51.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
2008 RECORD. Overall: 28-28.
Conference: 11-13 / 6th in
Pac-10.
Coach:
Chad
Kreuter (55-57, 3rd season).
First Game, 2009: Feb.
20 vs. No. 38
Long Beach State
.
OVERVIEW: There is no doubt
that USC has the physical talent to rank among the elite teams in the country, especially
with All-American shortstop and top 2009 draft prospect Grant Green on the roster.
The Trojans’ talent has not always translated into performance on the field, though,
and they’ll be looking for breakthrough years from junior C/RHP Robert Stock and
RHP Brad Boxberger, both of whom possess first-round tools. An interesting sub-plot
this spring will be observing how third-year coach Chad Kreuter handles Stock, who
hasn’t fulfilled expectations while splitting time at two positions, and Boxberger,
who is scheduled to start again but has been more successful in a closer role, especially
last summer in the Cape Cod League. Senior OF/LHP Anthony Vasquez and freshman 3B/RHP
Ricky Oropesa are also two-way talents of some note, and it will be intriguing to
see how they are utilized. It can only be USC, too, that has a roster that includes
the nephew of a Hall of Famer (freshman 1B Beau Brett), the grandson of a USC coaching
legend (junior RHP Adam Dedeaux) and the son of a famed agent (IF Shane Boras).
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
C: Robert Stock, Jr. (.299-4-22).
1B: Beau Brett, Fr. (HS—Spokane, Wash.).
2B: Hector Rabago, Jr.
(.263-7-30).
3B: Ricky Oropesa (4),
Fr. (Red Sox/30th round).
SS: Grant Green (3), Jr.
(*.390-*9-46).
LF: Mike O’Neill, Jr. (.213-0-4).
CF: Greg Zebrack (1), Fr.
(Dodgers/43rd round).
RF: Anthony Vasquez, Sr.
(.315-4-33).
DH: Keith Castillo, Jr.
(.242-1-8).
1/Starter: Brad Boxberger,
Jr. (2-4, 6.12, 50 IP/52 SO).
2/Starter: Kevin Couture,
Jr. (6-2, 4.27, 84 IP/65 SO).
3/Starter: Robert Stock,
Jr. (1-1, 3.60, 10 IP/17 SO).
Closer: Ricky Oropesa,
Fr. (Red Sox/30th round).
BEST TOOLS
Best Athlete: Grant Green.
Best Overall Hitter: Grant
Green.
Best Power Hitter: Ricky
Oropesa.
Best Strike-Zone Discipline:
Mike O’Neill.
Fastest Base Runner (60 time):
Grant Green (6.5 seconds).
Best Base Runner: Anthony
Vasquez.
Best Defender: Grant Green.
Best Infield Arm: Hector
Rabago.
Best Outfield Arm: Vinnie
St. John.
Best Fastball (velocity):
Brad Boxberger (97 mph).
Best Breaking Ball: Brad
Boxberger.
Best Changeup: Kevin Couture.
Best Command: Kevin Couture.
TOP FRESHMAN PROSPECT:
Ricky Oropesa, 3b/rhp. Oropesa has huge
talent on both sides of the ball and could be an impact freshman. He has enormous
power from the left side of the plate, but his most important role as a freshman
might be bringing on his 93-95 mph fastball to close out games for an inexperienced
Trojan bullpen.
TOP SOPHOMORE PROSPECT: Jeff Grijalva, rhp. The Trojans have little talent, to speak of, in their sophomore
class. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Grijalva is the best option—even though he went 0-1,
9.00 and walked 11 while striking out seven in 14 innings as a freshman. He’s also
age-eligible for this year’s draft, and it may be a stretch for teams to consider
taking anything more than a late-round flier on him as knee problems limited his
chance to throw valuable innings in summer-ball following the 2008 season. Grijalva’s
size and 88-91 mph fastball, however, are still valuable traits.
TOP JUNIOR PROSPECT: Grant Green, ss.
Green is the top physical talent nationally among college position players for the
2009 draft, and is a near-certain top 5 pick. He draws comparisons to recent SoCal
shortstops such as Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki, although Green is more of
a pure 5-tool athlete with 6.5 speed and physical projection.
TOP SENIOR PROSPECT: Anthony Vasquez, of/lhp. Vasquez started
his college career at Texas A&M and transferred to USC after his freshman season.
He’s a valuable two-way player who seems to perform best when starting in the outfield
and coming in cold to utilize his upper-80s fastball and plus command. He projects
best professionally on the mound, and should be a solid senior sign.
--DAVID RAWNSLEY