Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Photo by: JC Ridley/Owlpix.com
Baseball Positional Previews: Outfielders/Catchers
2/8/2019 9:54:00 AM | Baseball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The 2019 season begins in exactly seven days for Florida Atlantic University baseball and Head Coach John McCormack. This time next week, the Owls will be preparing for Cincinnati in the first of a three-game set. Continuing with the preseason breakdown of the squad, this is the second of three position-by-position previews, with the focus today being outfielders and catchers.
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Beginning with the backstop, another team captain and leader for the 2019 season is back in returning starting catcher Pedro Pages. The junior and Doral native was in consideration for the Johnny Bench Award and committed just two errors behind the plate while throwing out six runners stealing at second, plus a pickoff at first. He was no slouch at the dish either, batting .309 with 31 RBI. He also had a 19-game stretch reaching base, third-highest on the season. McCormack expects he'll add more crooked numbers to the home run column as well this upcoming year.
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"I think he's worked hard at trying to elevate the ball," said McCormack. "He's gotten stronger, I expect him to have a big year."
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Freshman Nicholas Toney, though he has missed time this preseason due to illness, is projected to be the backup. If he has any issues working his way back in this early season, Gunnar Lambert has 36 collegiate starts at catcher over the previous four years, while Pages is capable to switch with him at first base. In a full-blown emergency scenario, McCormack mentioned Jared DeSantolo and Eric Rivera as possibilities.
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The outfield for this season will have a completely different configuration than in 2018. Two departures – centerfielder Cody Wilson and rightfielder David Miranda – started all 63 and 58 games, respectively, and both were taken in the MLB draft last summer. The other, Eric Rivera, saw his name in lineup 35 times in left field and 27 times at second base. He's back, and will man center in 2019.
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The junior actually has appeared in every single game his two years with the squad, and started all but one (119 out of a possible 120). After a Conference USA All-Freshman campaign in 2017, he set career highs in nearly every offensive category last year, batting .277 with six home runs and 50 RBI. He is also one of the tougher batters in C-USA to strike out.
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To his left, in right field, will be newcomer Bobby Morgensen. The offseason winner of Iron Owl and JUCO transfer from Hutchinson Community College had video game numbers for the Blue Dragons: a .370 average with 10 home runs and a school-record 87 RBI in just 59 games as a freshman; a .352 average with 12 home runs and 62 RBI in 60 games last season. He holds their career record with those 149 RBI as well.
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Leftfield will be a returner, as making the switch from the infield is Andru Summerall. "Udie" has tremendous power, with the majority of his nine home runs last year being of the tape-measure variety. Of his 26 hits, 13 went for extra bases, towards a .467 slugging percentage. The redshirt sophomore started 19 games at first base last year, and 14 more at DH.
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Diamond Johnson is back for his senior season and will be the top backup at all three spots, and will be called on defensively late in many situations, said McCormack. He also cited his speed as an added bonus; Johnson had 41 stolen bases at his junior college as a sophomore.
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Also in the mix in the outfield is freshman Mitchell Hartigan, who doubles as a pitching option for the squad, and may be the offensive yin to Johnson's defensive yang in late-inning scenarios. More pieces to the puzzle include returner Jacob Pino and freshman Harry Vargas. Jordan Poore, like Hartigan another two-way player that has appeared in over 50 games in the outfield over the last two years, will miss the early portion of the year due to offseason surgery.
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The final portion of these position-by-position previews will be the team's 20-man pitching staff, due here on Tuesday. As the days count down to the opener, for all ticket inquiries, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or visit baseball's ticket website.
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| 2019 Positional Previews |
| Wednesday, Feb. 6: Infielders and DH |
| Today: Outfielders and Catchers |
| Tuesday, Feb. 12: Pitchers |
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"I think he's worked hard at trying to elevate the ball," said McCormack. "He's gotten stronger, I expect him to have a big year."
Â
Freshman Nicholas Toney, though he has missed time this preseason due to illness, is projected to be the backup. If he has any issues working his way back in this early season, Gunnar Lambert has 36 collegiate starts at catcher over the previous four years, while Pages is capable to switch with him at first base. In a full-blown emergency scenario, McCormack mentioned Jared DeSantolo and Eric Rivera as possibilities.
Â
The outfield for this season will have a completely different configuration than in 2018. Two departures – centerfielder Cody Wilson and rightfielder David Miranda – started all 63 and 58 games, respectively, and both were taken in the MLB draft last summer. The other, Eric Rivera, saw his name in lineup 35 times in left field and 27 times at second base. He's back, and will man center in 2019.
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The junior actually has appeared in every single game his two years with the squad, and started all but one (119 out of a possible 120). After a Conference USA All-Freshman campaign in 2017, he set career highs in nearly every offensive category last year, batting .277 with six home runs and 50 RBI. He is also one of the tougher batters in C-USA to strike out.
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To his left, in right field, will be newcomer Bobby Morgensen. The offseason winner of Iron Owl and JUCO transfer from Hutchinson Community College had video game numbers for the Blue Dragons: a .370 average with 10 home runs and a school-record 87 RBI in just 59 games as a freshman; a .352 average with 12 home runs and 62 RBI in 60 games last season. He holds their career record with those 149 RBI as well.
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Leftfield will be a returner, as making the switch from the infield is Andru Summerall. "Udie" has tremendous power, with the majority of his nine home runs last year being of the tape-measure variety. Of his 26 hits, 13 went for extra bases, towards a .467 slugging percentage. The redshirt sophomore started 19 games at first base last year, and 14 more at DH.
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Diamond Johnson is back for his senior season and will be the top backup at all three spots, and will be called on defensively late in many situations, said McCormack. He also cited his speed as an added bonus; Johnson had 41 stolen bases at his junior college as a sophomore.
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Also in the mix in the outfield is freshman Mitchell Hartigan, who doubles as a pitching option for the squad, and may be the offensive yin to Johnson's defensive yang in late-inning scenarios. More pieces to the puzzle include returner Jacob Pino and freshman Harry Vargas. Jordan Poore, like Hartigan another two-way player that has appeared in over 50 games in the outfield over the last two years, will miss the early portion of the year due to offseason surgery.
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The final portion of these position-by-position previews will be the team's 20-man pitching staff, due here on Tuesday. As the days count down to the opener, for all ticket inquiries, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or visit baseball's ticket website.
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Players Mentioned
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