a deviation from the power arms the Eagles possess in the 1 and 2 spots in the rotation, sophomore lefthander Braden Hays will occupy the No. 3 role, and he’s more of the pitchability variety at 85-88 mph with his fastball, along with a changeup that flashes plus. Senior righthander Tyler Owens is up to 91 mph with his fastball, has a quality changeup and can throw multiple pitches for strikes, and he is also in the starting mix, while from a bullpen standpoint, GSU has two strong options leading the charge in lefthander Nick Jones and righthander Jacob Parker. Jones has some serious upside and has a fastball ranging 89-91 and up to 92-93 with some serious life, while Parker is a big 6-foot-7 junior righty who was up to 93-94 mph with his fastball in the fall, along with a slider that flashes plus. Jaylen Paden will be a name to remember this spring. Paden, a two-way player, was impressive with the bat and on the mound in the fall, and is an athletic guy who will get some significant innings and could see time in the field at either third or second base. Mason McWhorter has been a run producer his entire career at Georgia Southern, and that isn’t expected to change this spring. He can hit for a solid average and power. Noah Ledford missed the 2020 campaign with an injury, but has some big-time power potential — he hit 11 homers back in 2019. Mitchell Golden and Matt Anderson are two talented seniors to watch. Golden hit .356 in the limited spring season and is a line drive hitter who uses the entire field, while Anderson was the team’s best hitter during fall workouts. Georgia State GSU head coach Brad Stromdahl can’t wait to see what he has personnel wise this spring. Just a season after finishing with a 15-41 overall record, the Panthers were on the road to success last season with a 9-7 record through the first few weeks of the season. However, GSU, like everyone else in college baseball, was unable to finish the season and didn’t get to see how they stacked up against Sun Belt competition. That changes this spring, as Stromdahl’s crew is rather intriguing and has a high ceiling after displaying 15 arms in the fall with velocities 90 mph or better. Veteran righthander Ryan Watson headlines the weekend rotation. Watson is a polished strike thrower who was more of a pitchability righthander in the past. However, he has taken a step forward from a stuff standpoint, sitting more 90-92 and up to 93-94 mph during fall workouts, along with a plus slider. His draft stock has certainly increased. Second-year freshman righthander Chad Treadway and senior lefty Tyler Koch will round out the weekend rotation, while sophomore lefty Dawson Sweatt could factor into the equation as well. Treadway is a big-time competitor who was 88-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball in the fall, along with a quality breaking ball and good command, while Koch was up to 93 mph with his fastball in the fall and has a quality breaking ball and that can be commanded on both sides of the plate. Sweatt, who previously was at Auburn and McLennan (Texas) College, has some big-time upside with an athletic frame and good arm strength. He was 88-90 with his fastball in the fall with four pitches for strikes. The Panthers feel like there’s much more in the tank from a velocity standpoint. At the back end of the bullpen, righthander Joseph Brandon is back and was up to 95 mph with his fastball in the fall with a quality breaking ball, while freshman righthander Dylan Matela, who transferred to GSU after the Furman program was eliminated, is intriguing. He was dominant in the fall with a fastball 91-93 and the best breaking ball on the team. Matela, Stromdahl said, has a chance to move into the weekend rotation sooner rather than later, assuming gets off to a great start this spring. The Panthers aren’t sure what to expect offensively this spring, but there are some nice pieces. For instance, first baseman Ryan Glass has big-time potential and is finally healthy for the first time in a couple of seasons, Kalen Puckett is a top of the order type of bat who is coming off a shortened season with a .370 average and outfielder Elian Merejo will have a spotlight on him this season. Merejo broke out last season with a .407 average, five home runs and 13 RBIs, along with five stolen bases, while second-year freshman Will Mize, a talented prospect, should have another strong season. Mize has an impressive collection of tools and hit .373 with a home run and 17 RBIs last season. Appalachian State After winning a hair over 20 games two seasons ago, the Mountaineers appeared to have a lot to look forward to last season after beginning the shortened season with a 10-6 overall record. The Mountaineers have high hopes for the spring, thanks to the presence of some quality pitching depth. One thing that gives ASU cautious optimism is the immediate impact expected from South Carolina transfer righthanded pitcher Trey Tujetsch. The righty had a terrific fall for the Mountaineers with a fastball in the 86-88 and up to 89 mph range, along with a plus plus changeup. He’s expected to start the season as the No. 4 (midweek starter), but his status could change sooner rather than later. The rest of the rotation will include lefthanders Tyler Tuthill, Quinton Martinez and Cole Hooper. Tuthill has improved his breaking ball into more of a swing and miss offering, and fastball-wise, he’ll sit anywhere from 88-91 and up to 92-93 mph. Hooper pitched as a starter and reliever early last season, and can get it done a variety of ways on the mound. This season, he’s expected to start and have a fastball ranging 87-89 and up to 90 mph, along with a quality changeup and curveball. As for Martinez, he was the team’s most consistent starting pitcher during the shortened season, and he will sit 89-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball, along with a quality slider. Offensively, the rise of outfielder Andrew Terrell could be a game-changer this spring. Terrell has tools but struggled immensely last season with a .143 average and just four RBIs. However, he had a strong summer and fall and appears ready to take a big step forward. Dalton Williams, who missed last season because of a wrist injury, had the best offensive fall of anyone, and provides the offensive lineup with a power bat, while Luke Drumheller and Andrew Greckel are additional quality bats to watch. Drumheller has had a terrific offensive career, hitting .337 with two home runs and 37 RBIs two seasons ago before having a .300 average with two home runs and 17 RBIs last spring. As for Greckel, he was ASU’s best hitter in 2020 and did yet another solid job in the fall in terms of plate discipline and approach. His strikeout numbers were low and he could be primed to have yet another strong year at the plate. Last but not least, Bailey Welch could be a breakout candidate. Welch struggled during the shortened season, but he was much better offensively in the fall and certainly has a dynamic skill set. UL Monroe It’s hard to know just how improved the Warhawks were last season after not playing any Sun Belt games because of the shortened season, but there’s no doubt they were somewhat improved in a season that ended with a 12-5 overall record. Tim Federico looks to take the next step this season with a team with much improved depth … a trend that is pretty common around the country. ULM has a senior at the front-end of the weekend rotation in Ty Barnes. Barnes was ULM’s Friday starter last season, too, and he’s a three-pitch guy with good command of the zone. Lefthanders Tyler Lien and Cam Barlow are expected to round out the rotation. Lien is a hard-nosed, three-pitch guy and Barlow is a strike-thrower who has a consistent, impressive tempo each time he’s on the mound. Second-year freshman righthander Nick Judice has big-time potential, but needs to harness his stuff, while senior righty Landon Longsworth is an undersized pitcher with quick arm action. He’s a good athlete and has a hard-nosed approach. The potential breakout pitcher to watch is sophomore righthander Tylor Jans. Jans, a junior college transfer, has a powerful arm with big-time upside. However, he needs to harness his stuff a little more if he wants to be a high impact arm for the Warhawks this season. As it stands, he’s the projected No. 4 starter. From an offensive standpoint, there is some power potential with this group. Andrew Beesley is a good bat to ball hitter who knows the zone and has some pop potential, Mason Holt hit .299 last season and certainly is expected to increase his power production this spring, senior Ryan Humenuik is a twitchy outfielder who has the ability to spray the ball into the gaps, Colby Deaville also has some pop in his bat and first baseman Danny DeSimone could be another breakout candidate on this team. DeSimone finished last season with six home runs and 22 RBIs. However, he also had a .242 average and a .338 on-base percentage. That needs to improve this spring. Arkansas State The Red Wolves certainly have some questions to answer on the mound after losing two of three weekend starters from last year’s club, but the offense is in good shape with the return of seven everyday players from the spring. Ben Klutts, Jake Gish and Tyler Duncan are the headlines from an offensive standpoint. Klutts has gap power and can hit home runs to his pull-side. He hit .364 with two home runs and 10 RBIs last season. Meanwhile, Gish is very athletic and, too, has power to his pull side. He is coming off a solid spring, where he hit .316 with a home run and six RBIs. Finally, Duncan is a talented senior who likely has the most potential of anyone in this lineup. Duncan hit .321 with a home run last season, but when he’s right, it’s really good. Also keep an eye on Sky-Lar Culver. Culver was very good as a junior but struggled early last season with a batting average around .220. From a pitching standpoint, Arkansas State needs a big season out of senior righthander Zech Jarrard, who has good stuff, but loses his command at times. The silver lining, here? Jarrard did show good command early in the spring. Junior righthander Will Nash is a hard-nosed competitor on the mound and will be in the No. 2 slot in the rotation. Nash has a fastball up to 93 mph and attacks hitters with three solid offerings. Another righty, Carter Holt, was injured earlier this year during the shortened season, but is back, healthy and ready to roll. Also keep an eye on bullpen mainstays, seniors Jack Jumper and Kollin Stone. Jumper is a steady pitcher who doesn’t let any moment get to him. He attacks the zone and isn’t afraid to challenge hitters. Meanwhile, Stone has a good fastball and flashes plus with his slider. He has improved his approach against lefthanded hitters.
2021 Mid-American Preview: Kent State Headlines Intriguing Field SEASON PREVIEW Burke Granger - February 10, 2021 The race for the Mid-American Conference crown promises to be as exciting as always. Kent State is the perennial power in this league, and once again leads the way entering the 2021 campaign. However, there are plenty of programs hot on its heels, including Miami with the return of hard-throwing righthander Sam Bachman, and Central Michigan, which represented the MAC in the NCAA tournament in Starkville back in 2019. Ball State is always capable of surprising folks with Rich Maloney in charge, while Western Michigan could be an interesting middle of the pack type of club to watch with the return of premier slugger Blake Dunn and others. Without further ado, let’s dive into the MAC: Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish TEAM 2020 RECORD Kent State 7-7 Miami (OH) 8-7 Central Michigan 11-6 Ball State 7-9 Northern Illinois 7-10 Western Michigan 9-6 Ohio 3-12 Toledo 3-13 Eastern Michigan 1-13 Bowling Green 2-11 Akron 1-12 Projected Regional Team (1): Kent State Player of the Year: Blake Dunn, OF, Western Michigan Pitcher of the Year: Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami Freshman of the Year: Ty Johnson, RHP, Ball State Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Joe Rock LHP Ohio 2 Sam Bachman RHP Miami 3 Luke Albright RHP Kent State 4 Jonathan Brand RHP Miami 5 Blake Dunn OF Western Michigan 6 Chayce McDermott RHP Ball State 7 Zach Fruit RHP Eastern Michigan 8 Tyler Bosma LHP Miami 9 Michael Turner C Kent State 10 Griffin Lockwood-Powell C Central Michigan 11 Max Rippl RHP Kent State 12 Ian Leatherman RHP Central Michigan 13 Justin Meis RHP Eastern Michigan 14 Jake Dunham C Northern Illinois 15 Chris Meyers 1B/RHP Toledo 16 Ty Weatherly RHP Ball State 17 Lawson Blackmore RHP Miami 18 Tyler Hays RHP Bowling Green 19 Connor Steinbaugh RHP Akron 20 John Baker RHP Ball State TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Justin Miknis C Kent State 2 Richie Dell RHP Kent State 3 Benji Brokemond OF Miami 4 Cameron Wagoner RHP Eastern Michigan 5 Andrew Taylor RHP Central Michigan 6 Zach Cole OF Ball State 7 Zach Lechnir SS Central Michigan 8 Jordan Stevens OF Kent State 9 Owen Recker RHP Bowling Green 10 Jacob Schroeder C Northern Illinois IMPACT FRESHMEN 1 Ty Johnson RHP Ball State 2 Nick Chittum RHP Eastern Michigan 3 Dalton Back C Miami 4 Benny Roebuck RHP Kent State 5 Matt Solomomson RHP Northern Illinois 6 Jordan Stevens OF Kent State 7 Logan Jones RHP Ohio 8 Danny Wuestenfeld INF Central Michigan 9 Michael McNamara INF Kent State 10 Spencer Hill RHP Northern Illinois Projected Regional Team KENT STATE The Flashes are deep on the mound, returning the majority of the staff that pitched to a conference best 3.53 ERA last season. With Luke Albright (2-2, 190) in tow, veteran coach Jeff Duncan can take comfort in running a bona fide ace out to the bump every Friday night. Big, strong, and sturdily built at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, the righthander works downhill from a high three-quarter delivery. He’s got a fiery demeanor on the mound and a deep repertoire includes a fastball that tops out at 96 mph, a 76-to-79 mph curveball with 12-6 movement, high-80s power slider and a changeup with late tumble. He’ll be joined in the rotation by Colin Romel (1-1, 1.86), a high-volume strike thrower with a four-pitch mix of his own. The lefty commands an 88-to-90 mph fastball to both sides of the plate and shows a pair of usable breaking pitches but his changeup is his best offering. Thrown with deceptive arm speed and in any count, the 78-to-82 mph change piece fades significantly to his arm side. 2YR FR Richie Dell threw well last season, tossing five scoreless innings in relief. The power armed righthander has a cache of weapons that could play in a rotation or in the back end of a bullpen, including a mid-90s with his fastball and featuring a power breaking ball with depth. Similarly, Jack Zimmerman is a versatile arm who’s struck out 12.6 hitters per nine during his career. A candidate to close, Max Rippl (1-0, 2.70) has one of the quicker arms in the conference and has run his heater up to 97 mph. He’ll also show an 86-to-88 mph short slider, a get-me-over bender in the mid-70s and a developing changeup. The offense is paced by Ben Carew who won the 2019 MAC batting title (.406) and has slashed .376/.449/.487 during a decorated collegiate career. An above average runner, he swiped a team high 24 bags in 2019. An all-conference performer in 2019 after posting an .987 OPS, backstop Michael Turner exhibits advanced barrel control, developing power and plus arm strength behind the dish. An on-base machine with advanced strike zone awareness, 5YR SR Cam Touchette (.333/.429/.500) will hit near the top of the order. He’s a plus runner and his speed plays on the bases and in the grass where he’s a skilled defender in right field. After leading the conference in slugging in 2019 (.619) with an extraordinary 54% of his hits going for extra bases, designated hitter Justin Kirby is an impact bat in the middle of the lineup. 2YR FR Mack Timbrook is a reliable defender at short and a contact-oriented hitter in the box. A disruptive baserunner, he stole seven bases in seven attempts last season. From the Fall Report: Kent State’s prominence within the Mid-American Conference is well documented. Throughout two decades of distinction, the Golden Flashes have won either the regular season title or the conference tournament in an incredible 17 of 20 seasons. Additionally, they’ve represented the MAC in the NCAA Tournament 10 times during that span. Likewise, head coach Jeff Duncan is no stranger to success. Entering his eighth season with the reins, he’s accumulated a 225-123 record while being named MAC Coach of the Year three times…CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING Keep An Eye On MIAMI (OHIO) The RedHawks are exceptionally deep on the mound, which will pay dividends as the MAC transitions to four-game sets during conference play this season. The staff is underscored by Sam Bachman (1-2, 3.42), a potential first round arm with three pitches that grade out as future above average or better pitches. Sturdily built with an XL frame, the righthander works from a lower arm slot, generating significant horizontal movement on his fastball which scraped triple digits last fall. A true out-pitch, his hard biting mid-80s slider tunnels well with his heater and elicits empty swings. Thrown with deceptive arm-speed and late fade, he shows excellent feel for his changeup. Strong and compact at 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, Jonathan Brand uses an explosive lower half and a quick arm to run his fastball up to the mid-90s, and he can hold that velocity deep into starts. A high spin offering approaching 3000 RPMs with 12-6 movement, his curveball is one of the nastiest pitches is the MAC. Tyler Bosma (1-1, 4.82) is a projectable, athletic 6-foot-6 lefthander strike thrower who made a jump this fall. He’ll pitch in the 91-to-94 mph range, his slider has gotten sharper with added depth and his changeup is a neutralizing weapon against righthanders. At 6-foot-5, 246 pounds, Jacob Webb (2-0, 4.91, 1 SV) is an imposing figure on the mound with a fastball to match. He’s been up to 95 mph this fall, and his tight short slider is an out pitch. Praised for his leadership, Grant Hartwig (1-0, 3.52) is a veteran competitor who could push for save opportunities. He’ll feature a three-pitch mix that includes a heavy 90-to-91 mph sinker, an improved slider and changeup with good separation from his fastball. A sparkplug at the top of the order, outfielder Christian Tejada (.291/.355/.436) is a high motor player with the best bat-to-ball skills on the team. A burner with elite speed, Benji Brokemond is a 6.25/60 runner and the speed plays in the grass. A converted infielder, he’s adjusted to the outfield quickly and will open the season in either center or left. An All-MAC performer in 2019 after slashing .303/.408/.480, designated hitter Cole Andrews is a masher in the middle of the lineup who’s improved his pitch recognition year-over-year. Additionally, he’s made strides defensively, earning more reps behind the plate handling this talented pitching staff. Veterans Tyler Wardwell and Will Vogelgesang provide defensive stability up the middle at shortstop and second base respectively. Wardwell has a toolsy profile with pop from both sides of the plate, a plus arm and above average speed. A heady defender with range to either side, Vogelgesang was mashing at the plate to start last season, slashing .340/.439/.660 with a team high four homeruns when play was halted. From the Fall Report: Miami won 37 games in 2019, its highest total in the seven-year tenure of head coach Danny Hayden and the RedHawks were 8-7 when play was abruptly halted last spring. Like many coaches around the country, Hayden is confident about the talent he’s retained on campus. With one of the deeper pitching staffs in the MAC and a solid core of veterans up and down the lineup, the RedHawks are poised to compete for a conference championship…CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING CENTRAL MICHIGAN Though he’s only been in Mount Pleasant a short time, Jordan Bischel has already left an indelible mark in Central Michigan baseball history. In 2019, the Chippewas posted a program best 47-14 record and earned their first regional bid since 2005 in route to Bischel being named MAC Coach of the Year. Outside of shortstop Zavier Warren who was lost to the draft (Milwaukee – 3rd Round), Bischel returns the entirety of an offense that led the conference in hitting (.277) and on-base percentage (.402) last season. Headlining the returnees is Griffin Lockwood-Powell, who slashed .345/.454/.587 with a program record 74 RBIs in 2019 on his way to all-conference honors. If it weren’t for the truncated draft last June, it’s unlikely the star backstop’s talents would have been retained for another season. A natural hitter with plus power potential in a smooth righthanded swing, the 5Y JR also has a rocket arm behind the dish. A leadoff hitter with a nose for getting on base, Zach Heeke has a career OBP of .455. He’s a five-year starter and he’ll see time at each corner infield position. One of the top performing freshmen in the country last season, second baseman Zach Lechnir posted a .967 OPS. Diminutively built at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, he’s a fundamentally sound defender up the middle. Another four-year starter and quick twitch athlete, center fielder Zach Gilles is among the single season and career leaders in triples, and his 20 stolen bases in 2019 led the team. Taking the ball every Friday for Bischel is Jordan Patty (3-0, 0.72), a converted infielder who’s transformed into a competitive sinker baller on the mound. A former grad transfer from North Carolina, JT Rogoszewski logged four starts for the Chippewas last season, pitching to a 1-1 record with a 4.47 ERA. A strike thrower absent overpowering stuff, the righthander gets outs with command and movement. Ian Leatherman (1-0, 2.63) attacks the zone with a low-90s sinker and has shown an improved arsenal over the past two seasons. The most projectable pitcher on the staff, 6-foot-5 Andrew Miller (1-0, 2.16) was superlative in a short sample last season, sitting 89-to-91 mph with his fastball, topping out at 93 mph. A two-way player who will also contribute at designated hitter and outfield, Garrett Navarra is an upper-80s strike thrower with a usable breaking ball. Closer Grant Frazer (1-1, 1.88) is a converted infielder who logged eight appearances and led the team in strikeouts last season with 17 in just 14.1 innings. From the Fall Report: The 2019 season was an especially good one for teams in the Upper Midwest. In addition to Michigan advancing to the College World Series Finals, Illinois State, Indiana State and Central Michigan all enjoyed one of their best seasons in program history. Illinois, Ohio State and UIC also made it into the postseason, while a little further west Omaha and Lincoln, Neb. provided three participants in Creighton, Nebraska-Omaha and Nebraska…CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING BALL STATE Despite losing Drey Jamison and Kyle Nicolas from the 2019 squad that went 20-5 in conference play, the Cardinals retained enough of talent on both sides of the ball to compete at a high level. The offense is fueled by Noah Navarro (.377/.441/.547). An athletic line drive hitter with good range at second base, he used his plus speed to steal seven bases last season. The most dangerous hitter in the lineup, Ross Messina, has a career OPS of .862. Described as a leader and a gamer, he’ll hold down right field where his arm strength is an asset. The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year and team captain, Chase Sebby (.260/.367/.400) is back behind the dish where he excels as a receiver. A run producer in the middle of the lineup, first baseman Trenton Quartermaine (.360/.421/.420) is an accomplished gap hitter with advanced bat-to-ball skills. 2YR FR Zach Cole is tooled up with power, speed and arm strength listed among his strongest attributes. Building upon a season where he led the conference in OBP (.548), outfielder Nick Powell turned in one of the most impressive performances on the team this fall. The most accomplished starter in the league, two-time all-conference performer John Baker, will reprise his role as the Friday starter. He’s logged over 250 innings during his time in Muncie and led the MAC in ERA in 2019 (2.13). The veteran righty commands a deep repertoire and is unflappable on the mound. After passing on professional opportunities earlier in his collegiate career, he’s a potential senior sign during this draft cycle. Working from a high three-quarter release, 6-foot-3 righty Chayce McDermott does a good job getting downhill and working his mid-90s fastball to the four quadrants of the plate. A high spin offering at 75-to-77 mph with 11-5 break, his curveball flashes plus when he’s able to stay on top of it and he’ll show a serviceable firm changeup. At 6-foot-6, 195-pounds with projection remaining, Ty Weatherly (1-1, 4.91) will join Baker and McDermott in the rotation. He’s made strides in controlling his electric mix that includes an 88-to-93 mph fastball and a pair of high spin breaking pitches. A newcomer to keep an eye on, Ty Johnson is a 6-foot-6 righthander with a high spin fastball in the 90-to-92 mph range. The Rest Of The Pack NORTHERN ILLINOIS Despite not making a regional since 1996 or logging a winning season since 2011, the Huskies are trending upward and have a talent laden roster that should compete in 2021. A reliable strike thrower with playable stuff, Mike Lasiewicz (1-1, 4.24) will anchor the front end of the rotation. He pitched in the 88-to-91 mph velo band last season but has shown the ability to run his heater up to 95 mph in prior stints. 3YR SO Brandon McPherson (0-1, 5.75) gives veteran coach Mike Kunigonis another experienced weekend arm. An athletic righty, he was up to 93 mph this fall with a put away slider, though he needs to throw more strikes to realize his considerable potential. A conference freshman of the year candidate, Matt Salomonson, pitched his way into a rotation spot with a strong fall. His fastball sits in the 88-to-90 mph range with significant arm-side run, and he shows confidence in a curveball and changeup to round out his collection of offerings. A high leverage multi-inning reliever, Nate Thomas (2-2, 1.42) was particularly effective last season, using an 89-to-93 mph fastball and advanced secondaries to lead the team in punchouts (24) and held hitters to a paltry .179 batting average. Returning the bulk of a lineup that led the MAC in total bases last season, the Huskies have the experience to compete offensively. A staple in the lineup since arriving in DeKalb, catcher and cleanup hitter Jake Dunham has slashed .276/.405/.389 in a robust 756 plate appearance sample during his accomplished collegiate career. He was on pace for his best offensive season last year, finishing among the conference leaders in homeruns (4) and RBIs (15). Similarly, 5YR SR Jordan Larson (.323/.429/.435) got off scorching start last season, taking home MAC Player of the Week honors twice in the four-week season. Lauded for his defensive aptitude in center field, Brady Huebbe (.342/.410/.425) also shows the ability to drive balls into the gaps, leading the Huskies in doubles (6) last season. Dylan Longteen (.226/.324/.435) is a solid defender at shortstop and has some sneaky juice in the bat, having led the team in extra base hits last season (9). WESTERN MICHIGAN The Broncos haven’t logged a winning season since 2008 but did make a regional as recently as 2016 after winning the conference tournament. Veteran coach Billy Gernon returns the meat of a lineup that got on base at a .390 clip last season while leading the MAC in stolen bases (31). Highlighting the offense is Player of the Year pick Blake Dunn, who’s tooled-up and stars on both sides of the ball. Compact and strong at 6-foot, 205 pounds, the center fielder has slashed .335/.420/.457 during a storied career in Kalamazoo. After finishing among the conference leaders in walks, stolen bases and RBIs, last season he continued to rake in the Northwoods League over the summer where he posted a 1.038 OPS in route to being named a Rawlings Big Stick Award recipient within the circuit. Dunn ran a remarkable 6.35/60 during the Broncos scout day and uses his double plus speed in the grass and on the bases. Catcher Connor Charping (.293/.491/.317) has a penchant for getting on base, making him ideal for the leadoff spot. Possessing atypical speed for a catcher, his 10 stolen bases last season were good for second in the MAC only to Dunn’s 11. An all-conference performer in 2019 after hitting .359/.400/.484, an injury sidelined Drew Devine for 2020. Now fully recovered, he’ll provide veteran leadership at shortstop. Big and athletic at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Brady Miller is back to once again lead the rotation. One of the more productive pitchers in the conference in 2019, his control backed up a little in 2020 as his walk rate more than doubled from 1.6 to 3.9. At his best, he’ll command a three-pitch mix that includes an easy 89-to-92 mph fastball, a biting 79-to-80 mph slider and a quality changeup with late tumble. Behind Miller, Gernon will rely on a trio of arms with a major league pedigree. The son of Brian Sikorski (4th Round, Astros), Easton Sikorski (3-1, 2.13) throws high spin fastballs and sliders that reportedly exceed big league averages. Big and projectable at 6-foot-5, 225, Rick Huisman’s (3rd Round, Giants) son Jack pairs a 90-to-92 mph fastball with a hard slider. Lastly, the son of catcher Erik Pappas (1st Round, Angels), Luke Pappas pitches effortlessly in the high 80s, and he’s still developing physically. OHIO While the Bobcats haven’t won the conference in nearly 40 years, they did earn a pair of recent regional berths in 2015 and 2017 respectively after winning the MAC tournament. Veteran head coach Rob Smith unexpectedly retired last month, leaving the program in the capable hands of longtime assistant Craig Moore in the interim while the search for a replacement is ongoing. Checking in at #32 on our top college prospect list, Joe Rock will attract a torrance of scouting heat to Athens this spring. Long and lean at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, the lefty made strides with his physicality since arriving on campus and the stuff made a jump this fall. After sitting in the 88-to-91 mph range as a freshman, he was pumping 92-to-95 mph octane this fall with above average horizontal riding life. At 83-to-85 mph, his swing and miss slider tunnels with his fastball and his changeup is a solid third weapon. Working primarily off an 88-to-91 mph fastball and a cutter, 3YR SO Eamon Horwedel (0-3, 4.50) is a strike thrower who led the team in punchouts last season. True freshman Logan Jones made a big impression this fall, overpowering hitters with a 90-to-93 mph fastball and a swing and miss curveball. After working in the high 80s last season, Colin Sells (0-1, 7.71) took a step forward year-over-year, improving his arm speed and pitching in the 90-to-94 mph range while also flashing a wipeout slider during the fall. The Bobcats hope to improve on their lackluster .182 batting average and .516 OPS to compete this spring. One of the few offensive standouts last season, left fielder Devonte Washington, slashed .346/.433/.615 and tied for the team lead in homeruns (2). He’s expected to hit near the middle of the order where his gap-to-gap approach makes him dangerous. A potential leadoff hitter, center fielder Mike Richardson is an above average athlete with speed and a discerning eye at the plate. Utilizing an all fields approach, Isaiah Peterson posted an .816 OPS last season. The right fielder possesses the best combination of hit and power tools on the team and is slated to hit in the top half of the lineup. Mason Minzey started his collegiate career at Texas Tech, playing sparingly as a freshman before transferring to Wabash Valley last season. Now at his third school in as many seasons, he’s expected to see significant time behind the dish where he shows off above average arm strength. TOLEDO Led by 1B/RHP Chris Meyers (.274/.430/.516, 4 HR) and Darryn Davis (.400/.532/.550), the Rockets should have one of the more potent offenses in the conference. A two-way player, Meyers is a skillful defender around the bag at first base, and his plus bat speed helps to generate above average raw power. After relieving last season, they plan to deploy him in the rotation this season where he’s shown a mid-90s fastball and a power slider at 86-to-89 mph. A table setter at the top of the order, Davis has advanced bat-to-ball skills with gap power and a judicious feel for the strike zone. A junior college transfer, left fielder Mason Sykes is a doubles machine who slashed .409/.569/.568 for Wabash Valley last spring. Across the grass in right field, John Servello (.323/.378/.385) is a sound defender who led the team in outfield assists. Described as the best pure hitter on the team, he has above average pitch recognition and a knack for barreling the baseball. A weekend starter last season, Wyatt Jefferson is back after leading the team in ERA (.277) last season. He’ll work in the 86-to-89 mph range while mixing in a mid-70s breaker and a usable changeup. Another holdover from last year’s rotation, Jordan Power (0-1, 5.32) led the team in innings. He utilizes a four-pitch mix that includes an 88-to-91 mph fastball, a pair of breaking pitches and a low-80s splitter. Kyle Bischoff (1-1, 6.52) has an electric arm out of the pen. Using a mid-90s heater and a sharp 82-to-85 mph slider, he punched out 18 hitters last season in just 9.2 frames. A weekend starter for four seasons, Layne Schnitz-Paxton (1-1, 4.50) is transitioning to the closer role this season, anticipating that his three pitch (FB, SL, CH) will play up in shorter stints. EASTERN MICHIGAN Although the Eagles stumbled to a conference worst 8.12 team ERA, the top six or seven arms on this staff could go toe to toe with most teams in this conference. A 6YR SR, Davis Feldman, missed considerable time over the last three seasons with a variety of injuries. Pitching in the 92-to-94 mph range this fall and equipped with a retooled slider, he’s poised to be the Friday starter. Armed with a fastball up to 94 mph and a put away breaking ball, Justin Meis (0-2, 5.23) finished among league leaders in strikeouts last season with 29. Showing uncommon polish and work ethic for a freshman, power armed righthander Nick Chittum appears primed for a significant role right out of the gate. A 22nd round pick out of HS (Rangers), Cameron Wagoner has an electric arm, but needs to cut down on the free passes to maximize the effectiveness of his arsenal. A transfer from Lansing CC (Mich.), Zach Fruit profiles as a back-end reliever with a fastball that touched 96 mph this fall and a power slider. Offensively, the Eagles will call upon Drake Peggs to set the tone at the leadoff spot. A versatile defender who can play on the dirt or in the grass, the 5YR SR led the team with three stolen bases last season. A captain for an unprecedented four years, Nick Jones (.321/.368/.340) provides leadership behind the plate where he gets high marks for his defensive ability. Brother Nate Jones patrols center field as a three-year starter in the grass. While he struggled to get going with the bat last season, he made some adjustments at the plate which resulted in marked improvements over the fall. A savvy defender at shortstop, Taylor Hopkins hit two of the team’s three homeruns last season and led the team in RBIs (9) and slugging (.415). BOWLING GREEN Perhaps no baseball team in the country faced a more turbulent offseason than the Falcons. After the COVID shortened 2020 season, the university announced it was dropping the program due to budgetary concerns only to reinstate it weeks later following an historic fund-raising push. A ripple effect from the back and forth, a half dozen players transferred out and 30-year veteran Danny Schmitz stepped down as head coach. The personnel move paved the way for the promotion of pitching coach and former MAC Pitcher of the Year (Kent State – 2011) Kyle Hallock to become the 11th head coach in program history. The adversity has galvanized the holdovers, as team chemistry ranks among the strengths of this new look team. Tyler Hays (0-2, 1.66) gives Hallock a battle tested Friday starter that he can run out against any lineup in the MAC. Big and physical at 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, the righthander sits 90-to-93 mph, touching 95 mph. He’ll show hitters a mid-70s breaking ball with 11-to-5 break, a sharp low-80s slider and a changeup with good separation from his heater. Using deception in the delivery and enhanced pitchabilty, he punched out a team high 16 hitters last season. He’ll be joined in the rotation by Andrew Abrahamowicz, a weekend stalwart who will look to regain his 2019 form (3.11 ERA). Athletically built at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, the righthander keeps hitters off balance with a fastball and changeup, both of which show significant horizontal movement to the arm side. A fiery competitor on the bump, Owen Recker is prototypical power arm with a mid-90s fastball, a power breaking ball and a serviceable changeup. Offensively, the Falcons are paced by catcher Kyle Gurney (.245/.362/.367), their top overall hitter with a proclivity for barreling the baseball. He showed remarkable strike zone awareness last spring in a small sample, walking (9) nearly twice as often as he struck out (5). He runs the show defensively behind the dish, giving Hallock a veteran presence on the field. After knocking in a team high 10 runs last season, Adam Furnas (.261/.346/.391) will once again be leaned on as a middle of the order run producer. He’s made gains with his bat speed over the past two years, which has translated into increased power. Additionally, he’s been praised for his glovework around the bag at first base. AKRON In the first year back following a four-year hiatus, Akron looked justifiably overmatched upon its return, going 1-12 and posting an anemic .412 OPS. Encouraged by the talented pitching staff and positional versatility that will allow him to put his field his best offensive team, second-year coach Chris Sabo is optimistic about the continued development of his team. A strike thrower who aggressively attacks hitters, Conor Steinbaugh seems to have the inside track as the Friday starter. He can run his fastball into the 91-to-93 mph range and features nasty 78-to-80 mph curveball with depth and a two-plane break, and mid 80s changeup. One of the Zips most effective pitchers last season and a vocal team leader, Jackson Hickert (0-1, 3.18) pounds the zone with a four-pitch mix. A grad transfer who’s bounced around, John Creel had previous stints at Ole Miss and NC State. A big physical presence at 6-foot-5, 222, the righthander’s fastball sits 91-to-93 with significant arm side run. He throws a tight slider at 79-to-83 mph which breaks more vertically than horizontally. Long and lean at 6-foot-4, 190-pounds, Tyler Gault works downhill from a high three-quarter delivery and can run his fastball up to 92 mph. There’s some deception in his delivery and his deep stable of pitches could play as a starter or in the bullpen. A potential leadoff hitter with an all fields approach, the coaching staff is looking for big things from left fielder Roy Thurman after an injury sidelined him last year. An instinctual defender in center field with an above average arm and good closing speed, Zach Granger is also a tough out and will be leaned on as a middle of the order run producer. After transferring from Wright State prior to last spring, Connor Regan is a line drive hitter with a disciplined all fields approach, and he provides solid defense behind the plate.
Duh I remember exactly where I was watching now. Gf was napping beside me on couch. First bomb, I celebrate silently. Second one, I'm like man this is a little tough to hold in. Third one, fuck it she's getting woke up.
Main takeaway from the SEC preview is Bama looks to sweep National titles in the Big 3 sports this year
anyone used whatever flobaseball is? looks like that might be only way for me to watch the state farm tourney next weekend. if it's a high quality stream that i could share login with my dad i might pay the $30 (which is stupidly overpriced already). but if it's a shitty stream only i can use fuck that
You can't both watch the stream at the same time with one login, unfortunately. They have an app that is compatible with Roku and Chromecast I believe, which is nice because I have a Roku in my living room, but I have an nvidia shield in my basement and can't use the app with that which kinda stinks. Can't speak to the quality of their FloBaseball streams, but the vast majority of the FloWrestling streams are excellent. They do have major server issues sometimes with their biggest events, but I don't imagine that will come into play here.
Here's the CAA. I think the WCC is the only one not posted. 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Preview: UNCW Leads Strong Pack SEASON PREVIEW Aaron Fitt - February 12, 2021 The CAA will split into divisions this spring for the first time since 2003, with the goal of reducing travel and limiting exposure associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Each team will play a 24-game divisional conference schedule in the regular season. The top two teams in each division plus two at-large teams will make up the field for the 2021 CAA Baseball Championship, which will be held May 26-30 at Brooks Field on the campus of UNC Wilmington. The Seahawks have won three of the last five CAA championships and enter the season as the team to beat once again, but College of Charleston looks built to give UNCW a stiff test in the South. Northeastern is the clear-cut favorite in the North. Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish NORTH DIVISION 2020 RECORD Northeastern 10-5 Hofstra 4-10 Delaware 8-7 Towson 7-8 SOUTH DIVISION 2020 RECORD UNC Wilmington 11-5 College of Charleston 12-2 James Madison 10-6 Elon 7-10 William & Mary 8-9 Projected Regional Team (1): UNC Wilmington Player of the Year: Austin Gauthier, SS, Hofstra Pitcher of the Year: Landen Roupp, RHP, UNC Wilmington Freshman of the Year: Ethan Chenault, RHP, UNC Wilmington Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Brandon Dufault RHP Northeastern 2 Ben Malgeri OF Northeastern 3 Adam Smith RHP UNC Wilmington 4 Joseph Carpenter 1B Delaware 5 Jared Wetherbee LHP Elon 6 Nick Stewart RHP James Madison 7 Josh Seils RHP Towson 8 Landen Roupp RHP UNC Wilmington 9 Nick Zona SS James Madison 10 Matt Suggs C UNC Wilmington 11 Trevon Dabney OF James Madison 12 Jack Cone RHP/OF William & Mary 13 Justin Showalter RHP James Madison 14 Joe Sprake RHP Elon 15 John Mikolaicyk RHP Hofstra 16 Noah Bridges OF UNC Wilmington 17 Austin Gauthier SS Hofstra 18 Matt McDermott SS William & Mary 19 Jared Dupere OF Northeastern 20 Jimmy Joyce RHP Hofstra 21 Donald Hansis OF College of Charleston 22 Harrison Hawkins OF College of Charleston 23 Ian Fair 3B Northeastern 24 Spenser Smith SS Northeastern 25 Javon Fields OF Towson 26 Kyle Murphy RHP Northeastern 27 Brian Rodriguez RHP Northeastern 28 Jordan Carr LHP College of Charleston 29 Danny Becerra SS Towson 30 Anthony Galason OF Elon TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Caswell Smith RHP College of Charleston 2 Sebastian Keane RHP Northeastern 3 Chase DeLauter OF/LHP James Madison 4 Cam Schlittler RHP Northeastern 5 Ethan Chenault* RHP UNC Wilmington 6 Trotter Harlan SS College of Charleston 7 Spencer Bauer RHP Elon 8 Joe Savino RHP Elon 9 Ben Williamson 3B William & Mary 10 Trevor Marsh OF UNC Wilmington 11 James Quinlivan LHP Northeastern 12 Jac Croom 2B UNC Wilmington 13 Joey Loynd 3B Delaware 14 Santino Rosso INF Hofstra 15 Ty Good RHP College of Charleston 16 Alex Iadisernia OF Elon 17 Cody Benton RHP UNC Wilmington 18 Ben Greenspon 2B/RHP William & Mary 19 Burke Camper C Towson 20 Ronald Evans 1B/3B UNC Wilmington IMPACT FIRST-YEAR FRESHMEN 1 Ethan Chenault RHP UNC Wilmington 2 Ryan Calvert RHP UNC Wilmington 3 Cole Reynolds LHP/1B Elon 4 Michael Gemma RHP Northeastern 5 Ben Simon RHP Elon 6 William Privette RHP College of Charleston 7 Jack Howell 3B UNC Wilmington 8 Brody Hopkins OF/RHP College of Charleston 9 Eric Yost RHP Northeastern 10 Jacob Shafer RHP UNC Wilmington 11 Garrett Newsome RHP William & Mary 12 Noah Overton LHP UNC Wilmington 13 Bryce Safferwich SS/2B James Madison 14 Max Viera SS Northeastern 15 Justin Cassella INF/OF Elon 16 Braeson Fulton C James Madison 17 Andalo Santangelo RHP Towson 18 Tristan Nemjo UTL Hofstra 19 Nic Britt SS William & Mary 20 Justin Rebok RHP Towson Projected Regional Team UNC WILMINGTON UNCW has been the most consistent winner in the CAA during the 21st century, making 10 regional appearances since 2003 and six in the last eight years. Head coach Mark Scalf retired following an NCAA tournament run in 2019, and his longtime righthand man Randy Hood took over the reins of the program for the 2020 season. The Seahawks got off to a good start before the season was canceled, and the program looks positioned to continue its run of excellence under Hood’s steady leadership. Last year, we believed UNCW had the starting pitching to make a run at winning a regional, and though lefthander Zarion Sharpe is gone, that pitching staff might be even better in 2021. It starts with ace Landen Roupp, our choice for CAA preseason pitcher of the year and the coaches’ choice for preseason player of the year in the league’s official balloting. A three-year starter with a 3.25 career ERA, Roupp worked hard in the offseason to add strength to his frame, causing his sinking fastball to tick up into the 91-94 range at times, along with a tight swing-and-miss breaking ball at 75-78 and a quality changeup. He’ll team with 5YR SR righty Luke Gesell to form a rock-solid one-two punch atop the rotation. Gesell is a battle-tested workhorse with a 91-93 fastball and feel for two solid offspeed pitches. And expect two very talented freshmen to compete for the Sunday starter job: righthanders Ryan Calvert and Ethan Chenault. A lean and projectable 6-foot-5 righthander, Chenault was a blue-chip recruit out of Virginia, and he has lived up to his billing this fall, sitting at 90-93 and touching 95 mph along with a promising big-breaking curveball at 73-77 and the makings of a changeup. Calvert is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound ox who earned Maryland PBR player of the year honors as a junior. He showed off advanced feel for pitching in our fall look, attacking the zone at 88-92 with a very good sinking changeup at 81-84 and a decent 76 mph breaking ball. He works downhill with minimal effort, and it’s easy to envision him throwing considerably harder as he gets older. Wilmington should also have the best bullpen in the CAA, with enviable depth and a variety of different looks. The anchor should be 3YR SO Adam Smith (2.38 ERA, 3 SV, 14-3 K-BB in 11.1 IP), a former two-way player who really came into his own last spring after focusing on pitching. A loose and athletic righthander, Smith showed 90-95 mph heat this fall along with a good hard breaking ball and a functional changeup. Fifth-year senior righty Breydan Gorham is a valuable strike-throwing swing man or setup guy with good life on his fastball and a quality slider. UNCW has had plenty of success over the years with sinkerballers, and righties Gage Herring, Jason Hudak and Will Liverpool fit in that tradition. Wilmington’s strong recruiting class also brought a number of other reinforcements, including projectable freshman righties Jacob Shafer and Hunter Hodges, funky sidewinder Nyk Crumrine (a transfer from Chicago State), plus lefties Noah Overton and Luke Craig. The lineup also stands out for its depth, but the Seahawks need to figure out how all the pieces fit together. Fifth-year senior third baseman Cole Weiss is the most accomplished returning hitter, a three-year mainstay in the lineup who has hit .305 each of the last two seasons, and he’ll help anchor the heart of the order. Beyond Weiss, UNCW’s lineup is brimming with breakout candidates. Two older players who looked poised to do bigger things in 2021 are fourth-year junior first baseman Kip Brandenburg and fourth-year junior center fielder Noah Bridges. The 6-foot-5 Brandenburg, who sat out 2019 after transferring from North Carolina, will be counted upon to provide righthanded power in the middle of the lineup, along with second-year freshman Ronald Evans, a 6-foot-2, 258-pound tank with some of the best raw power on the roster. Evans figures to see plenty of action at DH or perhaps first base. Bridges has some of the best raw tools on the team but struggled to make consistent contact over his first two seasons, striking out 74 times as a freshman and 64 times as a sophomore. He was off to a solid start in 2020, hitting .290/.371/.387, though his strikeout rate was still high. Bridges has blazing speed that really plays in center field, where his arm is also a weapon. The key for him is simply to improve his plate discipline, and Hood thinks he’s making progress. Also look for big breakout seasons from 3YR SO catcher Matt Suggs and 2YR FR second baseman Jac Croom. Suggs has a rifle arm behind the plate and an intriguing combination of speed and pop at the plate; if his receiving skills and offensive approach continue to mature, he could climb draft boards and become a star in this league. Croom is the quintessential “dirtbag” who always manages to impress in a variety of subtle ways. He’s an aggressive, instinctive baserunner and a playmaker at second base, and he’s added some strength to his frame since last year, giving him sneaky lefthanded pop. Also keep an eye on fellow 2YR FR Trevor Marsh, an athletic lefthanded slasher with good speed, bat-handling skills, defensive ability and an accurate arm in the outfield. Keep An Eye On NORTHEASTERN In six seasons under head coach Mike Glavine, Northeastern has become one of the top programs in the Northeast. The Huskies won back-to-back CAA regular-season titles in 2017-18, snapped a 15-year NCAA tournament drought with an at-large bid in ’18, and jumped out to a 10-5 start in 2020, punctuated by a big road series win at Florida Atlantic. Northeastern is clearly the team to beat in the CAA’s North Division this year, but it’s unclear how the modified schedule could impact NU’s RPI and at-large chances. Regardless, these Huskies appear to have a regional-caliber roster, highlighted by potentially the best pitching talent of the Glavine era and a lineup loaded with speed and athleticism. The Huskies aren’t likely to hit a bushel of home runs, but they will be able to keep pressure on opposing defenses with their speed and contact skills, and they should defend at a very high level. Speedsters Spenser Smith and Scott Holzwasser should form an elite double-play tandem, and Smith’s bat is starting to make strides, putting him on the draft radar for this summer. He’s a 6.5 runner with superb range at shortstop, and Holzwasser can hit for average with sneaky pop in his righthanded stick. Ian Fair is a rock-solid defender at the hot corner who established himself as a valuable run producer over his first two seasons; he got off to a slow start in 2020 but should be one of the favorites for league player of the year honors in 2021. Corey Diloreto is another athletic defender at first base with some pop from the right side, and Teddy Beaudet is a rock behind the plate, where he is an agile defender with a strong arm. He got off to a great start with the bat last spring as well. The outfield also looks dynamic. Center fielder Ben Malgeri, a New Mexico JC transfer who began his career at Holy Cross, rates as one of the CAA’s top pro prospects for 2021, with 6.5 speed that really plays on defense and on the basepaths, emerging righthanded power and a mature approach. He’s a good enough defender to force incument CF Jared Dupere (.359/.394/.578) to right field. Dupere also features an exciting power/speed package, and if he can reduce his swing-and-miss rate he could put up a monster season. Jeff Costello brings additional speed to the left field spot and could be a breakout candidate after putting together a strong fall. On the mound, Northeastern has four power-armed rotation candidates who are all capable of touching 95 mph. 5YR SR righty Kyle Murphy has been a fixture in the rotation over the last two years, and if he can continue to reduce his walk rate, he could make a run at CAA pitcher of the year honors. Murphy pitches at 91-93, bumps 95, and can miss bats with his slider and changeup, in addition to mixing in a curveball for strikes. 2YR FR Sebastian Keane was the highest-profile recruit in Northeastern history as an unsigned 11th-round pick in 2019, and he got off to a solid start as a true freshman last year, posting a 24-6 K-BB mark in 20 innings over four starts. He has worked hard to refine his changeup and curveball, complementing his 92-96 mph heater and swing-and-miss slider. Fellow 2YR FR RHP Cam Schlittler was the surprise of Northeastern camp this fall, turning himself into a real prospect by running his heater up to 96 on scout day and pitching in the 90-94 range for most of the fall. He features a hard 12-to-6 curveball, an effective power changeup and a slider that coaches say “is close to becoming plus-plus.” And veteran Brain Rodriguez pitched at 90-93 and touched 95 this fall, showing the ability to pound the zone with his solid changeup and slider as well. But the biggest arm on the staff belongs to 4YR JR righthander Brandon Dufault, who is back to anchor the bullpen after posting a 0.96 ERA and four saves a year ago. Dufault pitches comfortably in the mid-90s and touches 97-98 along with a swing-and-miss changeup and a slider that continues to develop. If that slider really clicks, he could vault up draft boards in a big way. Also keep an eye on true freshman Michael Gemma, a projectable 6-foot-5 righty who showed mid-90s heat this fall as well. And 6-foot-7 lefthander James Quinlivan is an intriguing pick to click; he had Tommy John out of high school but returned to action and ran his heater up to 93 mph this fall. With so much firepower on the mound, Northeastern has a legitimate chance to actually win a regional if it can find its way into the postseason. COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON The Cougars look poised to make a big splash in Chad Holbrook’s fourth season as head coach, after racing out to a 12-2 start with a young team in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Holbrook and his staff brought in a banner recruiting class in the fall of 2019, and we expect big things from many of those second-year players in 2021. The most exciting talent on the roster is 2YR FR Caswell Smith, who stepped right into the weekend rotation as a freshman last spring and went 3-0, 1.35 with a 20-8 K-BB mark in 20 innings over four starts. A loose, athletic 6-foot-3, 210-pound righty with an electric arm, Smith has a shot to develop into CofC’s first-ever first-round pick by the time the 2022 draft rolls around. He showed big-time stuff in our fall world series look in November, attacking at 93-96 with heavy sink and arm-side run, while flashing an above-average 81-84 mph slider with sharp tilt and a functional firm changeup at 88-89 against lefties and righties alike. He didn’t have his best command on this look, but he still made it through five solid innings, and he looked like a budding star. Smith and 5YR SR lefthander Jordan Carr should form one of the best one-two punches in the CAA. A polished three-quarters lefty with a durable 6-2, 200-pound frame, Carr boasts advanced pitchability with a polished four-pitch mix: an 86-90 fastball with an above-average spin rate in the 2400-2500 rpm range, a swing-and-miss changeup with deception and tumble, an effective 77-79 mph slider and a big-breaking slow curveball as a show pitch. Look for 2YR FR Trey Pooser (a tall righty with advanced command and a putaway changeup) to occupy the Sunday starter job. 2YR FR Ty Good returns to anchor the bullpen after posting a 0.00 ERA and two saves in five appearances last spring. A wiry 6-foot-2, 180-pound righthander with projection remaining, Good worked at 88-89 in our fall look, but his calling card is a 72-73 curveball with big, tight 11-to-5 depth. That pitch is a major weapon at the back of the CofC bullpen. Physical righthander Ryan Smith has a similar weapon in his disappearing 74-77 mph changeup, which makes his 86-89 fastball play up. Smith is about a year removed from Tommy John surgery, and his velocity could continue to climb as the spring progresses. The bullpen lacks premium velocity, but it has plenty of pitchability and out pitches with secondary stuff, giving rising star pitching coach Will Dorton plenty of weapons to play with. The Cougars also have a powerful, physical veteran core to build the lineup around in 5YR SR first baseman Ari Sechopolous and corner outfielders Harrison Hawkins and Donald Hansis. The primary lefthanded power source in the lineup, Hansis led the Cougars with five jacks in 45 at-bats as a juco transfer last spring. After hitting nine homers in 2018, Sechopolous slumped mightily in 2019 but bounced back in a big way in 2020, hitting .360/.475/.680 with two homers and 20 RBIs, while posting a sterling 10-2 BB-K mark. He’s a tough out with the ability to drive the ball to all fields, and Hawkins gives Charleston another mature power threat from the right side. Tanner McCallister is an intriguing wild card with huge raw power from the right side; if his approach continues to mature, fight for time at DH with 2YR FR Landon Choboy, who hit a team-best .371 last spring. From a pro standpoint, the most intriguing prospect in the lineup is 2YR FR shortstop Trotter Harlan, an instinctive defender at short with an advanced plate approach and good feel for his barrel. Harlan also has surprising strength in his compact 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame; he hit .,321/.390/.491 last spring, and he’s just getting started. He’ll form a reliable double-play tandem with gritty 5YR SR second baseman Luke Stageberg. Completing the up-the-middle group, Jared Kirven has serious catch-and-throw skills, and wiry speedster Sajon Belser can really track down balls in center field. Belser figures to serve as a catalyst atop the lineup, and Kirven’s bat started to come on this summer in the Coastal Plain League, where he hit .320 and led his team in doubles. Juco transfer Cam Dean gives Charleston another standout defender at the hot corner, and the Cougars expect him to rack up doubles. The Rest Of The Pack JAMES MADISON The Dukes believe they have their best club of the six-year Marlin Ikenberry era, with a veteran lineup that features a blend of speed and power along with a deeper pitching staff than ever before. The pitching upside is intriguing, and if a few big arms can harness their potential, JMU could be a viable dark horse candidate for the CAA crown. It starts with 4YR JR Nick Stewart, a physical 6-foot-6 righthander who pounds the zone at 90-94 and can miss bats with a quality 11-to-5 curveball. Stewart posted a 2.74 ERA in 2019 but went 0-2, 5.95 in the shortened 2020 season, though he still posted a nice 19-6 K-BB mark in 19.2 innings. 4YR JR righty Justin Showalter was one of the CAA’s most improved pitchers last spring; he posted a 7.24 ERA in nine relief appearances as a sophomore in 2019, then went 4-0, 0.68 with a 21-4 K-BB mark in 26.2 innings in 2020. The 6-foot-4 righty works at 90-92 and touches 93 with good run and sink, and he complements it with a swing-and-miss slider and changeup. Stewart and Showalter have a chance to be the best rotation duo in the CAA, and 2YR FR righty Hunter Entsminger looks like a breakout candidate in the Sunday starter role, with a 90-92 fastball and promising secondary stuff. Pitchability lefty Liam McDonnell gives JMU a fourth starting option. Look for two-way talent Chase DeLauter, a low three-quarters lefty whose fastball has climbed into the 90-93 range — to anchor the back of the bullpen. DeLauter should also be one of the best players in the everyday lineup as the starting center fielder and potential leadoff man. He arrived at JMU with high expectations and hit the ground running last spring, hitting .382/.455/.559 with 14 RBIs and seven stolen bases. The Dukes regard him as a legitimate five-tool talent who can make a run at CAA player of the year honors this spring and could be a big-time draft pick by 2022. He’ll team with Tre Dabney and Conor Hartigan to form a very athletic outfield with excellent speed. Dabney complements his plus speed with serious righthanded bat speed, making him an interesting draft prospect if he can cut down his swing-and-miss rate a bit. He got off to a slow start last spring but did perform at a high level as a freshman in 2019, hitting .306/.457/.494 with six homers and 17 steals. The Dukes are also optimistic that Hartigan is primed to tap into his righthanded power potential as a fourth-year player, making him a cleanup candidate behind lefthanded-hitting Kyle Novak, whose feel for hitting gives him a shot to make a run at the CAA batting title, the coaches believe. JMU also has an exciting middle-infield duo in speed merchant Fox Semones at second base and two-way talent Nick Zona at short. Zona (.370/.433/.426) got off to a great start with the bat last spring and has added more strength and pop since then. And he remains a high-level defender at short. The Dukes ranked 21st in the nation in stolen bases last spring, and overall team speed should be a major asset once again. ELON After jumping out to a 6-1 start against overmatched cold-weather competition last spring, the Phoenix lost 9 of their final 10 games after better competition to end the shortened season, leaving these players hungry to prove themselves. Starting pitching should be this team’s biggest strength if the arms can stay healthy, but three out of the four projected starters are coming off some kind of injury. 4YR JR lefthander Jared Wetherbee has the stuff and experience to make a run at CAA pitcher of the year honors, with an 88-93 mph fastball and the ability to miss bats with three quality secondary pitches. 2YR FR righty Joe Savino missed last spring with a stress fracture but came on strong this spring, showing 90-93 mph heat and feel for three pitches. Fellow 2YR FR RHP Spencer Bauer went down to injury in his third start last spring and will likely miss the first few weeks this spring, but he has shown 92-94 mph heat and the makings of a plus slider when fully healthy. And 2YR FR righty Ian Evans is coming off a knee injury but has added strength since last spring and specializes in inducing groundball outs. The Phoenix also has a pair of power-armed righties to anchor the bullpen in Joe Sprake (who can touch 96 with an improving slider) and true freshman Ben Simon (90-93 with a very good slider and excellent competitiveness). Elon’s offense was a liability last spring, ranking next-to-last in the CAA in batting and slugging and dead-last in on-base percentage. The coaches are looking for the returning veterans to be more consistent at the plate and hoping that some inexperienced young players can make a big impact. Look for 2YR FR right fielder Alex Iadisernia and 5YR SR third baseman Garrett Stonehouse to anchor the middle of the order. Iadisernia is an emerging lefthanded hitter with a gap-to-gap approach and some pull-side pop, along with strong defensive skills in the outfield. Stonehouse, one of the team leaders, is a proven run producer and a tough out from the right side. The catalyst atop the order figures to be 3YR SO outfielder Anthony Galason, a hard-nosed doubles hitter with a knack for finding his way on base. Tulane transfer Parker Haskin brings barrel control and zone awareness from the left side, and he should see plenty of action behind the plate thanks to his ability to handle the pitching staff. Veteran Nick Cicci, a key righthanded hitter with some thump, should also see time at catcher as well as DH. WILLIAM & MARY The Tribe has finished in the CAA’s top three in three of the last four completed seasons under Brian Murphy, who enters his eighth year as head coach. This year’s club will lean upon an experienced, deep and athletic group of position players and hope that the unproven pitching staff coalesces as the season progresses. William & Mary’s biggest star is two-way talent Jack Cone, one of the front-runners for CAA player of the year honors. A speedy lefthanded hitter with outstanding defensive ability in center field, Cone will serve as the primary catalyst atop the lineup, and he also appears to be the likely closer, thanks to a 90-93 fastball and quality secondary stuff. Cone and fellow two-way talent Ben Greenspon both made significant jumps as hitters as well as pitchers this fall. Greenspon is a strong defender at second base who should deliver more offensive production this spring, and he also could find a spot in the weekend rotation thanks to his ability to pound the zone with an 87-89 fastball, swing-and-miss slider and good changeup. Veteran Matt McDermott (.319/.415/.464), a high-energy player with good speed and contact stills, slides from second base to shortstop, forming what should be a sound double-play tandem with Greenspon. 5YR SR Matt Trehub (.325/.491/.450) completes the strong up-the-middle group, bringing a strong arm and excellent leadership skills behind the plate. Corner infielders Tyler Solomon (a 6-foot-6 switch-hitter with pop from both sides) and Ben Williamson (an emerging second-year player with a rifle arm at third) figure to anchor the heart of the order, along with proven run producer Hunter Hart (.417/.500/.500, 17 RBIs), the starting left fielder. The main question facing William & Mary is how the rotation will take shape behind gritty 5YR SR ace Wade Strain, who has 22 career starts under his belt. The 6-6 Strain isn’t overpowering, but he has some tough angle that makes his 87-90 fastball play up, and he can really pitch with his cutter and a curveball with good depth. In addition to Greenspon, candidates for rotation spots behind Strain include veterans Randy Prosperi and Zach Tsakounis. Prosperi served as a key bullpen arm in the past but is making the move to a starting role; he attacks at 88-90 with a swing-and-miss slider in the high 70s and a developing changeup. Tsakounis is a strike-throwing lefty who mixes four pitches and has an out pitch in his changeup. Cone should get some help in the bullpen from experienced lefty Justin Pearson, whose fastball has ticked up into the 88-91 range with good sink, to go along with a nice slider. HOFSTRA A high-scoring three-game series at New Mexico helped Hofstra finish the abbreviated 2020 season as the CAA’s highest-scoring team, and the coaching staff believes this offense can go toe-to-toe with just about anybody. The lineup is spearheaded by a pair of bona fide CAA player of the year candidates in 3YR JR shortstop Austin Gauthier and 3YR SO center fielder Anthony D’Onofrio. Gauthier made a huge leap forward in 2020, leading all CAA hitters in batting (.411), OBP (.515), slugging (.714), and of course OPS (1.229). He hit six doubles and started to tap into some sneaky pop, hitting three home runs — exceeding his entire 2019 season total (two homers in 171 at-bats). The best athlete on the Hofstra roster, Gauthier stands out for his range and arm strength at shortstop, and he’s a smart baserunner. As the Pride’s shortstop and leadoff man, Gauthier is the engine that made the offense go and also the glue of the defense. D’Onofrio, meanwhile, can hit for average (.407 last spring) and has surprising pop in his compact 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame. He’s a converted infielder who has shown impressive range since moving to center field. Another key run producer in the heart of the order will be first baseman Rob Weissheier (.361/.465/.611), who slugged 15 homers in the Northern Virginia College Baseball League this summer and has long shown a knack for delivering the timely hit. The most improved player on the roster might be 2YR FR second baseman Santino Rosso, who held his own as a freshman last spring (.293) but has taken another big step forward. He’s a switch-hitter with feel for his barrel and emerging pop as well as good defensive actions on the dirt. Veteran Alex Sica also made a big step forward in the offseason, transforming his body to become more athletic and improve his bat speed. He could be a late-blooming run producer in the DH spot. Also keep an eye on Luke Napolitano, a transfer from Kansas who proved to be a playmaker at third base in the fall as well as a good gap-to-gap hitter. The question mark is whether Hofstra has enough pitching to make a real run, but the coaches do feel good about their likely weekend rotation. 5YR SR righty Jack Jett has good control of a heater that can bump the low 90s and solid secondary stuff, and 3YR SO lefty Ryan Rue is a bulldog with a good changeup and deception. The pick to click is 4YR JR righty Jimmy Joyce, who has front-line stuff with a low-90s fastball that has bumped the mid-90s at times. At his best, he’s been very good, like when he threw a two-hit complete game against Nevada last year, but he must be more consistent with his control. Perhaps Hofstra’s top pro prospect is Herkimer (N.Y) CC transfer John Mikolaicyk, a physical righty who ran his heater up to 95 in the fall and is working to develop a second out pitch. He looks like the closer on this club. DELAWARE After slumping to 21-33 overall and 9-15 in the CAA (eighth place) in 2019, Delaware got off to a respectable 8-7 start in 2020, despite ranking next-to-last among CAA teams with a 5.91 ERA. Clearly the key to Delaware’s prospects in 2021 rest upon its ability to get better on the mound. Fortunately there is some experience returning in that department, but there’s also a ton of room for improvement as projected starting pitchers Chris Ludman, Joey Silan, Mike Biasiello and Reece Bolton all posted ERAs north of 6.00 last year. Righthander Bryce Greenly (0.96 ERA with 15 K in 9.1 IP) was a bright spot as a true freshman and should be a key part of the bullpen, which will be anchored by 5YR SR Derek Wakeley, who saved six games in 2019 and two more in the shortened 2020 campaign. The strength of this club will be its lineup, anchored by a rising star in 3YR SO first baseman Joseph Carpenter. A natural born hitter from the right side, Carpenter has a physical frame, a quiet approach and a knack for finding the barrel, helping him hit .300 or better in each of his first two seasons. If his power tool comes on this spring, he could make a move up draft boards, and he is the clear top prospect on this roster. 5YR SR catcher Jack Goan (.333/.355/.596, 4 HR, 15 RBI) is another strong-bodied righthanded power threat in the heart of the order. Getting outfielder Kyle Baker back for a sixth year was another big win for the Blue Hens, as Baker is a good athlete with slightly above-average speed and a good feel for hitting from the right side. And Delware has two more proven veterans anchoring the middle infield in 4YR JR second baseman Jordan Hutchins plus 5YR SR Vinny Vaccone. A classic baseball rat who works counts, takes extra bases and plays with abundant energy, Vaccone makes this team go out of the leadoff spot. Also look for big production from second-year freshmen Joey Loynd (.342/.479/.605) at third base and two-way talent Greenly in center field. Loynd was one of the most productive true freshman bats in the nation last year and has flashed the ability to hit for average as well as power. TOWSON The Tigers went 14-39 overall and 7-17 in the CAA to finish in the league basement in 2019, but they got off to a decent start in 2020, winning series at High Point and vs. Lafayette, but getting swept at Old Dominion and Miami. During the shortened season, Towson was the second-lowest scoring team in the CAA, averaging just 5.5 runs per game, but its respectable pitching staff kept it afloat, ranking right in the middle of the pack with a 4.29 ERA. That staff can be even better if RHP Josh Seils, one of the top prospects in the CAA, can harness his talent. Seils went 2-8, 4.00 in 13 starts in 2019, then got off to a rough 0-3, 5.03 start in 2020, but he bounced back with a solid showing in the Coastal Plain League, striking out 21 in 14.2 innings. Seils’ calling card is a 91-93 mph fastball with good sink and run from a high three-quarters slot. He also mixes in a solid curveball at 77-79 with tight spin in the 2400 rpm neighborhood, and he flashes a serviceable firm changeup at 83-86 with some sinking action. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Seils has strength and athleticism in his frame, and he appears to be harnessing his promising three-pitch repertoire; the key is reducing his walk rate. He could form a sound one-two rotation punch with Nick Ramanjulu, who was Towson’s most effective starter a year ago, posting a 3.22 ERA in four starts. The top four hitters from last year return to lead the offense. Jacob Terao (.292) and Burke Camper (.314) will split time at catcher and DH, with Terao serving as the steady veteran and Camper being the better prospect with more power potential and offensive upside. Matt Arceo (.395) should also serve as a key run producer. The most dynamic talent in the lineup is center fielder Javon Fields (.293), a speed merchant who ran a 6.39-second 60-yard dash this year and is developing into a more polished hitter. He’s also a stellar defender with serious range, and he’s gotten stronger since last spring, which should allow him to drive the ball more. Illinois State transfer Nolan Young will help set the table and play wherever he is called upon around the infield, but figures to see most of his time at second base. Juco transfers Jack McLaughlin and Danny Becerra could hold down the left side of the infield, with Becerra bringing sound defensive skills to shortstop as well as some pop and speed offensively. A fourth transfer, Billy Godrick from Fordham, brings more mature at-bats. Those transfers should provide Towson with a nice upgrade in its position player group.
Some big program needs to hire Mike Glavine. Northeastern has a crappy off-campus stadium without lights that they share with the school's soccer programs. And with the academic requirements and cold weather, that's a tough job
Trump virus derailing a potential repeat and now impacting the 2021 season will never not piss me off I'm not going to see Rocker pitch once during his VU career
2021 WCC Preview: Pepperdine Looks To Continue Where It Left Off SEASON PREVIEW Shotgun Spratling - February 13, 2021 The West Coast Conference was off to a great start in 2020. Four teams had already won 12 games, led by a 12-3 Pepperdine squad. Only three teams were below .500. The two schools that were more than a game below .500 were our top two picks in last year’s conference preview, so we were still expecting them to turn things around. Alas, the season was shut down and we didn’t get to see who could turn things around or who could sustain early-season successes. Let’s take an in-depth look at the WCC: Spoiler Projected Standings *Teams are listed in order of projected finish TEAM 2020 RECORD Pepperdine 12-3 Gonzaga 6-10 San Diego 12-4 Portland 12-4 BYU 7-9 San Francisco 9-8 Loyola Marymount 8-8 Santa Clara 12-5 Saint Mary's 8-8 Pacific 8-9 Projected Regional Teams (1): Pepperdine Player of the Year: Billy Cook, CF, Pepperdine Pitcher of the Year: Christian Peters, RHP, Portland Freshman of the Year: Diego Baqueiro, 1B, Loyola Marymount Top Prospects/Impact Freshmen *Asterisk indicates draft-eligible underclassman TOP PROSPECTS, 2021 DRAFT 1 Wyatt Young SS Pepperdine 2 Caleb Ricketts C/1B San Diego 3 Chad Stevens SS Portland 4 Shane McGuire C San Diego 5 Billy Cook OF Pepperdine 6 Cooper Chandler RHP Pepperdine 7 Alex Pham RHP San Francisco 8 Carlos Lomeli RHP Saint Mary's 9 Jack Winkler SS San Francisco 10 Julian Tristan* RHP Santa Clara 11 Michael Hobbs RHP Saint Mary's 12 Ernie Yake SS Gonzaga 13 Jake Miller RHP San Diego 14 Conner Thurman RHP San Diego 15 Mitch McIntyre OF BYU 16 Sean Paquet LHP Loyola Marymount 17 Jake Holcroft OF Portland 18 Charles Middleton OF Pacific 19 Jack Sterner RHP BYU 20 Tyler Rando C Gonzaga 21 Hunter Hayes RHP Pacific 22 Matthew McGarry RHP Santa Clara 23 Nick Yovetich OF San Francisco 24 Tracye Tammaro 1B Portland 25 Landen Bourassa RHP San Francisco 26 Riley Ornido RHP San Francisco 27 Gunnar Groen RHP Pepperdine 28 Brett Harris 3B Gonzaga 29 Grady Miller LHP San Diego 30 Reese Alexiades OF Pepperdine TOP PROSPECTS, 2022 DRAFT 1 Carter Rustad RHP San Diego 2 Eric Reyzelman RHP San Francisco 3 Cy Nielson LHP BYU 4 Coleman Brigman OF Santa Clara 5 Gabe Hughes RHP Gonzaga 6 Mikade Johnson RHP BYU 7 Jack Hyde RHP San Diego 8 Trevor Hinkel RHP Pepperdine 9 Elijah Birdsong RHP Pacific 10 Christopher Campos 3B/RHP Saint Mary's IMPACT FRESHMEN 1 Diego Baqueiro 1B Loyola Marymount 2 Kevin Sim SS San Diego 3 Drew Bond SS Gonzaga 4 Cole Colleran LHP San Diego 5 Tyler Stone 1B Gonzaga 6 KJ Ruffo RHP/C Portland 7 Rowan Trosky RHP Santa Clara 8 Kyle Carr OF/LHP San Diego 9 Elijah Tolsma OF/RHP San Francisco 10 Sam Brown 1B/LHP Portland Projected Regional Team PEPPERDINE Rick Hirtensteiner is looking for his first regional appearance as head coach at Pepperdine and he’s got a great opportunity to make that happen this season. The Waves were off to a terrific start last year with wins over Minnesota, Oregon, Cal Poly, a road series sweep at Florida International and a series win over defending national runner-up Michigan. And Hirtensteiner returns almost his entire roster. The entire lineup is back with top 100 prospect Wyatt Young (.299, 0, 4) leading off in front of what last year proved to be a murderer’s row with Billy Cook, Aharon Modlin, Justin Lutes, Reese Alexiades and Mike Malinchak. All five hit at .328/.438/.512. Malinchak was the only one that didn’t have at least six extra-base hits and a double-digit RBI tally as the team scored 7.4 runs per game. The Waves were expecting a breakout from Cook and he provided it with four doubles, two triples, four home runs and five stolen bases, but the lineup was transformed by the 6’1”, 220-pound Lutes. His physicality (along with improvements in the category by the other four) made it so Pepperdine didn’t have to always play for one run. Lutes launched some moon shots last year, hitting four homers along with three doubles and two triples. Another year of maturity should only make the lineup that much more formidable. The big question for the Waves is if they can adequately replace Friday starter Will Jensen, the one piece they lost from last season. Former WCC Freshman of the Year Cooper Chandler moves to the front of the rotation after having a 1.00 ERA, winning all three of his starts last year. He can run his fastball up to 95 mph, sitting 90-94 with some life. He also has a hard slider that helped him strike out 20 in 18 innings. Fellow Texas native Gunnar Groen (2-1, 2.57, 1 SV) has big upside and has made another jump coming into the season. The 6’5” righthander has worked his way into the weekend rotation after being a midweek starter/weekend reliever last year. Trevor Kniskern rounds out the cross-country rotation. The righthander, who went 2-1, 5.40 with 21 strikeouts in 18 innings last year, is from Florida. He has good stuff but he has to control it better after having seven walks, seven hit batsmen and five wild pitches. Jack Baird (0-2, 2.55, .202 opponents average in 2019) could be another rotation option. He allowed one hit in three innings of relief last season. Keep an eye on second-year freshman Trevor Hinkel. He missed 2020 with an injury but is expected to begin the season in the closer’s role. Veteran Michael Mahony could also be a bullpen weapon, if he can control his hard-diving slider. Keep An Eye On GONZAGA We have picked Gonzaga to win the conference the last two years only for them to not quite have the pitching we’ve come to expect from the Bulldogs. Losing ace Casey Legumina in 2019 really hurt and last year was partly a feeling out process for several bullpen arms. Those arms are going to have to step forward after Gonzaga lost weekend starters Mac Lardner and Nick Trogrlic-Iverson. Trusted and reliable ace Alek Jacob will head the rotation after bouncing around different roles in his career. The 6’3” righthander has a funky cross-action drop-and-drive action from a low slot that hitters struggle to pick up. He is 15-9, 2.71, 12 SV with 211 strikeouts in 202.2 career innings. Second-year freshman two-way star Gabe Hughes (0-2, 0.77, 13 K in 11.2 IP) has blossomed over the last calendar year. He has a four-pitch mix but it’s really about the power options — a fastball up to 95 mph and a dirty 87-mph slider. Lefty Bradley Mullan didn’t make the final cut last year but continued to develop. He has worked his way onto the roster and into the weekend rotation with a breakout fall where he showcased a low 90s fastball with a changeup and curve that he can throw for strikes consistently. One of the themes of the fall was the improved velocity the staff features. Ten pitchers were above 90 mph during the fall, including Trystan Vrieling (0-0, 1.08) and Alec Gomez (2-0, 2.31), who will be key arms this season. The Bulldogs return seven batters from their 2020 lineup and add two big pieces to the mix. Speedy center fielders Guthrie Morrison returns after missing last year. He led the team with 45 runs scored and hit .306, 1, 24 in 2019. He’ll combine with shortstop Ernie Yake (.338, 2, 6) to perturb pitchers at the top of the lineup and opposing hitters with their defense. Catchers Stephen Lund (.323, 2, 12) and Tyler Rando (.352, 0, 6) will also contribute to the up-the-middle defense while being important bats in the lineup. Rando drives the ball well whether its to right-center field or down the left field line. The other lineup addition along with Morrison is Wofford graduate transfer Andrew Orzel. He gives the lineup flexibility. He is slated to start at first base primarily but also is capable of playing second base, third base or in the outfield. He had 99 RBIs and 42 career stolen bases at Wofford. He hit .315, 0, 10 with four stolen bases last season. SAN DIEGO San Diego is trying to ascend back to the top tier in the WCC. To get back to being a consistent conference contender, San Diego has to continue its pitching, which took a step forward under pitching coach Matt Florer last year. Now in his third year, Florer has his most talented staff with a mix of veteran leaders and talented youngsters. The Toreros improved their team ERA by more than a run down to 4.40 last year, albeit in a small sample size. If it can attack the strike zone more frequently, San Diego could take another jump forward this year. San Diego pitchers led the WCC striking out 10.5 batters per nine innings but were last in the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio after averaging nearly 5.5 walks per nine. Elder statesman Grady Miller (2-0, 3.13) is back as is unrelated namesake Jake Miller (1-1, 2.49, 1 SV). The third-year sophomore has been up to 95 mph and has a true four-pitch mix, which Monmouth found out the hard way when Miller no-hit the Hawks last year. The Toreros also have a pair of second-year righthanders — Conner Thurman and Carter Rustad — that were named Freshman All-Americans by various publications. Thurman (4-0, 2.70, 2 SV) was used exclusively out of the bullpen last year but could see a move into the rotation. Rustad (4-0, 0.84) has the chance to be special, if he can build on his 2020 campaign when he held opponents to a .074 batting average, allowing five hits in 21.1 innings. Florer also has a couple of new pieces for this season. Eddy Pelc, a reliable lefty who missed last season with a back injury, could be an important bullpen piece while Kieran Shaw is an Ivy League grad transfer. Shaw was Harvard’s opening day starter last year after having a 1.31 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 13.2 innings as a closer in the Cape Cod League in 2019. He has a 90-93 fastball with a big curveball and slider. The Toreros continue to produce elite catching prospects at an unseemly rate from Connor Joe to Riley Adams to Adam Kerner last year. Shane McGuire and Caleb Ricketts are top 2021 draft prospects and will combine to split the catcher and first base duties. McGuire (.469/.561/.688) is the rare leadoff-hitting catcher, but he’s an on-base machine that rifles line drives all over the ballpark. Ricketts hit .351 and led the team in RBIs and stolen bases last year. Thomas Luevano is looking to add to the success he had in 2020 after transferring to USD from Creighton while St. John’s outfield transfer Peter Abinanti will look to follow in his shoes. The Toreros also have UCLA transfer R.J. Teijeiro could factor in at a middle infield spot. Diminutive super utility Paul Kunst (.316, 0, 4) is back for a sixth year and will patrol center field. PORTLAND Last year, Portland’s 12-4 record was just its third time finishing above .500 since 1992 and the first under head coach Geoff Loomis. While we’re bullish on the Pilots’ potential to break out of the WCC doldrums, they still have to prove themselves in conference play. Road wins at Washington and Creighton last season were strong, but Portland started 14-4 in 2019, only to go 7-19 in the WCC. The Pilots believe they have the depth and talent to compete with whoever they line up against. How well that proves to be true will be determined by a nucleus of star players. Portland placed four players on the preseason All-WCC team — tying Pepperdine for most in the conference. Three of those will reside in the top four spots of the lineup with firestarter leadoff hitter Jake Holcroft looking to get on base for Chad Stevens and Tracye Tammaro. Holcroft, a third-year freshman, launched the fourth pitch of the season for a booming home run and never slowed down last year. He was second in the nation with 30 hits and third in batting average, hitting .484, 2, 11. He is the key to the Pilots’ offense. When he scored a run, Portland was 11-1. It was winless in three games he didn’t score. Holcroft scored 20 runs, primarily being driven in by Stevens and Tammaro. A 6’4”, 220-pound shortstop, Stevens (.299, 1, 16) received overtures from MLB teams in the last couple of the shortened draft, but he chose to return to Portland. He’s got some pop and wheels, going a perfect 5 for 5 on stolen bases in 2020. Tammaro tied for the conference lead with seven home runs and led the WCC with 22 RBI, but isn’t exactly a prototypical power-hitting first baseman. He gets on base and plays great defense too. The Pilots add similar attributes in a smaller frame in Utah center field transfer Briley Knight. He’s a plus defender with a high baseball IQ that has the ability to hit for a high average and power. Fifth-year senior Christian Peters is our Pitcher of the Year pick. He’s improved year over year and was stellar after moving into a starter’s role last year, allowing two earned runs and three walks in four starts. He went at least seven innings in all four starts and racked up 35 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. The bespectacled righthander isn’t overpowering, but he throws his fastball that runs into the low 90s from multiple arm angles and knows how to keep hitters off balance. But what the Pilots can do this season will likely be determined by what the rest of the pitching staff can do. They had a 2.62 ERA and struck out more than a batter per inning. Brett Gillis will move into the weekend rotation after he struck out 17 and didn’t allow an earned run in 12 innings last season. The coaching staff says it wouldn’t be surprised if he hits triple digits on the radar this year. Second-year freshman lefty Caleb Franzen is now sitting in the low 90s to go along with a strong slider and a plus changeup. Portland also returns veteran Eli Morse (2-0, 3.10), who held hitters to a .197 average against last year and is approaching 200 career innings. And there may not be a more experienced reliever on the West Coast than Connor Knutson. The fifth-year senior isn’t imposing at 5’10”, but he has a wipeout slider that has helped him notch 22 career saves and strike out nearly a batter per inning over his 63! career appearances. BYU BYU got some important learning lessons for a young roster in 2020. It showed its talent with wins over Oregon State, Gonzaga, a road series win at Cal Poly. It also showed its inexperience, losing five of six to a less-talented New Mexico team. Now the Cougars are going to ask the youngsters that got playing time in 2020 to step forward and become key players. Senior pitchers Justin Sterner and Jarrod Lasser signed with major league organizations. Sophomores Cy Nielson, Jack Sterner (Justin’s younger brother) and Bryce Robison have to take on significant roles. Nielson (0-3, 4.29) was much more impressive than his numbers show. The lefty has a 91-94 mph fastball with good arm-side action along with a pair of breaking balls and a solid changeup. Sterner is two years removed from Tommy John surgery and just coming into his own on the mound with his 91-94 fastball and a 12-to-6 curve from an over-the-top down angle. Robison (1-0, 1.32), a righthander from Las Vegas, was one of BYU’s top relievers last year, throwing 13.2 innings over seven appearances. He held opponents to a .178 average, but he has to show the improved command the coaching staff have confidence will be present this year after he walked six and hit two more in 2020. The Cougars also have veteran righthander Easton Walker (8-4, 2.75 in 42 career appearances), who will pitch high-leverage innings whether that’s as a starter, an opener or coming in late in games. BYU’s bullpen will be a strength with the potential of having Walker combined with third-year junior righthander Reid McLaughlin (9-3, 2.76, 5 SV in 31 career appearance) and intriguing second-year arm Mikade Johnson, a 6’6” righthander with a quick arm, a power fastball that touches 97 mph and good slider. Johnson can have some command issues but getting in seven games last year should pay benefits this season. Two-way player Mitch McIntyre could also factor in the bullpen. He has not allowed an earned run in 18.2 innings over the last two seasons. He has held opponents below a .150 average both seasons. But it is more important for him to return to form on the offensive side. He hit .200 with no home runs and 25 strikeouts in 55 at-bats in 2020 after a stellar .291, 7, 38, 8 for 8 SB stat line as an All-WCC performer as a sophomore. The Cougars could also use a bounce back from Danny Gelalich, who hit .328, 1, 16 two years ago but had only three hits in 29 at-bats in 2020. They need Austin Deming and others to take a step forward. Deming was the team’s only batter with double-digit RBIs last year but like several others, he struck out way too much. As a team, BYU struck out in 36.8 percent of its at-bats. SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco could be a dangerous team in the WCC this year. It has one of the oldest starting lineups and weekend rotations possibly in the nation with six fifth- or even sixth-year seniors that will all have significant roles. The Dons also have nine fourth-year players. They could play an entire series with players in at least their fourth year. The starting rotation will be headed by sixth-year senior Landen Bourassa (1-1, 1.38), a low-90s righty that mixes four different pitches but relies on a heavy sinker that gets a lot of ground balls. Riley Ornido has a nasty splitter and is difficult to hit, but his success will be defined by his walk total. Opponents have hit .223 against him and he’s struck out nearly a batter per inning over his career, but he has walked 100 in 212 career innings. Grant Nechak, who began his career at Santa Clara, made four appearances as part of a tandem with Bourassa last year. He’s healthy and ready to go this year. Second-year freshman Eric Reyzelman is returning from Tommy John surgery and could provide a big boost with a fastball that has been up to 97 mph. The Dons also have one of the conference’s most electric relievers in closer Alex Pham. He has 115 strikeouts in 90 innings over the last two seasons. Offensively, San Francisco should be able to grind on opposing pitching by taking veteran at-bats. It has to replace Tyler Villaroman (signed) and Robert Emery, who transferred to Arkansas, but graduate transfers Ryan Davis (Georgetown) and Jordan Vujovich (Oklahoma) have helped soften the blow. Vujovich is expected to take Villaroman’s leadoff spot where he’ll try to table set for shortstop Jack Winkler (.300, 6, 38 in 2019) and athletic 6’5” center fielder Nick Yovetich. Winkler led the team with 13 RBIs last year while Yovetich was off to a great start (.319, 3, 10). He also had three doubles and two triples. The Jacobs started strong as well: first baseman Jacob Munoz was .322, 0, 11; outfielder Jacob Westerman was hitting .346, 1, 7 when the season was halted. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT No team in the conference is going to be quite as battle tested as Loyola Marymount by the time WCC play rolls around. The Lions are opening the season with its first 15 games against Pac-12 competition. LMU might as well be honorary Pac-12 members this season as 23 of its 24 non-conference games are against the West’s Power Five conference. It proved it could compete with the Pac-12’s best in 2019, beating UCLA in its regional opener before falling to the Bruins in the regional final. But to do that this year and compete for the WCC title, it’s going to need some unproven players to step forward after the loss of Nick Frasso, Trevin Esquerra and Cooper Uhl to pro ball. Knees-and-elbows fifth-year senior righthander Josh Agnew (2-1, 5.87), who beat UCLA in the 2019 Los Angeles Regional, is back to head the rotation and should revert to his 2019 form when he went 6-4, 3.24. But after Agnew, the Lions are relying on junior college transfer Jimmy Galicia and two veterans that have never thrown more than 30.2 innings. Six-foot-three lefty Alex Burge (1-1, 4.32) is getting more swings and misses with his slider, so the coaches are hoping the third-year sophomore can jump into the weekend rotation. Fourth-year junior Sean Paquet (1-1, 4.76) was the Sunday starter last year and is in the mix for the spot again, but he is coming off a torn anterior cruciate ligament. If the Lions can turn a lead over to the back of the bullpen, they will have a lot of confidence with fourth-year juniors C.J. Fernandezees (1-1, 3.12) and Matt Voelker taking the final innings. They have a combined 93 appearances and 200 innings. Voelker gets a lot of swings and misses with his fastball despite his velocity only recently ticking up to touch 92 mph. The lefty struck out 20 in 14.2 innings last year while giving up only eight hits. He didn’t allow a run. Voelker will also help out the offense, serving as a designated hitter. He’ll be surrounded by plenty of relative unknowns after LMU’s offense has got an infusion of new faces this offseason. True freshman Diego Baqueiro is expected to man a corner infield spot in place of Esquerra while Wofford grad transfer Alec Cargin (.292, 3, 23) takes over at catcher for Uhl. Cargin led the SoCon in RBIs last season. Alex Lambeau (.279, 0, 6) is the veteran returner in the infield while Cole Roberts (.203, 0, 7), son of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, will likely be his double play partner up the middle. Columbia transfer Julian Bury (.314, 1, 18 in 2019) brings more than 500 at-bats of experience and the former Ivy League Freshman of the Year should have an impact on the younger players around him. The Rest Of The Pack SANTA CLARA Santa Clara has two intriguing sixth-year seniors on the mound. Freddie Erlandson is back to front the rotation after not allowing a run in four starts last year. He gave up 11 hits and two walks in 16.1 innings. Fellow righthander Travis Howard had the team’s most dominant stuff as he struck out 21 and walked only one in 14.2 innings split between short midweek starter and long reliever on the weekends. Howard’s most impressive performance was actually his lone loss when he struck out seven and allowed one earned run in 5.2 innings at Georgia. Fourth-year junior lefty Russell Grant II (3-4, 3.49 in 2019) returns to the weekend rotation. He allowed one hit in 5.1 innings over three appearances last season. Sixth-year senior Matthew McGarry (0-1, 5.14) could also be a dynamic arm in the weekend rotation, if he can throw more strikes. He has 62 walks in 55.2 career innings spanning his first two years at Vanderbilt and three seasons with Santa Clara. The Broncos took a step forward last year because the offense finally came around. After being one the worst teams in the nation in 2019, the Broncos improved to a top 100 offense, scoring 6.4 runs (2.7 more than the year prior) and slugging .442 thanks to 17 home runs and 34 doubles — both tallies in the top 35 nationally. Power threat Jake MacNichols (.254, 7, 19) returns as does sixth-year senior and leading hitter Ryan McCarthy (.319, 2, 18). For the Broncos to play to their full potential shortstop Jason Dicochea (.304, 0, 7) has to be a part of it. SAINT MARY’S Saint Mary’s got a big addition to the lineup during the offseason when lefty power bat Justin Banks chose to return home to the Bay Area, transferring from Coppin State after being the Golden Eagles’ top hitter over the last two years. Banks hit .394/.493/.588 with five homers and 43 RBIs in 2019 and was off to a great start last year with a .348/.474/.587 slash line. Depending on the protection he gets in the Saint Mary’s lineup, Banks could be a WCC Player of the Year candidate. He has a great plate presence and drives the ball well to all fields. He’ll need to be big for the Gaels, which return only one batter that hit above .286. Fifth-year senior Ryan Novis provides experience in the lineup while third baseman Christopher Campos (.310, 0, 8) showed he is a bat to build around, but the offense is relying on a lot of inexperienced pieces. The strength of the team is on the mound where frontline starters Carlos Lomeli (10-5, 3.06 in last two years) and Dalton Ponce (2-1, 2.45 in 2020) are back along with closer Michael Hobbs (1-1, 2.53). New pitching coach Josh Nashed is hoping junior college transfers Ky Bush and Sam Bower can provide another pair of starter options. PACIFIC Pacific returns nearly its entire lineup and has a good combination of power and speed. They have preseason all-WCC selection Charles Middleton (.403/.494/.657 with 4 HR, 20 RBI) and Alex Leforestier (.371, 0, 15) in the middle of the lineup. James McClenaghan (.328, 0, 7) was off to a solid start as a top-of-the-lineup table setter while the Tigers need middle infield duo Wyatt Hoffman (.244, 0, 4) and James Arakawa (.203, 0, 5) to help turn the lineup over better. Two-way player Hunter Schilperoort could be a key piece both in the lineup and on the mound. He broke his ankle early in the 2020 season as he was trying to establish himself. This year, he should contribute at first base and as a fourth starter. Finding consistency on the mound will be key for the Tigers. They lost Friday starter Hayden Pearce, who signed as an undrafted free agent. Hayden Pearce (2-0, 2.28 with 22 K to 2 BB in 23.2 IP) will move into the top rotation spot while third-year sophomore Dylan Pottgieser (2-0, 3.60) has really taken a step forward. He was Pitcher of the Year in the San Diego League during the summer after striking out 19 without allowing an earned run in 17 innings. Junior college transfers Hunter Hayes (Folsom Lake College) and Jackson Vaughn (San Joaquin Delta College) will pitch important innings. Both have fastballs that can get to 94-95 mph.
Looks like it will be streamed through FloBaseball. Link to their site is below. Also looks like the Round Rock Classic later this month will be streamed there as well. https://www.flobaseball.tv/signup?redirect=/live/21882&utm_campaign=110550globelifefieldc&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=mlb.com&utm_content=website&rtid=110550&coverage_id=6741656