2018 Baseball America College Preview Edition

RAZOR SHARP

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHEAST COLLEGE PREVIEW

FEBRUARY 9–23, 2018 VOLUME 38, ISSUE 5

“The important thing is that we recognize we haven’t been good at developing pitchers.” cubs president of baseball

operations theo

epstein,

page 26

Razorbacks fans pack Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark., for a 2015 super regional game. Arkansas ranked second in the country in overall attendance in 2017, drawing 289,421 fans in 38 games. The top six finishers were Southeastern Conference teams.

INSIDE THE GAME

COLLEGE PREVIEW ISSUE

With Blaine Knight and Grant Koch in the fold, Arkansas looks primed to compete for a title in 2018 ....... 8

COLLEGE

Our preseason college All-America team has a Southeastern flavor .................. 12

With two polished prospects, Cal Poly is revved up ................ 13

Our preseason Top 25, headlined by Florida ................ 15

MINORS

Organization reports for all National League franchises. The Cubs’ inability to develop homegrown pitchers forces them to reboot their pitching development system ............... 26

on the cover

Photo: Wesley Hitt Photography. Gear: Cleats—Nike Vapor Ultrafly. Gloves—Easton "Small Batch" Pro Collection. Catcher's Gear—Easton MAKO Chest Protector and Leg Guards.

FEBRUARY 9–23, 2018 VOLUME 38, ISSUE 5

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

TIM TEUFEL HAS PARLAYED A SUCCESSFUL PLAYING CAREER INTO A LIFETIME IN THE GAME

BY RON MORRIS

AUG. 1, 1983

Second

Baseball America first introduced Tim Teufel to readers when he appeared on the cover of the Aug. 1, 1983 issue. Teufel was late into an extraordinary season at Triple-A Toledo in the Twins organization.

Teufel earned International League player of the year honors that season when he batted .323/.437/.577 with 27 home runs and 100 RBIs. That performance merited a September callup, leading to an 11-year big league career that included a World Series championship with the 1986 Mets.

More than three decades later, Teufel has established himself as a baseball lifer. He has scouted, coached and managed. He currently serves as the Mets’ roving minor league infield instructor and club ambassador.

“It’s provided a good living,” Teufel said. “It’s provided an opportunity to provide for my family. It’s been a good venture.”

He and his wife of 36 years, Valerie, have four grown children and reside during the offseason in Florida. He said there was no way to envision a lifetime in baseball when he was coming out of Clemson as a second-round pick in 1980.

After three seasons with the Twins, Teufel was dealt to the Mets prior to the 1986 season. In New York he became part of a second base platoon with lefthanded-hitting Wally Backman. Teufel’s pinch-hit grand slam won a game during the regular season, and he homered in a Game Five loss to the Red Sox in the World Series.

Those Mets teams in the mid- to

late 1980s were personified by a grittiness and hard-nosed style of baseball. No incident better represented how the Mets played than Teufel’s 1989 on-field scuffle with Reds flamethrowing reliever Rob Dibble. The normally mild-mannered Teufel charged the mound and landed a punch after being hit by a pitch, and the video of the incident is worth finding on YouTube.

Teufel spent his final three seasons in the big leagues with the Padres and concluded his career with a batting line of .254/.336/.404. Then he got out of baseball for five years to spend more time with his growing children. He also dabbled in venture capital financing.

The Mets first hired Teufel in 1998 as a scout.

“I knew that wasn’t the love I had for the game, sitting there watching games and writing down reports,” Teufel said of scouting. “That wasn’t really what I wanted to do. It wasn’t my passion. So I thought, ‘Let me try coaching,’ and coaching seemed to fit the bill.”

He first served as a roving instructor and later managed at every level in the Mets’ system before being named the big league club’s third-base coach in 2011. He returned to the World Series in 2015 in that capacity, though the Mets lost to the Royals.

“Those are two milestones,” Teufel said of both playing and coaching in the World Series. “Those are things you dream about doing. As a player, you want to play and win one, then as a coach you want to coach and win one. It’s one of those things, you enjoy trying to be the best at both.”

Spoken like a baseball lifer.

kyle.glaser@baseballamerica.com

sara.mcdaniel@baseballamerica.com

baseman Tim Teufel earned his first big league callup in 1983 after hitting .323/.437/.577 with 27 home runs and 100 RBIs at Triple-A Toledo.

In the past three decades, Tim Teufel has played, scouted, managed and coached in the Mets organization. He participated in two World Series with New York, serving as second baseman for the 1986 team and third base coach for the 2015 team.

TOP

10

PROSPECTS ARE IN THE BOOKS

With spring training nearing, prospect season is winding down. Our Top 10 Prospects rankings for all 30 teams are available at BaseballAmerica.com. Our Top 10s account for offseason trading, including the Yankees’ blockbuster with the Marlins and the deal between the Astros and Pirates that sent Gerrit Cole to Houston.

AND IF YOU NEED MORE PROSPECTS IN YOUR LIFE .

. .

All Top 10 Prospects rankings are available online, but our coverage doesn’t end there. The 2018 Prospect Handbook—on sale now!—ranks the top 30 prospects in every organization. And if you buy it from us, you get a special gift—a supplement that includes an additional 31st scouting report for each team. Order today at BaseballAmerica.com/ prospecthandbook/

GEAR GUIDE

Get ready for the upcoming season by downloading our 2018 Gear Guide! Check out more than 100 new products for all seasons. Visit www.Baseball America.com/gearguide

NOTE TO READERS: Due to an error last issue, Paul Trap’s cartoon was cropped. To see the full cartoon, please visit baseballamerica.com/traps-view/

OVERHEARD AROUND BA

WHAT WE’RE DISCUSSING THIS MONTH ... while counting down the minutes until Opening Day.

Ask BA

BY J.J. COOPER

HAVE A QUESTION?

@jjcoop36

askba@baseballamerica.com

Q Which state, excluding California, Texas and Florida, is presumed to have the best batch of high school prospects?

—MARK BERQUIST, SAN DIEGO

MLB made moves last month to bring a pitch clock into play in an effort to improve the game’s pace of play. Naturally, our staff had opinions on how much or little it would affect baseball. Check out our virtual roundtable in the first installment of Around The Office.

The No. 1 Spot on our Top 100 list. Acuna? Vlad? Ohtani?

Get in on the action at BaseballAmerica.com/ tag/around- the-office/

A You are wise to start with California, Texas and Florida. Year in and year out, those three states produce the most talent, whether high school or college. Over the past three years, California has averaged 176 draftees a year, Florida has averaged 135 and Texas has averaged 110. North Carolina (57), Georgia (46), Tennessee (38), and South Carolina (35) are the other states that average 35 or more draftees a season.

But when you look at the high school ranks, the numbers shift. Much of California’s dominance is based on its large number of college programs. In 2017, Florida actually had more high school players drafted (51) than California (43). Texas remains third with 24 draftees, but Georgia moves from fifth to fourth thanks to 21 prep players picked. Alabama tied North Carolina for fifth with 11 players apiece, and Illinois was right behind them with 10.

Looking ahead to the 2018 draft, our top 200 draft prospects ranking sees some of the same trends. Florida has 18 high school players in our top 200, California has 13, Georgia and Texas have 10 and no other state has more than four.

So to answer your question, Florida’s prep talent is stout every year. I’d say Georgia is the non-big-three state that consistently has a large amount of high school talent. North Carolina has passed Georgia in the number of total draftees, but that’s largely because of its better college talent. FOR MORE: BASEBALLAMERICA.COM/TAG/ASKBA

paultrap@BaseballAmerica.com

Pitch Clocks.

COLLEGE PREVIEW ISSUE

FIRST PITCH

ON THE ROAD TO OMAHA

BY TEDDY CAHILL

Part of the charm of college baseball is its extremely compact season. Teams play just 56 games over 15 weeks in the spring. The NCAA Tournament plays out over four weekends in June. Anything seemingly can happen. Stars are born on sun-splashed diamonds across the country throughout the spring and every June turn into legends in Omaha.

For 297 teams across the country, that journey begins now. The summer ballgames played far from home, the monotonous weeks of fall ball, the long hours in the weight room in the winter—all of it in preparation for a few glorious months of spring. With Opening Day fast approaching, Baseball America presents its annual College Preview Issue. The pages that follow include the Preseason Top 25, the Preseason All-America teams voted on by major league scouting directors and much more.

The preview continues online at BaseballAmerica.com. There, readers can find previews for all 31 Division I conferences, as well as extensive previews of the top players and teams in Divisions II and III, junior colleges and NAIA.

We know how this story ends—in a dogpile on TD Ameritrade Park’s infield—but what makes it thrilling is the unpredictable journey on the Road to Omaha.

Baseball America’s Crystal Ball PicksProjecting the Field of 64

Player of the Year: Luken Baker, Texas Christian

Pitcher of the Year: Brady Singer, Florida

Freshman of the Year: Garrett Mitchell, UCLA

Omaha sleeper: Connecticut

Player of the Year: Travis Swaggerty, South Alabama

Pitcher of the Year: Colton Eastman, Cal State Fullerton

Freshman of the Year: Reid Detmers, Louisville

Fla.Austin

(3) Florida State^*

Bethune-Cookman*

(14) Texas^

Arizona

Grand Canyon*

Fayetteville, Ark.Los Angeles 1. (4) Arkansas^ 1. (13) UCLA^

Connecticut

Sam Houston State*

Southern Mississippi*

UC Santa Barbara

Diego State* Lubbock, TexasClemson, S.C.

(5) Texas Tech^*

(12) Clemson^

TEDDY CAHILL

National champion: Florida

Omaha sleeper: Oklahoma

MICHAEL LANANNA

National champion: Oregon State

COLLEGE PREVIEW ISSUE

CALLING THE HOGS

AFTER A BOUNCEBACK

2017 SEASON, ARKANSAS

HAS THE TALENT TO CONTEND FOR THE 2018 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND IS READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP AS A PROGRAM

BY TEDDY CAHILL

DFrom a team last year that won 45 games and hosted a regional, Arkansas returns 23 letterwinners, including righthander Blaine Knight and catcher Grant Koch. The Razorbacks are one of the favorites to win the national championship, which would be the program’s first.

ave Van Horn returned to work Jan. 2 following his holiday break expecting Baum Stadium to be mostly empty. Classes wouldn’t resume at Arkansas for two more weeks, but when the longtime Razorbacks coach looked in the locker room, he found about half the team was already back in Fayetteville, hanging out and preparing for the spring. The Razorbacks’ very early return caught Van Horn off guard but is indicative of their mindset entering 2018. Arkansas is eager to get to work this season in part because it is a team with unfinished business to settle. It starts with righthander Blaine Knight and catcher Grant Koch, who are two of the team’s biggest stars, but who are also still proving themselves as pro prospects.

THE RAZORBACKS’ CLUBHOUSE IS FILLED WITH PLAYERS LIKE THEM —future pros, possibly even productive big leaguers, but few true blue-chip prospects. It is a program where development and a strong, quiet work ethic are points of pride. Of the 13 former Arkansas players on big league rosters in 2017, just two were first-round picks. Even Andrew Benintendi, the highest drafted Razorback in 30 years at sev-

enth overall in 2015, was little known before his breakout Player of the Year campaign.

Van Horn believes a few things help his players outperform their draft position. One is that the skills the Arkansas coaching staff emphasize—plate discipline, strike-throwing, playing clean baseball—translate well to pro ball, as does the work ethic the players develop in college.

“They’ve learned how to fight their way through the minor leagues,” Van Horn said. “They know how to prove it year in and year out. The biggest compliment I get, and we talk about it all the time, is scouts come through here and even crosscheckers and GMs have told us, our players, they’re prepared for the minor leagues.”

Those same traits will serve Arkansas well this year. The Razorbacks enter this spring as

the favorites in the Southeastern Conference West Division and ranked No. 4 in the Preseason Top 25, their highest preseason ranking since they entered 2013 ranked No. 3. But the Razorbacks know they have a lot to prove. After reaching the 2015 College World Series with Benintendi leading the way, Arkansas collapsed in 2016, the freshman season for this year’s junior class. It went 26-29 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. It was the worst season of Van Horn’s 14-year tenure. Arkansas came storming back in 2017. It went 45-19 and hosted a regional for the first time since 2010. Arkansas’ season came to a tough end in that regional, however, when it lost a pair of one-run games to Missouri State. It wasn’t the end the Razorbacks wanted, and while they showed 2016 was just a

hiccup for the program, it left them hungry for more.

“The biggest part about last year was eliminating that freshman year that we had,” Koch said. “How it ended last year, that’s even more motivation going into this year. I think we put ourselves in good position coming into this year.”

Knight was one of last spring’s biggest breakout draft prospects. After going 2-1, 2.98 in a swingman role as a freshman, he won the job of Opening Day starter and quickly proved himself as a Friday starter. He generated plenty of buzz as a draft-eligible sophomore when his strong start carried into SEC play.

By the time Arkansas’ season ended with its loss to Missouri State in the regional final, Van Horn figured Knight’s college career was also over. He went 8-4, 3.28 with 96 strikeouts and 20 walks in 90.2 innings, ranked No. 87 on the BA500 predraft rankings and figured to be picked in the top three rounds.

Arkansas held its season-ending meetings June 7, a week before the draft began. As he does every year, Van Horn first addressed the whole team before dismissing the seniors and players who expected to head to pro ball. Knight, Van Horn noted, remained seated as the coach spoke to the returners about 2018. Knight then told Van Horn that he wouldn’t budge on the signing bonus he wanted and that if no team would meet his number, he wanted to return to school.

True to his word, Knight held to his number. Multiple teams checked in with him early in the draft, but none offered a large enough bonus to sway the righthander. Throughout the draft, he remained in contact with pitching coach Wes Johnson, who became increasingly optimistic about his return as the draft continued.

“I remember calling coach (Van Horn) and telling him I think we’re going to get him back,” Johnson said. “Coach was like, ‘What?’ Blaine’s just that way. He’s so competitive. Ultracompetitive. I think he was a little upset. He was like, ‘I’m going to come back and show them that I’m worth it.’ ”

While Knight has his flaws as a prospect—he has a slender build at a listed 6-foot-3, 165 pounds, and often lacked a consistent third pitch last spring—he had interest during the early rounds of the draft. Eventually, the Rangers selected Knight in the 29th round, but by then he had decided he wouldn’t sign. Nevertheless, Van Horn continued to sweat up until the signing deadline in July. Shortly before the deadline, he called Knight, who was fishing while on vacation with his

family. Only after Knight again told him he was coming back to school did Van Horn allow himself to relax.

“He said, ‘Coach, don’t worry about anything. I’m coming back,’ ” Van Horn said. “And that’s when I truly believed we were going to get him.”

Knight said going through the draft was a “great experience” and he knows what to expect this year.

“My decision to come back was talking with my parents, my family, talking with the coaches, looking at this year, how this year should pan out,” Knight said. “There was some stuff in the draft that didn’t go my way. Once that happened, it wasn’t a hard decision to come back.”

Knight didn’t pitch over the summer and instead focused on getting stronger and increasing his stamina after throwing more than six innings in just four of his 16 starts last year. That was a big improvement on his freshman year, however, when he said he could only maintain his best stuff for a couple of innings. There were times last year that Knight held his stuff into the seventh or eighth inning, which he hopes to make the norm this spring.

“This year, I look forward to it being about the same or better than it was last year,” he said. “I plan on holding my velocity in the mid-90s until the ninth inning. I think that’s what it takes to be a successful starting pitcher in college and the next level. You’ve got to be able to hold your velocity.”

Knight’s best secondary pitch is a hard breaking ball that he calls a cutter to remind himself to stay behind the ball—but it moves like a slider. The combination of his fastball and slider and his above-average control has often been enough for him as an amateur, but he also throws a curveball and is at his best when he can also consistently work in his changeup.

Developing his changeup was Knight’s primary focus when he was on the mound last fall. Johnson made him throw about 60 percent changeups in his outings to get him more comfortable with the pitch.

“For us, the changeup was huge,” Johnson said. “If you look at his best outings last year, in the best three outings he was landing his changeup 60 percent of the time. The outings that weren’t his best, that thing was almost nonexistent.”

Knight was voted a Preseason AllAmerican by major league scouting directors and he is just the start of Arkansas’ deep staff. Redshirt sophomore righthander Isaiah Campbell has premier stuff and is ready to get back in action this spring after missing last year with bone spurs in his right elbow. Listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, he has ideal physicality and the powerful

fastball to match. It sits in the mid90s now, topping out at 97 mph, and Johnson believes Campbell will eventually throw 100. And Arkansas has a bevy of talented arms in support of its top two starters.

BUT ARKANSAS IS NOT A ONEDIMENSIONAL TEAM. The Razorbacks last year ranked 27th in the country in ERA (3.61), 27th in runs (422) and 38th in fielding percentage (.977), making them one of just two SEC schools to rank in the top 40 nationally in all three categories (Louisiana State was the other). And nearly all of their lineup is returning this year.

At the heart of it all will again be Koch. Slowed during his freshman season by an arm injury he suffered in high school, he broke out as a sophomore and hit .264/.358/.498 with 13 home runs and threw out 60 percent of basestealers.

That performance earned him a spot on the Collegiate National Team, where he continued his strong performance. He led Team USA in batting with a line of .372/.500/.535.

Koch stands out most for his offensive production, but he provides more

than a powerful bat in the middle of the lineup. He is a team captain and has developed such a strong rapport with Arkansas’ pitchers that he is responsible for calling his own game.

“Grant and I watch a lot of video together, we watch and study hitters,” Johnson said. “Grant and I talk a lot between innings. We’re talking about how we’re going to attack hitters and what adjustments to make.”

Despite Koch’s performance over the past year, scouts still have questions about his athleticism and how it will translate to playing behind the plate and facing premier pitchers every night. He and the rest of the Razorbacks’ hitters will have a chance to prove themselves this spring, but after a few years in Fayetteville, they be ready to fight their way through the minor leagues, no matter where they are drafted.

“A lot of the guys over the years have had to battle their way through,” Van Horn said. “They learn a lot about the grind of baseball here. The SEC gets you prepared to get through the minor leagues.”

COLLEGE PREVIEW ISSUE

THE JOURNEY TO OMAHA FROM FAYETTEVILLE IS LONGER THAN THE 421 MILES THAT SEPARATE BAUM STADIUM FROM TD AMERITRADE PARK. Arkansas has to replace first baseman Chad Spanberger, who hit 20 home runs a year ago, and righthander Trevor Stephan, who anchored the rotation along with Knight. The schedule looks unrelenting at times and the SEC is as strong as ever, with some longtime observers believing the conference is as deep as it has been in years.

The Razorbacks are built for this, however. Senior Luke Bonfield will move to first to cover for Spanberger and freshman outfielder Heston Kjerstad looks to be ready to step right into the lineup, with other exciting young hitters ready to contribute. Arkansas’ depth on the mound gives Johnson and Van Horn a plethora of options. The Razorbacks are one of the most complete teams in the country, capable of fighting through the rugged SEC West and successfully navigating a schedule seemingly designed to make them the No. 1 national seed.

The Razorbacks know what they are capa-

ble of and understand that the program’s sights are always trained on the CWS. This year may come with more hype, but the expectations are the same as ever, and the Razorbacks know what they need to do to live up to them and reach the heights they’ve envisioned for themselves.

“Our goal is to go to Omaha and not only go to Omaha, but win it,” Koch said. “What comes with that is, you’ve got to do it every single day. You can’t take a day off. You’ve got to earn it. Nothing is given to you in this league. Success for us is earning it every single day. If we do that, I think it’ll fall into place, and everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

If the Razorbacks reach their potential, they will have a chance to make history. The last five national champions all claimed the first title in their program’s history. Arkansas, for all its storied tradition under Van Horn and Norm DeBriyn, for all the big leaguers it has produced and for the exalted place Baum Stadium holds in the game, has never won a national title.

These Razorbacks, led by Knight and Koch, and guided by Van Horn’s steady hand, are eager to prove themselves and to write their own legacy in the program’s celebrated history. The road to Omaha is an arduous one, but it is one they are ready to take.

Catcher Grant Koch was named allSoutheastern Conference last season and started for Team USA over the summer. His play this spring will be key to Arkansas’ success.

CAN’T STOP CATE

Undersized and once overlooked, Tim Cate has emerged as one of the college game’s best lefthanders

BY MICHAEL LANANNA

Never tell Tim Cate he can’t do something. Never use the word “no.” Don’t play him in 2K or The Show baseball video games, and definitely don’t try to hit his curveball. Just don’t. It’s not worth it. He’s going to win, and you’re going to lose.

Connecticut head coach Jim Penders remembers when Cate called him in December 2013 about participating in one of UConn’s indoor workouts. “I need Tommy John surgery,” said Cate, then a junior at Cheney Technical High in Manchester, Conn. “But I want to come do the camp.”

Penders told him “no” emphatically. But Cate came anyway.

With a torn UCL, the diminutive, rail-thin lefthander touched 87 mph— several ticks higher than the UConn coaches had ever seen him throw. And his upper-70s curveball was far more advanced than is typical for his age. UConn committed to him on the spot.

Cate had surgery on his left arm a month later—yet, somehow, he still played for Cheney Tech that spring.

“We noticed late in the season, we were seeing his name in the paper and in the game reports online, and we

couldn’t figure it out,” Penders said. “He was hitting third and playing center field. We were in a panic.”

It turned out Cate had decided to play that entire season righthanded.

Not even taking his left arm away could stop him.

“He’s completely ambidextrous,” Penders said. “He can throw it over 90 (mph) righthanded, too. He really is a freak of nature in many ways. He’s very talented and very athletic, and he’s very driven, and that’s usually a very good combination to have.”

Cate can will himself into doing almost anything. For him, touching 93 mph with his non-dominant hand is just “screwing around.” He knows his left arm is his ticket to pro ball.

Now entering his junior season with the Huskies, Cate has gone from a soft-tossing, low-80s pitcher studying HVAC at a technical high school to fronting a Division I rotation.

He has pitched in back-to-back summers for Team USA’s Collegiate National Team—and dominated, striking out 20 in 12 innings this past summer. And he ranks No. 27 on BA’s top 200 draft prospects. No longer scraping 85 mph, the 6-foot, 187-pound Cate

sits in the low 90s and runs it up to 94 lefthanded, and his power 12-to6 curve is among the best secondary pitches in the draft class. Even more, Cate brings a domineering presence to the mound, hardened by the constant scrutiny he faces from evaluators about being undersized. Cate doesn’t let those outside doubts shake his confidence.

“He knows he’s better than you,” UConn pitching coach Josh MacDonald said. “I think he knows that, but I also think he really enjoys proving it.”

THE MACHINE

“Take it one pitch at a time,” is one of baseball’s most hackneyed phrases— it’s the first bullet on the first page of The Coachspeak Handbook. Yet there’s nothing cliché about the way Cate internalizes it. He exhibits an unusual amount of focus on the mound—to the point where his coaches have wondered if it’s possible to be too locked in. They’ve started calling him The Machine, as though he’s hardwired to focus only on the task at hand.

“My parents like to say that I’m a little irresponsible when it comes to planning things and planning ahead,” said Cate, laughing. “But I just live in the moment, and that helps me in pitching.”

That short memory serves Cate well, because he can attack and attack and attack. His numbers speak for themselves: He has averaged 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings in his two years at UConn, going 9-4, 3.02 with 203 strikeouts to 58 walks in 158 innings. Still, his hyper-focused, inward-looking approach has its downsides, as well.

Penders has gotten upset with

Cate at times when the pitcher fails to acknowledge a sparkling defensive play behind him or when he’s the last person to congratulate a teammate for driving in a run.

“He’s not at all selfish,” Penders said. “He just has that tunnel vision.”

MacDonald added that sometimes, when Cate doesn’t have his best stuff, that tunnel vision can cause him to spiral into a bit of a mental funk, even if the Huskies are winning.

“That’s really the last step of his game,” MacDonald said. “If he can just fight through that overly focused barrier, he’ll end up being the best pitcher we’ve ever had.”

Considering some of the arms that have come through Storrs, that’s extraordinarily high praise. As a freshman in 2016, Cate pitched behind another big-name lefty in Anthony Kay, whom the Mets selected in the first round that June. But Cate assumed the ace role after Kay’s departure, and he’ll reprise that role this season. Another stud lefty, Mason Feole, will pitch behind him, forming one of the better one-two punches in the country on a team that is primed to return to regionals.

Cate is confident in the Huskies and rightfully confident in himself. But his coaches won’t let him get too comfortable.

“Mason throws harder than him by maybe one mile per hour,” MacDonald said, “and I always say something (to Cate) like, ‘You’re the second-best lefty on the team.’ ”

In the past, that sort of prodding would eat at Cate. But he’s learning to celebrate his teammates and expand his focus without softening his edge.

“I kind of know better now,” Cate said, laughing. “Mac’s gonna have to think of something else to say.”

He could always try the word “no.”

Connecticut lefthander Tim Cate has struck out 203 batters in 158 innings and fronts what should be a dominant pitching staff in 2018.

COLLEGE PREVIEW ISSUE

ALL ABOUT THE ARMS

A deep crop of promising pitchers dominate our Preseason All-America Teams

JOEY BART, C,

GEORGIA TECH

Bart is the highest-ranked catcher for the 2018 draft and has seemingly answered the questions about his defensive ability. He has started 68 games behind the plate for the Yellow Jackets and has hit .296 or better as both a freshman and sophomore in the Atlantic Coast Conference, with his power showing up in 2017 with 13 home runs and a .575 slugging percentage.

JEREMY

EIERMAN,

SS, MISSOURI STATE

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Missouri State infielder offers a tantalizing combination of power and the ability to play shortstop. That keeps teams intrigued despite Eierman’s poor summer with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, where he hit just .125 with a wood bat. Eierman was much better last spring, when he hit .313/.431/.675 with 23 home runs—elite power if he can stay at short.

SETH

BEER,

1B, CLEMSON

Beer has a hit-dependent profile and is coming off a disappointing summer with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team. Still, scouts have previously thrown plus-plus grades on both his hit and power tools, and his track record in the Atlantic Coast Conference is loud and impressive. He finished second among Division I hitters with 64 walks in 2017.

NICK MADRIGAL, 2B, OREGON STATE

Madrigal is back on the first team after making the 2017 Preseason AllAmerica team on the heels of a Pacific-12 Conference freshman of the year season in 2016. He took another step forward in 2017, improving every triple slash category significantly, walking 11 times more than he struck out and posting the fifthbest batting average (.380) among Power Five conference hitters.

ALEC BOHM, 3B WICHITA STATE

Bohm has hit over .300 in his first two years at Wichita State and had an 18-game hitting streak from April through early May as a sophomore in 2017. According to scouts, Bohm has some of the best raw power in the class, though it hasn’t played in games quite as often as evaluators think it will in the future. He hit 11 home runs and slugged .519 in 2017

GRIFFIN CONINE, OF, DUKE

Conine has a track record for hitting for power in games that stacks up with anyone in the 2018 class, especially considering his wood-bat track record. He hit 16 home runs in the Northwoods League in 2016 and then tied for the most home runs in the Cape Cod League last summer with nine. He projects as a corner outfielder in pro ball and his coming off a 13-homer sophomore year at Duke.

Clemson’s Seth Beer has been one of the most feared hitters in college baseball for two years. Pitchers have noticed— he ranked among the nation’s walks leaders in 2016.

MUSTANGS PRIMED FOR BREAKOUT

BY IAN FRAZER

GREYSON JENISTA, OF, WICHITA STATE

Perhaps the best pure hitter among the 2018 outfield class, Jenista has hit .320 or better in his first two seasons at Wichita State in the Missouri Valley Conference. He is coming off a summer where he won the Cape Cod League MVP award after hitting .310/.391/.401 with three home runs in his second summer with Cotuit.

TRAVIS SWAGGERTY, OF, SOUTH ALABAMA

Swaggerty started in center field for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team last summer, hitting .328/.449/.406 in 19 games with six stolen bases in seven attempts. A plus runner with a solid arm, good defensive ability and a plus hit tool, power is the one and only box that Swaggerty doesn’t check—though he did manage 10 home runs as a sophomore in the Sun Belt Conference.

TANNER DODSON RHP/OF, CALIFORNIA

After playing in only one game as a hitter his freshman season at California, Dodson started 26 games in center field as a sophomore, hitting .299/.360/.457 while starting seven games on the mound and pitching in 12 more. He has an unconventional setup at the plate and scouts are also mixed on whether he’s a starter or a reliever on the mound at the next level.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

In 2014, Alex McKenna and Nick Meyer were juniors in high school, verbally committed to Cal Poly but still two years from playing their first games for the Mustangs. Coach Larry Lee’s program, meanwhile, was in the midst of perhaps its best season ever, climbing as high as No. 2 in the Top 25 and hosting a regional.

The Mustangs haven’t been back to the postseason since, but they see this year’s team, with McKenna and Meyer, now college juniors leading an experienced group of hitters, as a particularly good candidate to do it.

The clearest explanation for Cal Poly’s drought is a combination of pitfalls that hit many college programs. Lee expected to lose two juniors to the 2014 draft; the Mustangs lost four. Cal Poly also saw two high school recruits get drafted and sign, and given the school’s academic standards, Lee couldn’t make up for those losses quickly. After fourth-place finishes in the Big West Conference in 2015 and 2016, the Mustangs went 16-8 and finished second in 2017, but they went just 28-28 overall due to a deep skid in the non-conference schedule that kept an at-large regional bid out of reach.

In those down years, though, McKenna and Meyer have developed into two of the best position prospects on the West Coast.

McKenna was voted a third-team Preseason AllAmerican by major league scouting directors, ranks No. 90 on the top 200 draft prospects list and is the Mustangs’ best hitting prospect since Mark Mathias. McKenna had a solid freshman year, but his production leapt in 2017, when he hit .360/.424./487 with 13 stolen bases and five home runs—all team highs.

“I think (the improvement) comes from repetition and just playing summer ball, seeing more pitches, seeing more pitchers, playing more games,” McKenna said. “It’s just a maturity thing, probably.”

Lee said he expects McKenna’s power to take a step forward soon as he learns how get more backspin on the ball and loft it. He doesn’t have a plus tool on defense, but he’s set to cover center field this spring.

Meyer, meanwhile, is noteworthy primarily for his glove. He’s one of the few catchers that Lee, in his 30-plus years as a coach, has let call pitches, and Meyer takes a strong role in directing the team’s defensive alignments.

“He’s probably as close to a coach as anybody who I’ve ever had,” Lee said.

How high Meyer’s draft stock rises depends on his bat. He’s a contact-oriented hitter who has walked

more than he has struck out in his career with the Mustangs, but Meyer’s slash line took a significant dip from his freshman year (.301/.374/.370) to his sophomore campaign (.255/.316/.330). He didn’t get many reps over the summer, because a back injury limited his time with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, but he’s confident in his bat being a solid complement to his defensive game.

“I have no problem saying that my glove is ahead of my bat,” Meyer said, “but that doesn’t mean that I don’t think I can hit or I don’t think I can compete at this level.”

The Mustangs led the Big West in team batting average last year (.275), and McKenna and Meyer are two of eight returning position players who got significant time as starters in 2017. Cal Poly’s overall quality, then, could depend on a pitching staff largely composed of new arms and old ones in different spots.

And while the Mustangs recognize the significance of their postseason drought, Lee will readily point out that they’re still among the top programs in the region, with the third-most wins among all Division I programs in California from 2012 to 2017. In 2018, they’ll try to get back to showing that quality on a national scale.

“We think that this team finally gets us back to where we were,” Lee said. “And, hopefully, we can ride this out into the future.”

Junior Alex McKenna looks to lead Cal Poly back to regionals.

COLLEGE PREVIEW ISSUE

LOGAN GILBERT, RHP, STETSON

The Stetson righthander features one of the best fastballs in the class that sits regularly in the mid-90s and has great feel for a curveball, changeup and slider— the last two flashing plus. He has added weight to a still projectable 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame, and his fastball plays up because of the elite extension he’s able to get in his delivery.

SHANE

MCCLANAHAN, LHP, SOUTH FLORIDA

The top-ranked lefthander in the class, McClanahan popped up as a high schooler in the 2015 draft after a massive growth spurt saw him go from 5-foot-6 to 6-foot-2 in a year and a half. He has continued to add weight and now has three potential plus pitches in a fastball, slider and changeup. He is coming off a 2017 season where he struck out more than 12 batters per nine innings.

CASEY MIZE, , RHP, AUBURN

Mize had a strong summer with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team despite throwing just seven innings. At Auburn last spring he posted a 2.03 ERA with the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of any Division I pitcher. The big question with Mize will be his health, because he has a longer medical history than most players in the class.

BRADY SINGER, RHP, FLORIDA

How We Select The Teams

Every year Baseball America surveys scouting directors to ask them to vote on our Preseason College All-America team. This year, 18 of the 30 teams participated, giving a solid cross-section of how scouts view the college talent heading into the 2018 season—and the draft.

As we have for more than 30 years, we ask scouting directors’ opinions because we’re attempting to look forward with this team, not look back at past accomplishments. Our end-of-season College All-America Team rewards results, but our preseason team is a look at the top talent in college baseball. All capsules written by Carlos Collazo.

The top overall preseason prospect in the class, Singer looks to avoid the pitfalls of Gators A.J. Puk and Alex Faedo, who both entered the season ranked higher than they were eventually drafted. Singer has an easy plus fastball and a slider to go with it that proved to be a lethal combination in the College World Series. He has excellent command and a solid track record in the Southeastern Conference and on the big stage.

MICHAEL BYRNE, RHP, FLORIDA

Byrne might not have the raw stuff of other firstteam pitchers, but he makes the most of his low90s fastball with strong pitchability and feel for the zone. He has walked 1.8 batters per nine innings or fewer in his two years with Florida and is coming off a dominant season with the Gators in which he posted a 1.67 ERA in 38 games with 93 strikeouts and just 15 walks.

SECOND TEAM

C Shea Langeliers, So., Baylor

1B Luken Baker, Jr., Texas Christian

2B Devin Mann, Jr., Louisville

3B Johnny Aiello, Jr., Wake Forest

SS Cadyn Grenier, Jr., Oregon State OF Jake McCarthy, Jr., Virginia OF Tristan Pompey, Jr., Kentucky

THIRD TEAM

C Cal Raleigh, Jr., Florida State

1B Alfonso Rivas, Jr., Arizona

2B Nick Dunn, Jr., Maryland

3B Jonathan India, Jr., Florida

SS Nico Hoerner, Jr., Stanford OF Carlos Cortes, So., South Carolina OF Jimmy Herron, Jr., Duke

OF Steele Walker, Jr., Oklahoma

SP Tim Cate, Jr., Connecticut

SP Jackson Kowar, Jr., Florida

SP Konner Pilkington, Jr., Mississippi State

SP Ryan Rolison, So., Mississippi

RP Dallas Woolfolk, Jr., Mississippi

UT Tyler Holton, Jr., Florida State

OF Alex McKenna, Jr., Cal Poly

SP Kris Bubic, Jr., Stanford

SP Steven Gingery, Jr., Texas Tech

SP Sean Hjelle, Jr., Kentucky

SP Blaine Knight, Jr., Arkansas

RP Riley Thompson, R-So., Louisville UT Matt Wallner, So., Southern Mississippi

Florida’s Brady Singer ranks as the top draft prospect heading into the 2018 season. His fastball and slider are both plus pitches, and he has a healthy track record of success against top-level competition.

COLLEGE RANKINGS

FLORIDA READY TO DEFEND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

1. FLORIDA

LAST YEAR

52-19 (21-9 in SEC); won national championship.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Kevin O’Sullivan (448-208, 10 years).

FINAL RANKING No. 1.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

RHP Brady Singer (1), RHP Jackson Kowar (8), 3B Jonathan India (69), C/1B J.J. Schwarz (142), RHP Michael Byrne (195).

THE GOOD NEWS: Florida won the first national championship in program history last June, finally finishing the season with a dogpile in Omaha. Much of that team returns, including righthanders Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, All-American closer Michael Byrne and outfielder Nelson Maldonado and catcher J.J. Schwarz, the team’s leading hitter and power threat, respectively. To that group the Gators add the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, headlined by shortstop Brady McConnell, the highest ranked position player on the 2017 BA500 to make it to college. Florida is deeper on the mound this year and, thanks to an older lineup, should be able to find its stride offensively quicker than it did a year ago. The Gators have a chance to be one of coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s best teams during his Florida tenure.

THE BAD NEWS: The Gators only lost six players to the draft in 2017—they had that many top 100 picks the year before—but among those losses were righthander Alex Faedo, shortstop Dalton Guthrie and catcher Mike Rivera, three players who helped define this era of the program. In addition to Rivera, Florida also lost backup catcher Mark Kolozsvary to the draft, as well as its top two catching recruits. It still has options with Schwarz and freshmen Calvin Greenfield and Brady Smith, but after eight years of excellent defense from Mike Zunino, Taylor Gushue and Rivera, it will be up to someone new to take up the mantle behind the plate.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Michael Byrne, RHP: Florida’s outstanding rotation got most of the attention last season, but Byrne’s success as the closer was also critical. He went into the season slated to be the team’s midweek starter but was pressed into action at the back of the bullpen and went on to set a program record with 19 saves. He isn’t a typical flame-throwing closer, instead relying on his control and four-pitch arsenal to get outs. He can throw multiple innings, though he may not be called on to do so quite as often this year thanks to a deeper bullpen.

PATH TO OMAHA: O’Sullivan’s best teams are built on strong pitching and defense, and this year is no exception. With Singer, Kowar and Byrne leading the

way on the mound, the Gators have a team capable of repeating as national champions. With even a little more offensive production, they may be able to eliminate some of the drama they experienced on the path to Omaha last season, when they played must-win games in both regionals and super regionals. 2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr.

C Calvin Greenfield, Fr. HS —Jensen Beach, Fla.

1B Keenan Bell, So. .283 .327 .391 2 12 3

2B Deacon Liput, Jr. .227 .313 .314 3

3B Jonathan India, Jr. .274 .354 .429 6 34 13

SS Brady McConnell, Fr. HS—Merritt Island, Fla.

LF Austin Langworthy, So. .238 .352 .352 4 26 7

CF Wil Dalton, Jr. Transfer—Columbia State (Tenn.)

Nelson Maldonado, Jr. .299

J.J. Schwarz, Sr.

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA

RHP Brady Singer, Jr. 9

Jackson Kowar, Jr.

RP Michael Byrne, Jr.

RP Jordan Butler, Fr. HS—Tampa

2. OREGON STATE

LAST YEAR

56-6 (27-3 in Pac-12); reached College World Series.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Pat Casey (1,016-560-6, 23 years).

FINAL RANKING No. 3.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

SS/2B Nick Madrigal (7), SS Cadyn Grenier (48), OF Trevor Larnach (92), RHP Drew Rasmussen (109).

THE GOOD NEWS: The Beavers return the overwhelming majority of a squad that went a ludicrous 56-6 last season—the best record in program history and the fourth-highest winning percentage (.903) in NCAA history. An exciting, dynamic up-the-middle core of infielders Nick Madrigal and Cadyn Grenier, center fielder Steven Kwan and catcher Adley Rutschman remains intact, giving Oregon State an exceptional foundation on which to build. Oregon State will complement that core with plenty of veteran experience around the diamond and should be a strong offensive club—even without drafted thumper K.J. Harrison. The Beavers fell just short in Omaha last season, but they have the talent, experience and coaching staff to make another national championship run.

THE BAD NEWS: As arguably the most complete team in the country, the Beavers have very few significant question marks. However, the evolution of the pitching staff will be worth watching as it works to fill the holes left by the departures

of Jake Thompson (14-1, 1.96) and hard-throwing righthander Drew Rasmussen, who will more than likely miss the 2018 season after having his second Tommy John surgery. Senior lefthander Luke Heimlich led the country in ERA last season (0.75) and won Pac-12 Conference pitcher of the year, but he removed himself from the team prior to super regionals after The Oregonian reported on a sex crime he committed as a minor. Heimlich is expected back in his Friday starter role this season, though it remains to be seen if or how those offthe-field headlines could impact him or his teammates. Though not overpowering, Bryce Fehmel was a steady weekend starter for the Beavers last year and does all of the little things well. The Sunday starter role has a number of candidates, including righthander Sam Tweedt, who works in the low 90s with a four-pitch mix; junior lefthander Jordan Britton, who shows similar velocity and has improved his secondary offerings; and talented freshman righthander Kevin Abel.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Nick Madrigal, 2B/SS: The reigning Pac-12 player of the year, Madrigal is one of the clear-cut top players in the nation due to his performance and glowing intangibles. Madrigal will always face scrutiny in scouting circles due to his diminutive frame (5-foot-7, 161 pounds), but he’s done nothing but perform since arriving in Corvallis, batting .380/.449/.532 a year ago. Madrigal is a topof-the-order spark plug with a diverse skill set. He possesses excellent plate discipline and bat-to-ball ability and is a burner on the basepaths, and his high baseball IQ and defensive prowess make him an invaluable asset.

PATH TO OMAHA: Odds are very much against a repeat of last season’s 56-6 record—but the Beavers are the rare team that could regress and still be an Omaha shoo-in. The Beavers will likely face more resistance in conference play this year with the middle of the Pac-12 looking stronger and deeper. But, barring injury, the Beavers remain the obvious team to beat in the conference. With a dugout teeming with talent and experience, coach Pat Casey’s squad should be well-poised to vie for its third College World Series title this season.

TEAM CAPSULES WRITTEN BY TEDDY CAHILL AND MICHAEL LANANNA

Outfielder Trevor Larnach is one of seven starters returning to Oregon State’s lineup this spring.

COLLEGE RANKINGS

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Adley Rutschman, So. .234 .322 .306 209 2 33

1B Zak Taylor, Jr. .232 .279 .268 56 0 6

2B Nick Madrigal, Jr. .380 .449 .532 237 4 40

3B Michael Gretler, Sr. .301 .364 .468 216 5 33

SS Cadyn Grenier, Jr. .275 .393 .435 200 5 37

LF Jack Anderson, Sr. .281 .401 .339 171 1 30

CF Steven Kwan, Jr. .331 .440 .400 160 1 18

RF Trevor Larnach, Jr. .303 .421 .429 198 3 48

DH Tyler Malone, So. .256 .441 .279 43 0 5

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

LHP Luke Heimlich, Sr. 11 1 0.75 118 128 0

RHP Bryce Fehmel, Jr. 6 3 3.87 81 49 0

RHP Sam Tweedt, R-Jr. 3 0 2.50 36 31 0

RP Jake Mulholland, So 7 1 1.20 52 44 6

RP Brandon Eisert, So. 5 0 2.31 47 50 4

3. FLORIDA STATE

LAST YEAR 46-23 (14-14 in ACC); reached College World Series.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Mike Martin (1,944-694-4, 38 years).

FINAL RANKING No. 6.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

RHP Cole Sands (63), OF Jackson Lueck (95), C Cal Raleigh (97), LHP Tyler Holton (129).

THE GOOD NEWS: Legendary coach Mike Martin’s squad lost very little talent from last year’s Florida State team, which made its 22nd appearance in Omaha in 2017. The entire weekend rotation returns, led by two-way lefthanded stud Tyler Holton. Hardthrowing junior righthander Cole Sands returns behind him and could be poised for a breakout year. Sophomore third baseman Drew Mendoza slugged 10 homers his freshman year despite missing half the season due to injury. Mendoza and junior switch-hitter Jackson Lueck should give the Seminoles a potent middle of the order.

THE BAD NEWS: The Seminoles did suffer a few key offensive losses in the form of powerful third baseman Dylan Busby (15 homers), switch-hitting shortstop Taylor Walls and veteran power bat Quincy Nieporte. In order to fill those voids, FSU will likely need a couple of last year’s underclassmen to take steps forward. In particular, the Seminoles could use a bounceback year from switch-hitting junior catcher Cal Raleigh. At shortstop, FSU will turn to grad transfer Rafael Bournigal, whose father played for the Seminoles and in the major leagues.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Tyler Holton, LHP/1B: The southpaw seized the Friday night slot in FSU’s weekend rotation early in 2017 and projects to reprise that role in 2018. Holton continued to thrive with Team USA’s Collegiate National Team over the summer. Though not overpowering—Holton brushes 90 mph at his best—Holton’s plus changeup, command and pitching feel have allowed him to dominate ACC lineups. A pitching prospect first, Holton has shown flashes at the plate as well and could be an important offensive contributor for FSU this spring.

PATH TO OMAHA: The Seminoles stumbled out of the gate last season, largely due to injuries to several key members of the team. Staying healthy will be imperative, as it is for most teams. In terms of sheer

talent and experience, FSU is the class of the ACC and could be poised for a repeat trip to Omaha.

While Martin has steered the Seminoles to nearly 2,000 wins in his time at the helm, he has yet to claim a national championship. This year’s team has as good a chance as any to check off that milestone. 2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr.

C Cal Raleigh, Sr. .227

1B Tyler Holton, Jr.

2B Mike Salvatore, Jr. Transfer—Northwest

3B Drew Mendoza, So. .270

SS Rafael Bournigal, Sr.. Transfer—Belmont

LF Jackson Lueck, Jr. .318

CF J.C. Flowers, So.

RF Steven Wells, Sr.

DH Rhett Aplin, Sr. .322 .434

Pos. Name, Yr. W

Tyler Holton, Jr.

Cole Sands, Jr.

LHP Drew Parrish, So.

RP C.J. Van Eyk, Fr. HS—Lutz, Fla.

RP Clayton Kwiatkowski, So. 1

4. ARKANSAS

LAST YEAR 45-19 (18-11 in SEC); reached regional final.

COACH

(RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Dave Van Horn (595-343, 15 years).

FINAL RANKING No. 19.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

RHP Blaine Knight (39),

RHP Isaiah Campbell (47), C Grant Koch (73).

THE GOOD NEWS: Arkansas rebounded from its disappointing 2016 season to host a regional for the first time since 2010. The Razorbacks return much of that team this season, including Opening Day starter Blaine Knight, catcher Grant Koch (who spent the summer with Team USA), shortstop Jax Biggers and center fielder Dominic Fletcher. Arkansas will also get righthanders Isaiah Campbell and Keaton McKinney back after both missed last spring due to elbow injuries. Campbell has first-round potential, while McKinney brings big-game experience, as he started as a freshman on the 2015 team that went to

Lefthander Tyler Holton earned All-America honors last year and returns this spring to lead Florida State’s rotation.

the College World Series. The Razorbacks have depth all over the diamond thanks to their large group of returners and the No. 3 recruiting class in the country, their highest-ranked class ever. As a result, Arkansas should be able to beat teams in several ways.

THE BAD NEWS: Arkansas’ two biggest pieces to replace are first baseman Chad Spanberger, who hit .305/.389/.619 with 20 home runs, and righthander Trevor Stephan, who went 6-3, 2.87 with 120 strikeouts in 91 innings. Spanberger was a force in the middle of the Razorbacks’ lineup and it will be up to several players to replace his production, though they still have several powerful bats with Luke Bonfield, Fletcher and Koch returning. Campbell will step into Stephan’s spot in the rotation and Arkansas has enough depth on its staff to cover the loss of righthanders Josh Alberius, Cannon Chadwick and Dominic Taccolini, who were all drafted last year after making at least 20 appearances.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Jax Biggers, SS: Biggers provided the Razorbacks an immediate boost last year after transferring from Cisco (Texas) JC for his sophomore season. He led Arkansas in batting with a .338/.423/.498 line and played solid defense at shortstop. He provides a spark at the top of the lineup, and the Razorbacks will need him to set the table for the heart of their lineup, while continuing to provide steady defense in the middle of the diamond.

PATH TO OMAHA: Arkansas looks to be one of the most complete teams in the country. The KnightCampbell duo at the front of its rotation has the potential to rival anyone in the country, and the Razorbacks have plenty of depth backing them up. Arkansas will have to adjust to not having Spanberger in the middle of the lineup, but it has the depth and experience to again be one of the most productive offenses in the SEC. Arkansas faces a grueling schedule that could make it the No. 1 national seed at the end of the season and will have to shoulder weighty expectations. If it can handle that load, it has all the pieces to return to Omaha and contend for the first national title in program history.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Grant Koch, Jr. .264 .358 .498 235 13 42

1B Luke Bonfield, Sr. .294 .366 .448 248 9 49

2B Carson Shaddy, R-Sr. .279 .383 .450 222 8 40

3B Jared Gates, Sr. .246 .328 .418 122 6 14

SS Jax Biggers, Jr. .338 .423 .498 213 4 37

LF Heston Kjerstad, Fr. HS—Amarillo, Texas

CF Dominic Fletcher, So. .291 .356 .495 220 12 37

RF Evan Lee, So. .333 .451 .405 42 0 8

DH Eric Cole, Jr. .282 .349 .413 206 5 25

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

RHP Blaine Knight, Jr. 8 4 3.28 91 96 0

RHP Isaiah Campbell, R-So. Did not play—Injured

LHP Kacey Murphy, Jr. 5 1 3.65 49 68 0

RP Matt Cronin, So. 3 1 2.00 18 31 1

RP Jake Reindl, Jr. 4 1 2.31 51 49 3

5. TEXAS TECH

LAST YEAR

45-17 (16-8 in Big 12); reached regional final.

COACH

(RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Tim Tadlock (194-112, five years).

FINAL RANKING No. 12.

TOP 200 2018

DRAFT PROSPECTS

LHP Steven Gingery (49), RHP Davis Martin (102).

THE GOOD NEWS: Texas Tech returns the bulk of the team that last year earned a national seed and won its second straight Big 12 Conference title. The Red Raiders are especially strong on the mound, as their junior class includes several pitchers who have held key roles on the staff throughout their careers. All-American lefthander Steven Gingery and righthander Davis Martin form one of the best 1-2 punches in the country. Third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Grant Little earned All-Freshman honors last season and will again be counted on, while classmate John McMillon is ready for a larger role. THE BAD NEWS: For as many returning players as the Red Raiders have, they also lost some significant pieces of their high-powered lineup. Shortstop Orlando Garcia, outfielders Tanner Gardner and Ryan Long and first baseman Hunter Hargrove—the Big 12 player of the year—formed the heart of Texas Tech’s lineup in 2017 and now have to be replaced. Jung and Little will take on larger roles in the lineup, and several of the Red Raiders’ newcomers will get the opportunity to play right away. Lefthanders Jacob Patterson and Parker Mushinski, who last year ranked first and second on the team in appearances, have both also moved on to pro ball. The Red Raiders may not be able to play matchups quite as often, but sophomore righthanders Caleb Freeman, John Henry Gonzalez and Jake McDonald all made a jump in the fall.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Michael Davis, SS: Garcia in 2017 led the Red Raiders with 13 home runs and a .550 slugging percentage in addition to starting at shortstop, so his move to pro ball left a big hole to be filled. Davis won’t cover Garcia’s power, but he can ensure Texas Tech stays strong in the middle of the infield. After starting at second base the last two seasons, he will likely move to shortstop, where his strong arm will help him defensively. His veteran presence in the lineup will also be critical for the Red Raiders, who project to have a younger lineup this spring.

PATH TO OMAHA: Before Tadlock took over the program in 2013, Texas Tech had never reached the College World Series. Now, the Red Raiders have

become a powerhouse in the Big 12 and are seeking their third trip to Omaha in five years. Martin and Gingery are the headliners, but Texas Tech’s pitching staff has impressive depth and experience that will help its younger lineup find its feet early in the season. By the end of May, the Red Raiders should be one of the most complete teams in the country and could be among the serious national title contenders.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Zayne Williams, R-Jr. Transfer—Alvin (Texas) JC

1B Kurt Wilson, Fr. HS—Arlington, Texas

2B Brian Klein, So. .287 .422 .467 79 7 46

3B Josh Jung, So. .306 .369 .391 245 6 43

SS Michael Davis, Sr. .269

LF Grant Little, So. .335

CF Cody Farhat, Jr. .343

RF Cody Masters, Fr. HS—Coppell, Texas

DH John McMillon, So. .229 .299 .586

Pos. Name, Yr. W

RHP Davis Martin, Jr.

Steven Gingery, Jr.

RHP Ryan Shetter, Jr.

Jose Quezada,

6. NORTH CAROLINA

LAST YEAR

49-14 (23-7 in ACC); reached regional final.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Mike Fox (846-360-1, 19 years).

FINAL RANKING No. 11. TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS RHP Austin Bergner (64).

THE GOOD NEWS: The loss of flamethrowing ace J.B. Bukauskas would be a crippling blow to many teams in the country, but not the Tar Heels, who have more than enough arms to absorb the loss. In fact, Bukauskas is the only significant departure on a staff that was among the deepest in the nation a year ago. Sophomore Gianluca Dalatri was a steady Saturday starter as a freshman and should comfortably slide into Bukauskas’ Friday-night role. Electric sophomore righties Austin Bergner and Tyler Baum project to round out that weekend rotation. Both showed flashes of dominance last year and are coming off strong summers. Combined with sophomore changeup artist Josh Hiatt at the back end of the bullpen, UNC’s pitchers will be a tough assignment for lineups in the ACC.

THE BAD NEWS: UNC lost a significant amount of offensive juice to the draft, with shortstop Logan Warmoth and center fielder Brian Miller both going on Day One. Their losses create sizable voids up the middle and at the top of the lineup for the Tar Heels, but UNC could still have the pieces in place to have a productive offense. Neither third baseman Kyle Datres nor second baseman Zack Gahagan played up to their offensive tools a year ago, but both are strong bounceback candidates. Outfielder Brandon Riley has been one of UNC’s most consistent hitters over his two-year career, and sophomores Ashton McGee and Michael Busch could become key lineup cogs.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Ashton McGee, OF/IF/DH: The reigning ACC freshman of the year, McGee enrolled at UNC early and played well beyond his years, displaying an advanced hit tool that ranked

among the best in his class. Defensive limitations lowered McGee’s draft stock out of high school, but his excellent bat-to-ball skills, plate discipline and growing power should make him a mainstay in the middle of UNC’s lineup. Currently projected as UNC’s left fielder, McGee’s next step as a prospect is to find a defensive home.

PATH TO OMAHA: The Tar Heels had the look of a national championship contender when they entered last year’s NCAA tournament as the No. 2 national seed. Instead, they fell in Davidson vs. Goliath fashion against the No. 4-seeded Wildcats in Chapel Hill. The last few seasons have ended in postseason disappointment for UNC. The Tar Heels have consistently had Omaha-caliber talent but haven’t been to the CWS since 2013. UNC’s pitching depth should carry it again to regional play, but the Tar Heels will need to find the right buttons to push once they get there.

7. TEXAS CHRISTIAN

50-18 (16-8 in Big 12); reached CWS.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Jim Schlossnagle (615-272, 14 years).

No. 4. TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS 1B Luken Baker (35), RHP Sean Wymer (82).

THE GOOD NEWS: TCU has become an Omaha regular, advancing to the College World Series for four straight years. Winning big has become the expectation in Fort Worth and the Horned Frogs have the talent to keep the run going. TCU returns much of its pitching staff, including starters Jared Janczak and Nick Lodolo, closer Durbin Feltman and bullpen ace Sean Wymer, who will likely move to the rotation. Offensively, first baseman Luken Baker returns fully healthy to anchor the lineup after being sidelined by a left arm injury down the stretch last season.

THE BAD NEWS: TCU was an older team last year and lost several key pieces to the draft and graduation. The losses are especially acute in the lineup, as six of the eight Horned Frogs to accumulate 150 at bats are now gone. Catcher Evan Skoug, the Big 12 Conference co-player of the year, is perhaps the biggest loss, but TCU must also replace three quarters of its infield. Additionally, righthanders Brian Howard and Mitchell Traver, mainstays on the pitching staff, graduated. TCU has the talent to cover its losses—it’s landed the top recruiting class in the Big

COLLEGE RANKINGS

12 for three years in a row—but the Horned Frogs will have a much different look this spring. Among the newcomers, freshman shortstop Adam Oviedo and junior center fielder Johnny Rizer, a junior college transfer, are two of the most exciting. Oviedo is a solid defender with impressive offensive upside, and Rizer is a strong, toolsy player with the ability to impact the game in multiple ways.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Zach Humphreys, C: Skoug played a critical role for TCU in 2017, as he started every game and hit .272/.378/.544 with a team-high 20 home runs. Humphreys served as his backup as a freshman and is now ready to take over for him behind the plate. He won’t provide as much power as Skoug, but he is a steady, disciplined hitter and has good catch-and-throw skills.

PATH TO OMAHA: No team has reached the CWS five years in a row since Stanford did so from 19992003. TCU has the talent to make a fifth straight Omaha trip, but will need some of its younger players and newcomers to take on key roles. The Horned Frogs’ pitching staff should be one of the best in the country and, with Baker back in the lineup, they will again be dangerous offensively. After so much turnover it will be crucial for TCU to play steady defense and gel as a team to allow it to reach its lofty ceiling.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Zach Humphreys, So. .267 .379 .396 101 2 19

1B Luken Baker, Jr. .317 .454 .528 161 8 41

2B Coby Boulware, Fr. HS—Anthem, Ariz.

3B Conner Shepherd, R-So. Transfer—Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) JC

SS Adam Oviedo, Fr. HS—Grandview, Texas

LF Josh Watson, Jr. .239 .370 .309 230 1 38

CF Johnny Rizer, Jr. Transfer—Blinn (Texas)JC

RF Connor Wanhanen, Sr. .281 .430 .341 135 0 16

DH A.J. Balta, Sr. Transfer—Oregon

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

RHP Jared Janczak, R-Jr. 9 2 2.31 93 102 0

LHP Nick Lodolo, So. 5 1 4.35 79 72 0

RHP Sean Wymer, Jr. 6 4 2.10 56 66 2

RP Durbin Feltman, Jr. 2 2 3.64 30 37 17

RP Cal Coughlin, So. 1 0 1.59 23 22 0

8. KENTUCKY

LAST YEAR

43-23 (19-11 in SEC); reached super regional.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Nick Mingione (43-23, 1 year). FINAL RANKING No. 9.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS OF Tristan Pompey (21), RHP Sean Hjelle (40), RHP Zach Haake (75), RHP Justin Lewis (184).

THE GOOD NEWS: Kentucky in 2017 advanced to super regionals for the first time in program history. From that team, the Wildcats return All-American outfielder Tristan Pompey and their entire rotation, including Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year Sean Hjelle and All-Freshman lefthander Zack Thompson. The pitching staff was further bolstered by righthander Justin Lewis unexpectedly returning for his redshirt junior year and the addition of high-profile junior college transfer Zach Haake, giving the Wildcats one of the best rotations in the

country.

THE BAD NEWS: In a reverse from last year, Kentucky returns plenty of experience on the mound, but lost five starters from its high-powered lineup. Most significantly, the Wildcats must replace All-American first baseman Evan White, the team’s leading hitter and 11th overall pick of last year’s draft. The Wildcats’ recruiting class included several junior college hitters who will be asked to provide immediate impacts, including shortstop Trey Dawson and center fielder Ben Aklinski, who are known for their defense and should keep Kentucky strong up the middle.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Kole Cottam, C/1B: Coming off a solid sophomore season, Cottam has the potential to make a big jump as a junior. He will continue to split time with Troy Squires behind the plate, while also mixing in some time at first base. He is one of Kentucky’s top power threats and has made significant strides as defender over the last year.

PATH TO OMAHA: Since taking over the program following the 2016 season, coach Nick Mingione has emphasized a desire to take Kentucky to heights the program has never reached. After winning their first regional in 2017, the Wildcats have a chance to achieve another program first and advance to Omaha. Kentucky won’t surprise anyone this year and will have to handle playing with higher expectations. It will be able to lean on its pitching staff more this year, which will especially help it during the postseason, but Cottam or someone else will have to step up to help Pompey shoulder the burden offensively.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr.

C Troy Squires, R-Sr. .305 .427 .391 151 1 26

1B Kole Cottam, Jr.

2B Luke Becker, Sr. .287

3B Luke Heyer, Sr. .262 .342

SS Trey Dawson, Jr. Transfer—Chipola (Fla.) JC

LF Tristan Pompey, Jr. .361 .464 .541 266 10 45

CF Ben Aklinski, Jr. Transfer—Phoenix JC

RF Ryan Johnson, Jr. Transfer—San Jacinto (Texas) JC

DH T.J. Collette, So. .087 .192 .217 23 1

Pos. Name, Yr. W L

RHP Sean Hjelle, Jr. 11

LHP Zack Thompson, So.

RHP Justin Lewis, R-Jr.

9. STANFORD

LAST YEAR

42-16 (21-9 in Pac-12); reached regional.

COACH

(RECORD AT SCHOOL)

David Esquer (First year).

FINAL RANKING No. 15. TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

RHP Tristan Beck (46), LHP Kris Bubic (58), SS/2B Nico Hoerner (70).

THE GOOD NEWS: Electric righthander Tristan Beck is slated to rejoin the Cardinal rotation after missing last season with a stress fracture in his back. He’ll slot between lefthanders Kris Bubic—who emerged as an ace in 2017—and Erik Miller to form one of the best weekend rotations in the country. The pitching staff oozes with depth, and offensively Stanford should be able to hold its own. Returners Nico Hoerner, Daniel Bakst and Duke Kinamon serve as a solid position-player core on a team that hosted a

regional a year ago.

THE BAD NEWS: For the first time in 41 years, Stanford will not be coached by Mark Marquess, who retired in 2017 after a sterling coaching career. While there will inevitably be an adjustment period, the Cardinal should be in good hands, with Stanford alumnus Dave Esquer leaving his head coaching job at California to take the reins. The coaching change isn’t necessarily “bad” news, but it does create a question mark that will need to be answered. The Cardinal should know quickly where it stands, as Stanford faces one of the stronger nonconference schedules in the country.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Nico Hoerner, SS: Hoerner has impressed Esquer the last two seasons from the opposing dugout. Now that the duo shares the same uniform, Esquer said he’s even more in awe of Hoerner’s ability and work ethic. Hoerner is a smooth fielder and an offensive catalyst, providing leadership through his experience and upbeat energy. Similar to Nick Madrigal’s role with Oregon State, Hoerner is an important cog in the Stanford machine.

PATH TO OMAHA: The Cardinal will need to adjust quickly to post-Marquess life and hold its own against premium early season competition in the form of Cal State Fullerton, Rice, Michigan and Texas. However, the premium arms on Stanford’s pitching staff give the Cardinal a high floor. Stanford will go as far as Bubic, Beck and Miller can take them—and that’s an Omaha-caliber unit. If Stanford’s offensive returners can continue produce, Stanford should be a force.

10. TEXAS A&M

LAST YEAR 41-23 (16-14 in SEC); reached CWS.

COACH

(RECORD AT SCHOOL) Rob Childress (499-261-2, 12 years). FINAL

THE GOOD NEWS: Texas A&M’s roller-coaster 2017 ended on a high, as the Aggies got hot in June and advanced to the CWS for the first time since 2011. The Aggies had a young lineup last season and the bulk of it returns, including Braden Shewmake, the team’s leading hitter and the Southeastern Conference freshman of the year. As always, the Aggies have a deep pitching staff, full of power arms at coach Rob Childress’ disposal. The return of senior lefthanders Kaylor Chafin and Cason Sherrod was a

boost for A&M, as both bring plenty of experience and add to the depth of the staff. Chafin could move into the rotation or stay in the bullpen with Sherrod, but either way, both will pitch significant innings this spring.

THE BAD NEWS: The Aggies’ pitching staff has the potential to be one of the best in the country, but they still need to overcome the departures of righthanders Brigham Hill and Corbin Martin. Hill was A&M’s ace and Martin had the best stuff on the staff. Righthander Mitchell Kilkenny, who started last season in the rotation before trading jobs with Martin and moving to the bullpen, will be counted on to fill a key role, either in the rotation or as a bullpen ace. Righthander Stephen Kolek will provide stability in the rotation and his experience will be crucial. The Aggies still project to have a younger lineup and lost some senior leadership at important spots on the field, including shortstop Austin Homan and center fielder Nick Choruby. Shewmake will slide over from second base to fill Homan’s spot defensively, and how Shewmake handles his new position will be a key area to watch early in the season. Childress was pleased with how Shewmake was playing defensively at the end of the fall, but his defense was panned at second base last year, leading to some skepticism about how he’ll handle his new position.

RETURNER TO KNOW: George Janca, 3B: Janca followed up a solid sophomore season with a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .327/.370/.536 and impressed scouts with his play on the left side of the infield. He has the ability to play shortstop, but will stay at the hot corner for the Aggies. If he can carry his summer performance into the spring, he could be poised for a breakout year.

PATH TO OMAHA: The Aggies have all the pieces necessary for a return to the CWS. Now it will be up to Childress to find the best way to line them all up. A&M will need an ace to emerge from its deep pool of starters and someone will have to step up to help Shewmake carry the load offensively. But now that the young Aggies have seen what it takes to get to Omaha, they should be fully prepared to handle the grind of the SEC and the NCAA Tournament.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr.

C Cole Bedford, Jr. .301 .351 .438

1B Hunter Coleman, So. .283 .380 .441 152 5 22

2B Michael Helman, Jr. Transfer—Hutchinson (Kan.) JC

3B George Janca, Jr. .261 .309 .416

SS Braden Shewmake, So.

LF Logan Foster, So.

CF Allonte Wingate, Jr. Transfer—Cisco (Texas) JC

RF Zach DeLoach, Fr. HS—Hebron, Texas

DH Will Frizzell, Fr. HS—Rockwall, Texas

Pos. Name, Yr.

Stephen Kolek, Jr.

RHP Mitchell Kilkenny, Jr.

11. CAL STATE FULLERTON

LAST YEAR

39-24 (15-9 in Big West); reached CWS.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Rick Vanderhook (235-127, six years).

FINAL RANKING No. 7.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

RHP Colton Eastman (53), RHP Andrew Quezada (160), RHP Brett Conine (170).

THE GOOD NEWS: Pitching and defense have long been the cornerstones of Cal State Fullerton’s pro-

grams, and that won’t change this year. Coming off yet another trip to Omaha a year ago, Rick Vanderhook’s club should be able to hold its own on the mound against any team in the country. It starts with Colton Eastman, a junior righthander who works in the low-90s with a plus changeup, above-average curveball an exceptional command. Though Fullerton will miss rotation stalwarts Connor Seabold and John Gavin, each of whom threw more than 100 innings last year, the Titans have two promising newcomers to fill those holes. Junior college transfer Anthony Quezada touches 94 mph and has great feel for his changeup and cutter, and freshman Tanner Bibee fits the Fullerton mold as a three-pitch zone-filler. The Titans should be set at the end of games with the return of closer Brett Conine and veteran reliever Blake Workman.

THE BAD NEWS: The Titans will be much younger from a position-player standpoint than they were a year ago. They’ll especially miss power-hitting shortstop Timmy Richards, who was part of two Omaha teams in his four years at Fullerton. However, the Titans have a capable replacement at short in sophomore Sahid Valenzuela, who won Big West freshman of the year honors a year ago. With youth around the diamond, the Titans will likely lean heavily on returners Ruben Cardenas, Hank LoForte and Jake Pavletich. The lineup lacks punch but has plenty of speed and athleticism to defend at a high level and to squeeze out just enough runs in Fullerton’s West Coast style offense. Vanderhook’s staff has a knack for getting the most out of its lineups.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Ruben Cardenas, OF: Cardenas is hands down the scariest threat in Fullerton’s lineup and the team’s best bet to be a premium run producer. A stress fracture in his lower back limited Cardenas to just 16 games in 2017, but he’s healthy now and has the best tools of any position player on the team. He fits the traditional right fielder profile with plus power and a plus throwing arm, and his above-average speed should allow him to cover ground in the outfield and steal more than a handful of bases. If Cardenas stays healthy, he could take Fullerton’s offense to greater heights and take some pressure off of its pitching staff.

Texas A&M sophomore Braden Shewmake earned AllAmerica honors at second base and now moves to shortstop.

COLLEGE RANKINGS

PATH TO OMAHA: The blueprint for Fullerton changes little from year to year, and for good reason. The Titans have reached the College World Series in two of the last four years by pitching and defending at a high level. If they can continue that trend this year—and they certainly have the talent to do so— then they should have as good a shot as any team on the West Coast to return to Omaha. As is the case most years, the Titans will be a project offensively, which could potentially hamper them come June.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Daniel Cope, So. .276 .417 .448 29 1 2

1B Jake Pavletichl, R-Jr. .178 .275 .311 45 1 7

2B Hank LoForte, Jr. .247 .314 .325 154 0 19

3B Zach Weller, So. .250 .378 .500 36 2 11

SS Sahid Valenzuela, So. .314 .366 .377 223 1 24

LF Chris Prescott, Sr. .228 .305 .260 127 0 7

CF Mitchell Berryhill, Jr. Transfer—Salt Lake JC

RF Ruben Cardenas, Jr. .293 .354 .552 58 3 18

DH Jarius Richards, Jr. Transfer—Cabrillo (Calif.) JC

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

RHP Colton Eastman, Jr. 2 0 2.14 34 37 1

RHP Anthony Quezada, Jr. Transfer—Cypress (Calif.) JC

RHP Tanner Bibee, Fr. HS—Mission Viejo, Calif.

RP Brett Conine, Jr. 0 1 1.39 45 43 15

RP Blake Workman, Jr. 6 3 2.89 62 54 1

12. CLEMSON

LAST YEAR

42-21 (17-13 in ACC); reached regional final.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Monte Lee (86-41, two years).

FINAL RANKING No. 23.

TOP 100 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

1B/OF Seth Beer (34), RHP Ryley Gilliam (163), C Chris Williams (199).

THE GOOD NEWS: Though the losses of veterans Chase Pinder and Reed Rohlman aren’t anything to sneeze at, Clemson should still trot out one of the most powerful lineups in the country this season. One of the biggest names in college baseball, Seth Beer, returns for his junior season and will be complemented by stud sophomore shortstop Logan Davidson and senior slugging catcher Chris Williams—who bypassed the draft after a late-season arm injury torpedoed his stock. Those three bats alone produced 42 home runs a year ago and should give the Tigers a frightening middle of the order. Even scarier—junior college transfer Justin Hawkins has as much power as any of them, drilling a shot over the scoreboard during the fall. Dynamic freshman Kier Meredith has the speed and defensive ability to fill Pinder’s shoes in both center field and at the top of the order, although he’ll likely miss time early in the season with a shoulder injury.

THE BAD NEWS: Clemson lost its entire weekend rotation from a year ago and faces some obvious uncertainty on the mound because of it. However, what the Tigers lack in experience, they make up for in sheer talent. While Charlie Barnes, Alex Eubanks and Pat Krall were an effective rotation, none of those pitchers possessed dominant stuff, getting by instead on feel and command. Clemson will offer a much different look this year, as rotation candidates

Owen Griffith, Ryan Miller and freshman Spencer Strider all sit in the low 90s and can touch higher. Strider touched 96 mph in the fall, and at one point struck out nine batters in a row during intrasquad scrimmages. Two-way freshman Sam Weatherly adds depth, as does lefty Jake Higginbotham’s return from injury. Junior Ryley Gilliam served as Team USA’s closer over the summer and gives Clemson a dominant end-of-game presence with his plus fastball.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Logan Davidson, SS: The switch-hitting shortstop out of Charlotte, N.C., was a pop-up prospect late in the 2016 draft, turning down a reported $1.3 million to go to school. That decision looks to be a wise one, as Davidson could very well be one of the first shortstops off the board in 2019. A true shortstop with smooth actions (albeit a few too many errors), Davidson hit a growth spurt his senior season in high school and surprised with a 12-homer season in his first year with Clemson. He’s only gotten stronger and more polished since then. Beer might be the biggest name on the Tigers—and rightfully so—but Davidson is the most tooled-out player on the roster.

PATH TO OMAHA: Clemson has hosted two regionals in its first two years under Monte Lee but has yet to advance to super regional play. The Tigers should be able to slug their way through the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, but they’ll need to solidify their pitching staff to make a deep postseason run. By all accounts, Clemson has the talent and velocity necessary to piece together a formidable staff, but Lee and pitching coach Andrew See will need to find the right roles for those arms to thrive.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Chris Williams, Sr. .261 .320 .572 180 14 51

1B Seth Beer, Jr. .298 .478 .606 218 16 53

2B Jordan Greene, Jr. .263 .332 .308 198 0 18

3B Grayson Byrd, R-Jr. .284 .345 .344 183 1 20

SS Logan Davidson, So. .286 388 .473 241 12 41

LF Sam Weatherly, Fr. HS—Howell, Mich.

CF Kier Meredith, Fr. HS—Winston-Salem, N.C.

RF Drew Wharton, Sr. .214 .277 .238 42 0 6

DH Justin Hawkins, Jr. Transfer—USC-Sumter JC

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

RHP Owen Griffith, So. 1 2 1.23 15 14 0

RHP Ryan Miller, Sr. 1 0 3.09 12 11 1

RHP Spencer Strider, Fr. HS—Knoxville, Tenn.

RP Ryley Gilliam, Jr. 3 1 2.57 35 50 4

RP Brooks Crawford, Jr. 4 0 1.23 22 22 0

13. UCLA

LAST YEAR

30-27 (19-11 in Pac-12); reached regional.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) John Savage (449-328-1, 13 years).

FINAL RANKING NR.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

RHP Kyle Molnar (112), LHP Justin Hooper (180),

RHP Jon Olsen (187).

THE GOOD NEWS: UCLA bounced back in 2017 from a disappointing 2016 to finish third in the Pac-12 Conference and return to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins return an exciting, young group of hitters from that team, led by sophomore infielders Ryan Kreidler, Chase Strumpf and Michael Toglia. Outfielder Garrett Mitchell was the third highest ranked player on the BA500 to make it to school, and he gives the UCLA lineup another dynamic, toolsy player to build around. The pitching staff still looks formidable, especially in the rotation. Jon Olsen is coming off a

solid summer with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, Kyle Molnar, a 2016 Freshman All-American, is back after missing last season due to Tommy John surgery and Jake Bird figures to add a veteran presence as he returns for his senior season.

THE BAD NEWS: While the rotation still looks strong, even after ace Griffin Canning moved on to pro ball, UCLA will need to sort out its bullpen after Scott Burke and Moises Ceja graduated and Justin Hooper suffered an injury that required Tommy John surgery. Finding enough pitching has never been a problem for coach John Savage, and freshmen righthanders Zach Pettway and Holden Powell, part of UCLA’s 16th ranked recruiting class, can immediately take on bullpen roles. Sean Bouchard and Brett Stephens, two of UCLA’s top hitters last season, also need to be replaced. The Bruins are never going to be an overly offensive team, but after hitting .258 as a team last year, it needs some of its budding stars to make a jump.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Jake Bird, RHP: Bird got off to a strong start in 2017 before a shoulder injury sidelined him for a month and kept him out of the rotation for another month after he returned to action. He had some draft buzz before his injury and now figures to be one of the top seniors in the country. He can be a steadying presence in the rotation thanks to his experience, and provides another high-end arm, as his fastball sits in the low 90s and he mixes in a hard slider.

PATH TO OMAHA: It starts with pitching and defense at UCLA and this year’s Bruins are strong in both areas. If Molnar recaptures the form he showed before his injury and a couple of the young hitters breakthrough, UCLA figures to be one of the best teams on the West Coast. The Bruins haven’t won a regional since 2013 (when they went on to win the national title), but this year’s team has the pieces to end that skid.

14. TEXAS

LAST YEAR

39-24 (11-12 in Big 12); reached regional final.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

David Pierce (39-24, one year).

FINAL RANKING No. 24.

(57).

THE GOOD NEWS: In David Pierce’s second year at the helm, the Longhorns will once again boast one of the deepest pitching staffs in the country. Righthander Nolan Kingham will front the rotation with his power stuff, and Chase Shugart and Blair

Henley will slot in behind him—both of whom can run their fastballs up to the mid-90s. The Longhorns will need to figure out a bridge to shutdown veteran closer Beau Ridgeway but should have plenty of options in the form of senior lefty Josh Sawyer and righthanders Andy McGuire and Bryce Verplank.

THE BAD NEWS: The Longhorns, who slugged .387 as a team last year, lost their two leading power hitters from a year ago—Kacy Clemens (12 homers) and Bret Boswell (seven homers). Texas’ stingy pitching staff means the Longhorns can have success without out-slugging the opposition—but offensive progression from a few key underclassmen could come in handy. Shortstop David Hamilton, first baseman Ryan Reynolds and outfielder Austin Todd all started last year as freshmen and are expected to take leaps forward. The toolsy Todd had a strong fall and could be poised for a breakout sophomore year.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Nolan Kingham, RHP: Kingham is coming off an outstanding sophomore campaign in which he went 10-4, 2.84 as Texas’ Friday night starter. A 6-foot-3, 205-pound workhorse, Kingham should give the Longhorns an edge every time he takes the mound. He pounds the zone with a power sinker in the low- to mid-90s, adding a mid80s slider as an out pitch. He keeps the ball on the ground and competes even without his best stuff. He threw two complete games including one shutout for Texas a year ago.

PATH TO OMAHA: While the Longhorns should pitch well on paper, they will need a few of their arms to adjust to new roles. That transition will need to take place quickly because the Longhorns have a challenging non-conference slate to start the season, including series against Louisiana-Lafayette, on the road against Louisiana State and Arkansas, and a four-game series against Stanford that could very well produce four pitcher’s duels. Assuming Texas’ arms pitch up to their talent levels and its sophomore position players make the necessary progression, the Longhorns should be a dangerous club come June.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C D.J. Petrinsky, Jr. Transfer —Hill (Texas) JC

1B Ryan Reynolds, So. .212 .346 .347 193 5 25

2B Mason Hibbeller, Jr. Transfer —Odessa (Texas) JC

3B Kody Clemens, Jr. .241 .356 .365 170 5 23

SS David Hamilton, So. .218 305 .292 202 0 20

LF Tate Shaw, R-Jr. .239 .358 .370 92 2 14

CF Duke Ellis, So. Transfer—Panola (Texas) JC

RF Austin Todd, So. .276 .359 .359 145 1 19

DH Michael McCann, Jr. .268 .346 .321 112 0 16

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

RHP Nolan Kingham, Jr. 10 4 2.84 92 67 0

RHP Chase Shugart, Jr. 3 2 3.43 42 30 3

RHP Blair Henley, So. 4 5 4.23 62 47 0

RP Beau Ridgeway, Jr. 2 2 1.89 52 40 12

RP Josh Sawyer, Sr. Did not play—Injured

15. VIRGINIA

LAST YEAR 43-16 (18-12 in ACC); reached regional.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Brian O’Connor (639-239-2, 14 years). FINAL RANKING No. 21.

TOP 100 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS OF Jake McCarthy (37), LHP Daniel Lynch (98).

THE GOOD NEWS: Virginia’s pitching staff is perhaps the deepest it’s been since the Cavaliers won the

College World Series in 2015. The losses of Adam Haseley (draft) and sophomore Noah Murdock (Tommy John) hurt, but Virginia still boasts a strong mix of experience and upside. Junior lefthander Daniel Lynch had an up-and-down sophomore system but is coming off a standout performance in the Cape Cod League and could be a top-three-rounds pick in June. Righthander Evan Sperling, now two years removed from Tommy John surgery, looked sharper in the fall and runs his lively fastball up to 94. Veterans Derek Casey and Bennett Sousa add starting depth, and freshmen Andrew Abbott, Kyle Whitten and Griff McGarry could all make instant impacts.

THE BAD NEWS: Pavin Smith, Adam Haseley, Ernie Clement and Robbie Coman—all key pieces of Virginia’s championship squad—have moved on, leaving the Cavaliers to establish a new position-player core. While those players are by no means easy to replace, the Hoos have several juniors who appear ready to make the jump from role player to key player. Second baseman Andy Weber showed offensive growth throughout the course of last season and projects to hit in the middle of the order; the same holds true for first baseman Nate Eikhoff and outfielder Cam Simmons. Shortstop is more up in the air, although Virginia has attractive options in the form of talented sophomore Cayman Richardson and incoming freshmen Tanner Morris and Devin Ortiz.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Jake McCarthy, OF: The younger brother of former Cav and current Rays farmhand Joe McCarthy, Jake missed most of his freshman season with a foot injury but returned for his sophomore year and made an instant impact. With Haseley going in the first round of last June’s draft, McCarthy will slide over to center field where his 70-grade speed (on the 20-80 scale) will be an asset. McCarthy is coming off a solid summer with Team USA’s Collegiate National Team and flashed more power this fall.

PATH TO OMAHA:The Cavaliers can no longer lean on the leadership of CWS champs like Haseley, Clement and Smith, but Virginia has enough returning experience and enough depth on the mound to be a dangerous team both within the ACC and nationally. The Cavaliers will need to settle on a shortstop and find some power in the middle of the order, but barring health, they should be primed for a postseason run.

16. MISSISSIPPI

LAST YEAR 32-25 (14-16 in SEC) missed NCAA Tournament.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Mike Bianco (662-295-1, 17 years).

THE GOOD NEWS: Ole Miss had a very young team last year that relied heavily on underclassmen, especially members of its top-ranked 2016 recruiting class. As is often the case with young teams, the Rebels were inconsistent and ultimately ended up on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. But with the bulk of that team back, including lefthander Ryan Rolison, who emerged over the summer as the top pitcher in the Cape Cod League, Ole Miss has the pieces necessary to bounce back this spring.

THE BAD NEWS: The Rebels’ young talent is still very well regarded and now has a year’s worth of SEC experience, but the young hitters especially will have to be better than they were a year ago. Last season, Ole Miss hit .253 as a team, the worst batting average in the SEC. And the offense will have to make the leap forward without its top two power threats from a year ago, as infielders Colby Bortles and Tate Blackman have moved on to pro ball. Outfielder Thomas Dillard and first baseman/catcher Nick Fortes will be looked to as potential run producers for the Rebels.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Ryan Olenek, OF/INF: The Rebels have a lot of versatility in their lineup, which will allow them to play matchups and give teams different looks over the course of a weekend. Olenek is perhaps the most versatile player on the team, capable of playing anywhere in the outfield, as well as first, second and third base. His speed and hittability fit well at the top of the lineup.

PATH TO OMAHA: Ole Miss might have more depth on the mound than it has had in more than a decade and will need it to return to contending in the rugged SEC. Rolison’s emergence gives the rotation the true Friday starter it lacked last year, and having righthanders Dallas Woolfolk, Houston Roth and Will Stokes at the back of the bullpen can shorten games. If the Rebels come up with enough timely hitting, they could make a deep tournament run.

Righthander Nolan Kingham won 10 games last year and returns as the ace of Texas’ deep, talented pitching staff.

COLLEGE RANKINGS

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Cooper Johnson, So. .213 .301 .269 108 0 8

1B Nick Fortes, Jr. .319 .382 .486 138 5 32

2B Anthony Servideo, Fr. HS—Jupiter, Fla.

3B Tyler Keenan, Fr. HS—Clayton, N.C.

SS Grae Kessinger, So. .175 .287 .247 154 2 16

LF Thomas Dillard, So. .206 .329 .348 141 4 12

CF Will Golsan, Sr. .312 .372 .407 221 3 22

RF Ryan Olenek, Jr. .272 .317 .398 206 3 25

DH Tim Rowe, Sr. .254 .293 .405 126 3 20

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

LHP Ryan Rolison, So. 6 3 3.06 62 64 0

RHP James McArthur, Jr. 3 6 4.73 65 60 0

RHP Will Ethridge, So. 2 2 2.41 41 50 1

RP Dallas Woolfolk, Jr. 3 2 2.15 38 41 12

RP Houston Roth, So. 3 0 1.57 29 41 0

17. LOUISIANA STATE

LAST YEAR

52-20 (21-9 in SEC); CWS runner-up. COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Paul Mainieri (512-202-3, 10 years). FINAL RANKING No. 2.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS OF Zach Watson (43), RHP Zack Hess (81), OF Antoine Duplantis (117).

THE GOOD NEWS: LSU put together an excellent 2017, winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament and upsetting Oregon State to reach the College World Series finals, before falling to Florida. Along the way, several freshmen emerged as the Tigers’ next set of stars. Josh Smith started nearly every game at third base last season and will now move to shortstop, and Zach Watson emerged as the latest in a long line of premier LSU center fielders. Righthander Zack Hess became LSU’s go-to pitcher out of the bullpen down the stretch and infielder Jake Slaughter saw plenty of action throughout the year. Watson, a draft-eligible sophomore, will be a part of another outstanding outfield, teaming with junior Antoine Duplantis, who will move back to right field, and blue-chip freshman Daniel Cabrera, who is expected to see some time on the mound in addition to manning left field.

THE BAD NEWS: LSU was an older team last year as several players chose to return to school to make a run at the national title. That group is gone, leaving LSU to replace its ace (Alex Lange), the winningest pitcher in program history (Jared Poche’), its starting middle infield (Kramer Robertson and Cole Freeman), its catcher (Mike Papierski) and its best power hitter (Greg Deichmann). Additionally, AllFreshman righthander Eric Walker is out for the year while he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Josh Smith, SS: Smith took over at third base as a freshman last season and was one of four LSU players to play all 72 games. He more than held his own at the plate, as he hit .281/.407/.409 and walked (39) more often then he struck out (33). He will slide over to shortstop, taking over the position from Robertson. Smith is a talented defender and should be up to the challenge.

PATH TO OMAHA: Several of the players LSU lost from last year’s team will be remembered in Baton Rouge for a long time to come. But the Tigers have

the talent to fill those roles. It may take them some time to settle in this spring, but coach Paul Mainieri always seems to have his team playing its best baseball in late May. To make a return to the CWS, the Tigers will need to find a couple reliable starters and for their young, talented players to step up on the big stage.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Hunter Feduccia, Jr. Transfer—LSU-Eunice JC

1B Bryce Jordan, R-Jr. Did not play—Injured

2B Brandt Broussard, Jr. Transfer—Delgado (La.) JC

3B Jake Slaughter, So. .257 .358 .351

SS Josh Smith, So. .281

LF Daniel Cabrera, Fr. .238 .352

CF Zach Watson, So. HS—Baton Rouge, La.

RF Antoine Duplantis, Jr. .316 .358 .400

DH Beau Jordan, Sr. .268

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

RHP Caleb Gilbert, Jr. 7

18. VANDERBILT

LAST YEAR

36-25-1 (15-13-1 in SEC); reached super regional.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Tim Corbin (610-290,14 years).

FINAL RANKING No. 18.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

RHP Patrick Raby (148), SS Connor Kaiser (168).

THE GOOD NEWS: The Commodores continue to deliver year after year. Vanderbilt advanced last season to super regionals, produced two first-round draft picks and this fall hauled in yet another top-ranked recruiting class. While the Commodores are unlikely to produce a first-rounder this year, they are not lacking for experienced, talented players. Righthander Patrick Raby was the most reliable pitcher USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team last summer, as he went 3-0, 0.00 in 19.1 innings. He will front Vanderbilt’s rotation. Shortstop Connor Kaiser, second baseman Ethan Paul and first baseman Julian Infante all return as starters in the infield, and, as juniors, will have to shoulder a bigger load offensively. The Commodores’ freshman class includes 10 players who ranked on the BA500 last spring and should be able

to provide some immediate impact.

THE BAD NEWS: The Commodores have some big holes to fill this year, as righthander Kyle Wright, outfielder Jeren Kendall, third baseman Will Toffey and catcher Jason Delay, who all played key roles throughout their careers, must be replaced. The Commodores have talented options at every spot, but those competitions will need time to play out, and they may not be settled until after Southeastern Conference play begins. Righthander Drake Fellows could return to the rotation, and lefthanders Jackson Gillis and Zach King will be in the mix, as well. Catcher Phillip Clarke and infielders Jayson Gonzalez and Austin Martin could push into the lineup quickly as freshmen, but returners such as catcher Ty Duvall and infielder Alex Brewer will also be in the mix. Junior Alonzo Jones will move from the infield to the outfield, where scouts have long felt his plus-plus speed is a better fit. If he takes to his new position, he is a breakout candidate.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Julian Infante, 1B: With Kendall and Toffey moving on to pro ball, Infante is now the Commodores’ leading power threat. He hit 11 home runs and drove in a team-high 66 runs last season, but is something of a streaky hitter. Infante will need to be more consistent this season as he becomes the center of attention in the heart of the order. A big season at the plate could also help him rise on draft boards after a lackluster summer in the Cape Cod League.

PATH TO OMAHA: Vanderbilt has the talent to again contend in the SEC and make a run in the NCAA Tournament. But patience will be required early in the season as the Commodores work to find their best alignment in all phases of the game. They may have a little less power both on the mound and at the plate, but with a battle-tested Raby at the front of the rotation and a solid defense, the Commodores are well-equipped for big-game environments.

19. LOUISVILLE

LAST YEAR 53-12 (23-6 in ACC); reached CWS. COACH

(RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Dan McDonnell (509-203, 11 years).

THE GOOD NEWS: As has been the case throughout most of the Dan McDonnell era at Louisville, the Cardinals are loaded with talent, albeit with less vet-

First baseman Julian Infante is Vanderbit’s leading returning power hitter and will be counted on in the heart of the order.

eran experience than the team has had over the last few years. Dynamic center fielder Josh Stowers came on strong late in 2017, including an impressive showing in Omaha, and could be set for an explosive Corey Ray-like junior season with his speed and power combination. Up the middle, Tyler Fitzgerald was a bluechip shortstop recruit a year ago and is in line to take over the position after Devin Hairston’s exit. Junior Devin Mann returns at second base and should be a middle-of-the-order bat. On the mound, Louisville is flush with lefthanded starters and righthanded power arms.

THE BAD NEWS: Once again, the draft hit Louisville hard. The Cardinals lost the best college baseball player of his era in two-way stud Brendan McKay, as well as power-hitting third baseman Drew Ellis, catcher Colby Fitch, Hairston, Saturday starter Kade McClure and closer Lincoln Henzman. In past years, Louisville has retained established stars to carry the load, but this year’s team is a bit younger and greener. The weekend rotation, in particular, will look vastly different without McKay fronting it. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be effective. The Cardinals have numerous candidates to fill the void. Junior Adam Wolf, a 6-foot6 lefty with excellent downhill plane and angle, projects to slide into the Friday role, followed tentatively by freshman southpaw Reid Detmers—who turned down significant draft money to come to school— and sophomore Nick Bennett—who manned Sundays a year ago. A healthy Bryan Hoeing could throw his name in that mix, as well as freshman Shay Smiddy. RETURNER TO KNOW: Sam Bordner, RHP: One area where there isn’t much uncertainty for Louisville is at the back end of games. Though Henzman was technically Louisville’s closer a year ago, a case could be made that Bordner was the team’s most effective reliever. The physical 6-foot-6 righthander allowed just two runs in his 43.2 innings a year ago and was lights-out in Omaha as the team’s moment-of-truth reliever. Whether he works as the team’s closer or in a variety of roles, Bordner and his power stuff should serve as a valuable safety net for the new-look Louisville rotation.

PATH TO OMAHA: Though they’ve been the class of the Atlantic Coast Conference since joining in 2015, the Cardinals are going to have a tougher time rolling through conference play this season. Louisville’s new cast of characters will have to get acclimated to their roles, and there will likely be quite a bit of tinkering to the lineup and pitching staff throughout the year. The Cardinals have the talent to make a repeat trip to the CWS; they’ll just need to find the right formula.

2018

3B Justin Lavey, So.

SS Tyler Fitzgerald, So.

LF Danny Oriente, R-Fr. Did not

CF Josh Stowers, Jr.

RF Ethan Springer, R-Fr.

DH Jake Snider, So.

Pos. Name, Yr.

LHP Adam Wolf, Jr.

LHP Reid Detmers, Fr

Nick Bennett, So.

RP Sam Bordner, Jr.

20. INDIANA

LAST YEAR

34-24-2 (14-9-1 in Big Ten); reached regional.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Chris Lemonis (101-72-2, 3 years).

THE GOOD NEWS: Following a solid season last year that saw the Hoosiers return to the NCAA Tournament, the draft gave them a boost for 2018. Infielder/righthander Matt Lloyd and outfielder Logan Sowers went undrafted and third baseman Luke Miller, an eligible sophomore, elected to return to school after being picked in the 31st round. The Hoosiers had been prepared to lose all three, which, along with the graduations of second baseman Tony Butler and outfielders Craig Dedelow and Alex Krupa, would have forced them to remake their lineup. Instead, Lloyd, Miller and Sowers project to form the heart of Indiana’s order this year and give it plenty of experience. The pitching staff also returns largely intact. Indiana’s 2016 recruiting class was full of high-upside pitchers who have had another year to develop. Lefthanders Cameron Beauchamp and Andrew Saalfrank are now poised to take a step forward.

THE BAD NEWS: While the losses to the lineup were not as significant as they could have been, Butler, Dedelow and Krupa were three key pieces for the Hoosiers. Butler led the team in hitting and Dedelow’s 19 home runs were the second most in the Big Ten Conference. Junior college transfers Cade Bunnell and Logan Kaletha can fill their spots on the diamond, and the return of Scotty Bradley, who missed nearly all of 2017 due to injury, gives the Hoosiers more options on the right side of the infield.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Matt Gorski, OF: Gorski started at first base last season and was named Indiana’s rookie of the year in 2017 after hitting .288/.348/.400 as a freshman. He will move to the outfield this season, where his above-average speed and arm will

help him make more of an impact defensively. He also has more potential to tap into at the plate, and if he can get to his power more consistently, he would give the Hoosiers another big bat in their lineup.

PATH TO OMAHA: With a veteran, experienced team, Indiana enters the season as Big Ten favorites. To fulfill that potential and advance past regionals for the first time since they reached the College World Series in 2013, the Hoosiers will need someone to emerge at the front of their rotation. Stiever is the likeliest candidate, as he is coming off a solid showing in the Cape Cod League, but Beauchamp or Saalfrank have the stuff to break out as sophomores. Even without a true Friday starter, Indiana has the depth and experience to make a postseason push.

2018 LINEUP

Pos.Name, Yr.AVGOBPSLGABHRRBI

CRyan Fineman, Jr..239.291.313176217

1BScotty Bradley, R-So.Did not play—Injured 2BCade Bunnell, Jr.Transfer—Madison (Wisc.) JC 3BLuke Miller, Jr..272.331.4642351042

SSJeremy Houston, So..232.333.329155221

LFMatt Gorski, So..288.348.400170422

21. SOUTHERN MISS

LAST YEAR

50-16 (25-5 in C-USA); reached regional final. COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Scott Berry (299-173-1, eight years).

THE GOOD NEWS: Southern Miss is coming off its best season since it advanced to the 2009 College World Series and under coach Scott Berry has established itself as one of Conference USA’s powerhouses. Freshman of the Year Matt Wallner returns, ready to build on his fantastic start to his college career. And while the Golden Eagles lost some key pieces from last year’s team, they remain a veteran bunch. Nearly every player expected to play a significant role this spring saw plenty of action for last year’s team.

THE BAD NEWS: While many starters return, Southern Miss lost some of its biggest stars. Third

COLLEGE RANKINGS

baseman/righthander Taylor Braley was an AllAmerican two-way player last year and will be difficult to replace. He and first baseman Dylan Burdeaux combined for 29 home runs and 130 RBIs that the Golden Eagles will now have to replace in the lineup. Third baseman Luke Reynolds is eligible after sitting out last season following his transfer from Mississippi State and has the ability to hit in the middle of the lineup if he can quickly get back up to game speed. Braley, lefthander Kirk McCarty and righthander Hayden Roberts were Southern Miss’ top three pitchers by innings last year, leaving 255 innings that now need to be covered. None of them are top prospects, but they were all proven college winners.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Colt Smith, RHP: Smith in 2017 had a strong first season at Southern Miss after transferring from Northwest (Miss.) JC. He moved into the rotation in the second half of the season and pitched well, finishing his junior year 6-2, 3.36 with 43 strikeouts and 17 walks in 67 innings. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he creates a lot of groundouts and has the experience and savvy to pitch on Friday nights for the Golden Eagles.

PATH TO OMAHA: Southern Miss ran away with CUSA last season and hosted a regional for the second time in program history before its dream season was ended by Brent Rooker and Mississippi State. Repeating that regular-season success is unlikely, but with a veteran team, one of the most reliable closers in the country in Nick Sandlin and Wallner’s star power, the Golden Eagles will be a tough out in the postseason. If Smith and righthander J.C. Keys step up to lead the rotation, Southern Miss doesn’t have to take a step back.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Cole Donaldson, Jr. .256 .345 .333 156 2 19

1B Hunter Slater, Jr. .312 .446 .477 218 4 39

2B Storme Cooper, Jr. .255 .423 .372 94 3 21

3B Luke Reynolds, Jr. Did not play—Transfer

SS LeeMarcus Boyd, Sr. .289 .345 .434 235 4 42

LF Mason Irby, Sr. .338 .433 .449 263 1 40

CF Daniel Keating, Sr. .261 .368 .522 161 11 31

RF Matt Wallner, So. .336 .463 .655 235 19 63

DH Erik Hoard, Jr. Transfer—Jones County (Miss.) JC

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

RHP Colt Smith, Sr. 6 2 3.36 67 43 0

RHP J.C. Keys, Jr. 3 3 5.56 55 48 0

LHP Stevie Powers, Jr. 3 0 5.13 33 24 2

RP Nick Sandlin, Jr. 10 2 2.38 57 80 8

RP Matt Wallner, So. 2 0 1.84 15 15 3

22. CENTRAL FLORIDA

LAST YEAR 40-22 (15-9 in AAC); reached regional.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Greg Lovelady (40-22, one year).

to a regional for the first time since 2012. While UCF was an older team last season, it returns several key players. Closer Bryce Tucker is back, after spending the summer pitching for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team. Lefthander Joe Sherridan and first baseman Rylan Thomas made quick transitions to college baseball last year as freshmen and will play key roles again this spring. Righthander Cre Finfrock, who was the Knights’ Friday starter for two seasons before undergoing shoulder surgery, is back healthy after missing last season and figures to pitch significant innings. UCF also added a strong recruiting class heavy on junior college players who will help make up for the large group of veterans the Knights lost from last year’s team.

THE BAD NEWS: Among the players UCF must replace are righthander Robby Howell, the AAC pitcher of the year, and Eli Putnam and Kyle Marsh, its two leading hitters in 2017. Howell, who had an outstanding senior season, leaves a hole in the rotation, but UCF has a few candidates to fill it.

Righthanders J.J. Montgomery and Jordan Spicer transferred from junior colleges, and both have impressive stuff. Junior righthander Thad Ward was one of UCF’s most reliable relievers last spring and could get a chance to start. The Knights plan to work Finfrock back slowly, but by the middle of the season he could be back in the rotation. Offensively, UCF will be counting on some of its newcomers. Tyler Osik and Brody Wofford were a part of Chipola (Fla.) JC’s national championship team last spring and could provide immediate impact.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Rylan Thomas, 1B: Thomas was UCF’s leading power threat last year, leading the team in home runs (14) and slugging percentage (.530) as a freshman. He continued to slug this summer in the Northwoods League, where he homered 10 more times. His presence in the middle of the order will be critical for UCF as it works out its new-look lineup. Thomas also made seven scoreless appearances last spring, but he is not expected to pitch much this year.

PATH TO OMAHA: UCF will have its hands full in the AAC, which looks like it will be a dogfight again this year. But that competition will only help the Knights gel throughout the spring. Their pitching staff has a chance to be special, with power arms such as Finfrock, Montgomery, Spicer and Ward meshing with the experience of Sheridan and redshirt junior Chris Williams, and Tucker closing out games. If UCF can find a couple hitters to help Thomas shoulder the load, it will have all the pieces to make noise in June.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG

C Anthony George, Jr. .294 .357 .392 102 1 10

1B Rylan Thomas, So. .303 .359 .530 234 14 53

2B Matthew Mika, Jr. .278 .344 .339 227 0 28

3B Tyler Osik, R-Jr. Transfer—Chipola (Fla.) JC

SS Brandon Hernandez, So. .222 .295 .343 198 5 21

23. MISSISSIPPI STATE

LAST YEAR 40-27 (17-13 in SEC); reached super regional. COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Andy Cannizaro (40-27, one year).

FINAL RANKING No. 14.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS

LHP Konnor Pilkington (36), OF Jake Mangum (91).

THE GOOD NEWS: Everything has slowed down in Starkville after a manic 2016-17 school year that saw the team earn a super regional appearance, head coach John Cohen promoted to athletic director, Andy Cannizaro hired to succeed him and Brent Rooker winning the Southeastern Conference triple crown, allowing Mississippi State to enjoy a more settled offseason. Mississippi State has some key pieces to build around, including center fielder Jake Mangum, ace Konnor Pilkington and top relievers Spencer Price and Riley Self. The Bulldogs have also had time to get healthy after a rash of injuries swept through the pitching staff last year. Lefthander Ethan Small is one of the pitchers ready to get back in action and, if he regains his pre-injury form, could form a strong 1-2 combination with Pilkington.

TOP 200 2018

LHP Bryce Tucker (164).

THE GOOD NEWS: Greg Lovelady’s first season at UCF was a smashing success, as the Knights won 42 games, delivered a worst-to-first turnaround in the American Athletic Conference and advanced

LF Dalton Wingo, Fr. HS—Plant City, Fla.

CF Ramon Alejo, R-So. Transfer—Northwest Florida State JC

RF Brody Wofford, Jr. Transfer—Chipola (Fla.) JC

DH Dallas Beaver, So. .158 .304

Pos. Name, Yr. W L

RHP J.J. Montgomery, Jr. Transfer—Northwest Florida State

LHP Joe Sheridan, So.

THE BAD NEWS: Rooker, the best hitter in the country last year, has moved on to pro ball, leaving a massive hole in the lineup. Not only will his production be nearly impossible for the Bulldogs to replace, he also brought an important presence and veteran leadership to the team. In addition to Rooker, shortstop Ryan Gridley and outfielder Cody Brown must also be replaced, leaving Mississippi State without three of its top four hitters from 2017. That trio combined for 38 of the Bulldogs’ 59 home runs last year, and it will be up to returners such as Elijah MacNamee and Hunter Stovall to step up in their absence. Mississippi State’s recruiting class also includes some talented hitters who could quickly make an impact.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Luke Alexander, SS: Alexander was Mississippi State’s Opening Day shortstop in 2016 before Gridley won the job and Alexander moved to

Outfielder Jake Mangum is Mississippi State’s leading returning hitter and brings plus speed to the top of the order.

third base. Now, with Gridley in pro ball, Alexander will be counted on at shortstop, where he is a solid defender. He is a career .222 hitter in 88 games (73 starts) for the Bulldogs, and if he takes a step forward offensively, it would be a boost for the Bulldogs.

PATH TO OMAHA: The Bulldogs will have a different formula this spring than the one they used to reach super regionals last season. This year, a deeper pitching staff and another solid defense should be able to take some of the pressure off the lineup. Mississippi State may have to do more to manufacture runs, rather than relying on its sluggers, but they have the athleticism on the team to do so. With Pilkington at the front of the rotation and Price and Self shortening games at the back end of the bullpen, Mississippi State has stars on the mound more than capable of carrying the load. In the end, that may be a formula better suited for postseason success.

2018 LINEUP

Pos. Name, Yr. AVG OBP SLG AB HR RBI

C Marshall Gilbert, So. Transfer—John A. Logan (Ill.) JC

1B Elijah MacNamee, Jr. .267 .315 .344 180 2 22

2B Hunter Stovall, Jr. .288 .345 .375 160 2 18

3B Justin Foscue, Fr. HS—Huntsville, Ala.

SS Luke Alexander, Jr. .222 .295 .343 198 5 21

LF Hunter Vansau, Jr. .297 .377 .356 118 0 14

CF Jake Mangum, Jr. .324 .380 .385 278 0 26

RF Tanner Poole, R-Sr. .224 .290 .309 165 3 14

DH Tanner Allen, Fr. HS—Theodore, Ala.

Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV

LHP Konnor Pilkington, Jr. 8 5 3.08 108 111 0

LHP Ethan Small, R-So. Did not play—Injured

RHP J.P. France, R-Sr. Transfer—Tulane

RP Spencer Price, Jr. 4 1 2.91 34 40 14

RP Riley Self, So. 5 2 3.72 48 60 8

24. SOUTH ALABAMA

LAST YEAR

40-21 (22-8 in Sun Belt); reached regional. COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL)

Mark Calvi (247-171, six years).

FINAL RANKING NR.

TOP 200 2018 DRAFT PROSPECTS OF Travis Swaggerty (15).

THE GOOD NEWS: A largely unheralded freshman class from two years ago has helped carry the Jaguars to back-to-back regional appearances. Those freshmen are now juniors, and they should arm South Alabama with plenty of offensive firepower. That group is led by breakout center field prospect Travis Swaggerty—the No. 2 prospect for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team this summer. It also includes outfielder Dylan Hardy, who led the Sun Belt in hitting last season and would play in center if not for Swaggerty’s presence. The team’s leading home run hitter from a year ago, Wells Davis, also returns to man first base, and the left side of the infield should be set with veterans Brendan Donovan and Drew LaBounty at third and short, respectively. South Alabama should be a highly offensive club as well as defensively sound.

THE BAD NEWS: While the Jaguars should be set from an offensive standpoint, pitching will be more of a work in progress due to the departures of ace Randy Bell’s 107 innings and closer Matthew Peacock’s 10 saves. The Jaguars have a pair of seniors projected to front the rotation in lefty Zach Melton, who’s been hampered by injuries in past years, and righthander Tyler Carr, who can flirt with mid-90s

velocity despite his smaller frame. South Alabama has plenty of other rotation options. The Jaguars could go to pitchability lefty Andy Arguelles; junior college transfer Patrick McBride, who throws 90-92 with downhill angle; or could turn to hard-throwing freshman JoJo Booker, who was the second-highest drafted prep prospect (fifth round) not to sign. At the back end of games, redshirt junior Nick DeSantis is slated to close once he fully recovers from Tommy John in early March.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Travis Swaggerty, OF: The No. 2 prospect for Team USA this summer, Swaggerty is a potential five-tool player and an offensive spark plug who offers both speed and power. He stole 19 bases in 25 attempts last season while slugging 11 homers and drew hefty praise from scouts. A gritty, self-made player, Swaggerty epitomizes South Alabama’s blue-collar culture. The Jags will go as far as he can take them.

PATH TO OMAHA: South Alabama continues to knock on the door with back-to-back regional appearances but hasn’t yet taken that next step. Mark Calvi’s squad seems right on the cusp of making a postseason push, however. Last season, it won the first game of the Hattiesburg Regional against No. 2-seeded Mississippi State but couldn’t close out a regional win. With a powerful, veteran-heavy team, this year could be South Al’s best chance to turn heads nationally.

ond baseman Josh Shaw and John Valente, who will move from first base to third base this season. All are seniors except Shaw, a junior, ensuring the Red Storm will again have strong veteran presence.

CF Travis Swaggerty, Jr.

RF Michael Sandal, R-Fr.

Colton Thomas, Sr.

Pos. Name, Yr.

Zach Melton, Sr.

Tyler Carr, Sr.

Zach Greene,

25. ST. JOHN’S

LAST YEAR

42-13 (13-5 in Big East); reached regional.

COACH (RECORD AT SCHOOL) Ed Blankmeyer (758-460-4, 22 years).

THE GOOD NEWS: St. John’s is coming off its best season since John Franco and Frank Viola were on the team, more than 35 years ago. While the Red Storm was an older team last year, they return many key pieces, especially on the mound. Righthander Sean Mooney emerged last season from a talented group of freshman pitchers and took over as St. John’s ace, earning All-Freshman honors and an invitation to USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team along the way. Classmates Gavin Hollowell and Joe LaSorsa were excellent as relievers and could return to their roles in the bullpen, but also add to St. John’s rotation depth, which also includes senior Kevin Magee and ultra-talented, but inconsistent, sophomore Jeff Belge. Offensively, St. John’s welcomes back a core of outfielders Anthony Brocato and Jamie Galazin, sec-

THE BAD NEWS: While the bulk of its lineup is back, St. John’s must replace shortstop Jesse Berardi, catcher Troy Dixon and outfielder Michael Donadio, three of its best players last season. The Red Storm has experienced options at all three positions, but with all three players posting an OPS north of .900 last season, it won’t be easy to replace them. Luke Stampfl joins St. John’s as a grad transfer from Fordham and could provide the answer at shortstop. Senior Robert Boselli and junior Wyatt Mascarella, a junior college transfer, will compete at catcher, while sophomore Michael Antico is one of several options in the outfield.

RETURNER TO KNOW: Josh Shaw, 2B: With the Red Storm infield undergoing significant transition, Shaw should be the group’s anchor. The 2016 Big East Conference freshman of the year was St. John’s lone regular not to hit at least .300 last year. He will be counted on to help offset the lineup’s losses and keep St. John’s solid defensively. He is also the team’s top prospect in this year’s draft and will be closely watched by area scouts.

PATH TO OMAHA: St. John’s, like all Northern teams, will be road tested. A year ago, the Red Storm started the year 10-0, helping it to build its RPI and tournament resume. It will be difficult for St. John’s to repeat that start to the season, but this year’s team is deeper on the mound and has the veteran experience needed to thrive under pressure. If its sophomore pitchers can build off their freshman success, St. John’s has the pieces to be a postseason dark horse.

Center fielder Travis Swaggerty broke out last year and now is the centerpiece of South Alabama’s lineup.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ORGANIZATION REPORTS

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

Cubs rethink pitching development with new hires

CHICAGO CUBS

For everything that went right during the rebuilding years—and that unforgettable 2016 World Series run—the Cubs still admit that they have a problem.

The organization has assembled an impressive young lineup, but their issues with developing pitchers led to an organization-wide reboot.

Even the Cubs admit it can’t all be written off as bad luck and injuries and the cost of using four straight first-round picks on Albert Almora, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Ian Happ

“The important thing is that we recognize we haven’t been good at it,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “We’re kind of back to the drawing board.”

After firing big league pitching coach Chris Bosio—one of the franchise’s biggest influences during the rebuilding years—the Cubs hope Jim Hickey’s new voice and different personality can help recreate some of the elements that made the Rays so good at incubating young arms.

The Cubs viewed incoming special assistant Jim Benedict as a key free agent after the Marlins fired the executive involved in so many successes with the Pirates. The Cubs also hired Brendan Sagara to replace minor league pitching coordinator Jim Brower, whom the Mariners hired as an assistant coach.

“It’s just a huge investment in pitching and our pitching infrastructure,” farm director Jaron Madison said. “It’s something we’ve obviously identified as an area where we can continue to get better.

“Theo made it a goal this offseason. And all through last season, we talked about pitching: What can we do better as an organization . . . to make sure we’re marrying our ideas . . . and getting pitchers up to the big leagues to help out?”

The Epstein administration has so far gotten just 30 big league innings out of six draft classes. A few others, notably righthanders Paul Blackburn and Zack Godley, have been used in trades.

But a new wave is coming, with righthander Adbert Alzolay potentially opening the season at Triple-A Iowa and a promising group slated for the low Class A South Bend rotation. That group includes 2017 first-rounders Brendon Little and Alex Lange and 19-year-old Mexican righty Jose Albertos

—PATRICK MOONEY

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Righthander Ryan Atkinson went about 13 months between his final college outing and the next time he picked up a baseball just days before an independent league tryout. It’s taken him a little more than a year and a half to find his way to big league camp.

The 24-year-old Atkinson is the latest unexpected prospect the D-backs are becoming known for producing. Signed out of the independent Frontier League in July 2016, he reached Double-A Jackson in 2017 and finished the season in the Arizona Fall League.

“It’s just amazing and crazy, just the opportunities I’ve received—and that the Diamondbacks believe in me,” Atkinson said. “I just have to keep showing up and being prepared and ready for these opportunities because they’re paying off. It’s very exciting. It’s happening too fast already.”

Atkinson was lightly scouted out of Cincinnati, where he posted subpar numbers in four seasons, walking too many, striking out too few and leaving with a career 4.66 ERA.

After going undrafted and graduating in 2015, he started working as a personal trainer, eventually landing a job as an assistant patient services manager at his alma mater’s medical center. It was then, he said, that clients and family kept encouraging him to give baseball another shot.

“It kind of sat in my head, and I just decided to see what’s available,” he said.

The following June, Atkinson emailed the Frontier League, asking about a possible tryout, and was told there was one coming up. He hadn’t done so much as play catch in more than a year.

“I had five days to prepare,” Atkinson said.

The layoff apparently didn’t bother him. The 6-foot-3 righty signed with Evansville and logged 5.2 shutout innings before D-backs scout Chris Carminucci, who had attended the workout in June, signed him.

“His fastball was pretty average; he was 90-93 (mph),” Carminucci said. “But he had this changeup that had good shape. He sold it well and had some fade to the end of it. He showcased himself with that one pitch. I was really intrigued.”

In 175 innings in the minors, Atkinson has logged a 3.29 ERA with 206 strikeouts. His velocity touched 97 mph in the AFL after mostly sitting in the low 90s during the season.

But Atkinson comes with red flags. At his most age-appropriate levels— Double-A and the AFL—he recorded a walk rate of 6.1 per nine innings. Scouts say he also doesn’t possess a dependable third pitch.

—NICK PIECORO

ATLANTA BRAVES

The Braves expect to be better this season than they were in 2017, when they lost 90 games. The organization believes even bigger and better things await beyond 2018.

The primary reason for optimism centers on Atlanta’s pitching depth. The Braves added to that depth in the 2017 draft, when Vanderbilt’s Kyle Wright, the top college righthander in the class, fell to them at No. 5 overall. They doled out a franchise-record $7 million bonus, about $2 million above slot.

As a junior, Wright recorded a 3.40 ERA in 16 starts while striking out 121 and walking 31 in 103.1 innings. He worked 17 innings in his pro debut, reaching high Class A Florida.

Despite his limited pro experience, the 22-year-old Huntsville, Ala., native understands the challenge that awaits.

“There are adjustments you have to make in pro ball, especially the five-day rotation,” Wright said. “As you move up, the hitters get more disciplined. You have to make certain pitches at the right time. You have to know when to be cautious and know where and when you can attack hitters.”

Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin raved about Wright’s knowledge of how to pitch with a plan. His repertoire is equally impressive. His fastball sits at 93-94 mph and has touched 99. He also throws an above-average curveball and a hard slider. He has emphasized his changeup this winter after rarely throwing it in college.

Wright also knows expectations come with the territory. After attending a week-long pitching camp in Atlanta in November, Wright has spent the offseason—as well as the past three years—in Nashville talking about pitching with high-profile Commodores David Price and Mike Minor. Add everything he has learned since turning pro and the task ahead has become crystal clear.

“I realize it’s the same game I’ve been playing since I was a kid,” Wright said. “As for the (expectations), you have to embrace it and realize how cool it is to be considered that type of player. At the same time, there are a lot of really good players in the Braves system, and that pushes you and helps make you a better player.”

—BILL BALLEW

CINCINNATI REDS

Righthander Tony Santillan is a big man with an equally big fastball.

To those points, the 20-year-old stands 6-foot-3, weighs 240 pounds and reaches 100 mph with his fastball. His potential is equally substantial.

While Santillan looks like big leaguer,

Zack Godley is the top pitcher (so far) taken by the Cubs in six drafts under Theo Epstein.

the Texas high school product won’t be allowed to legally order a drink until the season gets underway in April.

A 2015 second-round pick, Santillan has amassed just 217 pro innings, the majority of those came in 2017 at low Class A Dayton. In 25 appearances and 128 innings in the Midwest League, he went 9-8, 3.38 with rates of 9.0 strikeouts and 3.9 walks per nine innings.

Because he pitches at 92-99 mph, Santillan doesn’t have to command his fastball as well as others.

While Santillan’s fastball has never been a question, the rest of his arsenal has been inconsistent. However, farm director Jeff Graupe said that Santillan’s changeup may have been the most improved pitch in the organization in 2017.

Santillan also throws a slider that can be a plus pitch if he can hone it, as well as a curveball that isn’t used as much.

“I’ve gained a lot of confidence in those pitches,” Santillan said. “When there comes a time, I mean, I have the confidence to throw what I want to when I need to throw it. It’s not like I worry about it . . . if I am having a rough day of it, I’m still going to have that same confidence and trust it.”

Aside from developing his pitches, Santillan said the routine of a full season was the biggest adjustment.

“I was a lot more focused on kind of making sure my routine was on point, making sure my mental side of pitching was there every game, no matter what the outcome was,” he said. “I feel a lot better knowing what I am doing and my plan, at least.”

—C. TRENT ROSECRANS

COLORADO ROCKIES

After an impressive beginning in the Rockies’ organization followed by a stunning regression, 22-year-old righthander Jesus Tinoco, his delivery much improved, recently joined the 40-man roster.

Tinoco went 5-0, 1.80 in seven starts at low Class A Asheville in 2015 after being acquired in the July trade that sent shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays. But in his first spring training with the Rockies, he tried too hard to impress, and his delivery went haywire.

After running up a 14.85 ERA in four starts at high Class A Modesto, Tinoco was demoted to Asheville where delivery issues resulted in him going 3-8, 5.63 in 16 starts.

“It was an extreme falloff to the firstbase side (of the mound) during his follow through to the point where he was taking at times a couple steps toward first base because it was so violent,” farm director Zach Wilson said. “He would leave the ball armside. He wasn’t able

to finish his pitches, because his whole body was headed toward first base and his arm was dragging.”

In spring training in 2017, Wilson said “the only thing we talked about” with Tinoco was his delivery, “and it very slowly started to get better.”

Tinoco went 11-4, 4.67 last year in 24 starts at high Class A Lancaster but averaged just 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings. However, he went 4-0, 3.03 in four August starts and averaged 10 strikeouts per nine.

Tinoco, who signed with Toronto out of Venezuela in 2011, throws a 94-95 mph fastball that tops at 97 with some tailing late life at times. His 78-79 mph curveball is occasionally slurvy but has late, quick, downward action on a 10-4 plane. His 88-90 mph slider has a late, hard break but is inconsistent. He has a good feel for his 88-90 mph changeup, a work in progress that should be a solid-average pitch.

“He’s got strikeout stuff,” Wilson said. “He cleaned up his delivery substantially (in 2017). He’s much more square to the plate as he follows through. And it’s allowed him to really command his fastball better, which is allowing his secondary pitches to play up.”

—JACK ETKIN

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Pitching prospects come in all shapes and sizes—but most of them start with a 6-foot plus frame, the better to leverage the moving parts that make a pitching motion work over and over again.

The Dodgers’ stash of young arms mostly fits the profile, from the slender 6-foot-2 Walker Buehler to the 6-foot4 Mitchell White and 6-foot-6 Dustin May

And then there is righthander Jordan

Sheffield. The 2016 supplemental firstround pick out of Vanderbilt possesses one of the more electric arms in the Dodgers’ system. But it is attached to a 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame.

“Yeah, obviously that’s something I’ve been knocked for since I was growing up. ‘Oh, you ain’t 6-foot.’ ” Sheffield said. “. . . I think that pushes me even harder.

“As a 6-foot and under pitcher, there’s just not that many—especially starters. It just makes me want to grind it even more and prove not only to myself but to everyone who is saying that.”

Because of his size, the Tommy John surgery already on his medical record and a lack of consistent command so far in his pro career, Sheffield is considered a candidate for a move to the bullpen. He’s heard that before, too.

“I just think I’m a starter,” Sheffield says. “. . . I believe in myself and I believe I can be a starter. That’s something I’m going to take to heart and work for and strive for.”

Sheffield still has a lot to prove. In his full-season debut last year, he went 3-9, 4.70 in 25 games (24 starts) at two Class A affiliates, primarily low Class A Great Lakes. Control was a problem. He walked 57 in 107.1 innings.

“I learned a lot,” Sheffield said. “Just from the ups and downs this year—different coaches, different environments, different places I’ve never been before, (including) small towns. I think more for me it was how to overcome and bounce back from bad outings—because they came like that (snaps fingers).

“It wasn’t like college where I was pitching every seven days . . . You learn a lot about your body and how to maintain it and how to be able to compete every fifth day instead of every seventh day. That was big for me.”

MIAMI MARLINS

Caleb Smith’s intuition proved correct.

Smith, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound lefthander who made his big league debut last July with the Yankees, said he sensed a trade was coming before it ever happened.

On Nov. 20, the Yankees traded Smith and first baseman Garrett Cooper to the Marlins for righthander Michael King and $250,000 of international bonus pool money. A desire to clear space on the 40-man roster motivated New York to make the trade.

The 26-year-old Smith has worked mostly as a starter in five pro seasons. He pitched successfully at Triple-A in 2017 but ran up a 7.71 ERA in nine games—including two starts—for the Yankees.

A few weeks after the World Series ended, he was gone.

“I kind of expected to get traded—I just had a feeling,” Smith said. “I didn’t have that great of a start (in New York). But I’m excited. I feel like Miami is a good opportunity.”

Smith is from Huntsville, Texas, and still lives there. He went to Sam Houston State, his hometown university, and was drafted in the 14th round by the Yankees in 2013.

“Those three draft days were pretty hectic,” Smith said. “I was told I would get drafted in the top 10 rounds. I fell to 14th. I was getting nervous, but it all worked out.”

Smith went 9-1, 2.41 in 18 games last season at Triple-A Scranton/WilkesBarre. He struck out 8.9 and walked 2.6 per nine innings in his 98 frames.

Smith said it was a pleasure to play for the Yankees.

“They have an unbelievable program,” Smith said. “They know how to build players up, and they have a great coaching staff.”

Smith uses three pitches, including a fastball that sits 92-94 mph and tops out at 97. His changeup is his best secondary pitch at 83-86 mph, while his low80s slider is still a work in progress.

The Marlins, with three open rotation spots after Jose Urena and Dan Straily, are hoping Smith’s stuff plays at the major league level.

“They told me the rotation is open,” Smith said. “I just have to work for it.”

—WALTER VILLA

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The Nick Ramirez experiment, an unqualified success in 2017, will continue in 2018.

Ramirez last year converted from first baseman to lefthanded reliever, and he spent virtually all season in the

Rockies righthander Jesus Tinoco improved his direction to the plate at high Class A Lancaster.

Double-A Biloxi bullpen. The Brewers re-signed the 28-year-old in early January after he qualified as a minor league free agent.

The Brewers remain intrigued by Ramirez’s potential on the mound. He was a Southern League all-star and workhorse reliever who appeared in 48 games and worked 79 innings in 2017.

A sinkerballer who relies on getting groundouts, Ramirez allowed just 56 hits while striking out 56. He walked 2.7 per nine innings, which was one of the lowest rates among SL relievers, and held lefthanders to a .167 average.

And, oh yeah, Ramirez also took a few swings along the way, compiling an .825 OPS over 27 at-bats, with two home runs and six RBIs.

Make no mistake: The Brewers think Ramirez, a 2011 fourth-rounder who both hit and pitched at Cal State Fullerton, has the most potential on the mound. At the end of the season, they gave him a one-game trial at Triple-A Colorado Springs, a hitter’s haven where he will likely open 2018.

Asked if he could envision Ramirez making it to the big leagues at some point, general manager David Stearns said: “The fact that we’re bringing him back shows that we believe he has the potential to be a very unique player at the big league level.

“There is still development left. He knows that and he’ll keep working. But we would not have brought him back had we not thought there was a chance he could pitch in the big leagues. He probably picked (pitching) up a little faster than anyone could have expected.”

While the Brewers might not have another Shohei Ohtani on their hands, Ramirez showed enough to keep the experiment going.

—TOM HAUDRICOURT

NEW YORK METS

A discussion of the top players in the Mets’ farm system often begins with slick-fielding shortstop Andres Gimenez. Factor in his advanced on-base ability, and the Mets believe they have a special player in the 19-year-old Venezuelan.

Gimenez ended 2017 as the Mets’ top prospect, ahead of lefthander David Peterson and righthander Justin Dunn. The organization’s top prospect heading into 2017, Amed Rosario, arrived at the big leagues in August and is expected to be the Mets’ everyday shortstop.

Gimenez, who signed for $1.2 million in 2015, hit .265/.346/.349 with four home runs in 92 games last season at low Class A Columbia, where he played almost exclusively at shortstop. But

there is thought in the organization that Gimenez’s future will come at second base, given Rosario’s recent arrival to the majors.

“We think (Gimenez) is a pretty special one,” assistant general manager John Ricco said. “We were pretty aggressive with pushing him to Columbia last year at 18 years old, and he held his own, clearly, there.

“Everybody who sees him raves about his ability, and it’s not just his talent, but it’s his makeup and instincts for the game. He just stands out, and that is why we feel comfortable pushing him, because he does have such a good feel for the game.”

Gimenez, who bats lefthanded, is advanced for his age in terms of plate discipline, according to a scout who has watched him extensively. In his 2016 pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, he hit .350/.469/.523 and led the league in on-base percentage.

“I think we are going to see some power from him down the road,” the scout said, “and he’s got a very good idea of the strike zone for a young kid.”

Among infielders in the Mets’ system, only Luis Guillorme rates ahead of Gimenez defensively, according to a major league talent evaluator who has seen both players.

“(Gimenez) is smart and has sure hands,” the evaluator said. “He has a plus arm that is accurate. He is solid.”

—MIKE PUMA

PHILADELPHIA

PHILLIES

Lefthander JoJo Romero began his college career in the bullpen at Nevada,

transferred to Yavapai (Ariz.) JC as a sophomore and planned to enroll at Arizona for his junior year. He never made it to Tucson.

The Phillies selected Romero in the fourth round in 2016. He signed and has quickly become one of the organization’s top pitching prospects.

“Signing was the best decision I’ve made,” said the 21-year-old Romero, who signed for an above-slot $800,000.

In his first full season in 2017, the Oxnard, Calif., native posted a 2.16 ERA in 23 starts at low Class A Lakewood and high Class A Clearwater. He gave up 104 hits, struck out 128 and walked 36 in 129 innings.

“He had a great year developmentally,” farm director Joe Jordan said. “He really figured out what he had and how to use it.”

Romero, a 6-foot southpaw, throws what Jordan called “a true plus sinker” and a four-seam fastball up to 95 mph. He complements that with an offspeed repertoire highlighted by a plus changeup that helped him lead Yavapai to the national junior college title in 2016. He pitched a complete game and struck out 15 in the title game.

Romero credited Jerry Dawson, his pitching coach at Yavapai, for helping get him ready for the pro game.

“He’s a wizard,” Romero said.

Romero believes his biggest improvement in 2017 came in learning the subtleties of pitching.

“My pitchability came a long way,” he said. “I worked more on being a pitcher instead of a thrower. I got to pitch against Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, and just seeing hitters like that who have big presences at home plate—you really have to get into that deeper analytical side of baseball. You really have to use your intelligence and study the scouting reports.”

Romero faced those two brilliant Blue Jays prospects in his final start of 2017. He needed just 70 pitches to complete six innings of walk-free, four-hit ball and he gave up just an unearned run to lead Clearwater to a 3-1 win.

“I saw that game,” Jordan said. “He shredded that lineup.”

Romero will compete for a spot in the Double-A Reading rotation.

—JIM SALISBURY

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

The Pirates will have their potential future double-play duo of Pacific-12 Conference middle infielders named Kevin together in big league camp in 2018 for the first time.

The Pirates selected Arizona star Kevin Newman and UCLA’s Kevin Kramer in the first and second rounds, respectively, of the 2015 draft, both as

shortstops.

Newman appeared at big league camp a year ago, but the 24-year-old Kramer will be there for the first time. He shifted to second base upon turning pro, and his development reminds some of former Pirates stalwart Neil Walker

The lefthanded-hitting Kramer has always been known for good bat control going back to his days with the Bruins, when he helped them to a College World Series title in 2013 and hit .323 as a junior. In recent seasons, however, he has been working on elevating the ball to improve his power numbers.

He hasn’t become a home run hitter yet, though he launched six while batting .297/.380/.500 in 53 games at Double-A Altoona in 2017 before his season was shortened by a hand injury.

In the Arizona Fall League, Kramer continued to swing for elevation, hitting a pair of home runs in 16 games.

“The guy can hit,” Altoona manager Michael Ryan said. “He’s a gap-to-gap guy. He gets the barrel of the bat on the ball and his strike-zone awareness is excellent. He sticks in there against lefthanded pitchers. He knows what he’s doing. The power potential is going to be there, and he hits a ton of doubles.”

And Kramer is showing power to the opposite field as well as the pull side.

“Altoona is a big park to right field, and he’s hitting the ball over the fence there,” Ryan said. “He was going out of the park to left field, too . . . Long-term, he’s a doubles guy, but he can be a 15-20 home run guy.”

Kramer will likely spend 2018 at Triple-A Indianapolis, but he could have a clearer path to the big leagues if the Pirates decide to trade Josh Harrison. He spent time at shortstop in instructional league to prepare him to play multiple positions.

—DUSTIN DOPIRAK

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

As the Cardinals set out to reshape their bullpen this winter and, perhaps, conjure a closer, the front office couldn’t help but keep in mind two names they kept hearing.

That’s because other teams wanted to trade for them.

For the previous two offseasons, Jordan Hicks, a 21-year-old power righthander with present athleticism, has been a starter more familiar in trade talks than prospect rankings because of his raw tools. This past year, 23-year-old righthander Ryan Helsley joined him as a coveted piece of any trade talks.

Internally, the Cardinals see Hicks as a potential closer. Externally, Helsley draws comparisons with one of the Cardinals’ recent all-star closer, Trevor Rosenthal

Mets shortstop Andres Gimenez held his own as an 18-year-old at low Class A.

“Those (pitchers) are sort of longterm bets, but they are—I can tell you this, in any type of deal we ever talk about or dream about, those names come up,” president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. “Both guys can run it up there upper 90s. Hicks can even hit triple-digits.”

Hicks, a 2015 third-rounder out of high school in Houston, spent 2017 at the Cardinals’ two Class A affiliates. He recorded a 2.74 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 105 innings while starting in 19 of 22 appearances. He has a feel for a breaking ball and is learning to use it against a fastball that he can get up to 101 mph.

Hicks holds his velocity late in starts, but the Cardinals believe he can be even sharper if unleashed as a reliever. He walked 3.9 per nine innings last season.

Helsley, a 2015 fifth-rounder from Northeastern State (Okla.), reached Triple-A Memphis at the end of 2017, but spent most of the year at high Class A Palm Beach. He struck out 137 in 132.1 innings with a 2.72 ERA and 3.3 walks per nine.

Though Hicks and Helsley have limited experience above Class A, the Cardinals have this duo in mind as they keep spots open in the bullpen to be won in spring training or later in summer.

“Those guys are going to have a positive impact on our major league club,” Mozeliak said. “They both have electric arms. When I look at the future of our bullpen, those two names stand out.”

—DERRICK GOOLD

SAN DIEGO PADRES

Trey Wingenter had already shot past 6-foot-2 as a rising senior when he showed up at camp for a summer travel team looking to catch or play first base. It didn’t take long for Atlanta Blue Jays pitching coach Steve Loureiro to lure Wingenter to a more suitable spot on the diamond: the mound.

“That,” Wingenter said, “changed my life.”

The Huntsville, Ala., native began reaching 90 mph after receiving his first real instruction under Loureiro. The righthander threw three no-hitters his senior year at Jones High, and then added a few more inches to his frame and ticks to his fastball at Auburn. Wingenter was pitching at 95 mph when the Padres selected him in the 17th round in in 2015.

Today, the 23-year-old—a reliever at Double-A San Antonio in 2017—stands 6-foot-7 and touches 100 mph.

The latest jump in velocity arrived after an actual offseason.

“My arm was hanging a little bit

going into (my pro debut in 2015),” Wingenter said. “Then finally after that first year, after (instructional league), I got to put the ball down and not throw for the first time in four years. I think that let everything heal up. I worked with some good people in the offseason on strength and conditioning and getting my body to work in its best fashion.

“When I came back in spring training (in 2016), my arm felt great for the first time in years, and my velocity starting going up.”

Discovering an effective slider was the final piece for Wingenter as he settled into the Missions’ bullpen. Armed with a grip lifted from Charles Nading, a San Antonio teammate until his July release, Wingenter pushed his strikeout rate to a career-best 12.1 per nine innings in 2017 while fashioning a 2.45 ERA, 20 saves and career-low .193 opponent average over 47.2 innings.

“(The velocity) helps, but the thing that’s improved throughout the year is his slider,” San Antonio manager Phillip Wellman said. “Sometimes it’s just absolutely unfair when he throws a 99-100 (mph) fastball and comes back with an 0-2 slider.

“He’s made a lot of hitters look bad.”

Up next: Triple-A hitters—if not major league ones.

—JEFF SANDERS

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Righthander Sam Wolff has pitched effectively in his five-year pro career— when he has been healthy.

The 26-year-old Wolff, whom the

Giants acquired from the Rangers in the Matt Moore trade in December, has endured more than his share of injuries.

A torn Achilles tendon cost him the 2015 season. A right forearm strain forced him to miss the final three months of the 2016 season. And then last season he thrived at Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock before he tore his right flexor tendon.

Wolff had surgery on Aug. 28, but in an early-January interview, he sounded upbeat.

“My arm feels great,” Wolff said. “I’ve had no pain or anything like that. It’s been pretty smooth sailing.”

Wolff planned to begin throwing in late January and expected to resume pitching competitively in June or July.

The Rangers made Wolff a 2013 sixthround pick out of New Mexico. He spent his first pro season as a reliever, then became a starter. He returned to the bullpen in 2017.

With a fastball that sits in the mid90s and can reach the upper 90s, Wolff racked up a combined 59 strikeouts in 43 innings in 2017. He recorded a 2.93 ERA in 40 appearances, while allowing five home runs and issuing 4.0 walks per nine innings.

“I definitely have the mindset of a closer,” Wolff said. “I like going out there for an inning or two (and) emptying the tank.”

Said general manager Bobby Evans: “Had he not gotten hurt, he could have very well been in the big leagues with Texas late (last season). That upside . . . when he comes back is a real asset for us.”

Assuming Wolff’s rehab and return to

the mound go well, Evans said he would be a candidate for a September callup. Wolff, for better and worse, can draw on his experience in recovering from injuries.

“It is a process and it’s something that takes time,” Wolff said. “. . . Your goal is at the end. You need . . . to trust the process of getting there.”

—STEVE KRONER

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Six-foot-7 righthander Gabe Klobosits’ expectations changed dramatically over the course of his first summer in pro baseball.

When the 36th-round pick first pitched in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2017, he was thrilled to have an opportunity. If he hadn’t been drafted, Klobosits was considering going to back to Auburn for a final semester to complete his supply-chain management degree before finding a job.

“I didn’t really perform well at Auburn, to be honest,” said Klobosits, 22. “I thought I wasn’t even going to be drafted. But getting in the right system, I knew I had a chance.”

Klobosits, who was a 25th-round selection of the Red Sox in 2014 after the first of his two successful years at Galveston (Texas) JC, struggled in his two seasons in the Southeastern Conference. As a senior, he went 0-1, 5.18 in 33 innings.

To the 245-pound Klobosits’ surprise, scout Eric Robinson liked enough of what he saw to persuade Washington to draft him. Then Klobosits went 1-0, 1.47 with 34 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 innings at three stops in the Nationals’ system, which included five innings at low Class Hagerstown.

Five of his six saves came under pitching coach Tim Redding’s tutelage at short-season Auburn.

“I learned to lead with my front hip, use my legs more and really stride down the mound,” Klobosits said. “Then (the organization’s pitching coaches) moved me to the third-base side of the rubber to have more deception with my slider.”

Though Klobosits saw immediate results, he said it helped that the coaches and managers were patient with him. With his frame, mid-90s fastball and plus splitter, they see that there’s a lot with which to work. Klobosits said his slider is still a developing pitch, but farm director Mark Scialabba sees it as another strength for the reliever.

Klobosits “leverages the baseball very well, pounds the strike zone to both sides of the plate in the low to mid-90s and keeps hitters off balance with a hard, sharp, late-breaking slider,” Scialabba said.

—LACY LUSK

Cardinals righthander Ryan Helsley reached Triple-A and could factor in the big league bullpen.

PERSPECTIVE

HARVEY SET THE STANDARD FOR UMPS

The Hall of Famer, who earned the nickname ‘God,’ died in January at 87 years old

The respect of Doug Harvey as an umpire is underscored by the fact he earned the nickname “God,” and nobody questioned it.

It wasn’t that he never made a mistake. But they were few and far between, and he learned from the ones he made. Harvey, who died at a Visalia, Calif., hospice on at the age of 87 on Jan. 13, earned a reputation for the meticulous manner in which he made a call, and he would explain over the years that it went back to 1962, his rookie season in the National League.

With the bases loaded in the ninth inning, two outs and a full count on Cardinals’ Hall of Famer Stan Musial, Harvey, in a style that was a part of umpiring back then, raised his right hand as the pitch neared home plate to signal a third strike only to see the curveball break three inches outside.

SPORTS PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS

“There I was, standing with egg on my face,” Harvey later told baseball writer Jerome Holtzman. “Musial never looked at me. He asked the bat boy to bring him his glove. Then, without turning, he said, ‘Young fellow, I don’t know what league you came from, but we use the same plate. It’s 17 inches wide.’ ”

Harvey said he never again anticipated a call.

“I introduced timing to umpiring,” he said. “That was my fit. My heritage. My legacy. Before, the umpires were always told, ‘Be quick! Be decisive!’ ”

While he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 1997, his death was attributed to natural causes.

During a 32-year big league career, he worked five World Series, including being behind the plate for Game One in 1988 when the Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson hit the dramatic pinch-hit, walk-off home run.

He also worked seven All-Star Games and nine NL Championship Series. He worked 4,673 games, which ranks fifth all-time.

Harvey will be forever known for his role in baseball. One of 10 umpires enshrined in the Hall of Fame, he was born in the Los Angeles suburub of South Gate but grew up in rural El Centro, near the Mexico border.

He was a product of an era before baseball had the modern umpiring schools.

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After working in the concession stands and as a ticket taker for a professional team in El Centro, Harvey got his first chance to umpire at the age of 16, earning $3 for working fast-pitch softball games. His father, an amateur umpire, eventually helped him get the opportunity to work in a semi-pro league in northern Mexico.

In 1958, Harvey’s path to the big leagues began. He umpired in the California League for three years (1958-60) and the Pacific Coast League for one year (1961) before beginning his 31-year career in the NL.

“Doug Harvey was the model that every umpire should strive to be,” Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan said. He came up short in Hall voting the first three times he was considered

“You could see every time he was on the field he gave every ounce of energy he had,” said Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda. “I can’t say that about a lot of guys.”

And every time he was on the field he was in charge.

There was an incident Harvey recalled when Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez was hitting, and after Harvey called ball two on the second pitch of the at-bat, Lasorda was screaming from the Dodgers dugout.

Hernandez said he told Harvey, “Don’t let those guys intimidate you,” to which Harvey replied, “Nobody’s ever intimidated me, son.”

Harvey always had the final word— on the field.

At home, however, his wife Joy made her presence felt, including a Christmas when she gave her husband a T-shirt that read: “We’ll Get Along Just Fine As Soon As You Realize I’m God.”

One of 10 umpires enshrined in the Hall of Fame, Doug Harvey spent a 31-year career in the National League, earning respect from players for his fair, even-handed style.

For updates on the efforts to keep the PawSox in Pawtucket, as well as a story on the retirement of Appalachian League commissioner Lee Landers, see BaseballAmerica.com/industry

JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF BLAST IN PATENT SUIT

The legal victory gives the company control of its market

BY TIM NEWCOMB

Blast Motion and Zepp Labs, the makers of swing-tracking technology, have settled a patent lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California that puts Blast Motion in control of the baseball market.

The court ruled in Blast Motion’s favor and issued an injunction against Zepp Labs from selling its baseball and softball sensors in the U.S., a rule that will take hold in six months.

The two parties also entered into a Settlement and License Agreement that will permit the parties to continue to distribute their respective products— whether golf, tennis or otherwise—in the U.S., with the exception of the Zepp baseball and softball products. Remaining terms of the agreement between Blast Motion and Zepp remain confidential.

“Here at Blast, we are pleased with the outcome and will continue to market and sell our products,” said Mike Woods, vice president of business development and strategic partnerships. “It’s business as usual.”

Blast Motion expects an announcement geared toward Zepp baseball customers in the near future.

“We are very happy with the outcome and the injunction against Zepp in both baseball and softball in the United States,” Woods said. “Blast Motion was an early entrant into our markets and invested heavily in innovating new technology and building an extensive IP portfolio. We welcome fair competition, but are committed to ensuring our customers and investors can leverage all of the benefits of our technology.”

Blast’s baseball “hitting solution,” a .3-ounce sensor attached to the end

of the bat, uses an algorithm to track swing data and display the results via software. The most recent release of the Blast product—also the official bat sensor of Major League Baseball—has expanded its baseline metrics beyond swing speed, time to contact, swing direction and power to include vertical bat angle, body-rotation scores and swing plane data, a new metric for the industry that Blast baseball manager Justin Goltz said came from dissecting information from top-level players

The upgrade also includes Blast

Vision, which allows players to make adjustments to their swing and see realtime results and a “cause and effect” view of their swing.

The Blast sensor, on the market for more than two years with products for baseball, softball and golf, has taken its latest iteration after mining data from the company’s close relationship with professional teams, coaches and players, especially in the minor leagues. But the sensor has seen use everywhere from MLB—the Astros have come on board in a big way, and shortstop Carlos Correa is featured in advertisements for Blast—down through college and high school teams to the growing youth demographic that can use their products to improve their swings all throughout the season and the rest of the school year.

Zepp Labs said they will continue to sell their sensor products—except baseball and softball in the U.S. after June 17—and continue to support their entire suite of iOS and Android mobile applications. In the “mutually agreed resolution” to the dispute that found both companies infringed on patents, Zepp plans to continue supporting all baseball and softball products and introduce new app features for the sports for Apple Watch and other wearable devices in the future.

With a favorable ruling in its lawsuit against Zepp, Blast Motion has garnered control of the baseball market for their swing-measuring bat sensors, which are endorsed by players such as Astros shortstop Carlos Correa.

FOR THE RECORD

OBITUARIES

LYMAN “LEON” AKERS, a second baseman who played in the Sooner State and Cotton States leagues in 1953 and ’54, died Dec. 15 in Mesa, Ariz. He was 89.

JOHN “YONKO” BASARICH, who played in the Appalachian League in 1957, died Dec. 19 in Maryville, Ill. He was 78.

JEROME BAUGHMANN, who played in the Western Carolina, Mountain States and Tar Heel leagues from 1950-51 and ’53, died Dec. 29 in Columbia, S.C. He was 89.

ATTILIO “TIL” BAZZANI, who played in the Florida State and California leagues in 1948, died Dec. 16 in Grass Valley, Calif. He was 91.

ROD BECKHAM, a minor league infielder in the Tigers organization from 1968-70, died on Dec 20. He was 69.

NICK CASTAS, who played in the Southwest International League in 1951, died Dec. 23 in Issaquah, Wash. He was 86.

MARCUS JOB, a righthander who pitched in the Washington Senators organization in the 1950s, died Dec. 16 in Windham, Conn. He was 88.

EVERETT “EV” JOYNER, a minor league outfielder and first baseman in the Cardinals, Reds, Twins and Milwaukee Braves organizations from 1949-61, died Dec. 23 in Shreveport, La. He was 91.

ERIC KATZMAN, a lefthander who pitched in the independent Canadian-American Association and Frontier League from 2011-12 and 2014, died Dec. 20 in Fair Lawn, N.J. He was 30.

BOYCE LEE “JACK” KEYS, a righthander who pitched in the Washington Senators organization from 1958-60, died Dec. 11 in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 78.

DAMIAN “DOC” KRAEMER, who pitched in the

Northern League in 1954, died Dec. 12 in Middleton, Wis. He was 87.

ALVIN “AL” LUPLOW, a major league outfielder for the Indians, Mets and Pirates from 196167, died Dec. 28 in Saginaw, Mich. He was 78. In his best season, for the 1966 Mets, Luplow hit .251/.331/.347 with seven home runs in 111 games.

DELMAR “DEL” MARQUARDT, who played in the Wisconsin State League in 1942, died Dec. 9 in North Mankato, Minn. He was 92.

ROBERT NICHOLS, a righthander who pitched in the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri and Canadian-American leagues from 1949-50, died Dec. 18 in Canton, Ohio. He was 92.

HAROLD “TUBBY” RAYMOND, a minor leaguer who played in the Cotton States and Central leagues in 1950 and ’51 seasons, died Dec. 8 in Newark, Del. He was 92.

WILLIE SANDERS, a minor league righthander in the Royals organization from 1968-70, died Dec. 26 in Jackson, Miss. He was 71.

RAY LEE SISLER, a minor league catcher in the California League in 1953, died Dec. 13 in Elverta, Calif. He was 87.

DANIEL SMIGAY, who played in the Wisconsin State and Appalachian leagues in 1948, died Nov. 29 in South Carolina. He was 87.

EVART “TRACY” STALLARD, a righthander for the Red Sox, Mets and Cardinals from 1960-66, died Dec. 6 in Kingsport, Tenn. He was 80.

In his best season, for the 1965 Cardinals, Stallard recorded a 3.38 ERA in 194 innings that included 26 starts and 14 relief appearances.

JOSEPH STOICO, who played in the Kansas City Athletics organization in 1955, died Nov. 30 in Milford, Mass. He was 85.

JAMES “JIM” STUDER, a minor league righthander in the Mountain States League in 1953, died Dec. 3 in Perrysburg, Ohio. He was 83.

THOMAS “TOMMY” TORCHIA, who played in the Indians organization from 1947-49, died Dec. 18 in Sacramento. He was 93.

GEORGE VARGULICH, who was a minor league righthander in the Pirates organization in 1947 and ’48, died Dec. 9 in New Salem, Pa. He was 93.

JACK WARD, who played in the North Carolina State League in 1951, died Dec. 22 in Salisbury, N.C. He was 90.

ARTHUR “ART” Worth, a minor league lefthander in the Phillies organization during the 1950s, died Dec. 20. He was 88.

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WINTER BLUES FOR THE BASEBALL SOUL

Cold reminders of summer

Behold the ballpark in winter, an unsettling place, like a History Channel model of a post-apocalyptic world: field and seats covered in white, billboards advertising to nobody, dugouts devoid of Dubble Bubble, bullpens bereft of relievers. Everything looks abruptly abandoned to a desolate winter, possibly a nuclear one.

And so the giant coffee cup that looms as a caffeinated colossus over Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford doesn’t jettison a spray of steam in the winter, withholding its warmth when we need it most.

Let Old Faithful or the fountains of Bellaggio issue their geysers at predictable intervals year-round. The coffee cup only erupts when a Hartford Yard Goat hits a home run. It stands at the interchange of two interstates, and reminds the 275,000 motorists who pass it on any given day—myself included—that the world is a cold, forbidding, Goat-less place, at least in winter, when nobody’s going yard.

It’s true of ballparks all over North America in winter, when racing sausages fly south, organs fall silent and food in polite society is no longer served in batting helmets. The wind blows neither “in” nor “out” in January. It just blows. And so does January. Thank heaven, then, for the short-sleeved statues standing stoic against the elements. Outside Target Field in Minneapolis, Rod Carew is frozen in time (and in fact), forever hitting singles in the single-digit temperatures. His bat is always at the ready, raised above the snow. Something about it recalls the Statue of Liberty, waist-deep in the sand,

her torch still held high when Charlton Heston stumbles on her at the end of “Planet of the Apes.” A proud monument to a happier time. In this case, summer.

Even in temperate places, the ballpark in winter is no less disorienting. A monster truck show invades Angels Stadium in the endless summer of Anaheim, as if the homeowners left on vacation and the noisy neighbors—Gravedigger, Stonecrusher, Whiplash and Mutant—jumped the fence to use the pool.

Winter brings a home show to Tropicana Field, a science expo to Petco Park and—in St. Louis—the shotgun wedding of a bridal showcase and Busch Stadium. Citi Field hosted the NHL Winter Classic, which brings a kind of frozen grandeur to ballparks every year. Indeed, it now takes a matinee hockey game in January to evoke the sun-and-shadow atmosphere that day baseball in October once did.

A few years ago, I watched the New York Rangers play hockey against the New York Islanders on a frigid January night at Yankee Stadium, where the music impresario Cee-Lo Green, in fur coat and shades, stood roughly where Yankees center fielder Brett Gardner did in the summertime. Green performed between periods, antagonized Islander fans with his pro-Rangers exhortations, and was lustily booed. When he responded by flipping the crowd double birds, Green exceeded (by one) the previous record for middle fingers extended to Yankee Stadium spectators, set by former Bombers pitcher Jack McDowell, who gave the home crowd the finger after a rough outing in 1995, earning him a timeless nick-

name: the Yankee Flipper. In other words, it isn’t all bad, the ballpark in winter. It has its moments. At Wrigley Field, for instance, the Boston ivy goes dormant, its vivid green turning brown. The very same color change happens to the fur of the Phillie Phanatic in its winter dormancy, or so I like to imagine. The Harry Caray statue outside Wrigley wears a regal white mantel of snow across his shoulders. Even in February, the great man is holding his microphone out while singing the stretch (though it still appears he is using it to hail a cab to some Rush Street watering hole).

If you cannot see a snow angel without thinking of J.T. Snow, late of the Giants, you may be ready for baseball. Even the Braves groundskeeper-turned-warning-track sprinter known as The Freeze is paradoxically waiting for the thaw, like Olaf, the snowman in “Frozen” who dreams of lying on a beach someday. “When life gets rough I like to hold onto my dream,” he sings. “Of relaxing in the summer sun just letting off steam.”

Which brings us back to the commuter, stuck in traffic on I-91 in January, passing that giant coffee cup at the Hartford Yard Goats’ ballpark, and imagining it in the summer sun, just letting off steam.

The most poignant winter ballpark monument may be the enormous tiger sculpture outside Comerica Park in Detroit. It’s a white tiger, more Siegfried & Roy than Trammell & Whitaker. It stands frozen in mid-pounce, as if turned to stone by the White Witch of Narnia, whose reign meant eternal winter— until her spell was broken, and spring came, and all the frozen creatures returned to life.

The NHL staged its Winter Classic at New York’s Citi Field this year, bringing a kind of frozen grandeur to the ballpark in January, the bleakest month for baseball.

PATRICK MCDERMOTT/GETTY IAMGES