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Been busy with the start of school and football coverage, but really wanted to get out an initial lineup prediction with everyone now on campus. Also, planning on doing a full baseball show soon breaking down the roster and transfer additions, so feel free to shoot me any questions y'all have.
Again this is before fall camp starts so this is just based off last season's results and summer performances, things can change rapidly in fall camp.
With all that out of the way, here's my way too early lineup prediction for opening day as of August 19:
1. Jake Ogden SS - Don't reinvent the wheel and keep it simple. You were able to claw back your star leadoff shortstop from the draft and get the pleasure of experiencing Ogden Baseball for another year. I expect to see the same high IQ player who can do it both with the glove and the bat alongside an uptick in power as he looks to boost his draft stock.
2. Max Galvin LF- Had a good season last year and I still think there's more in the tank. Many forget the poor stretch he had during the middle of the season where he was moved to the bottom and even benched (Imo this was unfair as he was unlucky in many of his AB's). Galvin turned it on towards the end of the season and was arguably one of the Canes best players during their postseason run. Another .300 season with some more power coming for Galvin.
3. Daniel Cuvet 3B- Well no ****, not much to explain here. Continues his impressive career at the U and sets himself up to be a first-round draft pick.
4. Alex Sosa C- The star signing of the transfer portal, Sosa returns to South Florida after a two-year stint at NC State. He will be servicable behind the plate, but where he really shines is with his bat. A lefty who can deal damage with gap to gap power as seen with his 16 doubles and ten homers last season, Sosa also provides the on-base tool to keep the line moving. He will have the task of protecting Daniel Cuvet in the lineup, but with the talent around him it should lessen the burden on Sosa.
5. Derek Williams RF - Last season Derek Williams was on pace to be an All-ACC level player, batting well into the .350's and crushing homers at a rate similar to Cuvet early in the season. He was one of the few bright spots during the Hurricanes tough stretch and was cruely dealt with a hamate injury that left him sidelined during Miami's resurgence. He returned in the postseason and was still able to do damage while not at a 100 percent. A healthy Williams takes this team to another level.
6. Brylan West 1B - One of my favorite pick-ups of the portal, West provides a sneaky on-base threat. At first glance you see the 6'4, 230-pound first baseman and think swing and miss homer threat, but West has consistently hit abover .330 across both years at FIU --- even leading off for the Panthers at times. With that being said he still launched 12 homers and will provide a nice combo punch to keep pitchers anxious as they get to the bottom of the order.
7. Cian Copeland DH- The earliest transfer portal addition from back in March, Copeland provides high-ceiling potential to the offense. The JUCO lefty slashed .361/.449/.654, good for a 1.103 OBP alongside 15 homers in a widely considered pitcher friendly ballpark in MDC. I mentioned high ceiling because he still has to make the jump to ACC D1 pitching which could see some struggles with strikeouts. I'd prefer to see how he handles the fall scrimmages, but believe he can make it happen.
8. Vance Sheahan 2B- Easily the hardest prediction at the moment due to his struggles during the summer in the Cape, I'm banking on a return to form for Sheahan alongside JD's tendency to opt for experience. The tools are all there athletically to be a really nice pairing with Ogden up the middle, but the strikeout and walk rate are concerning (32 k , 5 BB). Watch this position closely because freshman Gabriel Milano is hunting for the starting role as a freshman.
9. Mikey Torres CF - He could be batting .130 and he's still gonna be in this lineup just off his defensive value alone. With that being said he's had a good summer showing with his average at a respectable .286. We got a taste of what his offensive output could look like during last season's super regional run and if it can continue, this lineup will truly have no holes in it.
SP. AJ Ciscar - A First team Freshman All-American, I expect Ciscar to continue to do great things in the orange and green. Yes teams now have a full year of film on him, but the kid is too smart and mature to not build off his early success. Already having a great sinker/slider combo, if Ciscar can add a few mph this offseason, he will become even more of a nightmare for right handed hitters.
RP. Ryan Bilka - It's really difficult to pinpoint a closer with Miami's tendency to move peices around the pen, but if I had the choice of relievers I'd take Bilka. And while it was lower level competition in the A-10, he still pitched to a ridiculous .9 WHIP alongside a .193 BAA in 62 innings. He throws strikes with a three pitch mix and a fastball thats up to 95, someone I expect to be relied on heavily this year.
Again this is before fall camp starts so this is just based off last season's results and summer performances, things can change rapidly in fall camp.
With all that out of the way, here's my way too early lineup prediction for opening day as of August 19:
1. Jake Ogden SS - Don't reinvent the wheel and keep it simple. You were able to claw back your star leadoff shortstop from the draft and get the pleasure of experiencing Ogden Baseball for another year. I expect to see the same high IQ player who can do it both with the glove and the bat alongside an uptick in power as he looks to boost his draft stock.
2. Max Galvin LF- Had a good season last year and I still think there's more in the tank. Many forget the poor stretch he had during the middle of the season where he was moved to the bottom and even benched (Imo this was unfair as he was unlucky in many of his AB's). Galvin turned it on towards the end of the season and was arguably one of the Canes best players during their postseason run. Another .300 season with some more power coming for Galvin.
3. Daniel Cuvet 3B- Well no ****, not much to explain here. Continues his impressive career at the U and sets himself up to be a first-round draft pick.
4. Alex Sosa C- The star signing of the transfer portal, Sosa returns to South Florida after a two-year stint at NC State. He will be servicable behind the plate, but where he really shines is with his bat. A lefty who can deal damage with gap to gap power as seen with his 16 doubles and ten homers last season, Sosa also provides the on-base tool to keep the line moving. He will have the task of protecting Daniel Cuvet in the lineup, but with the talent around him it should lessen the burden on Sosa.
5. Derek Williams RF - Last season Derek Williams was on pace to be an All-ACC level player, batting well into the .350's and crushing homers at a rate similar to Cuvet early in the season. He was one of the few bright spots during the Hurricanes tough stretch and was cruely dealt with a hamate injury that left him sidelined during Miami's resurgence. He returned in the postseason and was still able to do damage while not at a 100 percent. A healthy Williams takes this team to another level.
6. Brylan West 1B - One of my favorite pick-ups of the portal, West provides a sneaky on-base threat. At first glance you see the 6'4, 230-pound first baseman and think swing and miss homer threat, but West has consistently hit abover .330 across both years at FIU --- even leading off for the Panthers at times. With that being said he still launched 12 homers and will provide a nice combo punch to keep pitchers anxious as they get to the bottom of the order.
7. Cian Copeland DH- The earliest transfer portal addition from back in March, Copeland provides high-ceiling potential to the offense. The JUCO lefty slashed .361/.449/.654, good for a 1.103 OBP alongside 15 homers in a widely considered pitcher friendly ballpark in MDC. I mentioned high ceiling because he still has to make the jump to ACC D1 pitching which could see some struggles with strikeouts. I'd prefer to see how he handles the fall scrimmages, but believe he can make it happen.
8. Vance Sheahan 2B- Easily the hardest prediction at the moment due to his struggles during the summer in the Cape, I'm banking on a return to form for Sheahan alongside JD's tendency to opt for experience. The tools are all there athletically to be a really nice pairing with Ogden up the middle, but the strikeout and walk rate are concerning (32 k , 5 BB). Watch this position closely because freshman Gabriel Milano is hunting for the starting role as a freshman.
9. Mikey Torres CF - He could be batting .130 and he's still gonna be in this lineup just off his defensive value alone. With that being said he's had a good summer showing with his average at a respectable .286. We got a taste of what his offensive output could look like during last season's super regional run and if it can continue, this lineup will truly have no holes in it.
SP. AJ Ciscar - A First team Freshman All-American, I expect Ciscar to continue to do great things in the orange and green. Yes teams now have a full year of film on him, but the kid is too smart and mature to not build off his early success. Already having a great sinker/slider combo, if Ciscar can add a few mph this offseason, he will become even more of a nightmare for right handed hitters.
RP. Ryan Bilka - It's really difficult to pinpoint a closer with Miami's tendency to move peices around the pen, but if I had the choice of relievers I'd take Bilka. And while it was lower level competition in the A-10, he still pitched to a ridiculous .9 WHIP alongside a .193 BAA in 62 innings. He throws strikes with a three pitch mix and a fastball thats up to 95, someone I expect to be relied on heavily this year.
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