The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
Thursday, March 21, 2019 — 7

In recent years, the Michigan baseball 

team has seen both highs and lows. Even 
with a record of 111-59 over the past three 
years, only two of those wins came in 
postseason games. 

Last season, despite a thrilling 

20-game win streak, the Wolverines 
were eliminated from the Big Ten 
Tournament with only one victory and 
failed to clinch an NCAA Tournament 
spot. 

This inability to break through in 

the past, however, has motivated this 
year’s team to strive toward making 
a deep run in the postseason. With 
improved offensive strength and an ideal 
combination of youth and experience, 
expectations are high. And as of now No. 
23 Michigan is the only ranked team in 
the conference. The Daily takes a look at 
the other teams in the Big Ten and those 
who could potentially pose a threat to the 
Wolverines.

Minnesota (5-13)
After their euphoric 2018 season, 

the Golden Gophers placed first in 
the 2019 Big Ten preseason poll of 
conference coaches. Last year the team 
posted a 44-15 record, winning the Big 
Ten Tournament and advancing to 
NCAA Super Regionals. Despite those 
achievements, however, Minnesota has 
had a rocky start to its season, and it 
remains to be seen whether the Golden 
Gophers can reclaim last year’s magic.

Player to watch: Sophomore Outfielder/

Right-hander Max Meyer

Meyer competed for the USA Baseball 

Collegiate National Team last summer, 
bringing his strengths as a two-way 
player. He boasts a .333 batting average 
and an equally strong 1.17 ERA so far.

Illinois (14-3)
Illinois has had a strong start to its 

season and has high expectations after 
making it to the semifinals in the Big Ten 
Tournament, just missing the NCAA 
Tournament field as the second team 
out. While they are reckoning with the 
loss of Big Ten Player of the Year Bren 
Spillane as well as reliable closer Joey 
Gerber, the future looks promising 

with a D1Baseball.com Top 25-ranked 
recruiting class. Keep an eye on the 
Fighting Illini.

Player to watch: Freshman Right-

hander Aidan Maldonado

Maldonado — ranked the No. 4 

newcomer in the Big Ten by Baseball 
America and drafted in the 38th round 
of the 2018 MLB draft by the Milwaukee 
Brewers — promises to deliver an impact 
on the mound but has yet to be heavily 
utilized by the team, with only eight 
innings pitched in five games.

Iowa (10-7) 
The Hawkeyes, who were on the 

NCAA Tournament bubble last year, lost 
their top four hitters in the offseason. The 
team has endured significant losses since 
its 2017 run to NCAA Regionals, with 
only three offensive starters remaining 
from two years ago. The overhauled 
team has exhibited some strengths 
which were on display in its two wins 
against California State Northridge –– 
who bested the Wolverines during their 
swing through California earlier this 
month. But with so many key offensive 
players missing, Iowa will find it difficult 
to replicate what it’s done in the past.

Player to watch: Junior Right-hander 

Grant Judkins

Judkins, with a 1.52 ERA, has had a 

strong season so far and was key in the 
Hawkeyes’ doubleheader victories over 
Cal State, even demonstrating an ability 
to contribute at the plate with a two-run 
double to win the second game.

Penn State (13-3)
The Nittany Lions posted an abysmal 

15-34 record last season and an even 
worse Big Ten record. Their relatively 
strong start this year has thus been a 
pleasant surprise for a team almost 
completely excluded from preseason 
prognostications. The offseason saw a 
lot of turnover and the team has added 
seven freshmen, a sophomore and four 
upperclassmen transfers to the lineup, 
who the coaching staff hopes will shift 
things in another direction. Despite its 
strong start, resetting a team can be 
a long process, and Penn State likely 
poses little threat to the conference 
heavyweights.

Player to watch: Junior second baseman 

Gavin Homer

Homer, a transfer from Kellogg 

Community College and part of the 
team’s attempt to reinvigorate its offense, 
hit a .386 batting average last season and 
promises to add more offensive efficiency 
to the lineup.

Indiana (12-8)
The Hoosiers have only missed out 

on one NCAA Tournament berth over 
the six years since their College World 
Series appearance in 2013 and have 
been a consistent regional presence in 
the conference. Their performance so 
far this season –– the first under new 
manager Jeff Mercer –– however, has 
been anything but consistent. In the 
first 15 games of the season, Indiana had 
difficulty producing consistent pitching 
or hitting. Strikeouts also plagued the 
offense. Junior outfielder Matt Gorski 
was the only hitter making significant 
contributions.

Players to watch: Junior Outfielder 

Matt Gorski and Senior Right-hander 
Pauly Milto

Gorski, a Big Ten preseason honored 

player, has been moved into the leadoff 
spot thanks to his team-leading .329 
batting average. Pauly Milto, meanwhile, 
has established himself as the team’s 
leading pitcher, and the team enters 
its first conference series against Iowa 
coming of a five-game win streak. Don’t 
count them out just yet.

Nebraska (7-7)
After 
the 
Cornhuskers 
earned 

their first Big Ten title in 2017, their 
2018 season with a 24-28 record was a 
disappointment stemming from injury 
problems within the pitching staff as well 
as offensive inconsistency. Having lost its 
two leading hitters, Chad Luensmann 
and Connor Curry, Nebraska will have 
to find a way to fill gaps in its offense. 
The Cornhuskers’ mixed record thus far 
indicates this will be a challenge.

Player to watch: Freshman Infielder/

Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach

Nebraska 
is 
fortunate 
to 
have 

Schwellenbach — who turned down 
an opportunity to join the Cleveland 
Indians after being drafted in the 34th 
round. He has the team’s second highest 
batting average so far this year at .333.

AIDAN WOUTAS
Daily Sports Writer

At the start of the season, 

Michigan coach Erik Bakich had a 
feeling.

“I do like this group,” Bakich 

said. “I think this group has a lot 
of potential. On paper, at least, the 
pieces are there to have a special, 
magical type of season.”

Now, the No. 23 Michigan 

baseball team is validating that 
feeling. It has quality pitching 
and elite defense. A cohesive team 
chemistry and the drive to prove 
itself. It’s only missing one thing — 
a consistent offense.

Starting off the year in Florida, 

the bats looked red-hot, averaging 
nine runs per game over the three-
game series, leaving Binghamton 
in the dust. The next week, The 
Wolverines’ bats showed the first 
signs of slowing down — averaging 
just over five runs per game as they 
rode their impressive pitching to 
comfortable victories.

In California, the problems 

were aired out for the whole 
country to see. Junior infielder 
Jordan 
Brewer 
and 
junior 

outfielder Jordan Nwogu were tied 
with Michigan’s highest batting 
average at just .285. The team eked 
out an average of just over three 
runs per game against the team’s 
toughest competition all year — 
USC, Oklahoma State and then No. 
2 UCLA.

Beyond hitting, the Wolverines’ 

other offensive weaknesses were 
exposed. 
In 
the 
Dodgertown 

Classic, five times Michigan’s 
baserunners were caught stealing 
or put out. The team’s aggressive 
mindset was being pushed too 
far, it had crossed the fine line of 
positive mistakes it was treading 
earlier in the season — aggressive 
defensive 
plays 
and 
forcing 

opposition to make tough choices 
— to bad mistakes.

“We had a lot of outs on the 

bases from this trip,” Bakich said. 
“Whether it be caught stealing or 
pick-offs, those are very costly 
mistakes 
against 
really 
good 

teams. We can get away with it 
against lesser teams, you can’t get 
away with it against UCLA, USC, 
Oklahoma State, some of these 
west coast teams that are playing 
outside all year long”

The Wolverines’ 3-4 run over 

Spring Break sent them tumbling 
down most rankings. The only poll 
that kept them in the top 25 was 
Baseball America, dropping them 
to No. 23.

“All of the games were close 

because of our pitching and our 
defense in the losses,” Bakich said. 
“That’s how we’re built, and we 
are not even close to firing on all 
cylinders offensively.”

Bakich predicted an offensive 

storm following the trip, but not 
even the most optimistic fan could 
have predicted the onslaught to 
come on Michigan’s five-game 
homestand. With 50 runs, the 
Wolverines blew past their two 
opponents 
— 
Manhattan 
and 

Western Michigan.

But Michigan’s ability to score 

against struggling teams isn’t 
a question. The question is if it 
can keep a productive offense 
throughout the season against 
good teams — the same question 
that was asked last year.

After an awful start to 2018, the 

Wolverines went on a 20-game win 
streak that ended shortly before 
the postseason. Their offense 
couldn’t show up — only averaging 
two runs over the last six games — 
and they crashed out of the Big Ten 
Tournament after two games.

Bakich, though, has a feeling 

this year is different.

“It feels like a championship 

team,” Bakich said.

First, they’ll need to prove it.

KENT SCHWARTZ

Daily Sports Writer
Big Ten Breakdown

A question of offensive
consistency

The 2018 season for Michigan 

baseball was a roller-coaster.

After losing 11 players to the 

MLB draft, many freshmen and 
inexperienced players were thrown 
into important roles. After a 4-11 start 
last season, the Wolverines followed 
by going on a 20-game win-streak. 
After accomplishing such a great 
achievement, Michigan subsequently 
crashed — a disappointing Big Ten 
Tournament and a poor finish for 
the regular season resulted in the 
Wolverines getting left out of the 
College World Series.

This season couldn’t be more 

different.

Michigan coach Erik Bakich and 

this team entered the season with high 
expectations — and so far they seem to 
be on track. The experience gained by 
those young and untested players has 
already paid dividends as they have led 
the Wolverines to a 14-4 record.

Michigan 
has 
used 
only 
two 

newcomers extensively in its lineup thus 
far. Junior outfielder Jordan Brewer 
who transferred in 2018 after two 
seasons at Lincoln Trail Community 
College (Illinois) and freshman right-
hander Willie Weiss. Brewer has been 
a consistent starter all season while 

Weiss has seen opportunities in a relief 
role.

The 
Wolverines’ 
defense 
and 

pitching were expected to be their 
strengths this season and have been 
as advertised with a team ERA of just 
2.56 and a team fielding percentage 
of .974. But their hitting has also been 
impressive. Michigan has put up five 
or more runs in 11 of its first 18 games. 
As a team, the Wolverines average over 
seven runs per game and have a healthy 
batting average at .281.

The Daily breaks down the team 

position-by-position:

Pitchers
Someone with two first names is 

usually subject to a plethora of jokes.

But junior Tommy Henry’s season 

has been no joke.

The left-handed ace has been dealing 

this season. His 0.51 ERA and a 5-0 
record puts him atop the team and the 
Big Ten in both categories. He leads the 
team in innings pitched, has the fewest 
walks, earned runs and batting average.

Henry has a strong supporting cast 

of starters in junior right-hander Karl 
Kauffman and sophomore right-hander 
Jeff Criswell. Kauffman would be the 
headliner if not for the outstanding 
performance of Henry. Kauffman 
has an ERA of 1.06 and a 4-1 record. 
He holds his opponents to a batting 
average of .164. Criswell rounds out the 
rotation with a 3.51 ERA. Criswell has 

seen a major step up in his role after 
pitching in relief last season. The loss 
of sophomore left-hander Ben Dragani 
to season ending Tommy John surgery 
seems to have pushed Criswell into a 
larger role.

Catchers
Sophomore Joe Donovan grabbed 

the starting position in the offseason 
and hasn’t looked back. Donovan has 
been a steady presence behind the 
plate thus far. His defensive prowess 
with a .993 fielding percentage and his 
vocal leadership have made Donovan 
a key player for Michigan. Freshman 
Casey Buckley and redshirt sophomore 
Harrison Salter are the primary 
reserves for Donovan. Combined, 
they’ve played in 12 games and started 
four. Unlike last season, catcher is a 
known quantity and should continue to 
be a strength for the Wolverines.

First Base
Junior Jordan Brewer was a bit of 

an unknown coming into the season. 
Bakich raved about his athleticism, but 
Brewer’s batting has been the highlight 
of this season. Against Manhattan, 
Brewer had the bases loaded with two 
outs and an 0-2 count. He crushed 
the ball into left field for a grand slam 
adding to his collection of highlights 
this season. He has started all 18 games 
and has the third best batting average 
on the team at .368. But, Brewer is 
more than just a slugger. His fielding 

percentage is an incredible .986. At first 
base, Michigan is solid both defensively 
and offensively so don’t expect many 
opportunities for the reserve players.

Second Base
Last season, senior Ako Thomas 

suffered a wrist injury derailing a 
promising 
junior 
campaign. 
This 

season, he is looking to reach the All-
Big Ten First Team form he enjoyed in 
his sophomore season. Thomas looks 
healthy again and, while his early 
season batting average is lower than 
last season, he has plenty of time to 
rectify those issues. Thomas’ defense 
has been top-notch again this season 
with a fielding percentage of .982. 
Additionally, his base-running skills 
are something that the Wolverines will 
look to utilize. Over his sophomore and 
junior seasons Thomas stole 38 bases 
— an impressive tally considering his 
junior season was shortened due to the 
aforementioned injury. Thomas has 
split time this season with senior Blake 
Nelson. Nelson brings an added element 
of batting with an impressive .452 
average in 11 games this season. But, 
the added power comes with a tradeoff 
as Nelson has accrued six errors this 
season compared to Thomas’ one.

Shortstop
Sophomore Jack Blomgren has 

retained his starting position from 
last season. Blomgren appears to have 
made a significant jump since then, 

batting at .339 as compared to .216 last 
season. Blomgren already has 13 RBI 
this season compared to last season’s 
tally of 18 in less than half of the games. 
Blomgren’s fielding has improved vastly 
as well, with just one error this season.

Third Base
Senior Jimmy Kerr is the veteran 

leader of this team. Kerr returns as 
starter this season and, while his 
batting has not been exceptional, his 
defense appears to have improved since 
last season. Kerr has built on his fielding 
percentage from last season, going from 
.893 to .923. Kerr is a steady presence 
on both the field and in the dugout. 
His teammates have a lot of respect 
for the player who embodies Michigan 
baseball. Kerr’s father and grandfather 
played at Michigan as well. Kerr has 
started every game this season.

Outfield
After starting the past two seasons 

in left field, redshirt senior Miles Lewis 
has been shifted over to right field. 
Lewis has been a solid hitter this season 
at .292 — a marked improvement over 
.230 last season. His two home runs 
this season nearly equal last season’s 
total of three. Lewis has once again 
been a pillar of Michigan’s defense with 
a 1.000 fielding percentage.

AVI RAJENDRA-NICOLUCCI

Daily Sports Writer

From Henry to Thomas to Kerr: Breaking down the 2019 Michigan baseball roster

Ruchita Iyer / Daily

A preview of the 2019 Michigan Baseball team

MORE AT MICHIGANDAILY.COM

MORE AT MICHIGANDAILY.COM

