2024 Big 12 Conference Preview
At last, the final sports season in the Big 12 has arrived. Before jumping into the nitty gritty, here is a brief recap of Longhorns Baseball during their soon to be 28th season in the Big 12.
Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, the Longhorns have put together an impressive resume, appearing in 20 Regionals, 13 Super Regionals, 11 College World Series, and 10 Regular Season Conference Championships. Going into their final year in the Big 12, the Horns have been in a Regional 74% of the time, 48% of the time in the Super Regionals, 41% of the time in the College World Series, and 37% of the time as regular season Conference Champions. Now it is time for the Horns to follow in the footsteps of the football team and go out with a bang!
While most are familiar with the new look Big 12 at this point, here is a reminder of what the Big 12 baseball landscape looks like. In addition to the mainstays of Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia, the Big 12 baseball slate welcomes BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and Central Florida.
Due to the sheet size of the breakdown, the Big 12 preview will be spread out over three separate posts, starting from the projected bottom of the conference and working upwards.
Here is my projection for how the Big 12 will finish the 2024 regular season.
Projected Regional teams from the Big 12:
Conference Team Breakdown:
Part One - Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, UCF
Part Two - Kansas, Houston, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma
Part Three - Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas TCU
Baylor Bears
2023 Record: 20-35 (6-18 Big 12)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2019
Super Regional: 2012
College World Series: 2005
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 33
Away: 19
Neutral: 3
Conference Home Series: Texas Tech, Cincinnati, Kansas, TCU, UCF
Conference Away Series: Houston, Texas, BYU, West Virginia, Oklahoma
Notable non-conference opponents: Indiana, Oral Roberts, Dallas Baptist, TCU, Oregon, Tennessee
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
The 2024 Bears will learn who they are very quickly during a brutal 12 game stretch to open the season. Baylor must improve overall, but their 3-16 away record in 2023 is especially bad and needs to improve.
Pitcher to Watch: Mason Marriott
Hitter to Watch: Hunter Teplanszky
Team Overview:
Just like 2023, the Bears have numerous issues to solve. Gone is freshman sensation Kolby Branch, Baylor’s leading hitter last season, along with 12 others to the portal. That certainly does not help 2nd year head Coach Mitch Thompson who’s 2023 squad was last in batting average, ERA, and fielding.
Offensively, the Bears will rely upon returning starter and former TCU transfer Hunter Teplanszky who is the only returning starter to hit above .300 last season. Gonzaga outfield transfer Enzo Apodaca is another player that the Bears will look to help lead them offensively as well. Another transfer, Mason Greer, formerly of Missouri State comes to Baylor looking to find the success he had at McLennan under Coach Thompson and erase his struggles from last season. Yet another transfer, Jack Little, formerly of Wichita State will immediately factor into the starting lineup as well for a Bears team that needs an injection of talent. Lastly, two other names to look out for are Cortlan Greer and Gavin Brzozowski
On the mound, the Bears had an ERA of 8 during the 2023 season, which as mentioned was dead last in the Big 12. The positive news for Baylor is that they return a number of pitchers who logged innings for them last season. The staff ace will almost certainly be Mason Marriott, but Andrew Petrowski, Jared Matheson, and Grant Golomb will all play large roles. While the staff had an abysmal ERA last season, experience is always a good thing and if a few guys can make progress, it would go a long way towards helping the Bears win more games. The pitching staff last season was also subject to extremely shaky run production and fielding, which adds further pressure on the staff. Cole Stasio and Ethan Calder are two pitchers that the staff believe can make a difference out of the bullpen. In addition, Lamar transfer Patrick Hail (3.37 ERA, 38K/42IP) will help shore up the pitching issues seen last season. Lastly, two freshman arms have the potential to make an instant impact this season. Cayden Baker and Caleb Bergman are two big arms that have a ton of talent and potential.
BYU Cougars
2023 Record: 24-28 (13-14 Mountain West)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2017
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: 1971
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 23
Away: 27
Neutral: 5
Conference Home Series: Houston, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, Cincinnati
Conference Away Series: West Virginia, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State
Notable non-conference opponents: Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, California, Utah, USC, Ohio State
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
Brutal conference away series for BYU. A ton of road games, including a tough non-conference series at Miami.
Pitcher to Watch: Bryce Robison
Hitter to Watch: Cooper Vest
Team Overview:
Inexperience and a massive jump in competition. Those are the hurdles that BYU will have to overcome in the 2024 season. The Cougars have some talent on campus, but how fast they mature and adjust will determine the outcome of their season. Last season, BYU dealt with a number of injury issues that derailed it. This season, BYU has an absolutely brutal away conference slate that suggests they will be at or near the bottom of the Big 12.
Offensively, Cooper Vest is the main name to know. While Vest isn’t the biggest guy on the field, the left handed hitter has solid power and is a middle of the lineup player who will drive the offense. Collin Reuter missed last season due to injury, but he brings a plethora of power to the plate and the Cougars will hope that he can be a big factor, even if it is at DH. Parker Goff is another option for the Cougars behind the plate, and he is a solid hitter as well. Utah Tech transfer Bryker Hurdsman is a twitchy athlete that can put pressure on opposing staffs on the base path. 6th year senior Crew Robinson, a UCSD transfer is an athletic left handed hitter that brings experience and utility to the lineup. Brock Watkins is another guy that missed last season due to injury, but brings experience to the lineup, which is desperately needed.
On the mound, BYU will turn to 5th year senior RHP Bryce Robison to lead the line. Robison will definitely not wow folks with his velocity, but he did have an outstanding whiff rate last year. LHP Brett Hansen looks to be the second starter. The redshirt junior is a Vanderbilt transfer, but has spent time on his mission. Hansen has a big arm and can run up his fastball to 96, but he does not have a ton of game time. Hansen’s younger brother, Ben will also factor into the rotation. Last season he was 0-5 in 10 starts as a freshman, but will hope to dramatically improve upon that in 2024. Two freshman who could impact the starting rotation are Maddax Peck and Cayson Bell. The backend of the pitching rotation is more settled as BYU can rely upon the trio of Boston Mabeus, Mason Olson, and Stone Cushing.
Cincinnati Bearcats
2023 Record: 24-33 (10-14 American Athletic Conference)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2019 (first time in 45 years)
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: n/a
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 28
Away: 25
Neutral: 3
Conference Home Series: Kansas, TCU, Houston, West Virginia, Oklahoma
Conference Away Series: Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, UCF, BYU
Notable non-conference opponents: Indiana, UConn, Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Coastal Carolina, Xavier
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
Overall thoughts on schedule: The Bearcats conference away series isn’t that daunting. Their home conference series schedule could be much worse as well, as they avoid both Texas and Texas Tech. In non-conference play, there are only a handful of really tough games.
Pitcher to Watch: Tommy Boba
Hitter to Watch: Josh Kross
Team Overview:
A new Coach and new conference. Tough hurdles to overcome, especially given the questions around the pitching staff. I do like new head Coach Jordan Bischel, previously of Central Michigan. Much like BYU, I expect that Cincy will be near the bottom of the Big 12 in large part due to the increase in competition and the state of the pitching staff.
Offensively, Tommy O’Connor looks the part and if he is more consistent at the plate, it will give the Bearcats two solid hitters at the top of the lineup. The best hitter on the team is likely Eastern Michigan transfer Josh Kross. Kross put up some really solid numbers while at EMU, but will need to adjust to Big 12 pitching. The lead off man will likely be Central Michigan transfer Christian Mitchelle. At CMU, he hit .307 and has the ability to hit to all sides of the field and when on base loves to run and put pressure on opposing pitchers. Launden Brooks, a Texas Tech transfer, will look to improve upon his .231 average. Dalton Pearson, a Georgia State transfer is another guy that the staff believes can drive the offense. Indiana transfer Hunter Jessee, brings a ton of experience to the lineup, which is always invaluable, while last year’s offensive leader Josh Hegemann is back again and hopes to replicate his success.
The biggest question on the team is the pitching staff, as noted above. Cincinnati lost a significant number of innings pitched and appearances from last year's squad. Sophomore Tommy Boba will look to be the main guy for the Bearcats. In 2023 he posted a 2-1 record with a 6.27 ERA in 14 games, 12 of which were starts. Kentucky transfer Seth Logue is a senior that will be counted upon to step into the starting rotation and lean on his experience. Chase Horst is another sophomore who is looking to improve upon his 2023 performance (3-4 record with a 4.99 ERA). The name to know from the bullpen is sophomore Griffin Hugus. He has a mid 90s fastball and is very athletic. Indiana State transfer Joey Hurth brings experience to the bullpen, despite not having stellar numbers. A pair of Central Michigan transfers, Michael Conte and Ryan Insco will look to carve out roles for themselves after being integral to the CMU bullpen.
UCF Knights
2023 Record: 33-26 (12-12 American Athletic Conference)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2017
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: n/a
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 34
Away: 22
Neutral: 0
Conference Home Series: Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Texas
Conference Away Series: Oklahoma, Kansas, West Virginia, Houston, Baylor
Notable non-conference opponents: Miami, Florida, Samford, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
UCF has a brutal conference home series, so they must go on the road and get some wins. Have to improve upon their home record from 2023.
Pitcher to Watch: Kyle Kramer
Hitter to Watch: Andrew Sundean
Team Overview:
A new coaching staff and a new conference for the Knights. Rich Wallace, a former UCF player and assistant coach, takes over as the head man in 2024. He has put together a solid coaching staff, bringing in former Miami assistant Norberto Lopez and pitching coach Drew Thomas. Making the move from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 will certainly be a jump in competition, but UCF has played a tough non-conference schedule previously, having played the likes of Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, and Georgia Southern. In addition, UCF played East Carolina, Tulane, Wichita State, and future Big 12 foes Houston and Cincinnati in conference play. The big question for UCF is run production and front line pitching. UCF coaches had tried to address that, evidenced by a roster that is made up of 60% transfers.
Offensively, the clear leader of the team is Andrew Sundean. After hitting .340 with 10 doubles, 16 home runs, and a 1.054 OPS, Sundean will look to improve upon those numbers and be the offensive playmaker that the Knights desperately need after returning only 39 of 109 home runs from last season. Sundean is moving from DH to catcher in 2024, so time will tell whether that slows him down at the plate. Lex Boedicker is outstanding defensively at 1B and will look to improve upon his average of .266 from last season. Good news is that Lex did hit 16 home runs last season, so he and Sundean create quite the 1-2 combo at the plate. Richmond transfer Mikey Kluska was a stalwart for the Spiders last season, hitting .325 with nine doubles, five triples, and five home runs, and will look to elevate his game at UCF. Importantly, he is very good defensively and will help anchor the infield for UCF in 2024. A couple of other candidates for the infield are Andrew Estrella and Braden Calise, both of whom bring something a little different to the field. Estrella has great raw power, whereas Calise is coming back from injury after not playing last season at Louisville due to an ACL injury. Calise did look very good this Fall and is a top of the order type hitter. In the outfield, UCF is dealing with the loss of two-sport star John Rhys Plumlee after the UCF quarterback decided that he will forgo his final season of baseball to focus on the NFL draft. Notre Dame transfer Jack Zyska looks to be a lock for one of the corner spots and is known for his power at the plate, having led Notre Dame in 2022 with 13 home runs. Pitt transfer AJ Nessler hit .293 last season, while Florida transfer Matt Prevesk is a left handed hitter with extremely fast hands, having hit .286 in limited at-bats this past season. Anthony Calabro, a West Georgia (Div II) transfer hit .418 last season with 14 home runs and will be an instant impact player for UCF assuming he can make a seamless transition to Div 1 competition.
Drew Thomas spent the past two seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers system and was the pitching coach for Coastal Carolina when they made their magical run to Omaha in 2016. Unfortunately, he has his work cut out for him in filling out a starting rotation in 2024. Florida transfer Tyler Nesbitt and Campbell transfer Cade Boxrucker will compete against returning players Dom Stagliano, Dominic Castellano, and Ben Vepsi for a spot in the rotation. Nesbitt had limited outings at Florida last season, but appears to be the guy that can make an instant impact for the Knights. Boxrucker is known for his explosive stuff, but also his inconsistency. If Thomas can help Boxrucker dial in, he can be a real weapon for the Knights. Stagliano is the safe bet to play a big role in 2024 as well. He has a solid changeup with a high whiff rate, but only used it a fraction of the time last season. If the Knights can carry a lead late into the game, it certainly bodes well for them as the backend of the staff is the strength of the team. Najer Victor and Kyle Kramer both return for another season and have really good stuff. Victor (3-1, 2.88 ERA) turned down the opportunity to get drafted in the late rounds to come back and improve his stock, while Kramer (6-2, 3.96 ERA) returns having made twenty seven appearances, racking up eight saves last season. Alex Galvan, a Louisville transfer, is a big bodied pitcher that did not get many opportunities for the Cardinals last season, but has shown a lot of promise after some adjustments were made mechanically. Two other transfers that look to play a role out of the bullpen are Spencer Bauer (Elon) and Wiley Hartley (Campbell).
At last, the final sports season in the Big 12 has arrived. Before jumping into the nitty gritty, here is a brief recap of Longhorns Baseball during their soon to be 28th season in the Big 12.
Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, the Longhorns have put together an impressive resume, appearing in 20 Regionals, 13 Super Regionals, 11 College World Series, and 10 Regular Season Conference Championships. Going into their final year in the Big 12, the Horns have been in a Regional 74% of the time, 48% of the time in the Super Regionals, 41% of the time in the College World Series, and 37% of the time as regular season Conference Champions. Now it is time for the Horns to follow in the footsteps of the football team and go out with a bang!
While most are familiar with the new look Big 12 at this point, here is a reminder of what the Big 12 baseball landscape looks like. In addition to the mainstays of Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia, the Big 12 baseball slate welcomes BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and Central Florida.
Due to the sheet size of the breakdown, the Big 12 preview will be spread out over three separate posts, starting from the projected bottom of the conference and working upwards.
Here is my projection for how the Big 12 will finish the 2024 regular season.
| Zach's Projected Finish | Big 12 Coaches Poll | D1Baseball Projection |
| TCU | TCU (11) | TCU |
| Texas | Texas (2) | Texas |
| Texas Tech | Oklahoma State | Texas Tech |
| Kansas State | Texas Tech | Kansas State |
| Oklahoma | Kansas State | Oklahoma State |
| Oklahoma State | Oklahoma | Oklahoma |
| West Virginia | West Virginia | West Virginia |
| Houston | Kansas | Houston |
| Kansas | Houston | Kansas |
| UCF | UCF | UCF |
| Baylor | Baylor | Cincinnati |
| BYU | BYU | Baylor |
| Cincinnati | Cincinnati | BYU |
Projected Regional teams from the Big 12:
- TCU
- Texas
- Texas Tech
- Kansas State
- Oklahoma
- Oklahoma State
Conference Team Breakdown:
Part One - Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, UCF
Part Two - Kansas, Houston, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma
Part Three - Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas TCU
Baylor Bears
2023 Record: 20-35 (6-18 Big 12)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2019
Super Regional: 2012
College World Series: 2005
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 33
Away: 19
Neutral: 3
Conference Home Series: Texas Tech, Cincinnati, Kansas, TCU, UCF
Conference Away Series: Houston, Texas, BYU, West Virginia, Oklahoma
Notable non-conference opponents: Indiana, Oral Roberts, Dallas Baptist, TCU, Oregon, Tennessee
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
The 2024 Bears will learn who they are very quickly during a brutal 12 game stretch to open the season. Baylor must improve overall, but their 3-16 away record in 2023 is especially bad and needs to improve.
Pitcher to Watch: Mason Marriott
Hitter to Watch: Hunter Teplanszky
Team Overview:
Just like 2023, the Bears have numerous issues to solve. Gone is freshman sensation Kolby Branch, Baylor’s leading hitter last season, along with 12 others to the portal. That certainly does not help 2nd year head Coach Mitch Thompson who’s 2023 squad was last in batting average, ERA, and fielding.
Offensively, the Bears will rely upon returning starter and former TCU transfer Hunter Teplanszky who is the only returning starter to hit above .300 last season. Gonzaga outfield transfer Enzo Apodaca is another player that the Bears will look to help lead them offensively as well. Another transfer, Mason Greer, formerly of Missouri State comes to Baylor looking to find the success he had at McLennan under Coach Thompson and erase his struggles from last season. Yet another transfer, Jack Little, formerly of Wichita State will immediately factor into the starting lineup as well for a Bears team that needs an injection of talent. Lastly, two other names to look out for are Cortlan Greer and Gavin Brzozowski
On the mound, the Bears had an ERA of 8 during the 2023 season, which as mentioned was dead last in the Big 12. The positive news for Baylor is that they return a number of pitchers who logged innings for them last season. The staff ace will almost certainly be Mason Marriott, but Andrew Petrowski, Jared Matheson, and Grant Golomb will all play large roles. While the staff had an abysmal ERA last season, experience is always a good thing and if a few guys can make progress, it would go a long way towards helping the Bears win more games. The pitching staff last season was also subject to extremely shaky run production and fielding, which adds further pressure on the staff. Cole Stasio and Ethan Calder are two pitchers that the staff believe can make a difference out of the bullpen. In addition, Lamar transfer Patrick Hail (3.37 ERA, 38K/42IP) will help shore up the pitching issues seen last season. Lastly, two freshman arms have the potential to make an instant impact this season. Cayden Baker and Caleb Bergman are two big arms that have a ton of talent and potential.
BYU Cougars
2023 Record: 24-28 (13-14 Mountain West)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2017
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: 1971
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 23
Away: 27
Neutral: 5
Conference Home Series: Houston, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, Cincinnati
Conference Away Series: West Virginia, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State
Notable non-conference opponents: Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, California, Utah, USC, Ohio State
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
Brutal conference away series for BYU. A ton of road games, including a tough non-conference series at Miami.
Pitcher to Watch: Bryce Robison
Hitter to Watch: Cooper Vest
Team Overview:
Inexperience and a massive jump in competition. Those are the hurdles that BYU will have to overcome in the 2024 season. The Cougars have some talent on campus, but how fast they mature and adjust will determine the outcome of their season. Last season, BYU dealt with a number of injury issues that derailed it. This season, BYU has an absolutely brutal away conference slate that suggests they will be at or near the bottom of the Big 12.
Offensively, Cooper Vest is the main name to know. While Vest isn’t the biggest guy on the field, the left handed hitter has solid power and is a middle of the lineup player who will drive the offense. Collin Reuter missed last season due to injury, but he brings a plethora of power to the plate and the Cougars will hope that he can be a big factor, even if it is at DH. Parker Goff is another option for the Cougars behind the plate, and he is a solid hitter as well. Utah Tech transfer Bryker Hurdsman is a twitchy athlete that can put pressure on opposing staffs on the base path. 6th year senior Crew Robinson, a UCSD transfer is an athletic left handed hitter that brings experience and utility to the lineup. Brock Watkins is another guy that missed last season due to injury, but brings experience to the lineup, which is desperately needed.
On the mound, BYU will turn to 5th year senior RHP Bryce Robison to lead the line. Robison will definitely not wow folks with his velocity, but he did have an outstanding whiff rate last year. LHP Brett Hansen looks to be the second starter. The redshirt junior is a Vanderbilt transfer, but has spent time on his mission. Hansen has a big arm and can run up his fastball to 96, but he does not have a ton of game time. Hansen’s younger brother, Ben will also factor into the rotation. Last season he was 0-5 in 10 starts as a freshman, but will hope to dramatically improve upon that in 2024. Two freshman who could impact the starting rotation are Maddax Peck and Cayson Bell. The backend of the pitching rotation is more settled as BYU can rely upon the trio of Boston Mabeus, Mason Olson, and Stone Cushing.
Cincinnati Bearcats
2023 Record: 24-33 (10-14 American Athletic Conference)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2019 (first time in 45 years)
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: n/a
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 28
Away: 25
Neutral: 3
Conference Home Series: Kansas, TCU, Houston, West Virginia, Oklahoma
Conference Away Series: Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, UCF, BYU
Notable non-conference opponents: Indiana, UConn, Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Coastal Carolina, Xavier
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
Overall thoughts on schedule: The Bearcats conference away series isn’t that daunting. Their home conference series schedule could be much worse as well, as they avoid both Texas and Texas Tech. In non-conference play, there are only a handful of really tough games.
Pitcher to Watch: Tommy Boba
Hitter to Watch: Josh Kross
Team Overview:
A new Coach and new conference. Tough hurdles to overcome, especially given the questions around the pitching staff. I do like new head Coach Jordan Bischel, previously of Central Michigan. Much like BYU, I expect that Cincy will be near the bottom of the Big 12 in large part due to the increase in competition and the state of the pitching staff.
Offensively, Tommy O’Connor looks the part and if he is more consistent at the plate, it will give the Bearcats two solid hitters at the top of the lineup. The best hitter on the team is likely Eastern Michigan transfer Josh Kross. Kross put up some really solid numbers while at EMU, but will need to adjust to Big 12 pitching. The lead off man will likely be Central Michigan transfer Christian Mitchelle. At CMU, he hit .307 and has the ability to hit to all sides of the field and when on base loves to run and put pressure on opposing pitchers. Launden Brooks, a Texas Tech transfer, will look to improve upon his .231 average. Dalton Pearson, a Georgia State transfer is another guy that the staff believes can drive the offense. Indiana transfer Hunter Jessee, brings a ton of experience to the lineup, which is always invaluable, while last year’s offensive leader Josh Hegemann is back again and hopes to replicate his success.
The biggest question on the team is the pitching staff, as noted above. Cincinnati lost a significant number of innings pitched and appearances from last year's squad. Sophomore Tommy Boba will look to be the main guy for the Bearcats. In 2023 he posted a 2-1 record with a 6.27 ERA in 14 games, 12 of which were starts. Kentucky transfer Seth Logue is a senior that will be counted upon to step into the starting rotation and lean on his experience. Chase Horst is another sophomore who is looking to improve upon his 2023 performance (3-4 record with a 4.99 ERA). The name to know from the bullpen is sophomore Griffin Hugus. He has a mid 90s fastball and is very athletic. Indiana State transfer Joey Hurth brings experience to the bullpen, despite not having stellar numbers. A pair of Central Michigan transfers, Michael Conte and Ryan Insco will look to carve out roles for themselves after being integral to the CMU bullpen.
UCF Knights
2023 Record: 33-26 (12-12 American Athletic Conference)
Last Appearance:
Regional: 2017
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: n/a
2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 34
Away: 22
Neutral: 0
Conference Home Series: Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Texas
Conference Away Series: Oklahoma, Kansas, West Virginia, Houston, Baylor
Notable non-conference opponents: Miami, Florida, Samford, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast
Overarching thoughts on schedule:
UCF has a brutal conference home series, so they must go on the road and get some wins. Have to improve upon their home record from 2023.
Pitcher to Watch: Kyle Kramer
Hitter to Watch: Andrew Sundean
Team Overview:
A new coaching staff and a new conference for the Knights. Rich Wallace, a former UCF player and assistant coach, takes over as the head man in 2024. He has put together a solid coaching staff, bringing in former Miami assistant Norberto Lopez and pitching coach Drew Thomas. Making the move from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 will certainly be a jump in competition, but UCF has played a tough non-conference schedule previously, having played the likes of Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, and Georgia Southern. In addition, UCF played East Carolina, Tulane, Wichita State, and future Big 12 foes Houston and Cincinnati in conference play. The big question for UCF is run production and front line pitching. UCF coaches had tried to address that, evidenced by a roster that is made up of 60% transfers.
Offensively, the clear leader of the team is Andrew Sundean. After hitting .340 with 10 doubles, 16 home runs, and a 1.054 OPS, Sundean will look to improve upon those numbers and be the offensive playmaker that the Knights desperately need after returning only 39 of 109 home runs from last season. Sundean is moving from DH to catcher in 2024, so time will tell whether that slows him down at the plate. Lex Boedicker is outstanding defensively at 1B and will look to improve upon his average of .266 from last season. Good news is that Lex did hit 16 home runs last season, so he and Sundean create quite the 1-2 combo at the plate. Richmond transfer Mikey Kluska was a stalwart for the Spiders last season, hitting .325 with nine doubles, five triples, and five home runs, and will look to elevate his game at UCF. Importantly, he is very good defensively and will help anchor the infield for UCF in 2024. A couple of other candidates for the infield are Andrew Estrella and Braden Calise, both of whom bring something a little different to the field. Estrella has great raw power, whereas Calise is coming back from injury after not playing last season at Louisville due to an ACL injury. Calise did look very good this Fall and is a top of the order type hitter. In the outfield, UCF is dealing with the loss of two-sport star John Rhys Plumlee after the UCF quarterback decided that he will forgo his final season of baseball to focus on the NFL draft. Notre Dame transfer Jack Zyska looks to be a lock for one of the corner spots and is known for his power at the plate, having led Notre Dame in 2022 with 13 home runs. Pitt transfer AJ Nessler hit .293 last season, while Florida transfer Matt Prevesk is a left handed hitter with extremely fast hands, having hit .286 in limited at-bats this past season. Anthony Calabro, a West Georgia (Div II) transfer hit .418 last season with 14 home runs and will be an instant impact player for UCF assuming he can make a seamless transition to Div 1 competition.
Drew Thomas spent the past two seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers system and was the pitching coach for Coastal Carolina when they made their magical run to Omaha in 2016. Unfortunately, he has his work cut out for him in filling out a starting rotation in 2024. Florida transfer Tyler Nesbitt and Campbell transfer Cade Boxrucker will compete against returning players Dom Stagliano, Dominic Castellano, and Ben Vepsi for a spot in the rotation. Nesbitt had limited outings at Florida last season, but appears to be the guy that can make an instant impact for the Knights. Boxrucker is known for his explosive stuff, but also his inconsistency. If Thomas can help Boxrucker dial in, he can be a real weapon for the Knights. Stagliano is the safe bet to play a big role in 2024 as well. He has a solid changeup with a high whiff rate, but only used it a fraction of the time last season. If the Knights can carry a lead late into the game, it certainly bodes well for them as the backend of the staff is the strength of the team. Najer Victor and Kyle Kramer both return for another season and have really good stuff. Victor (3-1, 2.88 ERA) turned down the opportunity to get drafted in the late rounds to come back and improve his stock, while Kramer (6-2, 3.96 ERA) returns having made twenty seven appearances, racking up eight saves last season. Alex Galvan, a Louisville transfer, is a big bodied pitcher that did not get many opportunities for the Cardinals last season, but has shown a lot of promise after some adjustments were made mechanically. Two other transfers that look to play a role out of the bullpen are Spencer Bauer (Elon) and Wiley Hartley (Campbell).
