2017 TCC Baseball Season Preview

Titan Head Coach Ryan Mummert has to replace seven Division-I players and eight starting position players from last year's team that lost in the Regional final. Although, Mummert likes the make-up of his 2017 TCC baseball club and likes that his team is relatively unknown.

"To say we were disappointed in last year's result would be an understatement", says Mummert, "but we are excited about this year's group. This team has grown close and has really shown a genuine commitment to one another. We have some talented newcomers but we still have a lot of guys that have never played college baseball. It might be a learning curve early but if they click like we think they will we will hopefully be playing our best baseball in May."

2017 TEAM BREAKDOWN
Players Returning: 11
Pos. Players - Returning Starters: 1
Pitchers w/Significant Innings Returning: 6
Newcomers: 17 (15 high school players; 2 transfers)

Outfield

The only returning starter from last year happens to be from the outfield. Some veteran sophomore's will look to step up in their final year along with some quality freshmen.

Taylor Adams (Lacey WA / Timberline HS) is the lone returning starter from last year's squad. The University of Oregon commit hit .302 with 34 runs scored and led the team with 29 walks. Adams is a plus runner, shows good bat speed and will man the center field position, but is versatile enough to play all three outfield positions. Other sophomore's to watch out for include Peter Perkins (Bellevue, WA / Bear Creek HS) and Jordan Stoner (Puyallup, WA / Emerald Ridge HS). Perkins has good physical tools and while Stoner is a hard-nosed scrappy player with good bat speed. Both players had good fall ball outings, and are plus runners that will look to lock down one of the corner outfield spots.

A couple freshmen will get a chance to crack the lineup such as Jake Wikel (Redmond, WA / Lake Washington HS) and Dillon O'Grady (Auburn, WA / Auburn HS). Wikel possesses good speed and might be one of the best defenders to come out of the state of Washington last year as a HS senior. Wikel led Lake Washington to the State Championship, and O'Grady shows some pop to go with a plus throwing arm, projecting himself at one of the corner outfield spots.

"This is a talented group but besides Adams no one is a proven commodity", states Mummert. There is lots of competition for spots and I look forward to seeing who separates themselves as we work through the non-conference schedule."

Infield

Gone are NWAC POY Jake Vieth (Gonzaga), NWAC RBI leader Harrison Bragg (Mississippi St) and two-year starters in the middle in Alex Hull (Cal St-Northridge) and Garrett Anderson (Western Oregon). Other key contributors are also gone, so the infield will be young in 2017 but shows some promise.

Returners in the infield include Mason Elliott (Cashmere, WA / Cashmere HS) and Ryan Connor (Lacey, WA / Timberline HS). While playing behind last year's starters, both are ready to compete for a starting position. Elliott brings some left handed pop and will battle at 3rd base while Connor is a plus defender and is challenging for one of the middle positions.

Multiple freshmen will look to contribute early. Collin Wolf (Puyallup, WA / Puyallup HS) has displayed good offensive skills to go with a very steady glove and will compete for the shortstop job. Elijah Johnson (Curtis, WA / WF West HS) shows some good physical tools and has some versatility with the ability to play all three infield positions. Another player from powerhouse Puyallup, Kenton Robillard (Puyallup, WA / Puyallup HS) brings solid defensive skills, a high baseball IQ and should contribute right away. Owen Parsons (Scappoose, OR / Scappoose HS) has good athleticism to go with a very projectable left handed bat. Parsons could see time at 2nd base, 3rd base, or even the outfield.

At first base, the Titans have a tough hole to fill in replacing Vieth. Alex McGarry (Vancouver, WA / Columbia River HS) is expected get an early shot to fill the void. The Oregon State commit has gap power from the left side of the plate with good speed and athleticism. Quinn Rawson (Puyallup, WA / Puyallup HS), the transfer from Washington State University, is a physical presence at 6'4", 245. The left hander possess big power and bat speed and is expected to hit in the middle of the line up and make a significant impact. Another freshman left handed hitter Austin Hamilton (Vancouver, WA / Mountain View HS) had a good Fall and will push for playing time as well.

"We are extremely young in the infield but this is a very talented group", says Mummert. "While we don't possess the power at the corners as we have had the last two-years, we are as athletic as we have been in my time at TCC and will look to utilize that strength from a defensive standpoint"

Catchers

The Titans lost all 3 catchers from last year's team with 2 moving on to D1 schools. Replacing them will not be easy and TCC will look to 3 freshmen and a converted pitcher with the hopes that someone can step up and win the job.

Dominick Zombick (Puyallup, WA / Emerald Ridge HS) has a quick release to go along with solid receiving skills and will compete for playing time. Challenging him is Vinny Guinasso (Bellevue, WA / Newport HS), a transfer from Lower Columbia College where he red-shirted last year. Freshmen Brandon Jessee (Puyallup, WA / Rogers HS) and Nick Strange (Astoria, OR / Astoria HS), who doubles as a pitcher for the Titans, are also in the running for innings behind the plate.

"This is a very inexperienced group. We do not have a guy on our roster that has caught in a college game," states Mummert. "All show flashes but we are waiting for one or two to separate themselves from the pack. As the season goes on we hope to have a clearer picture of the position."

PRIMARY RETURNING-POSITION STARTERS
Player Pos. Cl. B/T Avg. Notable

Taylor Adams OF SO R/R .302 AVG University of Oregon

TOP NEWCOMERS-POSITION PLAYERS
Player Pos. Cl. B/T Hometown (Previous School)

Quinn Rawson 1B SO L/R Puyallup, WA (Washington State University)

Alex McGarry 1B/OF FR L/L Vancouver, WA (Columbia River HS)

Collin Wolf INF FR R/R Puyallup, WA (Puyallup HS)

Pitchers

The Titans return 225 innings and 22 wins from last year's pitching staff including three starters and a couple key relievers. The pitching staff should be the strength of the Titans as the 2017 season approaches.

Returning starters from last year include RHP Garrett Westberg (Federal Way, WA / Decatur HS), RHP Teagan Lind (Beaverton, OR / Westview HS) and LHP Matthew Henckel (Gig Harbor, WA / Gig Harbor HS). Westberg was 7-1 in 66 innings with 76 SO with a 2.70 ERA. The University of Central Florida commit looks to lead the rotation again in 2017. Lind had a productive freshman campaign going 7-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 62 innings. Both he and Westberg earned 2nd Team All-West Region honors in 16'. Henckel, a Gonzaga signee, started 8 games as a freshman to go with 43 SO and a 2.63 ERA in 41 innings and looks to have a handle on one of the rotation spots. LHP Jeffrey Lusnik (Federal Way, WA / Christian Faith HS) was a key reliever last year making 10 appearances with a 2.10 ERA to also earn 2nd Team All-West Region honors. Lusnik will have an impact either out of the bullpen or possibly in the rotation. Returner RHP Garrett Smith (Gig Harbor, WA / Peninsula HS) led the team in saves last year and is expected to be one of the main arms at the back end of the bullpen again this year. TWO guys Connor and Strange, will also be key pieces out of the pen. Connor had a 1.42 ERA in 19 innings while Strange returns after redshirting last due to a leg injury.

Out of the freshman, RHP Nate Packard (Puyallup, WA / Emerald Ridge HS) and LHP George Thompson (University Place, WA / Curtis HS) are expected to make the biggest impact. Packard commands both sides of the plate with a mid to upper 80's fastball and quality secondary pitches. Thompson is a projectable LHP with a live arm. He'll run it into the upper 80's at times and with some development could have a bright future. Both are candidates for rotation spots. Other freshman that will push for innings include RHP's Justin Simanek (Kent, WA / Kentridge HS),

Colin Biggs (Vancouver, WA / Mountain View HS), and Brandon Reynolds (Wenatchee, WA / Wenatchee HS). Simanek is just scratching the surface of his potential and has a live fastball with a tight slider while Biggs was a work-horse in high school that can eat up innings in bunches. Both have the versatility to be starters or come out of the bullpen. Reynolds adds depth to the bullpen and provides a true back end of the bullpen type.

"Our team is very young, but the pitching staff is the one position that we have quality and proven returners," says Mummert. "All 6 returners are battle tested while Strange was slated to be the closer last year before the injury. We have great leadership from this group. Throw in some of the quality freshman arms we have and this is a talented group. Staying healthy is always a key to success and if we do that this group can do some good things."

PRIMARY PITCHERS RETURNING
Player R/L Cl. W-L ERA IP BB SO Notable

Garrett Westberg RHP SO. 7-1 2.70 ERA 66.2 IP 25 BB 76 SO University of Central Florida

Matthew Henckel LHP SO. 3-2 2.63 ERA 41 IP 18 BB 43 SO Gonzaga University

Teagan Lind RHP SO. 7-2 3.33 ERA 62 IP 18 BB 38 SO

Jeffrey Lusnik LHP SO. 2-1 2.10 ERA 21.1 IP 14 BB 8 SO

TOP NEWCOMERS-PITCHERS
Player R/L Cl. Hometown (Previous School)

Nate Packard RHP FR Puyallup, WA (Emerald Ridge HS)

George Thompson LHP FR University Place, WA (Curtis HS)