Post by Alum on Feb 8, 2018 18:42:49 GMT
Projected Standings
Bold indicates 2017 regional team, and records are from 2017. Teams are listed in order of projected 2018 finish.
CONFERENCE OVERALL
Sam Houston State 19-11 44-23
Southeastern La. 20-10 37-22
McNeese State 22-8 37-20
Lamar 16-14 33-25
Central Arkansas 17-13 34-26
Houston Baptist 18-12 29-25
New Orleans 16-14 30-28
Stephen F. Austin 17-13 29-28
Nicholls 15-15 29-27
Northwestern State 10-20 20-34
Incarnate Word 8-22 20-36
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 14-16 22-32
Abilene Christian 3-27 13-43
Projected Regional Teams (1): Sam Houston State
Player of the Year: Taylor Schwaner, 3B, Southeastern La.
Pitcher of the Year: Riley Gossett, RHP, Sam Houston State
Freshman of the Year: Landon Ausley, RHP, Sam Houston State
Top Prospects/Freshmen
TOP PROSPECTS, 2018 DRAFT
1 Andrew Fregia 3B/OF Sam Houston State
2 Aaron Hernandez RHP Texas A&M CC
3 Josh Green RHP SE Louisiana
4 Taylor Schwaner 3B SE Louisiana
5 Cayne Ueckert RHP McNeese
6 Cayden Hatcher RHP Nicholls
7 Tyler Gray RHP Central Arkansas
8 Shane Selman OF McNeese
9 Riley Gossett RHP Sam Houston State
10 Carlisle Koestler RHP SE Louisiana
11 Clayton Harp OF Sam Houston State
12 Hunter Hearn 1B/OF Sam Houston State
13 Nathan Jones RHP Northwestern State
14 Joe Provenzano 2B McNeese
15 Kristjan Storrie RHP Lamar
16 David Fry 1B Northwestern State
17 William Hancock C Central Arkansas
18 Robin Adames 1B Lamar
19 Hunter Strong 1B Central Arkansas
20 Tanner Driskill RHP Lamar
TOP PROSPECTS, 2019 DRAFT
1 Kyle Backhus LHP Sam Houston State
2 Hayden Wesnesky RHP Sam Houston State
3 Cole Coker OF Lamar
4 Trey Shaffer LHP/OF SE Louisiana
5 Brennan Breaud OF SE Louisiana
6 Nick Mikolajchak RHP Sam Houston State
7 Cody Grosse 2B SE Louisiana
8 Bryce Tassin RHP SE Louisiana
9 Cody Davenport RHP Central Arkansas
10 Kyle Bergeron C Incarnate Word
IMPACT FRESHMEN
1 Landon Ausley RHP Sam Houston State
2 Trey Shaffer LHP/OF SE Louisiana
3 Will Warren RHP SE Louisiana
4 Eric Bohnert OF Sam Houston State
5 Jack Rogers UT Sam Houston State
6 Robert Burke RHP Northwestern State
7 Preston Faulkner 3B SE Louisiana
8 Reid Bourque SS McNeese
9 Chase Kemp DH Lamar
10 Xane Washington OF Nicholls
Projected Regional Teams
• Sam Houston State is fresh off a super regional appearance, and chances are good the Bearkats will be right back in the regional mix yet again. Sure, the Bearkats lost some key cogs from last year’s club, namely Bryce Johnson and leader Robie Rojas, among others, but the pieces are there to yet again make some serious noise on the national stage. RHP Riley Gossett is back from an injury and put together a solid fall, while RHP Hayden Wesneski and LHP Seth Ballew round out the rotation. Wesneski will sit 88-90 and up to 91 with his natural sinking fastball. He can rare back and get up to 93-94 at times. He also can change speeds with that offering, while also mixing in a change. Ballew sits anywhere from 87-89 and up to 90 from the left side, while also showing a change as his most reliable offering. Though he’s not listed as a weekend starter, keep a very close eye on talented LHP Kyle Backhus. Backhus is a 6-foot-4, 180-pounder, who will sit 89-91 and up to 92-93 with his fastball. The Bearkats would like to see Backhus be more consistent with his other offerings, however. On the back-end, the Bearkats also have a terrific in hard-nosed option in Nick Mikolajchak, who was 87-90 and up to 91 with a fastball that has life, along with a rather unique sliding delivery. Juco transfer James Kuykendall is another solid arm to watch, while freshman righty Landon Ausley has a chance to be an instant impact arm, sitting 90-91 and up to 92-93 a times with his fastball. SHSU skipper Matt Deggs feels like Ausley will be mid-90s with his fastball sooner rather than later. Last but not least on the mound, two-way talent Jack Rogers will be an interesting guy to watch. Rogers will earn time in the DH role, along with his role as a spot relieving lefty.
With Johnson out of the mix, the Bearkats need Andrew Fregia to put together a strong campaign. Fregia is an athletic and talented guy who can play several positions. He could play catcher or in center field for the Bearkats this spring — he excels at both positions. Meanwhile, offensively, Fregia will need to cut down on his strikeouts. If he can, he’ll be an absolute menace with his ability to hit for easy power. Hunter Hearn looks to capitalize from a solid 2017 campaign, while juco transfers Tre Ochoa and Darien Simms, along with grad transfer Ben Haefner look to make an immediate impact. Haefner is rock solid defensively and offensively and has some pull side power from the left side of the plate, Ochoa is a Texas Tech bounce back who has arm strength and range and Simms is a former Arkansas signee who has impressive athletic skills.
Keep an eye on …
• Southeastern Louisiana made a solid statement with an NCAA postseason appearance last year, and coach Matt Riser and his staff feel like this team is deeper and more talented. The Lions have plenty of reasons to be excited, starting at the plate, where they welcome back some of the league’s better bats. For instance, Taylor Schwaner is one of the nation’s premier hitters and is back for another campaign, while shortstop Brennan Breaud and outfielder Drew Avans are worth watching. Breaud is a speedster who was hobbled by a bum ankle last season, while Avans is a consistent hitter with good speed and the ability to make things happen on the base paths. Southeastern also feels great about some of its newcomers, including juco transfer Cody Grosse, who has athleticism and speed, juco transfers Bryce Steckler and Nate Pilutti and freshman Preston Faulkner. Steckler has the ability to hit with consistency and make some things happen on the bases, Pilutti is a strong player with instincts and Faulkner is a very intriguing first-year player. Faulkner likely will be Schwaner’s successor at third, and he’s a good one as a former high school linebacker with big-time power potential … On the mound, Friday night starter and righty Carlisle Koestler is an interesting arm who will sit 88-91 and up to 92 with sinking action on his fastball, along with a good changeup and 83-86 power slider that continues to develop. Fellow righty Kade Granier returns from a medical redshirt and is a consistent strike thrower who has experience and will sit 87-90 and up to 91 with his fastball. Meanwhile, the bullpen is anchored by a rising premier prospect and arm in righty Josh Green, who had a big-time summer and has big-time sink on a 90-93 and up to 94 mph fastball. His changeup continues to improve and should be an X-factor pitch in 2018.
• McNeese was one of the more exciting teams in college baseball that didn’t play in the NCAA postseason last year. But this Cowboys team has a chance to make that a distant memory, as the pieces are there to make another run toward the NCAA postseason. On the mound, the Cowboys will look to lefty Bryan King to get the weekends started on a positive note. King has a quick arm and a fastball in the mid-to-upper 80s, along with an above average curveball and better feel for a change since last season. Meanwhile, RHP Aidan Anders is another mid-to-upper 80s fastball guy and RHP Tyler Wesley does a great job of moving his fastball around the zone, while also showing an ability to record punch outs via the breaking ball. On the back-end, keep an eye on juco transfer righty Cayne Ueckert, who sat low-90s with his fastball in the fall, along with a breaking ball with punch out potential … Though the Cowboys have some key hitters to replace, such as Matt Gallier and Robbie Podorsky, among others, they also welcome back some talented bats. For instance, electric second baseman Joe Provenzano is back and is one of the more seasoned players in the SLC. He’s the consummate spark plug and really gets the Pokes going. Meanwhile, Austin Nelson has physicality and is expected to have another strong season and athletic outfielder Shane Selman is a rather underrated player on the national stage. Selman tallied impressive numbers last season, hitting .333 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs, and he’s an athletic guy as well. He could develop into a relatively high draft pick with a strong showing this spring. Also keep an eye on newcomer Reid Bourque, who’s a good athlete and high IQ player.
• Lamar should be an interesting team to follow this spring as young and fiery Will Davis guides the Cards in his second season. Davis has some tools to work with after the Cardinals finished 33-25 overall in Jim Gilligan’s final campaign last year. Lamar hopes the pitching staff can come together sooner rather than later. The No. 1 starter, RHP Jace Campbell, will sit 88-90 and up to 91 with his fastball, along with good feel for a slider and splitter, while juco transfer lefty Noah Sills is a talented arm they are excited about lefty Ryan Johnson, who was injured most of last season, will sit 87-89 and up to 90 with pitchability. At the back-end of games, keep an eye on righty Tanner Driskill, who didn’t have a great fall at times, but who will sit 90-92 and up to 93 with his fastball, along with good command and feel for a changeup … Offensively, hard-hitting Robin Adames is an interesting guy to watch with his 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame with serious power, while Grant DeVore is back after hitting well over .300 last season and Cole Coker could be a real breakout candidate. Coker hit just .257 last season, but he’s an athletic guy with a good frame at 6-foot-3, and a prospect who’s coming off a strong summer. Meanwhile, watch out for true freshman Chase Kemp, who showed an advanced hit tool in the fall and should be an immediate impact player.
The Rest of the Pack
• Central Arkansas still has something to prove, but the Bears sure have some nice upside from a pitching standpoint with righty Tyler Gray leading the way. Gray put together solid numbers last season and will sit anywhere from the upper-80s into the low-90s with his fastball, while also showing good command of the zone with a mid-80s cutter. RHP Mark Moyer will throw four pitches for strikes, while righty Cody Davenport is the absolute X-factor for this team. Davenport has big-time stuff with a fastball ranging 90-92 and up to 93 mph, along with a slider in the low-80s and curveball in the upper-70s. However, he struggled last season and must find a way to put all the pieces together … Offensively, William Hancock is expected to take a step forward offensively after scuffling at the plate last season, while first baseman Hunter Strong is one of the league’s better hitters. Strong hit .351 with some pop last season, and has good bat speed.
• Houston Baptist could be ready to make some noise in the SLC yet again this season. It all starts on the mound with the return of crafty lefty Matt McCollough. McCollough was very impressive two seasons ago before missing last season because of an injury. He’s back and is backed up in the rotation by RHP’s Zach Carter and Daniel Endsley, who finished last season with ERAs of 3.28 and .3.29, respectively. Should any of the starting pitchers get into trouble, the Huskies also have a luxury in the bullpen in All-Conference selection and righty JT Newton, who recorded seven wins and tallied a 2.15 ERA last season. Newton logged 54.1 innings last season. And while his strikeout numbers weren’t off the charts, he showed excellent command of the zone … The offense is the question mark for the Huskies, who will need some guys to rise to the occasion to meet their 2018 goals. With that said, Spencer Halloran is a consistent bat and solid returning starter, while Tyler Depreta-Johnson is coming off a solid campaign and is a rock in the middle infield.
• New Orleans has a little give and take this season. The Privateers have one of the league’s premier arms in 6-foot, 205 pound lefty Bryan Warzek. Warzek put together a strong 2017 campaign, going 8-2 with a 2.12 ERA in 101.2 innings with 94 strikeouts and 33 walks. However, UNO also has the tough chore of replacing a pair of weekend starters in Shawn Semple and Riley Hodges. Top reliever Reeves Martin is back to anchor the bullpen, but they’ll need guys like lefty Chris DeMayo to put together strong campaigns … Offensively, keep an eye on John Cable and Owen Magee, who return to the lineup after hitting .349 and .314, respectively, last season, while key power hitter Orynn Veillon is back in the saddle after smacking 15 homers last year. His return is huge considering UNO must replace the power bats of Hezekiah Randolph and Tristan Clarke, who finished last season with a total of 23 homers.
• SFA surprised some last season by finishing 17-13 in the SLC. Can the Lumberjacks emulate that performance this season? It’s possible, but there are questions to answer. For instance, the pitching staff is a legitimate concern with senior Trevor Kiminski and junior Seth Campbell leading the way. Both pitchers have some upside, but both also finished last season with ERAs of 5.40 and 5.92, respectively. That’ll need to improve for the ‘Jacks to make another statement. Meanwhile, lefthanded Tyler Starks is a good one to watch. Starks logged 37.2 innings last season and struck out 50 while walking just 18 … Offensively, Josh Evans and Jhon Santos have power potential, while outfielder Nick Deal is a really interesting player to watch. The 5-foot-10 prospect has speed and athleticism and is coming off quite an impressive offensive campaign. SFA also has high hopes for projected corner outfielder Nic Minor.
• Nicholls hopes to make a strong move back toward the top of the conference with the return and addition of some solid arms at the back-end of the bullpen. The Colonels feels like the starting rotation will be improved with senior lefty Alex Ernestine leading the way. Juco transfer righty Parker White is a sinker/slider guy who should fit nicely into the No. 2 starting spot, and they expect sophomore lefty Bryan Taylor to take a huge step forward. Taylor struggled last season with an ERA north of six in limited innings. But he showed better stuff and maturity in the fall. The most intriguing arm to watch for Nicholls is reliever and righty Cayden Hatcher, who’s a sinker/slider pitcher who has been up to 93-94 with his fastball. Another righty, Adam Tarver, also is a key bullpen piece … The Colonels enjoy a terrific tandem up the middle with Ethan Valdez and Joey Morales leading the way. Both guys are solid defenders and are expected to take a step forward from an offensive standpoint. They also welcome back lefthanded hitting catcher Kyle Knauth, who has power and hit four homers last year despite missing a couple of months because of a hamate bone injury. Meanwhile, keep an eye on true freshman outfielder Xane Washington, who left a strong impression in the fall and has an above average run tool with some pull side pop for the left side.
• Northwestern State had a tough 2017 campaign, but the Demons hope to make that season a distant memory with a bounce back campaign in 2018. The Demons will lead off the weekend rotation with a juco transfer in lefty Ridge Heisler, who will sit in the upper-80s with his fastball, and who has pitchability and a funky delivery. Junior righty Nathan Jones has big-time potential and showed more velocity with better secondary stuff in the fall and freshman Robert Burke should make an instant impact. Burke isa. Righty who sits in the low-90s with his fastball with good pitchability … Offensively, the Demons are excited about juco transfer Sam Taylor, who made a strong impression in the fall with a mature approach, while first baseman David Fry is the big bopper in this lineup. He’s a versatile player who hit .340 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs last season. J.P. Lagreco and Austin Stegall are other juco transfers to watch. Lagreco will likely occupy the DH role and has big-time power potential, while Stegall has gap power and will certainly be a home-run threat for the Demons.
• Incarnate Word ushers in a new era with the addition of head coach Pat Hallmark, who came from Missouri as the pitching coach, while before that, he was a long-time assistant at Rice. Clearly, UIW must make significant strides on the mound. Righty Bernie Martinez has big upside and will pitch 87-90 and up to 91-92 mph with his fastball, while also having feel for four pitches. UIW also is excited about projected No. 3 starting pitcher, righty Tyler Miller, who sits 89-91 and up to 92 and 93 with his fastball, along with a slider in the 80-84 range and a solid curveball. He also continues to make some notable strides with his change … Offensively, catcher Kyle Bergeron is certainly one to watch. Bergeron continues to involve and has a chance to be special. He has solid power and athleticism/speed, and has the versatility to play several positions in the field. With that said, from an offensive standpoint, UIW is working on his plate discipline.
• Texas A&M Corpus Christi has several new faces that must make a quick transition this season, but the Islanders have a chance to have one of the premier arms in the country in righthander Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez missed last season for academic reasons, but is back and ready to make a statement. He has a low-to-mid 90s fastball with an above-average breaking ball and a changeup that continues to make strides. RHP’s Chris Cooper (3.78) and David Worrell (4.47) anchor the bullpen, while Luke Marbach and Dalton Stark are the key returning hitters to watch.
• Abilene Christian struggled immensely last season, but hopes to take a sizable step forward this season. The Wildcats welcome back one of he league’s premier hitters in Luis Trevino, who finished last season with a .366 average, 18 doubles, four homers and 43 RBIs.. They also welcome back a good one in two-way talent Derek Scott. Scott had a productive 2017 at the plate, hitting well over .290 with some power production, while also making six starts, eight total appearances and tallying a 3.96 ERA in 36.1 innings on the mound. Speaking of the pitching staff, keep an eye on talented arm and anchor Drew Hanson, who will need to show more consistency this spring.
Bold indicates 2017 regional team, and records are from 2017. Teams are listed in order of projected 2018 finish.
CONFERENCE OVERALL
Sam Houston State 19-11 44-23
Southeastern La. 20-10 37-22
McNeese State 22-8 37-20
Lamar 16-14 33-25
Central Arkansas 17-13 34-26
Houston Baptist 18-12 29-25
New Orleans 16-14 30-28
Stephen F. Austin 17-13 29-28
Nicholls 15-15 29-27
Northwestern State 10-20 20-34
Incarnate Word 8-22 20-36
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 14-16 22-32
Abilene Christian 3-27 13-43
Projected Regional Teams (1): Sam Houston State
Player of the Year: Taylor Schwaner, 3B, Southeastern La.
Pitcher of the Year: Riley Gossett, RHP, Sam Houston State
Freshman of the Year: Landon Ausley, RHP, Sam Houston State
Top Prospects/Freshmen
TOP PROSPECTS, 2018 DRAFT
1 Andrew Fregia 3B/OF Sam Houston State
2 Aaron Hernandez RHP Texas A&M CC
3 Josh Green RHP SE Louisiana
4 Taylor Schwaner 3B SE Louisiana
5 Cayne Ueckert RHP McNeese
6 Cayden Hatcher RHP Nicholls
7 Tyler Gray RHP Central Arkansas
8 Shane Selman OF McNeese
9 Riley Gossett RHP Sam Houston State
10 Carlisle Koestler RHP SE Louisiana
11 Clayton Harp OF Sam Houston State
12 Hunter Hearn 1B/OF Sam Houston State
13 Nathan Jones RHP Northwestern State
14 Joe Provenzano 2B McNeese
15 Kristjan Storrie RHP Lamar
16 David Fry 1B Northwestern State
17 William Hancock C Central Arkansas
18 Robin Adames 1B Lamar
19 Hunter Strong 1B Central Arkansas
20 Tanner Driskill RHP Lamar
TOP PROSPECTS, 2019 DRAFT
1 Kyle Backhus LHP Sam Houston State
2 Hayden Wesnesky RHP Sam Houston State
3 Cole Coker OF Lamar
4 Trey Shaffer LHP/OF SE Louisiana
5 Brennan Breaud OF SE Louisiana
6 Nick Mikolajchak RHP Sam Houston State
7 Cody Grosse 2B SE Louisiana
8 Bryce Tassin RHP SE Louisiana
9 Cody Davenport RHP Central Arkansas
10 Kyle Bergeron C Incarnate Word
IMPACT FRESHMEN
1 Landon Ausley RHP Sam Houston State
2 Trey Shaffer LHP/OF SE Louisiana
3 Will Warren RHP SE Louisiana
4 Eric Bohnert OF Sam Houston State
5 Jack Rogers UT Sam Houston State
6 Robert Burke RHP Northwestern State
7 Preston Faulkner 3B SE Louisiana
8 Reid Bourque SS McNeese
9 Chase Kemp DH Lamar
10 Xane Washington OF Nicholls
Projected Regional Teams
• Sam Houston State is fresh off a super regional appearance, and chances are good the Bearkats will be right back in the regional mix yet again. Sure, the Bearkats lost some key cogs from last year’s club, namely Bryce Johnson and leader Robie Rojas, among others, but the pieces are there to yet again make some serious noise on the national stage. RHP Riley Gossett is back from an injury and put together a solid fall, while RHP Hayden Wesneski and LHP Seth Ballew round out the rotation. Wesneski will sit 88-90 and up to 91 with his natural sinking fastball. He can rare back and get up to 93-94 at times. He also can change speeds with that offering, while also mixing in a change. Ballew sits anywhere from 87-89 and up to 90 from the left side, while also showing a change as his most reliable offering. Though he’s not listed as a weekend starter, keep a very close eye on talented LHP Kyle Backhus. Backhus is a 6-foot-4, 180-pounder, who will sit 89-91 and up to 92-93 with his fastball. The Bearkats would like to see Backhus be more consistent with his other offerings, however. On the back-end, the Bearkats also have a terrific in hard-nosed option in Nick Mikolajchak, who was 87-90 and up to 91 with a fastball that has life, along with a rather unique sliding delivery. Juco transfer James Kuykendall is another solid arm to watch, while freshman righty Landon Ausley has a chance to be an instant impact arm, sitting 90-91 and up to 92-93 a times with his fastball. SHSU skipper Matt Deggs feels like Ausley will be mid-90s with his fastball sooner rather than later. Last but not least on the mound, two-way talent Jack Rogers will be an interesting guy to watch. Rogers will earn time in the DH role, along with his role as a spot relieving lefty.
With Johnson out of the mix, the Bearkats need Andrew Fregia to put together a strong campaign. Fregia is an athletic and talented guy who can play several positions. He could play catcher or in center field for the Bearkats this spring — he excels at both positions. Meanwhile, offensively, Fregia will need to cut down on his strikeouts. If he can, he’ll be an absolute menace with his ability to hit for easy power. Hunter Hearn looks to capitalize from a solid 2017 campaign, while juco transfers Tre Ochoa and Darien Simms, along with grad transfer Ben Haefner look to make an immediate impact. Haefner is rock solid defensively and offensively and has some pull side power from the left side of the plate, Ochoa is a Texas Tech bounce back who has arm strength and range and Simms is a former Arkansas signee who has impressive athletic skills.
Keep an eye on …
• Southeastern Louisiana made a solid statement with an NCAA postseason appearance last year, and coach Matt Riser and his staff feel like this team is deeper and more talented. The Lions have plenty of reasons to be excited, starting at the plate, where they welcome back some of the league’s better bats. For instance, Taylor Schwaner is one of the nation’s premier hitters and is back for another campaign, while shortstop Brennan Breaud and outfielder Drew Avans are worth watching. Breaud is a speedster who was hobbled by a bum ankle last season, while Avans is a consistent hitter with good speed and the ability to make things happen on the base paths. Southeastern also feels great about some of its newcomers, including juco transfer Cody Grosse, who has athleticism and speed, juco transfers Bryce Steckler and Nate Pilutti and freshman Preston Faulkner. Steckler has the ability to hit with consistency and make some things happen on the bases, Pilutti is a strong player with instincts and Faulkner is a very intriguing first-year player. Faulkner likely will be Schwaner’s successor at third, and he’s a good one as a former high school linebacker with big-time power potential … On the mound, Friday night starter and righty Carlisle Koestler is an interesting arm who will sit 88-91 and up to 92 with sinking action on his fastball, along with a good changeup and 83-86 power slider that continues to develop. Fellow righty Kade Granier returns from a medical redshirt and is a consistent strike thrower who has experience and will sit 87-90 and up to 91 with his fastball. Meanwhile, the bullpen is anchored by a rising premier prospect and arm in righty Josh Green, who had a big-time summer and has big-time sink on a 90-93 and up to 94 mph fastball. His changeup continues to improve and should be an X-factor pitch in 2018.
• McNeese was one of the more exciting teams in college baseball that didn’t play in the NCAA postseason last year. But this Cowboys team has a chance to make that a distant memory, as the pieces are there to make another run toward the NCAA postseason. On the mound, the Cowboys will look to lefty Bryan King to get the weekends started on a positive note. King has a quick arm and a fastball in the mid-to-upper 80s, along with an above average curveball and better feel for a change since last season. Meanwhile, RHP Aidan Anders is another mid-to-upper 80s fastball guy and RHP Tyler Wesley does a great job of moving his fastball around the zone, while also showing an ability to record punch outs via the breaking ball. On the back-end, keep an eye on juco transfer righty Cayne Ueckert, who sat low-90s with his fastball in the fall, along with a breaking ball with punch out potential … Though the Cowboys have some key hitters to replace, such as Matt Gallier and Robbie Podorsky, among others, they also welcome back some talented bats. For instance, electric second baseman Joe Provenzano is back and is one of the more seasoned players in the SLC. He’s the consummate spark plug and really gets the Pokes going. Meanwhile, Austin Nelson has physicality and is expected to have another strong season and athletic outfielder Shane Selman is a rather underrated player on the national stage. Selman tallied impressive numbers last season, hitting .333 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs, and he’s an athletic guy as well. He could develop into a relatively high draft pick with a strong showing this spring. Also keep an eye on newcomer Reid Bourque, who’s a good athlete and high IQ player.
• Lamar should be an interesting team to follow this spring as young and fiery Will Davis guides the Cards in his second season. Davis has some tools to work with after the Cardinals finished 33-25 overall in Jim Gilligan’s final campaign last year. Lamar hopes the pitching staff can come together sooner rather than later. The No. 1 starter, RHP Jace Campbell, will sit 88-90 and up to 91 with his fastball, along with good feel for a slider and splitter, while juco transfer lefty Noah Sills is a talented arm they are excited about lefty Ryan Johnson, who was injured most of last season, will sit 87-89 and up to 90 with pitchability. At the back-end of games, keep an eye on righty Tanner Driskill, who didn’t have a great fall at times, but who will sit 90-92 and up to 93 with his fastball, along with good command and feel for a changeup … Offensively, hard-hitting Robin Adames is an interesting guy to watch with his 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame with serious power, while Grant DeVore is back after hitting well over .300 last season and Cole Coker could be a real breakout candidate. Coker hit just .257 last season, but he’s an athletic guy with a good frame at 6-foot-3, and a prospect who’s coming off a strong summer. Meanwhile, watch out for true freshman Chase Kemp, who showed an advanced hit tool in the fall and should be an immediate impact player.
The Rest of the Pack
• Central Arkansas still has something to prove, but the Bears sure have some nice upside from a pitching standpoint with righty Tyler Gray leading the way. Gray put together solid numbers last season and will sit anywhere from the upper-80s into the low-90s with his fastball, while also showing good command of the zone with a mid-80s cutter. RHP Mark Moyer will throw four pitches for strikes, while righty Cody Davenport is the absolute X-factor for this team. Davenport has big-time stuff with a fastball ranging 90-92 and up to 93 mph, along with a slider in the low-80s and curveball in the upper-70s. However, he struggled last season and must find a way to put all the pieces together … Offensively, William Hancock is expected to take a step forward offensively after scuffling at the plate last season, while first baseman Hunter Strong is one of the league’s better hitters. Strong hit .351 with some pop last season, and has good bat speed.
• Houston Baptist could be ready to make some noise in the SLC yet again this season. It all starts on the mound with the return of crafty lefty Matt McCollough. McCollough was very impressive two seasons ago before missing last season because of an injury. He’s back and is backed up in the rotation by RHP’s Zach Carter and Daniel Endsley, who finished last season with ERAs of 3.28 and .3.29, respectively. Should any of the starting pitchers get into trouble, the Huskies also have a luxury in the bullpen in All-Conference selection and righty JT Newton, who recorded seven wins and tallied a 2.15 ERA last season. Newton logged 54.1 innings last season. And while his strikeout numbers weren’t off the charts, he showed excellent command of the zone … The offense is the question mark for the Huskies, who will need some guys to rise to the occasion to meet their 2018 goals. With that said, Spencer Halloran is a consistent bat and solid returning starter, while Tyler Depreta-Johnson is coming off a solid campaign and is a rock in the middle infield.
• New Orleans has a little give and take this season. The Privateers have one of the league’s premier arms in 6-foot, 205 pound lefty Bryan Warzek. Warzek put together a strong 2017 campaign, going 8-2 with a 2.12 ERA in 101.2 innings with 94 strikeouts and 33 walks. However, UNO also has the tough chore of replacing a pair of weekend starters in Shawn Semple and Riley Hodges. Top reliever Reeves Martin is back to anchor the bullpen, but they’ll need guys like lefty Chris DeMayo to put together strong campaigns … Offensively, keep an eye on John Cable and Owen Magee, who return to the lineup after hitting .349 and .314, respectively, last season, while key power hitter Orynn Veillon is back in the saddle after smacking 15 homers last year. His return is huge considering UNO must replace the power bats of Hezekiah Randolph and Tristan Clarke, who finished last season with a total of 23 homers.
• SFA surprised some last season by finishing 17-13 in the SLC. Can the Lumberjacks emulate that performance this season? It’s possible, but there are questions to answer. For instance, the pitching staff is a legitimate concern with senior Trevor Kiminski and junior Seth Campbell leading the way. Both pitchers have some upside, but both also finished last season with ERAs of 5.40 and 5.92, respectively. That’ll need to improve for the ‘Jacks to make another statement. Meanwhile, lefthanded Tyler Starks is a good one to watch. Starks logged 37.2 innings last season and struck out 50 while walking just 18 … Offensively, Josh Evans and Jhon Santos have power potential, while outfielder Nick Deal is a really interesting player to watch. The 5-foot-10 prospect has speed and athleticism and is coming off quite an impressive offensive campaign. SFA also has high hopes for projected corner outfielder Nic Minor.
• Nicholls hopes to make a strong move back toward the top of the conference with the return and addition of some solid arms at the back-end of the bullpen. The Colonels feels like the starting rotation will be improved with senior lefty Alex Ernestine leading the way. Juco transfer righty Parker White is a sinker/slider guy who should fit nicely into the No. 2 starting spot, and they expect sophomore lefty Bryan Taylor to take a huge step forward. Taylor struggled last season with an ERA north of six in limited innings. But he showed better stuff and maturity in the fall. The most intriguing arm to watch for Nicholls is reliever and righty Cayden Hatcher, who’s a sinker/slider pitcher who has been up to 93-94 with his fastball. Another righty, Adam Tarver, also is a key bullpen piece … The Colonels enjoy a terrific tandem up the middle with Ethan Valdez and Joey Morales leading the way. Both guys are solid defenders and are expected to take a step forward from an offensive standpoint. They also welcome back lefthanded hitting catcher Kyle Knauth, who has power and hit four homers last year despite missing a couple of months because of a hamate bone injury. Meanwhile, keep an eye on true freshman outfielder Xane Washington, who left a strong impression in the fall and has an above average run tool with some pull side pop for the left side.
• Northwestern State had a tough 2017 campaign, but the Demons hope to make that season a distant memory with a bounce back campaign in 2018. The Demons will lead off the weekend rotation with a juco transfer in lefty Ridge Heisler, who will sit in the upper-80s with his fastball, and who has pitchability and a funky delivery. Junior righty Nathan Jones has big-time potential and showed more velocity with better secondary stuff in the fall and freshman Robert Burke should make an instant impact. Burke isa. Righty who sits in the low-90s with his fastball with good pitchability … Offensively, the Demons are excited about juco transfer Sam Taylor, who made a strong impression in the fall with a mature approach, while first baseman David Fry is the big bopper in this lineup. He’s a versatile player who hit .340 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs last season. J.P. Lagreco and Austin Stegall are other juco transfers to watch. Lagreco will likely occupy the DH role and has big-time power potential, while Stegall has gap power and will certainly be a home-run threat for the Demons.
• Incarnate Word ushers in a new era with the addition of head coach Pat Hallmark, who came from Missouri as the pitching coach, while before that, he was a long-time assistant at Rice. Clearly, UIW must make significant strides on the mound. Righty Bernie Martinez has big upside and will pitch 87-90 and up to 91-92 mph with his fastball, while also having feel for four pitches. UIW also is excited about projected No. 3 starting pitcher, righty Tyler Miller, who sits 89-91 and up to 92 and 93 with his fastball, along with a slider in the 80-84 range and a solid curveball. He also continues to make some notable strides with his change … Offensively, catcher Kyle Bergeron is certainly one to watch. Bergeron continues to involve and has a chance to be special. He has solid power and athleticism/speed, and has the versatility to play several positions in the field. With that said, from an offensive standpoint, UIW is working on his plate discipline.
• Texas A&M Corpus Christi has several new faces that must make a quick transition this season, but the Islanders have a chance to have one of the premier arms in the country in righthander Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez missed last season for academic reasons, but is back and ready to make a statement. He has a low-to-mid 90s fastball with an above-average breaking ball and a changeup that continues to make strides. RHP’s Chris Cooper (3.78) and David Worrell (4.47) anchor the bullpen, while Luke Marbach and Dalton Stark are the key returning hitters to watch.
• Abilene Christian struggled immensely last season, but hopes to take a sizable step forward this season. The Wildcats welcome back one of he league’s premier hitters in Luis Trevino, who finished last season with a .366 average, 18 doubles, four homers and 43 RBIs.. They also welcome back a good one in two-way talent Derek Scott. Scott had a productive 2017 at the plate, hitting well over .290 with some power production, while also making six starts, eight total appearances and tallying a 3.96 ERA in 36.1 innings on the mound. Speaking of the pitching staff, keep an eye on talented arm and anchor Drew Hanson, who will need to show more consistency this spring.
