247 SPORTS: Where the Oregon baseball roster stands heading into the 2021 season (1 photo, article)
Each returning player will play a pivotal role in the 2021 season, and with games under two weeks away, here’s a look at how the Ducks roster will breakdown by position groups.
PITCHING ROTATION:
Depth Chart: Robert Ahlstrom, Cullen Kafka, Brett Walker, Peyton Fuller, Isaac Ayon, Rio Britton
Notes: Ayon and Britton are two incoming freshmen who earned high-praise during Coach Mark Wasikowski’s January press conference. Whether the two see time as starters have yet to be seen, they’re included due to their high upside potential and need for depth in the starting rotation.
Analysis: The returning juniors of Ahlstrom, Kafka, Walker, and Fuller are much needed for the Ducks in their quest to remain involved in the difficult Pac-12 conference. Ahlstrom was Oregon’s ace last year but struggled in his four starts of 2020. An ERA to the tune of 6.08 and the inability to limit hard contact are two important issues the junior will need to address.
There is hope for Ahlstrom to return to his 2019 numbers when the lefty threw over 70 innings with an ERA at 3.93. Much like Ahlstrom, Kafka struggled in 2020, allowing opponents to hit over .280 against him and issuing 10 free passes in just 18.1 innings of work.
Both Walker and Fuller were impact starters, with Walker having the best season in the rotation. In Walker’s five appearances last year, three starts, he had a 0.84 ERA in 21.1 innings pitched and allowing just one walk. Walker doesn’t produce the strikeout numbers like the rest of the staff, but limiting hard contact and pitching in the pitcher-friendly confines of PK Park will help him again this year.
Both Ayon and Britton will become immediate impacts when they take the mound. Ayon’s three-quarter arm slot and arm-side run on his fastball will make things difficult for right-handed hitters, with Britton, a lefty, already showcasing a plus fastball at 90mph, according to Perfect Game, at just 18 years-old.
BULLPEN:
Depth Chart: Hunter Breault, Kolby Somers, Decker Stedman, Nico Tellache, Andrew Mosiello, Keaton Chase, Hayden Rascia, Kenyon Yovan, Caleb Sloan
Notes: There are two wild cards to this group. How impactful will Kenyon Yovan be, and who from the incoming group of freshman has made an impression in fall camp and the days leading up to the first game?
Analysis: Breault will be the highlight of this bullpen, as the junior was lights out a season ago, not allowing a run in over nine innings of work. Breault only struck out three batters last year, but his ability to get out of jams and work with all of his pitches will ultimately lead the Ducks to use Breault as their closer.
The lefty Somers had equally impressive a 2020 campaign, not allowing a run in over eight innings pitched. Somers allowed just two hits all year, as opponents hit just .077 with him on the mound.
Tellache and Mosiello seemingly will operate as Oregon’s two long relievers for the beginning of the season, and both worked comfortably in that role last year. Mosiello is an intriguing option, registering a strikeout per inning in 2020 as just a freshman. Although the righty allowed five runs in only 9.2 innings of work, opponents hit just .182.
Stedman will be another left-handed arm in Wasikowski’s bullpen, and he impressed in just a few innings of work in 2020. Sloan is a transfer from TCU, a tall right-handed pitcher who missed 2019 and 2020 due to injury. As a freshman, Sloan made 20 appearances for the Horned Frogs and was named to the Big-12 All-Freshman team. Sloan will be one of the first options out of the pen for Wasikowski.
Lastly, the potential impact of Yovan will be a storyline to follow. Wasikowski mentioned that Yovan was throwing but has not returned to his previous form. It’s unclear how often he will be used, but more depth is always a plus.
CATCHER:
Depth Chart: Jack Scanlon, Sam Olsson, Hermilo Madera, Josiah Cromwick
Notes: Madera is a junior college transfer, originally committed to Arizona State out of high school. Cromwick is a freshman and a top-50 catching recruit, according to Perfect Game.
Analysis: Scanlon was impressive as a true freshman for the Ducks. He appeared in 14 of the 15 games in 2020, starting 11. He finished with a .293 batting average, driving in nine runs, hitting two home runs, and ending the season with a .888 OPS. His defense behind the dish was above average. The freshman showed a lot of promise in the power department, using his 6-foot-4 frame and sweet lefty stroke to deposit two balls into the bleachers, including one that hit the player development facility’s roof in right field.
Olsson will presumably be the backup this season, one who offers solid defense and a good feel for the game. Olsson hit .176 in the 10 games he appeared in last season.
INFIELD:
Depth Chart: Gabe Matthews (1B), Gavin Grant (SS), Sam Novitske (2b/3b), Josh Kasevich (3B/SS), Aaron Zavala (3B), Tristan Hanoian (2B), Nick Bellafronto (IF).
Notes: The starting infield of Matthews, Grant, Novitske, and Kasevich will be a hard rotation to crack for any freshman. Bellafronto, a grad transfer from Stanford, will be one of the first options off the pine for rest or injury.
Analysis: Matthews will hold down the fort offensively, as the senior hit a blistering .339 last year, driving in 15 runs, including a walk-off home run against Milwaukee. You can pencil in Matthews’ left-handed bat in the third or fourth spot in the lineup every day. The trio of Grant, Novitske, and Kasevich underperformed offensively last year, but all can hold their own in the field.
With Grant at short and Novitske at third, the left side of the infield will be one of the best defensive pairings in the Pac-12 and should provide plenty of relief for whoever is on the mound.
Zavala is more than capable of holding his own at third base, but he primarily played right field for the Ducks last year. Hanoian and Bellafronto are reliable options off the pine for Wasikowski, as both can play their positions defensively and provide some offense at the plate.
OUTFIELD:
Depth Chart: Tanner Smith (LF), Anthony Hall (CF), Zavala (RF), Evan Williams (CF), AJ Miller (OF), Robby Ashford (CF)
Notes: Ashford, the two-sport standout at Oregon, was the no. 1 high school baseball player out of Alabama. Ashford is an excellent athlete with elite speed, leading many to believe a career in the outfield is as likely as a career on the gridiron.
Analysis: Zavala is the headliner of this group after torching the competition in 2020. Zavala hit .418 in 55 at-bats, driving in 22 runs and drawing eight walks. His power numbers were down, with just two extra-base hits, but power will only be a bonus with his production.
Hall and Smith are solid defenders who cover a lot of ground, an absolute necessity in the cavernous PK Park. Hall swung the bat a bit better than Smith in the 2020 season, ending the season with a .250 average and driving in nine runs on the season. Smith struggled at the plate, but he has the tools to become a solid contributor with the bat. In 2019, Smith hit .284 in over 50 games played as a freshman. Smith’s best attribute is his eye, which, despite the low hitting numbers, allowed him to draw 13 walks and get on base at a 43-percent clip.
Williams and Ashford will likely see playing time as defensive replacements, a role Williams is familiar with from last season. Williams is arguably the best defender on the team but his bat lags behind the glove. Williams played in 13 games this season, often subbing for Hall in center field in the later innings of the game.
DH:
Depth Chart: Yovan
Analysis: Yovan was the full-time DH last year, recovering from an injury suffered the prior season. Yovan was effective in the DH role, leading the team in batting average (.429), home runs (4), hits (24), total bases (40), slugging percentage (.714), on-base percentage (.566), walks (15), and runs (22). This type of production slots Yovan in the middle of the order every single game, and that’s the expectation for the upcoming season.
Notes: The starting infield of Matthews, Grant, Novitske, and Kasevich will be a hard rotation to crack for any freshman. Bellafronto, a grad transfer from Stanford, will be one of the first options off the pine for rest or injury.
Analysis: Matthews will hold down the fort offensively, as the senior hit a blistering .339 last year, driving in 15 runs, including a walk-off home run against Milwaukee. You can pencil in Matthews’ left-handed bat in the third or fourth spot in the lineup every day. The trio of Grant, Novitske, and Kasevich underperformed offensively last year, but all can hold their own in the field.
With Grant at short and Novitske at third, the left side of the infield will be one of the best defensive pairings in the Pac-12 and should provide plenty of relief for whoever is on the mound.
Zavala is more than capable of holding his own at third base, but he primarily played right field for the Ducks last year. Hanoian and Bellafronto are reliable options off the pine for Wasikowski, as both can play their positions defensively and provide some offense at the plate.
OUTFIELD:
Depth Chart: Tanner Smith (LF), Anthony Hall (CF), Zavala (RF), Evan Williams (CF), AJ Miller (OF), Robby Ashford (CF)
Notes: Ashford, the two-sport standout at Oregon, was the no. 1 high school baseball player out of Alabama. Ashford is an excellent athlete with elite speed, leading many to believe a career in the outfield is as likely as a career on the gridiron.
Analysis: Zavala is the headliner of this group after torching the competition in 2020. Zavala hit .418 in 55 at-bats, driving in 22 runs and drawing eight walks. His power numbers were down, with just two extra-base hits, but power will only be a bonus with his production.
Hall and Smith are solid defenders who cover a lot of ground, an absolute necessity in the cavernous PK Park. Hall swung the bat a bit better than Smith in the 2020 season, ending the season with a .250 average and driving in nine runs on the season. Smith struggled at the plate, but he has the tools to become a solid contributor with the bat. In 2019, Smith hit .284 in over 50 games played as a freshman. Smith’s best attribute is his eye, which, despite the low hitting numbers, allowed him to draw 13 walks and get on base at a 43-percent clip.
Williams and Ashford will likely see playing time as defensive replacements, a role Williams is familiar with from last season. Williams is arguably the best defender on the team but his bat lags behind the glove. Williams played in 13 games this season, often subbing for Hall in center field in the later innings of the game.
DH:
Depth Chart: Yovan
Analysis: Yovan was the full-time DH last year, recovering from an injury suffered the prior season. Yovan was effective in the DH role, leading the team in batting average (.429), home runs (4), hits (24), total bases (40), slugging percentage (.714), on-base percentage (.566), walks (15), and runs (22). This type of production slots Yovan in the middle of the order every single game, and that’s the expectation for the upcoming season.
