College Six Plus Six
Last week after profiling my top 10 teams for the 2008 season I mentioned that I would talk about the six teams that just missed the cut and six more that aren’t frequently talked about in top 10 conversations but could be poised for a breakout season.
First, let’s start with the six that just missed.
Long Beach State Dirtbags
The Dirtbags are always a fun program to follow, and Head Coach Mike Weathers always makes sure that his teams are prepared when facing one of the nation’s more difficult non-conference schedules each and every year.
Weathers also has a knack of producing talented big-league infielders, with Evan Longoria on the cusp of joining Troy Tulowitzki and Bobby Crosby at the Major League level. Shortstop Danny Espinosa is next in line, even if his bat doesn’t project as well as those of his predecessors. He is still an electrifying talent that can beat you in a variety of ways.
Shane Peterson will hold down first with a steady glove in addition to his line drive bat. T.J. Mittlestaedt is a name to watch in the outfield, with Chris Nelson and Jason Corder likely assuming the other two outfield spots. This quartet likely will provide the bulk of the offense along with Espinosa.
Power armed starter Vance Worley returns after missing a good chunk of the 2007 season, and is poised to go up against the best pitchers in the country on Friday nights. Manny McElroy also missed some time due to injury, and he was one of my sleeper players to watch a season ago. Andrew Liebel also helps stabilize the starting staff.
David Roberts and David Brown will help get late and close games to closer Bryan Shaw, and if all goes well this season don’t be surprised to hear the Dirtbags make more and more noise as June approaches.
Michigan Wolverines
As a Midwest native, it’s hard for me not to personally root for Michigan and the Big Ten in general, a conference that has lost its once national presence. All cold weather schools hope that the universal start date will help level the playing field somewhat, but Michigan decided to make their noise a year early by knocking out host Vanderbilt of the regionals a year ago.
Their success didn’t come as a surprise, as many pointed to Zach Putnam as a name that could help propel this club back to Omaha when he decided to attend college more than three years ago. Of course, Putnam can’t win games all by himself, despite being one of the most productive two-way talents in the country. Mike Wilson and Chris Fetter return to help Putnam in the starting rotation, while fellow two-way star Adam Abraham will assume the closing duties in addition to playing third base.
And the Wolverines will score some runs while flashing a lot of power. First baseman Nate Recknagel, shortstop Jason Christian, infielder Leif Mahler and outfielders Derek VanBuskirk, Kevin Cislo and Alan Oaks all return joining Putnam and Abraham in the everyday lineup. There aren’t too many holes on this club, and there’s plenty of experience.
Mississippi Rebels
Several publications have Ole Miss ranked squarely among the nation’s best, often pointing to the team’s overall depth, particularly in their pitching staff, as a reason for their projected success.
The arms most frequently mentioned are a pair of Team USA teammates, Lance Lynn and Cody Satterwhite. Lynn will move up from Saturdays to Fridays to replace the departed Will Kline, while Satterwhite moves from the bullpen to the Saturday role. Lynn is a big-bodied pitcher who physically resembles Brad Penny, while Satterwhite has an extremely live arm but has battled through inconsistency with his fastball command and the bite on his breaking ball. If Satterwhite doesn’t handle the switch to the rotation as much as Head Coach Mike Bianco would like to see, look for a pair of young lefties, sophomore Nathan Baker and freshman Drew Pomeranz, to step up and take his place.
I’m not as sold on the team’s offense after losing several notable contributors from a season ago. Centerfielder Jordan Henry and second baseman Zach Miller will prove to be pests wrecking havoc at the top of the order, but they’re the only two returning hitters that hit over .300 from a year ago, and the team will likely be depending on as many as four newcomers in the everyday lineup. Cody Overbeck and Logan Power hit 25 bombs between them, as they may just be strong enough one through four to keep their pitching staff in games.
Missouri Tigers
Continuing a theme from last week, it’s hard not to be impressed with Missouri’s pitching depth and overall talent at the top. Few programs can match Mizzou’s weekend trio of Aaron Crow, one of the top draft-eligible prospects in the nation, Kyle Gibson, one of the top draft-eligible prospects for 2009, and Rick Zagone. All three enjoyed considerable success on the Cape last summer, where Crow was named the circuit’s top pro prospect.
Scooter Hicks formed a pretty solid closing tandem with Kyle Gibson a year ago, and should do the same this year with another powerful arm that may see some time as a weekday starter, Ryan Allen. Talented freshman Nick Tepesch looks to follow in the footsteps of Max Scherzer, Aaron Crow and Kyle Gibson, and also could assume a mid-week role while being first in line to step into a weekend role if needed.
Similar to the San Diego Toreros as profiled a week ago, the offense is going to be in question. The bulk of the team’s production will likely come from a pair of outfielders, senior Jacob Priday and sophomore Aaron Senne, as well as sophomore catcher Trevor Coleman. Senne and Coleman are particularly encouraging since both were productive as everyday freshmen a year ago and now have the experience to match their talent to take big steps forward. Ryan Lollis and Kyle Mach are steady contributors that will help make the Tigers go.
As long as this team has big clutch hits and plays strong defense the pitching staff could carry this team far.
South Carolina Gamecocks
If you take the Tigers pitching staff and merge it with the Gamecocks starting lineup, you may very well have one of the best college teams on paper in the history of the game.
Unfortunately the Gamecocks don’t have Mizzou’s pitching staff, and they’re likely going to have to handily out-score their opponents this coming season, something they did very well last season until falling to the Tar Heels in dramatic fashion in the super regionals.
They have the bats to do just that, starting with first baseman Justin Smoak and shortstop Reese Havens, who came to South Carolina together as talented and well known prep players, and are joined on the infield by third baseman James Darnell, whose power potential may be unrivaled in all of college baseball. Second baseman Andrew Crisp and catcher Phil Disher round out the game’s most talented infield. The team’s infield experience should more than overcome an inexperienced outfield that includes a pair of projected freshmen starters.
I don’t mean to come down too hard on the pitching staff, as Head Coach Ray Tanner has uncovered more than enough gems in the past to pull him through this year, and this team may be hungry as the season approaches since falling just short of Omaha last year. The staff does have good experience, led by senior stopper Curtis Johnson as well as juniors Mike Cisco, Will Atwood and Alex Farotto, as well as talented sophomore Blake Cooper who won seven games as a freshman a year ago.
Wichita State Shockers
The Shockers are built in a similar fashion to the Missouri Tigers, with considerable pitching depth but questions on just how well the offense clicks this year after losing several integral members of the offense from a year ago.
Conor Gillaspie had one of the best showings ever on the Cape last summer on his way to being named the circuit’s MVP, and the team is hoping that he takes his game to another level this spring. If they receive similar improvements from catcher Tyler Weber, Andy Dirks, Ryan Jones and Josh Workman, this team may not have much to worry about.
Aaron Shafer has been the most prominent name on the starting staff after making an impact his freshman year, and with a big spring could be selected in the first round of the June draft thanks to a prototype workhorse frame and an arsenal that has top of the rotation potential at the next level. Lefties Rob Musgrave and Anthony Capra will round out the weekend rotation as this trio could tear up the Missouri Valley Conference.
Six to click
Onto the six teams that aren’t getting much top 10 love this preseason that I feel have a great chance to be in the top 10 mix.
Baylor Bears
Baylor isn’t going to surprise anyone after hauling in a talented freshman class a year ago. Obviously that class is a year older with experience that now matches their talent. Dustin Dickerson, Raynor Campbell, Aaron Miller, Kendal Volz and Willie Kempf are the most notable names among that group, and they will be complemented by upper classmen Beamer Weems, Ben Booker and Nick Cassavechia. And don’t count out another member of that talented freshman class from a year ago, Shawn Tolleson, who missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery and is poised to make up for lost time this year.
Baylor reminds me an awful lot of UCLA from a year or two ago, and while it may take another year for everything to come together nicely for Steve Smith’s squad, when it does it could be pretty special.
Cal Bears
The Bears finished fourth in the Pac-10 a year ago, and it will be difficult for them to improve upon that in a conference that is stacked from top to bottom. I like the Bears because they have three very good players playing a significant role in three different areas.
David Cooper should be the heart and soul of the offense while anchoring the infield defense at first base. Tyson Ross will serve as the Friday starter after serving as Team USA’s ace last summer. And Matt Gorgen is an unheralded yet extremely effective closer.
Charlie Cutler, Josh Satin, Blake Smith, Jeff Kobernus and Brett Jackson will help propel the offense, while Craig Benningson and Alex Rollin will contribute with significant weekend innings.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
The Chanticleers are coming off of a very big season in which they went 50-13, and they are returning a fair amount of talent, highlighted by the 24 wins between Bobby Gagg, David Anderson and Nick McCully. Gagg’s 12-2 record and 2.57 ERA were particularly impressive, and the team also welcomes the return of Austin Fleet who missed the 2007 season due to injury, but posted a 4-2 record and a 3.39 ERA the previous year.
Outfielder David Sappelt is the man to watch on offense, who hits for power and average and can mix in a little speed to his game. Tommy Baldridge is the other big bat to watch out for, while Derek Martin, Dock Doyle and Tyler Bortnick also return to stabilize the offense as well as the team defense.
Fresno State Bulldogs
Tanner Scheppers was a name that several readers brought to my attention via email a few weeks ago when I asked people to add who they felt were college baseball’s most prominent sleepers. I personally didn’t include Scheppers, who touched the upper 90s in fall ball, because he’s not going to surprise anyone, and may very well follow in the footsteps of former Bulldogs ace Matt Garza.
The meat of the staff from the ’07 season returns for this year, which includes Justin Wilson, Clayton Allison and Jason Breckley. A strong infield defense will help the pitching staff be that much more effective, while outfielder Steve Susdorf should continue to provide most of the offensive pop.
Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky’s strength is in the number of returning players they are going to be able to rely upon this season, starting with possibly the most surprising of the returnees, Collin Cowgill, who missed the 2007 season due to injury, but is a player many felt might have been signed by the A’s after an impressive showing last summer on the Cape.
Other keys bats that are back include Brian Spear, Sawyer Carroll, Keenan Wiley and Ryan Wilkes, all of whom hit better than .300 a year ago and helped the Wildcats post a whopping .437 team on-base percentage for a team that loves to put pressure on opposing defenses. Returning starters Andrew Albers and Greg Dombrowski as well as James Paxton, Aaron Lovett and a talent recruiting class could help Kentucky turn some heads in the SEC.
Tulane Green Wave
The effects of Hurricane Katrina obviously effected everything forever that was anywhere near New Orleans, and the Tulane baseball program was hit pretty hard and has long since fighting back to re-gain it’s lofty, national standing. A return to Turchin Field combined with a strong recruiting class highlighted by some key transfers could help Tulane get back on top.
Few programs have a better Friday ace than Shooter Hunt, and the team is looking for a few young and/or inexperienced starters to step up, including Aaron Loup, Preston Clairborne, Josh Zeid, Matt Petiton and Robby Broach.
The offense should score some runs thanks to the a trio of powerful bats in Sam Honeck, Drew Allain and Andrew Rodgers, who will join returnees Jared Dyer, Warren McFadden and Aja Barto. Sophomore shortstop Josh Prince could be the biggest name to keep an eye on, who hit well for the Texas Longhorns a year ago and was nearly unstoppable in fall ball.
Quick Hits
Not mentioned above on either list, but special mentions need to be made to the Cal State Fullerton, Clemson and Florida State baseball programs. All three teams have been among the most successful in all of college baseball for quite some time, and while I believe each of the three will end the year among the 25 best teams in baseball, I think each club lost too much talent from their 2007 squads to be in the mix for the top 10 this year. It would not surprise me one bit to see either or all of these clubs prove me wrong.
Oklahoma State, a program that largely relies on out-slugging their opponents, may be relying on the arm of left-handed Andy Oliver, who had an encouraging freshman season followed by an impressive showing on the Cape. If he can anchor the staff while letting the offense do their usual damage, look out.
Georgia Tech used to be a mainstay in any top poll, and they, like the Cowboys, have been one of the more explosive teams offensively over the past several years. While they have lost some significant talent in recent years, most recently catcher Matt Wieters, the fifth overall pick from last year’s draft, I’m anxious to see what the Yellow Jackets pitching staff can do this year. Eddie Burns, David Duncan and Zach Von Tersch could prove to be rather formidable in the ACC, with established reliever Chris Hicks coming in late to close games out.
One of my favorite college weekend pitching tandems is Scott Gorgen and Bryce Stowell of UC Irvine. I don’t know how many people give UC Irvine much of a chance to repeat what they did last year, especially since Head Coach Dave Serrano has moved on, but Mike Gillespie will have this team prepared even if they have some notable talent to replace from last year’s club.
Similar to UC Irvine, I don’t think many expect Louisville to make as much noise as they did a year ago, which also included a trip to Omaha. They lost a lot of talent in their starting lineup, but they’re gaining a key transfer in left-hitting Andrew Clark from Ole Miss which should give the Cardinals a formidable one-two punch in the middle of their lineup to go along with righty-hitting third baseman Chris Dominguez. They also return their dazzling one-two punch in their starting staff in righty Zach Pitts and lefty Justin Marks, who had 19 wins between the two of them.
While Ole Miss receives a lot more top 10 love, it would not surprise me if Mississippi State finished with the better, higher ranking ballclub when the 2008 season is all said and done. While their in-state, SEC rivals are praised for a deep and talented pitching staff, the Bulldogs might even boast a brighter and deeper staff. Ricky Bowen and Aaron Weatherford bring the heat, while Justin Pigott and Chad Crosswhite offer experience and stability. Offensively the club has a lot of thump to replace in Ed Easley and Mitch Moreland.
The thoughts and opinions listed here do not necessarily reflect those of Perfect Game USA. Patrick Ebert is affiliated with both Perfect Game USA and Brewerfan.net, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.