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2015 Canes Impact Freshmen
We are less than a month away from the start of the college baseball season. The recent recruiting class brought in by the Miami Hurricanes baseball team has received much praise, ranking as high as 2nd nationally by baseball writers around the country. Canes baseball will look to have several freshmen step up in the pitching department, but it will be tough to crack the lineup this season. The two most likely candidates to become regulars in the lineup, Carl Chester and Justin Smith, are both outfielders, a spot that is stacked with quantity going into 2015. Let’s take a look at some of these newcomers who are most likely to get major playing time this season.
Carl Chester: Drafted in 38th round of MLB draft. Listed at 6’0” 190, Chester is a speedy outfielder who could work his way into the leadoff spot. The most likely spot for Chester, to utilize to speed, would be centerfield, a spot open after the departure of Dale Carey. Coach Morris has already stated that Chester is the fastest player on the team. Even with the amount of outfielders on this year’s roster, if Chester’s bat can adapt to the college game, he will certainly be starting in centerfield or left field.
Justin Smith: Ranked the 43rd best high school prospect by Baseball America. Listed at 6’2” 205, Smith brings a powerful build to an already powerful lineup. Smith is very raw and it whether or not he can quickly adapt to college pitching will determine whether or not he sees significant playing time. The most likely spots for Smith are either taking the open left field position or getting at bats as the designated hitter. If Zack Collins is able to shore up the catching duties then Smith will most likely get looks at DH, especially as the season progresses.
Andy Honiotes: Listed at 6’3” 190, Honiotes was suppose to enroll at Miami a year ago but was delayed due to Tommy John surgery. Honiotes seems the most likely candidate to crack the weekend pitching rotation. Obviously coming off an injury like Tommy John surgery it is a wait and see approach with Honiotes. His high school stuff was electric with his fastball reaching the low to mid 90’s.
Michael Mediavilla: Drafted in the 40th round of the MLB draft. Listed at 6’5 225, Mediavilla is likely to get some work in the bullpen with maybe a couple spot starts in midweek games. The big lefty has the frame to become a powerful pitcher.
Luke Spangler: Listed at 6’0” 150, Spangler could see himself as a situational lefty in this years bullpen. Spangler was injured his junior year in high school and really lost some recruiting momentum.
Keven Pimentel: Listed at 6’3” 225, Pimentel is a flamethrower. Pimentel throws in mid 90’s, and Coach Morris said he has hit 97 in practice. We could see Pimentel end up being a weekend starter, midweek starter, or everyday reliever. The point is that we will see him in some capacity. Morris raved about him in the fall and we know that Arteaga is not afraid to use freshmen pitchers.
Jesse Lepore: Listed at 6’4” 210, Lepore is another power pitcher, and another guy that Arteaga will find a spot for. Lepore earned several Florida awards as a senior in high school, and his game looks to translate well into the college ranks. He has the look of a future dominant pitcher.
There are obviously more freshmen on the roster, including recently added Malik Rosier, also one of the backup quarterbacks on the football team. But I chose to stick with the few that I believe will play a significant role with this year’s team. The strength of the class was the pitchers brought in, but with Chester and Smith the Canes have added two future big time outfielders.
We are less than a month away from the start of the college baseball season. The recent recruiting class brought in by the Miami Hurricanes baseball team has received much praise, ranking as high as 2nd nationally by baseball writers around the country. Canes baseball will look to have several freshmen step up in the pitching department, but it will be tough to crack the lineup this season. The two most likely candidates to become regulars in the lineup, Carl Chester and Justin Smith, are both outfielders, a spot that is stacked with quantity going into 2015. Let’s take a look at some of these newcomers who are most likely to get major playing time this season.
Carl Chester: Drafted in 38th round of MLB draft. Listed at 6’0” 190, Chester is a speedy outfielder who could work his way into the leadoff spot. The most likely spot for Chester, to utilize to speed, would be centerfield, a spot open after the departure of Dale Carey. Coach Morris has already stated that Chester is the fastest player on the team. Even with the amount of outfielders on this year’s roster, if Chester’s bat can adapt to the college game, he will certainly be starting in centerfield or left field.
Justin Smith: Ranked the 43rd best high school prospect by Baseball America. Listed at 6’2” 205, Smith brings a powerful build to an already powerful lineup. Smith is very raw and it whether or not he can quickly adapt to college pitching will determine whether or not he sees significant playing time. The most likely spots for Smith are either taking the open left field position or getting at bats as the designated hitter. If Zack Collins is able to shore up the catching duties then Smith will most likely get looks at DH, especially as the season progresses.
Andy Honiotes: Listed at 6’3” 190, Honiotes was suppose to enroll at Miami a year ago but was delayed due to Tommy John surgery. Honiotes seems the most likely candidate to crack the weekend pitching rotation. Obviously coming off an injury like Tommy John surgery it is a wait and see approach with Honiotes. His high school stuff was electric with his fastball reaching the low to mid 90’s.
Michael Mediavilla: Drafted in the 40th round of the MLB draft. Listed at 6’5 225, Mediavilla is likely to get some work in the bullpen with maybe a couple spot starts in midweek games. The big lefty has the frame to become a powerful pitcher.
Luke Spangler: Listed at 6’0” 150, Spangler could see himself as a situational lefty in this years bullpen. Spangler was injured his junior year in high school and really lost some recruiting momentum.
Keven Pimentel: Listed at 6’3” 225, Pimentel is a flamethrower. Pimentel throws in mid 90’s, and Coach Morris said he has hit 97 in practice. We could see Pimentel end up being a weekend starter, midweek starter, or everyday reliever. The point is that we will see him in some capacity. Morris raved about him in the fall and we know that Arteaga is not afraid to use freshmen pitchers.
Jesse Lepore: Listed at 6’4” 210, Lepore is another power pitcher, and another guy that Arteaga will find a spot for. Lepore earned several Florida awards as a senior in high school, and his game looks to translate well into the college ranks. He has the look of a future dominant pitcher.
There are obviously more freshmen on the roster, including recently added Malik Rosier, also one of the backup quarterbacks on the football team. But I chose to stick with the few that I believe will play a significant role with this year’s team. The strength of the class was the pitchers brought in, but with Chester and Smith the Canes have added two future big time outfielders.
