Here are previews for each Mountain West team in 2018, as well as our preseason All-Conference team and predicted order to finish in the conference standings.
Air Force (2017 Record: 27-26, 12-17)
The Falcons just missed out on the Mountain West Tournament last year with 12 conference wins. They’ll try to get back in there this year.
Lineup:
Shortstop Tyler Zabojnik should be back to help solidify the lineup after hitting .366 last year with 52 runs scored, 23 doubles, 8 home runs and 47 RBI. First baseman Nic Ready hit .340 a year ago with 47 runs scored, 22 doubles, 11 home runs and 53 RBI. Outfielder Daniel Jones hit .369 in just 65 at-bats last year with 7 home runs. Catcher Rob Dau should also return to the lineup.
Pitching:
Ryan Holloway was solid out of the bullpen last year with a 3.83 ERA in 47 innings pitched with 54 strikeouts and 4 saves. Matt Hargreaves led the starting rotation with a 6.75 ERA last year in 72 innings pitched with 64 strikeouts. Ethan Nichols and Nick Biancalana both made several starts for Air Force last year and could figure into the starting rotation.
2018 Outlook:
This offense loses a lot at the top, but should still be a powerful lineup with what they do have coming back. The question again will be in the pitching staff. If those coming back take a step forward this team could definitely work its way into the Mountain West Tournament this year.
Fresno State (2017 Record: 35-25, 18-12)
Fresno State had a very solid 2017 season and were on the verge of winning their first ever Mountain West Tournament championship, but ultimately lost to San Diego State. They hope to finish things off this season.
Lineup:
Outfielder Zach Ashford should return to the middle of the order after hitting .316 last year with 26 runs scored, 8 doubles, 1 home run and 33 RBI. Catcher Carter Bins hit .291 last year with 38 runs scored, 9 doubles, 6 home runs and 28 RBI, while shortstop Korby Batesole hit .310 with 39 runs scored, 9 doubles, 5 home runs and 36 RBI. Those three will form a solid top of the order, but there is a lot of production missing from last year’s team, including their top five hitters – four of which hit 10 or more home runs. Freshman Zach Presno (C), Nate Thimjon (OF) and Emilio Nogales (INF) will try to cover up some of the losses.
Pitching:
Edgar Gonzalez should get a chance to start in the weekend rotation after finishing with the second best ERA on the team last year at 4.83 in 61.2 innings pitched with 64 strikeouts. Ryan Jensen and Davis Moore are also expected to receive weekend starts. Fresno State also losses a lot of innings from last year’s team. Freshman Jamison Hill and Jamie Arias could see significant innings early in their careers.
2018 Outlook:
Assistant Coach Ryan Overland said they hope to improve the pitching staff from 2017, noting that Gonzalez, Jensen and Moore will give them a very good foundation on the weekend. He believes those three are some of the best arms on the west coast, and he feels they can compete with anyone when they are on the mound.
Nevada (2017 Record: 19-36, 13-16)
Nevada had a big win over Clemson last year and then snuck into the Mountain West Tournament, but they went two-and-out.
Lineup:
Outfielder Grant Fennell is back after leading the team with a .328 average last year to go along with 34 runs scored, 13 doubles, 2 home runs and 24 RBI. DH Mike Echavia hit .307 a year ago with 36 runs scored, 15 doubles, 9 home runs and 42 RBI. Second baseman Keaton Smith hit .292 in 2017 with 31 runs scored, 5 home runs and 21 RBI.
Pitching:
Mark Nowaczewski should be back to lead the starting rotation after posting a 4.89 ERA in 99.1 innings pitched last year with 53 strikeouts. Grant Ford made a handful of starts last year and could earn a spot in the rotation, but otherwise there isn’t much starting experience back in the pitching staff.
2018 Outlook:
There are a couple of big loses in the lineup and in the pitching staff that Nevada will have to replace, but I expect them to remain in the middle of the pack.
New Mexico (2017 Record: 30-27-1, 19-9-1)
It was a very good 2017 season for New Mexico winning 19 conference games and finishing with the best winning percentage in the conference. But they went 1-2 in the Mountain West Tournament and saw their season come to a disappointing end.
Lineup:
Jared Mang returns as one of the best hitters in the conference after batting .373 last year with 63 runs scored, 17 doubles, 9 home runs and 62 RBI. Outfielder Danny Collier is also back after hitting .328 a year ago with 50 runs scored, 13 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs and 51 RBI. Hayden Schilling hit .317 last year and should be back.
Pitching:
Christian Tripp was the team’s closer last year posting a 5.14 ERA in 28 innings pitched with 26 strikeouts and 6 saves. They’ll have to replace a lot of starts in their rotation though.
2018 Outlook:
There were a lot of loses to the MLB Draft this past year. How quickly they are able to fill those holes, especially in the starting rotation, will determine whether or not this team can get back to the top of the conference in 2018.
San Diego State (42-21, 20-10)
It was a very good year for San Diego State as they won the MVC Tournament and had wins over Cal State Fullerton, Notre Dame and UCLA. They advanced to the Long Beach Regional, and even though they’d beaten them twice in the regular season, they lost to them twice in the regional with a win over UCLA mixed in.
Lineup:
Outfielder Chase Calabuig is back after hitting .305 with 43 runs scored, 12 doubles, 7 home runs and 38 RBI. David Hensley is back after leading the team with a .357 average last year to go along with 36 runs scored, 16 doubles, 3 home runs, 31 RBI and 7 stolen bases. He can play multiple positions, but has a shot to start at shortstop. Catcher Dean Nevarez hit .301 last year with 33 runs scored, 9 home runs and 31 RBI. Julian Escobedo has a chance to be a contributor in the lineup as well as in the pitching staff in 2018. Freshman Casey Schmitt and Sean Ross have a chance to get some playing time this year.
Pitching:
Logan Boyer should lead the weekend rotation after posting a 1.46 ERA last year in just 12.1 innings pitched because of injuries. Jorge Fernandez has a chance to close for San Diego State this year after posting a 2.79 ERA a year ago in 48.1 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts. Jacob Erickson will provide leadership out of the bullpen and has a chance to break the school’s all-time appearance record. He had a 3.67 ERA last year in 49 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts. Transfer Garrett Hill has a chance to come in and be a weekend starter. Freshman Casey O’Sullivan, Daniel Ritcheson and Jacob Flores have a chance to log significant innings this year.
2018 Outlook:
Head Coach Mike Martinez is focused on pitching and defense, which wins championship. He added that he would like to see them eliminate the non-plays over the course of the year.
San Jose State (2017 Record: 19-35-1, 10-18-1)
There wasn’t much to get excited about last year as far as San Jose State baseball is concerned as they were 0-6 against San Diego State and missed out on the Mountain West Tournament.
Lineup:
First baseman Shane Timmons will be back to lead the lineup after hitting .304 last year with 33 runs scored, 8 doubles, 10 home runs and 46 RBI. Outfielder Chris Williams hit .298 a year ago with 4 home runs and 22 RBI. Outfielder Kellen Strahm hit .276 in 2017 with 36 runs scored and 18 stolen bases.
Pitching:
Jake Swiech made 11 starts last year and had a 5.95 ERA in 65 innings pitched with 37 strikeouts. Josh Goldberg was the team’s closer last year with a 4.91 ERA in 44 innings pitched with 38 strikeouts and 6 saves.
2018 Outlook:
There are some solid contributors coming back in the lineup and in the pitching staff. If those players can show improvement in 2018 this team could make a little noise in the Mountain West.
UNLV (2017 Record: 20-36, 10-20)
The Rebels beat a ranked Cal State Fullerton team early in the season, but there wasn’t much good that happened after that as they failed to make the Mountain West Tournament.
Lineup:
Outfielder Kyle Isbel will be back after hitting .290 a year ago with 42 runs scored, 12 doubles, 6 home runs and 26 RBI. Nick Ames hit .311 last year with 25 runs scored, 12 doubles, 11 home runs and 48 RBI. Shortstop Bryson Stott should also return to the middle of the lineup after hitting .294 last year with 31 runs scored, 11 doubles, 1 home run, and 29 RBI. Newcomers Dillion Johnson (INF) and Seth Mullis (C) should have an immediate impact on the lineup.
Pitching:
All three starting pitchers return in Garrett Poole, Alan Strong and Paul Richy. They all had an ERA over six with at least 68 innings pitched. Strong led the group with 70 strikeouts, while Richy and Poole had less than 30. They’ll need those guys to step up in the starting rotation if UNLV is going to make some noise in 2018. Newcomers Trevor Horn, Chris Joaquim, Connor Woods and Casey Miller should also have an immediate impact on the pitching staff.
2018 Outlook:
Head Coach Stan Stolte said he would like to see his team improve in the pitching department. He also said the bottom of the order needs to be more productive.
2018 All-Mountain West Preseason Team:
C: Dean Nevarez (San Diego State)
1B: Nic Ready (Air Force)
2B: Keaton Smith (Nevada)
SS: Tyler Zabojnik (Air Force)
3B: David Hensley (San Diego State)
OF: Chase Calabuig (San Diego State)
OF: Jared Mang (New Mexico)
OF: Danny Collier (New Mexico)
DH: Nick Ames (UNLV)
SP: Edgar Gonzalez (Fresno State)
SP: Mark Nowaczewski (Nevada)
SP: Logan Boyer (San Diego State)
RP: Jorge Fernandez (San Diego State)
RP: Ryan Holloway (Air Force)
RP: Christian Tripp (New Mexico)
Honorable Mention:
C: Carter Bins (Fresno State)
1B: Shane Timmons (San Jose State)
SS: Bryson Stott (UNLV)
SS: David Hensley (San Diego State)
SS: Korby Batesole (Fresno State)
OF: Grant Fennell (Nevada)
DH: Mike Echavia (Nevada)
RP: Josh Goldberg (San Jose State)
Predicted Order to Finish:
- San Diego State
- New Mexico
- Fresno State
- Air Force
- Nevada
- UNLV
- San Jose State
