Miami Baseball Opens Spring Practice at Alex Rodriguez Park
Jan. 28, 2011
by Rob Dunning
Coral Gables, Fla. – The 18th-ranked University of Miami baseball team officially opened spring practice Friday on a cool afternoon at Alex Rodriguez Park. The `Canes, led by 18th-year head coach Jim Morris, will be in search of their NCAA-record 39th straight postseason appearance when they open their 2011 season on Friday, Feb. 18 at home against Rutgers.
Here is an in-depth look at the `Canes roster heading into spring practice:
CATCHER
No role on the Hurricanes’ roster is as uncertain as the starting catcher position, where Miami is looking to replace an all-time great in Yasmani Grandal. Grandal, who had the best season for a catcher in UM history a season ago, opted to turn pro after being selected with the 12th overall pick of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds.
The lone returner this season with any significant experience behind the plate is junior David Villasuso, who served as Grandal’s primary back-up in 2010. Villasuso hit .245 with five homers and 20 RBI last season, starting seven games behind the dish as a sophomore, in addition to earning 19 starts at designated hitter.
A pair of newcomers will join Villasuso behind the plate, with both Cory Janson (Weston) and Shane Rowland (Tampa) having a solid chance of getting in the lineup at some point. Rowland’s dad Donny played at UM from 1982-85 and is currently the Director of International Scouting for the New York Yankees.
CORNER INFIELDERS
While some questions remain at catcher, there is little doubt around who will be starting at the hot corner in 2010. Harold Martinez enters his junior season as one of the nation’s top players and a potential first round pick in this summer’s MLB Draft. Martinez hit an ACC-high tying 21 homers as a sophomore a season ago, in addition to leading the `Canes in at-bats (241) and RBI (69) while ranking second in total bases (144) and slugging percentage (.598). Look for Martinez to again be in the heart of UM’s lineup again this season.
For the second straight year, Miami will have a new regular first baseman when it opens the season. Two-time All-ACC performer Scott Lawson’s eligibility has expired, leaving a hole likely filled by either junior Rony Rodriguez or sophomore Cade Kreuter, whose dad Chad played 16 seasons in the big leagues with seven different teams.
Rodriguez played sparingly in his first season in Coral Gables in 2010, hitting .231 with a homer and five RBI in 18 games. Kreuter, a transfer from Southern California, hit .283 with eight homers and 24 RBI in 152 at-bats as a freshman a season ago for the Trojans. Both players have made a case to start, as Rodriguez is coming off a strong fall season while Kreuter has already proven himself capable at this level. There is a strong possibility that whoever doesn’t start here will open the season at designated hitter.
Freshman Scott Weibel has the potential to play on either corner and could contribute right away if called upon.
MIDDLE INFIELD
Stephen Perez returns at the shortstop position a year after starting all 63 games there as a true freshman. Perez, one of the best defensive players in the ACC, hit .255 with eight homers, 38 RBI, 50 runs scored and a team-high tying 24 stolen bases in 2010. He will again be a key to Miami’s defensive efforts while likely hitting at or near the top of the `Canes lineup if he can put the ball in play on a consistent basis.
The second base job will likely go to sophomore Michael Broad early on. One of the more versatile players on the roster, Broad has both speed and power and could hit anywhere from No. 2 to No. 6 in the Hurricanes’ lineup.
Other options on the infield include freshman Brad Feiger, who Morris says can play all four infield spots and always gets the job done, or Joey Porro, who is a consistent player and can be relied on if called upon.Junior Thomas Powers, who served as a back-up infielder the last two seasons, had offseason arm surgery that is expected to sideline him for the entire 2011 season.
OUTFIELDERS
Miami’s outfield will look pretty familiar to fans in 2011, with junior Nathan Melendres, senior Chris Pelaez and sophomore Zeke DeVoss all returning. The three combined to start 179 games last season so there is plenty of experience to go around.
Melendres, a strong defensive player and one of the team’s best athletes, was one of Miami’s top hitters late last season – hitting .342 with five homers, 10 RBI and 15 runs scored in nine postseason games. He will likely open the season in center at bat near to the top of the lineup.
Pelaez is the team’s top returning hitter after turning in a .314 average in his first season at UM. Last season, the Miami native ranked second on the team in batting average and hits (74) while ranking third in homers (11), RBI (53) and total bases (122). Early indications are Pelaez will open the season in rightfield, with the possibility of him also spending time at designated hitter.
DeVoss, who spend some time in the fall at second base, returns in left after hitting .251 with nine homers, 33 RBI and 24 stolen bases as a freshman last season. DeVoss will bat either at the top or bottom of order to get the most out of his speed.
Freshman Dale Carey and sophomore Chantz Mack will both have opportunities to crack the starting lineup in the outfield. Carey can run and throw and is being pegged as either a right or centerfielder while Mack hit .192 in limited action last season.
Julian Santos, a freshman from Killian High School who underwent offseason surgery, is another outfielder who could enter the mix at some point.
STARTING PITCHERS
Much of Miami’s starting rotation was lost after the 2010 season, as left-handers Chris Hernandez and Eric Erickson and right-handers David Gutierrez and Jason Santana either signed professionally or graduated. That said, there are plenty of young options for pitching coach J.D. Arteaga to turn to.
Sophomore right-hander Eric Whaley was called upon late last season to start postseason games for the `Canes in the ACC Tournament and Coral Gables Regional and will likely stay in that role to open 2010. The Pompano Beach native went 5-1 with a 4.28 ERA as a freshman, appearing in 29 games and making four starts.
He will likely be joined in the weekend rotation by some combination of Steven Ewing, E.J. Encinosa and Brad Radziewski.
Ewing, who had a strong showing in the fall, enjoyed flashes of success his freshman season in 2010, finishing the year 2-2 with a 5.18 ERA in 24 1/3 innings. He appeared in eight games and started five, including allowing two earned runs while striking out six in 6 1/3 innings in an early season victory.
Encinosa earned Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honors last year after going 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his rookie campaign. The big right-hander with a live arm held opponents to a .186 average against him, striking out 61 in 49 innings of work.
Radziewski impressed the coaching staff enough in his first fall in Coral Gables that the freshman may work his way into the weekend rotation pretty quickly.
Others in the mix to start include junior Travis Miller, who has appeared in 31 games his first two seasons at Miami but has been limited by injury, or freshman Javi Salas, a big right-hander from Coral Gables High School.
RELIEF PITCHERS
The back end of Miami’s bullpen remains intact in 2011 as junior left-handers Daniel Miranda and Sam Robinson return after break-out years a season ago. Miranda earned All-ACC honors as Miami’s closer in 2010, going 5-3 with a 3.23 ERA, striking out 59 in 47 1/3 innings of work. Miranda appeared in a staff-best 34 games and garnered five saves in 2010.
Robinson boasted the staff’s lowest earned run average in 2010, going 1-0 with a 1.27 ERA, while holding opponents to a .192 average against him. The lefty side-armer was the Hurricanes’ go-to guy late in ball games during Miami’s postseason run, including tossing a career-high 4 2/3 innings while striking out a career-high four batters and allowing just two hits in Miami’s Coral Gables Regional Championship win over Texas A&M.
Another side-armer could be a big factor for the `Canes late in games as freshman right-hander Adam Sargent impressed coaches in the fall with his ability to get batters out. Some other student-athletes that will play key roles in middle relief include freshman left-hander AJ Salcines, senior right-hander Michael Rudman and freshman right-hander Sam Abrams.
Walk-on Colin McMahon adds depth from the right-side.
