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Wake Forest Baseball News

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Are there any updates on the team this year? Projected lineup or what freshman might bring to the table? Looking for a third consecutive year in the tournament.
 
We are now consistently putting together top 25-30 classes.

I was skeptical that Walter was going to do anything here and now the program looks in the best shape it has been in in a long while. Lets hope Manning follows the same path.
 
I am fucking jacked for baseball season this year. We have a lot to replace from last year, but without looking at news I believe we already had our back ups in place for a couple of the field positions we lost (1B but can’t remember the guys name - maybe Seal - , RF Diponzio if he doesn’t move to another OF position, Logan Harvey at C?). INF should be a strength, with Aiello, Meuller, Steel & Frick returning. Maronpot would be a good guess for a replacement for left field if I had to guess. I’m not positive who will take over the other outfield spot.

I’m also pretty excited about some of the young pitchers we saw a little bit of last year in McCarren, McSweeney, Supple, Bach, Peluse - and of course we return Griffin Roberts who should our ace. Farish is back too IIRC.

We’re set up to have another pretty damn good team
 
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Hmmmm, I opened this with the expectation that I would be getting baseball news, not being asked for it.
 
On the WF website, the bio for each player includes a quote from Walter. For the non-freshman, it appears that quotes are from last year, but for the frosh, they appear to be current. Here are some interesting tidbits about freshman expected to contribute (Walter's comments are refreshingly insightful for info disclosed on a school sponsored site):

- Shane Muntz (6-4 225) - "Will catch immediately", and may also close! Muntz was drafted by the Padres in the 2017 MLB draft, but chose to play in college.
- Michael Ludowig (6-1 210) - May hit in the middle of the lineup "from the first day he sets foot on campus". Ludowig is lefty that throws in the 90s. So, would think he would be a great fit for RF.
- Chris Lanzilli (6-2 205) - Elite bat. May play either 3B or LF "There is no question that his bat will be in the line-up as a freshman".
- Jared Shuster (6-3 190) - "Extremely athletic" and "will compete for the starting CF job as a freshman".

Finally:
- Bobby Seymour (6-4 250 - BIG BOY) "Bobby is the heir apparent to Gavin Sheets at first base".

BTW, those appear to be the freshman most likely to contribute immediately. For other incoming players, Walter's comments indicate that they will be competing for back up roles and/or for midweek pitching spots.

I believe the plan is to move Griffin Roberts from closer to starter. Guessing he will be the Friday starter. Colin Peluse who pitched very well down the stretch last year for the Deacs and during the Summer will also likely start on the weekend. Among the other candidates for the third weekend rotation spot is 6-7 LHP sophomore Carter Bach, 6-3 Junior Rayne Supple (struggled so far, but was touted out of HS, drafted by the Cubs and may finally put it together), 6-5 RS Senior Chris Farish (drafted by the Indians in 2016 did not sign) throws in the mid 90s K'd 32 in 18 innings last year), 6-4 Soph Morgan McSweeney (pitched a lot out of the pen as frosh).

Deacs need some pieces to come together, but looks like WF is now in re-load mode rather than have a nice year every so often mode. First game is February 16.
 
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Maybe it's just the guys mentioned above, but they are big overall for baseball players.
Hope that means they're all power hitters too.
 
It would be very easy to take a step back this year with all we lost. However, elite college baseball programs routinely lose a good number of starters. This year we will see if recruiting has indeed bumped us up into the "reload" instead of "rebuild" tier of programs. In any case I'm pumped!
 
Think the weekend starters will be:
Friday-Roberts
Saturday-Peluse
Sunday-McSweeney
Closer-might Be committee/match ups starting out. This is where you hope for Farish to step in.

The CF for the future is supposed to be Deponzio which will keep Maronpot in RF.

Maybe Frick can play LF. Most SS can play anywhere. Leaving a position for 1B and back up C wide open.
 
Dekin said:
Maybe it's just the guys mentioned above, but they are big overall for baseball players.
Hope that means they're all power hitters too.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I was wondering if a few can play for clawson
 
Expecting Roberts Bach and either McSweeney or Peluse as weekend starters. Farish to close. Aiello getting national press and is set to have another great year.
 
I didn't see a game scheduled in Shelby this year. That venue was a blast last year and I enjoyed meeting all the townies who attended en masse. There was some talk of an annual date there.
 
WF essentially started the same 9 in the field or at DH last year. Of those 9, 4 return:

- Johnny Aiello 3B (but has played SS)
- Logan Harvey started 31 games at C and 28 at DH
- Jake Muller 2B (but has played SS)
- Keegan Maronpot DH, played corner OF and could play 3rd or 1B if needed.

So, if Nick DiPonzio or Jared Shuster plays CF, and Muntz and Harvey split time behind the plate and at DH, that would leave 3 spots open (mostly like one OF spot, 1B/DH and then depending on where Aiello and Mueller play could be either 2B/SS/3B). Of the returning bench players, Patrick Frick played the most last year (13 starts) playing SS, 2B and RF, Nick DiPonzio started 6 and Christian Long started 5 games in the OF.
 
What happened to 2017 commit Ethan Gallagher? Looks like he's not on the roster anymore but I don't see any news about his transfer or dismissal.
 
Pilchard said:
WF essentially started the same 9 in the field or at DH last year. Of those 9, 4 return:

- Johnny Aiello 3B (but has played SS)
- Logan Harvey started 31 games at C and 28 at DH
- Jake Muller 2B (but has played SS)
- Keegan Maronpot DH, played corner OF and could play 3rd or 1B if needed.

So, if Nick DiPonzio or Jared Shuster plays CF, and Muntz and Harvey split time behind the plate and at DH, that would leave 3 spots open (mostly like one OF spot, 1B/DH and then depending on where Aiello and Mueller play could be either 2B/SS/3B). Of the returning bench players, Patrick Frick played the most last year (13 starts) playing SS, 2B and RF, Nick DiPonzio started 6 and Christian Long started 5 games in the OF.
Click to expand...

I thought Bruce Steel was coming back?
 
Pilchard said:
WF essentially started the same 9 in the field or at DH last year. Of those 9, 4 return:

- Johnny Aiello 3B (but has played SS)
- Logan Harvey started 31 games at C and 28 at DH
- Jake Muller 2B (but has played SS)
- Keegan Maronpot DH, played corner OF and could play 3rd or 1B if needed.

So, if Nick DiPonzio or Jared Shuster plays CF, and Muntz and Harvey split time behind the plate and at DH, that would leave 3 spots open (mostly like one OF spot, 1B/DH and then depending on where Aiello and Mueller play could be either 2B/SS/3B). Of the returning bench players, Patrick Frick played the most last year (13 starts) playing SS, 2B and RF, Nick DiPonzio started 6 and Christian Long started 5 games in the OF.
Click to expand...

Are you forgetting Bruce Steel or did I miss him leaving the team?
 
After asking the question here, I looked around on some of the college baseball sites and a writer on one site stated that he was excited to see our outfield of Lanzilli, Ludowig, and Poteet. I’m assuming he has heard something to be saying that. The three of them must have had a good fall.
 
Pilchard said:
Yes, Bruce Steel is back. My bad.
Click to expand...

We will only really have 2 positions where an unknown commodity will have to step in.

Our OF will be players we have seen on the field before.

1B and back up C will be the only players where I think we see a freshman start.

ETA: players who saw none (or very limited PT) progress. It seems our hitters make big jumps from fresh to soph year (Mueller/Aiello)
 
DeacsOrDie said:
We will only really have 2 positions where an unknown commodity will have to step in.

Our OF will be players we have seen on the field before.

1B and back up C will be the only players where I think we see a freshman start.

ETA: players who saw none (or very limited PT) progress. It seems our hitters make big jumps from fresh to soph year (Mueller/Aiello)
Click to expand...

I think Ludowig has solid shot to get regular PT in the OF or as a DH, but we shall see. Last year, WF started almost the same lineup all year (WF played 63 games and of the 9 position player spots including the DH, 8 players started 60 or more; Steel started 52). Guessing that WF will vary its lineup more this year.
 
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