Post by D1Baseball on Feb 12, 2019 14:03:29 GMT
Fall Report: Houston
FALL REPORT Kendall Rogers - October 15, 2018
Houston is accustomed to reloading these days.
The Cougars have evolved into a postseason mainstay under the direction of head coach Todd Whitting, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
Houston has made the NCAA postseason four of the last five seasons, and also has hosted regionals multiple times. Last season, the Cougars trekked to Chapel Hill and reached the regional title game against host North Carolina before finally succumbing to the Tar Heels, who ended up in the College World Series.
Whitting and UH want to take things a step further in 2019.
Though the Cougars have some critical holes to fill, they have promising options to consider. On the mound, Houston must replace the outstanding one-two punch of Trey Cumbie and Aaron Fletcher. Cumbie had been a consistent force as a starter for the Cougars the past few seasons, while Fletcher rose to the occasion in his final season with the program.
Who could be the next Fletcher? Junior righthander Freddy Villareal and others seem to fit that mold.
Offensively, the Cougars return several key cogs from last year’s club. Hard-Hitting Joe Davis put on a show in a recent scrimmage agains San Jacinto (Texas) CC, while Jared Triolo looks to build off a promising showing at the Cape Cod League this past summer. UH has other key pieces who aren’t playing this fall because of injuries, but who will be ready to roll in a few months.
Houston
In the the first five seasons of the American Athletic Conference, Houston has been the league’s most consistent winner, making four regionals in those five years, although they haven’t been to super regionals since 2014. The Cougars finished as runner-up in the Chapel Hill Regional last spring, and most of the everyday regulars are back from that squad, but the key for UH in 2019 will be finding replacements for star weekend starters Trey Cumbie (a three-year stalwart) and Aaron Fletcher (7-3, 2.19). Six-foot-7 junior righthander Ryan Randel (5-4, 4.58) made 14 starts among his 17 appearances as a juco transfer last year, so he’s an obvious favorite for a rotation spot, especially after his velocity jumped into the 88-93 range in the fall. The UH coaches think he has the best changeup in the AAC, and they expect him to take a major step forward in his second season at the D-I level. Randel could wind up pitching on Saturdays behind fellow Jr. RHP Fred Villarreal, a sturdily built 5-foot-11 bulldog who figures to make the transition from reliever to starter after turning a big corner last summer in the Valley League, where he showed 91-94 mph heat, a very good short slider at 85-86 and some feel for a low-80s changeup. Righty Devon Roedahl, a bounceback from TCU via juco power San Jacinto College, is the favorite for the Sunday job thanks to a quality arsenal of power offerings: 89-93 heater, hard mid-80s slider and nasty 85-86 splitter. Jr. LHP Brayson Hurdsman, who made seven starts a year ago, is a fourth starting option who gives hitters a dramatically different look, as a finesse lefty with an 84-88 fastball, changeup and slider.
So there’s no established ace on this staff, but there is plenty of depth, and the bullpen should be a strength. Jr. RHP Carter Henry (5-1, 2.09, 51 K in 47 IP, 6 saves) is back to anchor the bullpen as a power-armed shutdown closer with an 89-93 fastball and a devastating slider. Tristen Bayless, a bounceback from Texas A&M by way of McLennan CC, can run his fastball up to 94 from the left side and made progress with his command, giving him a chance to team with Henry to form a dynamite duo at the back end. Freshmen Derrick Cherry and Tristan McDonough plus juco transfer Sean Bretz can all run their heaters into the low 90s from the right side with tough angle.
Houston slugger Joe Davis (Aaron Fitt)
Houston’s offense should be anchored by burly senior slugger Joe Davis (a .316 career hitter with 35 homers in three years) and corner infielders Jared Triolo (.344/.434/.457) and Lael Lockhart Jr. (.297/.425/.419), who both look primed for power surges as juniors. Triolo is an imposing 6-foot-4 righthanded hitter who led the team in batting last year and began to unlock his intriguing raw power potential during a strong summer in the Cape Cod League. Lockhart, a two-way player who should also see action as a bullpen lefty, is a switch-hitter with a compact line-drive stroke and emerging strength of his own. A major key for Houston is the middle infield, where freshman Brad Burckel and juco transfer Kobe Hyland must prove themselves against D-I competition — but the Cougars were very encouraged by what they saw from both in the fall. Burckel is polished enough at the plate and on defense to make a run at conference freshman of the year honors, and Hyland will provide a significant offensive upgrade over Cooper Coldiron at short, where he’s a solid enough defender. Jr. OF Tyler Bielamowicz (.309/.449/.456) provided a major spark in the second half last year, and his plate discipline and high on-base ability make him a valuable table-setter atop the order. The pick to click is So. OF Drew Minter, who has the biggest raw tools on the team but was still learning to harness them as a freshman. He had a monster fall and could emerge as another valuable righthanded power source.
“I think we’ve answered some questions this fall, particularly in regards to depth of our pitching staff,” Houston coach Todd Whitting said. “Losing Fletcher, Cumbie and others was a big hit, and I think a lot of those questions have been answered so far this fall.
“When it comes to the pitching staff, I’m not sure we’ll have as many front-line guys as we had last year just yet, but we’ll certainly have as much quality depth as we’ve ever had here,” he continued. “I also think we’ll have one of our better offensive units in recent years, but we’ll see how things shake out.”
Without further ado, let’s get to inside scoop on Houston’s fall workouts:
PITCHING STAFF
• Houston has been waiting for righthander Freddy Villareal to bust out and show what he’s made of. Villareal showed off a promising arm last season, but was inconsistent at times. He’s been much better so far this fall, according to Whitting. In a recent scrimmage, Villareal was 88-91 and up to 92 mph in a short stint, while also showing off his typical low-80s slider. The slider has improved since last season with more breaking action, while there’s even more velocity potential with his fastball. Villareal has been up to 93-94 in the past. Can he become a front-line starter for the Cougars? If he can — watch out.
“We have a lot of confidence in Villareal,” Whitting said. “He feels really comfortable right now, and I think a lot of that stems from his summer. He added some depth to his breaking ball — and that’s not kind of turned into a swing and miss pitch.”
• Another righthander, Ryan Randel is likely to occupy another weekend starting spot. Randel made 13 starts last season and had an ERA north of four. However, he’s having a strong fall and worked in a short stint against San Jac. Randel was 89-91 with his fastball in the scrimmage, while also showing a slider. Another righty, Carter Henry, is not throwing this fall, but also will be in the mix for a starting job, while Texas A&M kickback and junior college transfer lefthander Tristan Bayliss is another interesting arm to watch. Henry is another Whitting candidate to be this year’s Aaron Fletcher. He could end up in the starting rotation, or the Cougars could choose to put him in the familiar role at the back-end of the bullpen. Bayliss has been a little tender this fall, but when healthy, he’ll run his fastball into the low-90s with improved command. He also does a good job of mixing his secondary offerings.
• Devon Roedahl is a promising arm for the Cougars. Roedahl has fought some injuries in the past and is a 6-foot-2, 225-righthander from San Jac. Roedahl was impressive against his old team in scrimmage action, sitting 91-92 mph with his fastball, while also showing velocity on his secondary offerings. Roedahl showed an 84 mph slider, while he also attacked hitters with a nasty 85-86 mph splitter. The key for Roedahl as spring nears is simply staying healthy.
• Freshman righthander Derrick Cherry could have a bright future with the Cougars. Cherry is a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder, who threw a short stint against the Gators, but who displayed a big-time arm. Cherry sat 92-93 with his fastball, and also could help this team from an offensive standpoint with his speed and athleticism. Tristan McDonough is another intriguing young arm. McDonough is a 5-foot-11, 210-pound righthander with an unorthodox windup and throwing motion. McDonough sat 89-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball, which he located well, especially at the bottom of the zone and from a tough angle.
• Two more arms to watch include junior college transfer Sean Bretz and senior righthander Nolan Bond. Bretz is a tall 6-foot-6, 230-pounder, who attacks hitters from a tough downhill angle. Bretz has big-time potential with his arm, sitting 89-91 mph with his fastball, while also flashing an 80 mph slider. Meanwhile, Bond is one of those valuable experienced guys on the roster. The lanky 6-foot-6, 205-pounder, sat 88-90 with his fastball, while also showing some feel for a soft 73-76 mph curveball, which he was able to throw for strikes on the inside part of the plate to his armside. Lastly, watch out for 6-foot-3, 200-pound lefthander Brayson Hurdsman. Hurdsman wasn’t missing many bats against the Gators last week, but there’s potential there. Hurdsman sat 86-88 and up to 89 with his fastball, while also throwing a soft curveball at 74 mph.
POSITION PLAYERS
• One of the most important returning position players in our game is Houston’s Joe Davis. Davis was drafted in the 16th round back in 2015, but went undrafted this past summer. Yes, Davis lacks an ultra-athletic frame, but all he does is hit, and there’s value in that. Davis, a 6-foot, 230-pounder, had a terrific showing against San Jacinto, smacking a no-doubter home run over the left field wall on a fastball, while also collecting another hit. Davis played with more energy than I’ve seen in the past, and perhaps he’s someone ready to make a lasting impact in his final season with the program. Getting him back and into home run form last season was key for UH. He hit double-digit homers his freshman year before tailing back to eight homers two seasons. Then, in 2018, he was back to 13 homers. Keep an eye on Davis. I think he’ll put an exclamation point on a terrific career.
• The shortstop position is a critical one for any team, and the Cougars are no exception. The Cougars lost infield staples Cooper Coldiron and Connor Hollis from last year’s team, but have good options at those positions. At short, the Cougars have Iowa Western CC transfer Kobe Hyland and redshirt freshman Ian McMillan. Hyland is an interesting 6-foot, 200-pounder. He’s an athletic, gritty player who just approaches the game with a little pep in his step. Offensively, he worked some counts, and defensively, he showed good instincts. He didn’t have an ultra-strong arm, but he was accurate throwing to first base. He reminds Whitting of former Cougars middle infielder and Miami transfer Frankie Ratcliff. McMillan is a 6-foot, 165-pounder, who has good catch and throw skills at short, but is a little light with the bat at the moment. Should he make some strides from an offensive standpoint, he could be the starter on Opening Day.
“I think Hyland is very similar to Frankie from a few years ago. They’re almost identical players. They have the same amount of range, same arm, same swing plane and they both play hard and aggressive,” he said. “Ian is as good of catch and throw guy as you’ll see, but he definitely needs to get better offensively.”
• Also up the middle, the Cougars are excited about the potential of freshman Brad Burckel. Burckel has a young player’s frame for sure, sitting at 5-foot-7, 165 pounds. But he plays well above his physical means. Burckel is an energetic and gritty player and has had a strong fall from an offensive standpoint.
“We lose some guys up the middle, but I like what we have in some of our pieces right now,” Whitting said. “I think Burckel has a chance to be really good. He’s going to be a very good offensive player for us, and he has speed and athleticism to go with it.”
• In the outfield, Jonathan Thomas and Drew Minter stood out. Thomas is an athletic 5-foot-7, 175-pounder, much like Burckel, who can do some things with his legs. He’s definitely raw, as Whitting noted, but the athleticism is there. Minter could be my pick to click on this team. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound, sophomore, if you remember, caught my attention last fall, too, and he hit .200 in 90 at bats this past spring. Minter could’ve been better, and I think he will be in 2019. He’s a physical hitter with some definite power ability. He hit an opposite field home run in the scrimmage against San Jac on a 92 mph fastball and had another hit in the contest. I really like his potential.
• It’ll be interesting to see where Ron Brown fits into the equation in the spring. Brown is a massive 6-foot-3, 258-pounder, who wasn’t much of a factor as a freshman last season. He’s a big target and possesses some big-time power potential. He hit a triple against San Jac, and also pitched for the Cougars. He looked more polished than expected on the mound. He sat in the mid-to-upper 80s with his fastball, and showed solid command of the zone. It wasn’t blow-away stuff, but it looked like a potential steady option for pitching coach Terry Rooney in a few months. So, which role will he have in the spring?
“I still think a guy like Ron is going to do both for us,” he said. “You can’t look away from his power. He hit a triple in the scrimmage and he won the Home Run Derby at his summer league. There’s some strength in that swing of his — he’ll do both.”
• Last but not least, Kyle Lovelace is a rock for this team. Lovelace is such a treat to watch. He’s 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, and not exactly the prototypical catcher. However, he’s extremely aggressive behind the plate and is just a consistent force back there. He’s Mr. Steady, and that’s key for such an important position entering any season.
“I think he’s as good as anyone in the country,” Whitting said. “He’s one of those kids that after every weekend series, a coach from the other team will come over and compliment him because of how hard he plays. He’s plays so hard, and that’s something the rest of the team notices, too.”
• We used much of the fall report to talk about newcomers or guys taking big steps forward, but we also need to mention Jared Triolo. I’m a huge fan, and he’s a guy who could definitely be an All-American in 2019. Triolo has size, athleticism and power. He’s 6-foot-3, 212 pounds and looked the part against the Gators. He’s also been consistent for me defensively at the hot corner. Barring a surprise, Triolo will be a relatively high-round pick in 2019.
• Just to note, the Cougars have some injuries worth mentioning. Grayson Padgett and two-way player Lael Lockhart are out at the moment with some setbacks. Both should be ready to roll in the spring, with Padgett providing experience and production to the outfield and Lockhart providing experience both offensively and on the mound.
FALL REPORT Kendall Rogers - October 15, 2018
Houston is accustomed to reloading these days.
The Cougars have evolved into a postseason mainstay under the direction of head coach Todd Whitting, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
Houston has made the NCAA postseason four of the last five seasons, and also has hosted regionals multiple times. Last season, the Cougars trekked to Chapel Hill and reached the regional title game against host North Carolina before finally succumbing to the Tar Heels, who ended up in the College World Series.
Whitting and UH want to take things a step further in 2019.
Though the Cougars have some critical holes to fill, they have promising options to consider. On the mound, Houston must replace the outstanding one-two punch of Trey Cumbie and Aaron Fletcher. Cumbie had been a consistent force as a starter for the Cougars the past few seasons, while Fletcher rose to the occasion in his final season with the program.
Who could be the next Fletcher? Junior righthander Freddy Villareal and others seem to fit that mold.
Offensively, the Cougars return several key cogs from last year’s club. Hard-Hitting Joe Davis put on a show in a recent scrimmage agains San Jacinto (Texas) CC, while Jared Triolo looks to build off a promising showing at the Cape Cod League this past summer. UH has other key pieces who aren’t playing this fall because of injuries, but who will be ready to roll in a few months.
Houston
In the the first five seasons of the American Athletic Conference, Houston has been the league’s most consistent winner, making four regionals in those five years, although they haven’t been to super regionals since 2014. The Cougars finished as runner-up in the Chapel Hill Regional last spring, and most of the everyday regulars are back from that squad, but the key for UH in 2019 will be finding replacements for star weekend starters Trey Cumbie (a three-year stalwart) and Aaron Fletcher (7-3, 2.19). Six-foot-7 junior righthander Ryan Randel (5-4, 4.58) made 14 starts among his 17 appearances as a juco transfer last year, so he’s an obvious favorite for a rotation spot, especially after his velocity jumped into the 88-93 range in the fall. The UH coaches think he has the best changeup in the AAC, and they expect him to take a major step forward in his second season at the D-I level. Randel could wind up pitching on Saturdays behind fellow Jr. RHP Fred Villarreal, a sturdily built 5-foot-11 bulldog who figures to make the transition from reliever to starter after turning a big corner last summer in the Valley League, where he showed 91-94 mph heat, a very good short slider at 85-86 and some feel for a low-80s changeup. Righty Devon Roedahl, a bounceback from TCU via juco power San Jacinto College, is the favorite for the Sunday job thanks to a quality arsenal of power offerings: 89-93 heater, hard mid-80s slider and nasty 85-86 splitter. Jr. LHP Brayson Hurdsman, who made seven starts a year ago, is a fourth starting option who gives hitters a dramatically different look, as a finesse lefty with an 84-88 fastball, changeup and slider.
So there’s no established ace on this staff, but there is plenty of depth, and the bullpen should be a strength. Jr. RHP Carter Henry (5-1, 2.09, 51 K in 47 IP, 6 saves) is back to anchor the bullpen as a power-armed shutdown closer with an 89-93 fastball and a devastating slider. Tristen Bayless, a bounceback from Texas A&M by way of McLennan CC, can run his fastball up to 94 from the left side and made progress with his command, giving him a chance to team with Henry to form a dynamite duo at the back end. Freshmen Derrick Cherry and Tristan McDonough plus juco transfer Sean Bretz can all run their heaters into the low 90s from the right side with tough angle.
Houston slugger Joe Davis (Aaron Fitt)
Houston’s offense should be anchored by burly senior slugger Joe Davis (a .316 career hitter with 35 homers in three years) and corner infielders Jared Triolo (.344/.434/.457) and Lael Lockhart Jr. (.297/.425/.419), who both look primed for power surges as juniors. Triolo is an imposing 6-foot-4 righthanded hitter who led the team in batting last year and began to unlock his intriguing raw power potential during a strong summer in the Cape Cod League. Lockhart, a two-way player who should also see action as a bullpen lefty, is a switch-hitter with a compact line-drive stroke and emerging strength of his own. A major key for Houston is the middle infield, where freshman Brad Burckel and juco transfer Kobe Hyland must prove themselves against D-I competition — but the Cougars were very encouraged by what they saw from both in the fall. Burckel is polished enough at the plate and on defense to make a run at conference freshman of the year honors, and Hyland will provide a significant offensive upgrade over Cooper Coldiron at short, where he’s a solid enough defender. Jr. OF Tyler Bielamowicz (.309/.449/.456) provided a major spark in the second half last year, and his plate discipline and high on-base ability make him a valuable table-setter atop the order. The pick to click is So. OF Drew Minter, who has the biggest raw tools on the team but was still learning to harness them as a freshman. He had a monster fall and could emerge as another valuable righthanded power source.
“I think we’ve answered some questions this fall, particularly in regards to depth of our pitching staff,” Houston coach Todd Whitting said. “Losing Fletcher, Cumbie and others was a big hit, and I think a lot of those questions have been answered so far this fall.
“When it comes to the pitching staff, I’m not sure we’ll have as many front-line guys as we had last year just yet, but we’ll certainly have as much quality depth as we’ve ever had here,” he continued. “I also think we’ll have one of our better offensive units in recent years, but we’ll see how things shake out.”
Without further ado, let’s get to inside scoop on Houston’s fall workouts:
PITCHING STAFF
• Houston has been waiting for righthander Freddy Villareal to bust out and show what he’s made of. Villareal showed off a promising arm last season, but was inconsistent at times. He’s been much better so far this fall, according to Whitting. In a recent scrimmage, Villareal was 88-91 and up to 92 mph in a short stint, while also showing off his typical low-80s slider. The slider has improved since last season with more breaking action, while there’s even more velocity potential with his fastball. Villareal has been up to 93-94 in the past. Can he become a front-line starter for the Cougars? If he can — watch out.
“We have a lot of confidence in Villareal,” Whitting said. “He feels really comfortable right now, and I think a lot of that stems from his summer. He added some depth to his breaking ball — and that’s not kind of turned into a swing and miss pitch.”
• Another righthander, Ryan Randel is likely to occupy another weekend starting spot. Randel made 13 starts last season and had an ERA north of four. However, he’s having a strong fall and worked in a short stint against San Jac. Randel was 89-91 with his fastball in the scrimmage, while also showing a slider. Another righty, Carter Henry, is not throwing this fall, but also will be in the mix for a starting job, while Texas A&M kickback and junior college transfer lefthander Tristan Bayliss is another interesting arm to watch. Henry is another Whitting candidate to be this year’s Aaron Fletcher. He could end up in the starting rotation, or the Cougars could choose to put him in the familiar role at the back-end of the bullpen. Bayliss has been a little tender this fall, but when healthy, he’ll run his fastball into the low-90s with improved command. He also does a good job of mixing his secondary offerings.
• Devon Roedahl is a promising arm for the Cougars. Roedahl has fought some injuries in the past and is a 6-foot-2, 225-righthander from San Jac. Roedahl was impressive against his old team in scrimmage action, sitting 91-92 mph with his fastball, while also showing velocity on his secondary offerings. Roedahl showed an 84 mph slider, while he also attacked hitters with a nasty 85-86 mph splitter. The key for Roedahl as spring nears is simply staying healthy.
• Freshman righthander Derrick Cherry could have a bright future with the Cougars. Cherry is a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder, who threw a short stint against the Gators, but who displayed a big-time arm. Cherry sat 92-93 with his fastball, and also could help this team from an offensive standpoint with his speed and athleticism. Tristan McDonough is another intriguing young arm. McDonough is a 5-foot-11, 210-pound righthander with an unorthodox windup and throwing motion. McDonough sat 89-91 and up to 92 mph with his fastball, which he located well, especially at the bottom of the zone and from a tough angle.
• Two more arms to watch include junior college transfer Sean Bretz and senior righthander Nolan Bond. Bretz is a tall 6-foot-6, 230-pounder, who attacks hitters from a tough downhill angle. Bretz has big-time potential with his arm, sitting 89-91 mph with his fastball, while also flashing an 80 mph slider. Meanwhile, Bond is one of those valuable experienced guys on the roster. The lanky 6-foot-6, 205-pounder, sat 88-90 with his fastball, while also showing some feel for a soft 73-76 mph curveball, which he was able to throw for strikes on the inside part of the plate to his armside. Lastly, watch out for 6-foot-3, 200-pound lefthander Brayson Hurdsman. Hurdsman wasn’t missing many bats against the Gators last week, but there’s potential there. Hurdsman sat 86-88 and up to 89 with his fastball, while also throwing a soft curveball at 74 mph.
POSITION PLAYERS
• One of the most important returning position players in our game is Houston’s Joe Davis. Davis was drafted in the 16th round back in 2015, but went undrafted this past summer. Yes, Davis lacks an ultra-athletic frame, but all he does is hit, and there’s value in that. Davis, a 6-foot, 230-pounder, had a terrific showing against San Jacinto, smacking a no-doubter home run over the left field wall on a fastball, while also collecting another hit. Davis played with more energy than I’ve seen in the past, and perhaps he’s someone ready to make a lasting impact in his final season with the program. Getting him back and into home run form last season was key for UH. He hit double-digit homers his freshman year before tailing back to eight homers two seasons. Then, in 2018, he was back to 13 homers. Keep an eye on Davis. I think he’ll put an exclamation point on a terrific career.
• The shortstop position is a critical one for any team, and the Cougars are no exception. The Cougars lost infield staples Cooper Coldiron and Connor Hollis from last year’s team, but have good options at those positions. At short, the Cougars have Iowa Western CC transfer Kobe Hyland and redshirt freshman Ian McMillan. Hyland is an interesting 6-foot, 200-pounder. He’s an athletic, gritty player who just approaches the game with a little pep in his step. Offensively, he worked some counts, and defensively, he showed good instincts. He didn’t have an ultra-strong arm, but he was accurate throwing to first base. He reminds Whitting of former Cougars middle infielder and Miami transfer Frankie Ratcliff. McMillan is a 6-foot, 165-pounder, who has good catch and throw skills at short, but is a little light with the bat at the moment. Should he make some strides from an offensive standpoint, he could be the starter on Opening Day.
“I think Hyland is very similar to Frankie from a few years ago. They’re almost identical players. They have the same amount of range, same arm, same swing plane and they both play hard and aggressive,” he said. “Ian is as good of catch and throw guy as you’ll see, but he definitely needs to get better offensively.”
• Also up the middle, the Cougars are excited about the potential of freshman Brad Burckel. Burckel has a young player’s frame for sure, sitting at 5-foot-7, 165 pounds. But he plays well above his physical means. Burckel is an energetic and gritty player and has had a strong fall from an offensive standpoint.
“We lose some guys up the middle, but I like what we have in some of our pieces right now,” Whitting said. “I think Burckel has a chance to be really good. He’s going to be a very good offensive player for us, and he has speed and athleticism to go with it.”
• In the outfield, Jonathan Thomas and Drew Minter stood out. Thomas is an athletic 5-foot-7, 175-pounder, much like Burckel, who can do some things with his legs. He’s definitely raw, as Whitting noted, but the athleticism is there. Minter could be my pick to click on this team. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound, sophomore, if you remember, caught my attention last fall, too, and he hit .200 in 90 at bats this past spring. Minter could’ve been better, and I think he will be in 2019. He’s a physical hitter with some definite power ability. He hit an opposite field home run in the scrimmage against San Jac on a 92 mph fastball and had another hit in the contest. I really like his potential.
• It’ll be interesting to see where Ron Brown fits into the equation in the spring. Brown is a massive 6-foot-3, 258-pounder, who wasn’t much of a factor as a freshman last season. He’s a big target and possesses some big-time power potential. He hit a triple against San Jac, and also pitched for the Cougars. He looked more polished than expected on the mound. He sat in the mid-to-upper 80s with his fastball, and showed solid command of the zone. It wasn’t blow-away stuff, but it looked like a potential steady option for pitching coach Terry Rooney in a few months. So, which role will he have in the spring?
“I still think a guy like Ron is going to do both for us,” he said. “You can’t look away from his power. He hit a triple in the scrimmage and he won the Home Run Derby at his summer league. There’s some strength in that swing of his — he’ll do both.”
• Last but not least, Kyle Lovelace is a rock for this team. Lovelace is such a treat to watch. He’s 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, and not exactly the prototypical catcher. However, he’s extremely aggressive behind the plate and is just a consistent force back there. He’s Mr. Steady, and that’s key for such an important position entering any season.
“I think he’s as good as anyone in the country,” Whitting said. “He’s one of those kids that after every weekend series, a coach from the other team will come over and compliment him because of how hard he plays. He’s plays so hard, and that’s something the rest of the team notices, too.”
• We used much of the fall report to talk about newcomers or guys taking big steps forward, but we also need to mention Jared Triolo. I’m a huge fan, and he’s a guy who could definitely be an All-American in 2019. Triolo has size, athleticism and power. He’s 6-foot-3, 212 pounds and looked the part against the Gators. He’s also been consistent for me defensively at the hot corner. Barring a surprise, Triolo will be a relatively high-round pick in 2019.
• Just to note, the Cougars have some injuries worth mentioning. Grayson Padgett and two-way player Lael Lockhart are out at the moment with some setbacks. Both should be ready to roll in the spring, with Padgett providing experience and production to the outfield and Lockhart providing experience both offensively and on the mound.