Despite the graduation of top players and an influx of freshmen the baseball team is eager to showcase the emergence of new talent alongside returning veterans as it debuts Friday night at Long Beach State.
More than half the roster this year is comprised of freshmen transfers and redshirts who have never played a regular season at Pepperdine— these 18 players many of whom have high chances of starting or solid play time offer fresh talent to the season. These newcomers will also join a number of talented team leaders.
“It’s always nerve-racking the weeks coming up to the season because that’s when we start thinking about how well we have to perform sophomore outfielder Aaron Gates said. But when the season actually starts we just relax and do our thing and whatever happens happens.”
Compared to the 2009 season the off-season hype this year has lagged far behind last year’s when baseball media predicted the Waves would play in the College World Series. But as Head Coach Steve Rodriguez would agree last year’s play “slumped” mid-season and the team fell significantly below expectations. Despite critics’ skepticism about Pepperdine the players and coaches are confident with the upcoming debut.
Playing into the skepticism is the absence of two All-West Coast Conference first-team selections Nate Simon and David Harris who left the corner outfield positions open. But Gates may be up to the task of filling the gap. He was a Northwoods League All-Star for the Loggers in La Crosse Wis. this past summer and proved his talent with a .375 batting average that included two home runs. This was an improvement from last year’s regular season of a .283 batting average.
“I hope to establish myself as an elite college player and a leader for our team he said. We have a lot of experienced players who do a great job helping the younger guys and I’m hoping to take their role.”
The team lost 15 athletes last season some of whom graduated got drafted or transferred. Thus head coach Rodriguez was especially intent on bringing strong freshmen to the roster and it seems that he may have successfully done so.
Rodriguez says freshman pitcher Alex Najera along with fellow freshmen Daniel Patrick and Cory Jones will play a significant role on the mound.
“Being a freshman is always a nervous thing especially when the coaches expect a lot out of you as an individual Najera said. A lot was new to me this year. College is a whole other level compared to high school with the long practices and lifting at 5:30 in the morning. It’s a lot of work balancing practice and school but I am excited to see what the future has in store for us.”
Rodriguez also said he plans to play freshman Joe Sever in middle infield immediately while freshman Sam Meyer should see play time on first base.
On the infield redshirt sophomore Miles Silverstein returns as a leader and one of the more experienced players. He batted .273 last season and said he looks forward to this season with new talent and great team chemistry.
He said the goals are set high this year yet are certainly achievable.
“This is going to be the most exciting season in my three years at Pepperdine Silverstein said. We’re challenged from the first game with Long Beach State University to our last game with the University of San Francisco. With all of these high-quality teams packed into one schedule we have an opportunity to be one of the highest-ranked teams in the country. Personally and as a team we have set our goals at the highest level— Omaha. We’re going to win the College World Series and that’s all there is to it.”
The pitching mound brings back two talented starters who are probable to pitch the opening game: redshirt sophomore Cole Cook and junior Matt Bywater. Both are WCC preseason honorees named to its Pre-season All-Conference team last month.
Bywater says that getting through the tough schedule of games at the beginning of the season with wins will set the team up well.
“Compared to last year I feel that we will have a better year this year Bywater said. Our defense is always strong and the pitching this year should make for some great games.”
Bywater had a near-perfect record of 6-1 last season with ten starts and had 66 strikeouts.
Sophomore centerfielder and lead off batter Brian Humphries was the third Wave named to the honorary WCC team. He was also named to the WCC’s all-freshman team last year batting .305 with 38 RBI and eight stolen bases.
“There is really only one goal this year and that is to make a regional said Humphries. Last year we were expected to be one of the best teams in the nation and failed to make a regional. Our ultimate goal is to make it to the College World Series in Omaha but first we must make a regional. The journey is not going to be easy but we are ready.”
