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College  | Story | 12/24/2020

College Notebook: December 24

Vincent Cervino
Photo: Doug Nikhazy (Ole Miss Athletics)
Previous College Notebooks:

December 1: Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Louisiana State, Miami

December 8: Arkansas, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Purdue

December 15: Georgia Tech, Indiana, Louisville, North Carolina, Ohio State, UCLA



 Programs covered this week: Arizona, East Carolina, Ole Miss, San Diego, TCU, Washington

Arizona

The Wildcats under head coach Jay Johnson have become one of the better recruiters in the western part of the country and the fruits of that labor have been paying off. The wealth of pitching experience is notable as they return their entire weekend rotation from last year in Chandler Murphy, Quinn Flanagan, and Dawson Netz. Couple that with three new additions in junior college transfer Chase Silseth, Southwestern University transfer Austin Smith, and true freshman TJ Nichols and you have some exciting upside. Given the scarcity of rotation spots and the amount of arms competing on the roster, the backend of the bullpen has the potential to be a strength of this team. Ian Churchill, Vince Vannelle, and Preston Price are three more potential options to see innings as they bring the combination of experience and strike-throwing ability to soak up innings.

They lose Austin Wells to the draft but still return a good core of the 2020 offense in Branden Boissiere, Ryan Holgate, and Mac Bingham amongst others. Boissiere offers a significant offensive profile from first base, he’s a pure hitter, while Holgate has some dangerous power and Bingham looked to fit right in as a true freshman in 2020. Donta Williams is the straw that stirs the drink for the offense as he’s probably Arizona’s best returning hitter and a true leader that showed out during the fall. Jacob Blas is a name to watch as he could be in store for a breakout; he’ll likely start at shortstop while Kobe Kato had a strong summer and fall and is an option at second base. Kaden Hopson and true freshman Daniel Susac are likely to get significant innings behind the plate throughout the season. Jacob Berry is a true freshman who’s one of the more advanced first-year players in the country so he could slot into a lineup tomorrow while Chase Davis was one of the best recruits to get to campus.

East Carolina

The Pirates maybe had the most talented team of the Cliff Godwin era in 2020 but even heading into 2021 the raw caliber of their arms and the consistency of their hitters offer a lot to like. They figure to be one of the top mid-majors in the country once again and really have a nice core of third-year guys to bring back the requisite level of experience and talent to compete at a high level. Mainstays like Thomas Francisco, Zach Agnos, and Ryder Giles show the makings of a veteran and deep lineup that should be able to compete with anyone in the country.

Francisco is the middle-of-the-lineup, left-handed hitting slugger that Pirates fans have been accustomed to over the past couple years. He was off to a hot start hitting well above .400 when the season ended while Agnos is an ultra-competitor who will grind out at-bats and also pitch some in relief. Giles had a breakout campaign during the course of the fall, solidifying the shortstop position and improving upon his speed and body. Connor Norby was the team’s leading hitter a year ago and figures to hit his way into the lineup as he has throughout his career while Alec Makarewicz is the epitome of a glue guy who can play everywhere. Look for a big year from returning catcher Seth Caddell who led the team in home runs in the fall while blue chip recruit Josh Moylan has shown poise and maturity at the plate rarely seen from freshmen.

As with most pitching staffs around the country, there’s a number of arms in the mix for three or four weekend rotation slots. Jake Kuchmaner and Tyler Smith both return and offer starting experience to the team as you may remember Kuchmaner from his perfect game back in May of 2019. Smith is a fifth-year senior that will work up to 92 mph and throw a ton of sinkers while Carter Spivey is an arm who took a notivable step forward. The guys with the biggest stuff in contention are Gavin Williams and Carson Whisenhunt. Williams has been known on the circuit since he was blowing triple digits as a freshman and he’s shown well being stretched out as a starter, holding the upper-90s for multiple innings while Whisenhunt is a big left-hander with a fastball into the mid-90s and a power breaking ball. CJ Mayhue was strong in his freshman campaign and has shown the ability to start while Garrett Saylor, AJ Wilson, and experienced closer Matt Bridges figure to see big innigs as well.

Ole Miss

There’s starpower galore in Oxford as the Rebels return their entire weekend rotation plus a number of SEC-experienced arms in what should be one of the tightest conference races in recent memory. Doug Nikhazy and Gunnar Hoglund lead the way as two All-American caliber arms in the rotation while the veteran experience is notable on the offensive side of things, returning a lot of home run power. The combination of youth and experience on the offensive side of the ball could be a boon heading into the dog days of May.

The rotation a year ago consisted of Nikhazy, Hoglund, and now second-year freshman Derek Diamond. Nikhazy has a nasty fastball-curveball combination from directly over-the-top that lights up the advanced metrics while Hoglund may have the best command and pitch mix out of anyone in the conference to really show off his polish. Diamond came on late in the fall to remind everyone that his coolheaded demeanor last year wasn’t a fluke. Taylor Broadway and Max Cioffi are two well-experienced returnees who were nearly unhittable in the short season last year. Logan Savell and Braden Forsyth should be in the mix as well while newcomers who’ve impressed include freshmen Luke Baker, Josh Mallitz, and Cody Adcock along with junior college transfer Brandon Johnson.

From a position player standpoint there are few sophomores as impressive as catcher Hayden Dunhurst and he has the look of a budding superstar in college baseball. He’s an excellent defensive catcher with an arm and shows legitimate juice and hittability from both sides of the plate. He’ll be a jolt in the arm surrounded by the veterans including Cael Baker, Tim Elko, Hayden Leatherwood, Ben Van Cleve, and Justin Bench. Kevin Graham really solidified himself in the outfield during the fall while Peyton Chatagnier and Trey LaFleur should also see at-bats. Newcomer Jacob Gonzalez looks to see significant innings up the middle and that’s not to mention they have a pair of football stars coming their way in the uber-talented duo of Jerrion Ealy and John Rhys Plumlee.

San Diego

The Toreros once again look to be one of the top mid-major programs across college baseball heading into the 2021 season as the fall was a fruitful one, especially for a West Coast team. There’s a good core of talent on the roster headlined by a big three of second-year right-hander Carter Rustad along with fourth-year catchers Shane McGuire and Caleb Ricketts. The leadership elements of the offensive returnees combined with a strong handful of guys who have made strides could make this team dangerous in the coming months.

San Diego is going to have one of the more experienced and formidable catching units as both Shane McGuire and Caleb Ricketts will have major roles to play, likely with each other splitting time between first base and catcher. McGuire was hitting .469 before the shutdown last year and possesses otherworldly hand-eye and barrel skills as the power continues to develop. Ricketts looks the part as a 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter and the consistency of the hit tool combined with the blossoming power make him a significant threat in the box. Sixth-year senior Paul Kunst is as reliable as they come and three impact transfers should see significant playing time in Thomas Luevano from Creighton, Peter Abinati from St. John’s, and RJ Teijeiro from UCLA. Cody Jefferis really improved defensively over at shortstop while second-year infielder Chase Meidroth also showed he can stick up the hmiddle. Look for freshman recruits Kyle Carr, a legitimate two-way threat, and Kevin Sim to earn some playing time as both offer excitement for the future.

Rustad was on a different level as a true freshman a year ago and he’s only improved since, routinely working up to 95 mph with his fastball and showing really good feel to mix in his sharp curveball as well. He’ll see big innings along with third-year right-hander Conner Thurman who misses bats and is one of the tougher pitches on staff. Jake Miller drew headlines for tossing a no-hitter last February and he’s really improved his command to show he belongs in a starting role. Grady Miller is a veteran presence who adds and subtracts and shows a very effective changeup while Brycen Mautz and Harvard transfer Kieran Shaw should also solidify that back end. True freshmen Cole Colleran and Michaal Davinni showed glimpses of what the future rotation will look like and both arms exhibit maturity and the ability to pitch right away.

TCU

There might not be a more experienced and senior-led team than the Horned Frogs, who return a significant amount of starters and fourth-plus year guys to really lead the charge. They’ll be flanked by a couple of different groups, including a potentially electric starting pitcher unit along with a number of true freshmen, many of which are likely to see significant playing time. Hunter Wolfe and Gene Wood provide that senior leadership while the duo of Johnny Ray and Austin Krob atop the mound are likely to turn heads and the rest of the roster lines up pretty deep.

Wolfe and Wood give the Horned Frogs options near the top of the lineup of guys who have been there and done that before and guys that are still at the top of their game. Wolfe had a phenomenal fall and really showed a ton of power, whereas Wood is going to hit and his bat will play from anywhere where his versatility is an asset. Zach Humphreys returns to his duty behind the plate while Tommy Saco hit over .300 last year and will likely claim an infield spot. Look for three freshmen in Elijah Nunez, Brayden Taylor, and Luke Boyers to really be catalysts for this offense. Nunez was a draft prospect out of high school who’s a professional hitter, he handles velocity and is electric in terms of athleticism. Taylor added physicality and looks to be the shortstop of the future whereas Boyers has two-sport athleticism with good speed and his switch-hitting ability provides value. Austin Henry and Gray Rodgers are two more names to know in terms of the positional group.

Veteran Charles King returns and he offers peace of mind to a coaching staff as he can pitch in any inning and any count and offer an arm to rely on. Haylen Green was the top statistical arm on the staff last season and once again figures to be involved in major innings. Ray and Krob are the headliners on the pitching staff as both have seen their stuff tick up and look to be top-100 draft prospects heading into the spring. Russell Smith is another rotation-mate from a season ago who has returned and looks to see significant innings. Second-year right-hander Jacob Meador has really taken a step forward and looks to have the mentality and the stuff to start while a trio of freshmen have impressed in the electric Cam Brown, Garrett Wright, and Storm Hierholzer.

Washington

The Huskies have established themselves as legitimate PAC-12 contenders in years past and 2021 should be no exception given the results of the fall and influx of both returnee and newcomer talent. A pair of returnees really set the tone for the team in speedy centerfielder Braiden Ward and right-hander Jack Enger, two guys that probably aren’t around for this fall if not for a shortened draft. Ward is as dynamic of an athlete as you’ll see with excellent wheels and a leadoff profile while Enger performed in a limited sample last spring and shows three pitches for strikes with low-90s velocity.

Joining Ward in the outfield will likely include Preston Viltz and Christian Jones. Davis Delorefice will also see some time in the outfield but he’s also a two-way player who racked up three saves last season and figures to return as the closer in 2021. Dalton Chandler and Will Simpson are two toolsy prospects who have a lot of upside as Simpson shows significant power and Chandler’s ability to run and throw should serve well from shortstop. Michael Petrie looks to be the starting catcher while true freshmen Michael Brown and Emilio Corona will also have significant roles to play. Fellow freshman Cole Fontenelle was a prized recruit and has the combination of tools and polish to play right away.

The pitching staff is incredibly deep and it starts with Enger along with David Rhodes who started a couple games as a true freshman in 2020. Logan Gerling had an excellent fall, working in the low-90s and a true impact pitch in his changeup which he can throw in any count. One of the potentially biggest transfers in the country is junior college addition Tyson Guerrero who’s got three quality pitches from the left side, a fastball that can touch the mid-90s, and top-five rounds upside with a productive spring. Dylan Lamb and Gabe Smith are ground ball pitchers who can get outs and new additions include junior college transfer Colton Charnholm, Adam Bloebaum from Pittsburgh, and Stuart Flesland from Boise State.

 
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