2024 Baseball off season thread

Sarver is with the Rockford Rivets, not the Woodchucks, in the Northwoods League.

AJ Bianchina has entered the portal.

https://x.com/KendallRogers/status/1799572252574511558?t=n6PTfbRW2DXvQepmLA2oOg&s=19

USF has made their HC. Good hire, IMO.

https://x.com/diamond9errpt/status/1800355252786372658?s=46&t=yxzaEd-PudIwby_dAuBVuA

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https://x.com/diamond9errpt/status/1799786556691251334?s=46&t=yxzaEd-PudIwby_dAuBVuA

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It might be premature to look at the roster and project for next year at the moment, but here’s a look at where we sit.

I think catcher might be a big target for us in the portal. We return 0 starts in that room. Duncan returns but did not see any game action last season. We also bring in Juco catcher Cody Gunderson who looks to be pretty good offensively. I’m not sure how he is on the defensive side.

I like what we have returning in the OF with some combination of Bayne, Haire, Ector, & Sutryk. As long as we hang on to these guys, I am comfortable with our OF. We are bringing in freshman Walker Fox too.

I’m guessing we will go with Nolan at 1B. He helps us tremendously defensively there, but we could use a little more offensive production from him. Furcht started last season as our 3B and played some 2B last year. I expect him to compete for one of those spots next season. We bring back Chandler Riley from Campbell and I expect him to compete at 2B or 3B as well. Owen Fuller also returns and he saw some time on the field this season.

Shortstop is again a position of need going in to next season. Chase Pendley seemed promising, but we didn’t see him this spring. I’m assuming he was injured. We bring in Juco infielders Blake Martin from Spartanburg Methodist & Caleb Estes from Gaston College. Martin batted .500 this year (yes .500 in 126 plate appearances, had to double check) so that seems promising. Estes was originally with Maryland before going to Gaston.

We also bring in corner infielders Sean Darnell (Juco) & Cam Turner (FR). I’ll be following these 2 in the summer leagues this summer.

If I had to line us up today, here is what I’d guess:

C Gunderson*
1B Nolan
2B Furcht/ Riley
3B Riley/ Furcht
SS ?
LF Bayne
CF Haire
RF Ector/ Sutryk

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Hate to say it but it looks like a rebuilding year for us. Mr. B, care to speculate on pitching for next year?

I haven’t had a chance to dive into the pitching yet.

I can tell you as of now we are returning only 43% of our starts from last year, & 41% of our innings pitched from last year. I like some of the freshman we had last year, and I think they could make a big jump over a full offseason here. We will see how the roster settles out over the next few months with the portal and the draft, etc.

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Tanner Kaler is pitching for the High Point HiToms in the CPL.

Wesley Jones is pitching for the Strasburg Express in the Valley League.

Owen Fuller is playing for the Asheboro Zookeepers in the CPL.

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Looks like we are bringing in another SS to compete for the job this fall. His 48 SBs last year stand out. If he can play solid D, he could end up as our leadoff or 9 hole hitter.

https://x.com/GoConqs/status/1793392177906634999

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After this past year, how will we tell the difference? :flushed:

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Former Niner commit.
Some burned bridges, but they can always be rebuilt.

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Some big pieces are being added.

Added the D3 National Player of The Year, Connor Maryniak. He’s a 2 way player whose primary position is SS and will help on the mound too. I would think that he will be plugged in at SS or 3B.

He just won a National Championship and pitched the clinching game. We have started calling him the ‘D3 Ohtani’

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On a negative note…
Former Niner Christian Okerholm has committed to UTSA, with Summer numbers
13IP 24K 3H 3BB 1R .053 ERA .462 WHIP

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New transfer catcher from Vandy.

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Hard to see that as a negative. It didn’t work out for him here. He’s getting an opportunity elsewhere. Good for him.

He’s from Austin so that probably factored into his decision as well. San Antonio just 80 miles away vs 1,175 to the QC.

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Oh yeah, great for him ! The negative is that it couldnt work here !