Oregon State ran away with the Pac-12 last season en route to an outstanding 56-6 overall record. They made it all the way to the College World Series before LSU eliminated them. Arizona, Stanford and UCLA also qualified for the NCAA Tournament, but they all were eliminated in the Regionals. I expect more Pac-12 teams to make the postseason in 2018, but it would be a tall task for any of them to surpass Oregon State.
Arizona (2017 Record: 38-21, 16-14)
The Wildcats finished fourth in the conference in 2017 and went to the Lubbock Regional of the NCAA Tournament. In the regional they went 1-2, including a win over Delaware and two losses against Sam Houston State.
Lineup:
The Wildcats return five starters this season, led by outfielder Alfonso Rivas III. In 2017, Rivas batted .371 with seven home runs and 63 RBI to go along with 54 runs scored. Senior outfielder Cal Stevenson hit .311 with four home runs, 30 RBI and 61 runs. Sophomore third baseman Nick Quintana should play a large role offensively after hitting .293 with six home runs and 38 RBI in his freshman campaign. Junior Cesar Salazar returns behind the plate after hitting .284 with two home runs and 34 RBI.
Pitching:
The Wildcats lost their top two starters from last year, however, they have some good candidates to fill those vacancies. Junior Cody Deason is back after finishing 2017 with a 5-3 record and 3.86 ERA in 53.2 innings. Junior Michael Flynn returns as well after going 5-0 last year with a 3.29 ERA in 52 innings. Sophomore Randy Labaut could contend for the Sunday role after posting a 1-2 record with a 4.55 ERA in 31.2 innings. Last years top reliever, Robby Medel is back after compiling a 2.96 ERA in 24.1 innings.
2018 Outlook:
The offense should be pretty solid this year, but, there could be some growing pains for the pitching staff. The tools are in place to have a successful season, however, it all hinges on the performance of the pitchers.
Arizona State (2017 Record: 23-32, 8-22
2017 was a very rough year for the Sun Devils. They posted their lowest winning percentage in program history and ended a streak of 54 consecutive seasons with 30 or more wins. It was their first losing season since 1985 and they missed the postseason for the first time since 1999. They also finished second to last place in the conference.
Lineup:
The Sun Devils will return six starters to their 2018 lineup. Junior Gage Canning will anchor the outfield after hitting .332 with six home runs, 29 RBI and 9 stolen bases last season. Sophomore outfielder Hunter Bishop will look to build upon his impressive freshman campaign in which he hit .301 with five home runs and 25 RBI. Sophomore Lyle Lin, who can play catcher or first base, batted .290 with two home runs and 25 RBI in 2017. Sophomore Carter Aldrete will play third base after hitting .270 with three home runs and 31 RBI a year ago. Junior Jeremy McCuin will likely platoon in the outfield after batting .256 with two home runs and 19 RBI last year. Freshman Alika Williams, from San Diego, is a player to look out for. He will likely start at second base this season.
Pitching:
Sophomore Spencer Van Scoyoc is projected as the Friday starter after going 0-2 last year with a 3.68 ERA in 28 innings. Senior Eli Lingos should fill in the Saturday role after finishing last season at 6-7 with a 4.21 ERA in 87.2 innings. Senior Jake Godfrey pitched 31 innings last year and posted a 6.10 ERA. He is projected to start on Sundays. Junior Connor Higgins returns as the top reliever after collecting four saves and posting a 3.92 ERA in 39 innings a year ago. Freshman Boyd Vander Kooi is a player to watch as he could make an impact in the bullpen right away.
2018 Outlook:
“Young, talented team and we feel we improved defensively and on the mound,” said Head Coach Tracy Smith. “We added polished defenders and more athleticism all around.”
California (2017 Record: 25-29, 15-15)
Cal finished fifth in the conference last season with an even .500 winning percentage. A losing overall record kept them from making the NCAA Tournament though.
Lineup:
The Golden Bears return all but two starters from last year’s team. Sophomore first baseman Andrew Vaughn comes back after hitting .349 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI. Sophomore shortstop Cameron Eden batted .315 with six home runs, 24 RBI and 33 runs last season. Junior outfielder Jeffrey Mitchell returns after hitting .325 with three home runs, 23 RBI and 38 runs in 2017. Junior outfielder Jonah Davis hit .275 last season with two home runs and 23 RBI. Junior Tanner Dodson is a two-way player who hit .299 with three home runs and 26 RBI last season.
Pitching:
Sophomore Jared Horn returns from a 2017 campaign in which he went 3-5 with a 4.64 ERA in 77.2 innings. Joey Matulovich comes back after pitching 73.2 innings en route to a 4.76 ERA and a 4-3 record. Senior Matt Ladrech looks to compete for a starting role after finishing last year at 2-2 with a 4.53 ERA in 51.2 innings. Tanner Dodson pitched 52 innings last year, posting a 5.37 ERA. Junior Aaron Shortridge should play a large role coming out of the bullpen after he posted a 1.99 ERA in 22.2 innings.
2018 Outlook:
I expect Cal to be competitive and finish in the upper half of the conference this season. I also believe that they could make a run at a Regional berth.
Oregon (2017 Record: 30-25, 12-18)
The Ducks fared well in their non-conference schedule with a 18-7 record. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t bode as well during Pac-12 play. They finished in eighth place with only 12 conference victories.
Lineup:
Four starters return to the lineup for the Ducks this season. Senior Kyle Kasser is projected to start at shortstop after hitting .352 with one home run, 24 RBI and 34 runs a year ago. Sophomore Spencer Steer will return at third base this season after batting .262 with two home runs and 35 RBI in 2017. Sophomore Gabe Matthews should start at first base following last year’s .282, three home run and 26 RBI campaign. According to Head Coach George Horton, Matthews has big power potential and will be a middle-of-the-order bat. Senior Daniel Patzlaff is back and will likely start at second base after hitting .204 with two home runs and 16 RBI last season. Freshman Johnny DeLuca is a newcomer to watch as he is projected to start in center field.
Pitching:
Junior Matt Mercer is the only returning weekend starter. He posted a 6-7 record with a 3.16 ERA in 88.1 innings last year. Sophomore Kenyon Yovan will likely move to the rotation after going 1-1 with a 1.97 ERA and 15 saves in 32 innings last season. Sophomore Ryne Nelson is the projected Sunday starter after finishing 2017 at 0-1 with a 4.73 ERA in 13.1 innings. Freshman Cullen Kafka, from De La Salle High School, is a player to keep an eye on this season.
2018 Outlook:
The Ducks should be solid on the mound this season as well as fundamentally sound on defense. The performance of the offense should dictate just how far the team can go.
Oregon State (2017 Record: 56-6, 27-3)
The Beavers are the clear favorite heading into 2018 after cruising to the Pac-12 title last season. They bring back most of their key pieces from 2017 and should be not only a conference contender, but a national team to watch.
Lineup:
All but one starter return to the lineup for the Beavers this season. Junior shortstop Nick Madrigal is a serious contender for conference player of the year after hitting .380 with four home runs, 40 RBI and 53 runs in 2017. Third baseman Michael Gretler is back for his senior season after batting .301 with five home runs, 33 RBI and 34 runs last year. Junior second baseman Cadyn Grenier should have an impact offensively after batting .275 with five home runs and 37 RBI a year ago. Adley Rutschman returns behind the plate after putting together a solid Freshman campaign in 2017. He hit .234 with two home runs and 33 RBI last year. Junior Steven Kwan is another player to watch as he will likely land a starting outfield spot after hitting .331 with a home run, 18 RBI and 32 runs last season.
Pitching:
Two weekend starters should return for the Beavers this year. Senior ace Luke Heimlich was 11-1 with a 0.76 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 118.1 innings last season. Junior Bryce Fehmel posted a 3.87 ERA in 81.1 innings en route to a 6-3 record. Junior reliever Drew Rasmussen was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round of the MLB Draft but wasn’t signed due to undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. He will be on the roster this season, but his availability is unknown. He went 3-0 last year with a 1.00 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 27 innings. If he is available, he could move into the rotation. If not, junior Sam Tweedt would fill in nicely following his 3-0 season with a 2.50 ERA in 36 innings last year. OSU’s bullpen is also above average, as they mounted a combined 1.96 ERA in 2017.
2018 Outlook:
Frankly, if anybody wins the conference other than the Beavs, I would be shocked.
Stanford (2017 Record: 42-16, 21-9)
The Cardinal put together a strong showing in 2017. They hosted a Regional, but were eliminated in it after going 2-2 with wins over Sacramento State and BYU as well as two losses against Cal. State Fullerton.
Lineup:
Stanford will return six starters to this year’s lineup. Sophomore infielder Daniel Bakst leads those returners after batting. 311 with three home runs and 38 RBI last season. Junior shortstop Nico Hoerner comes back after hitting .307 with one home run, 33 RBI and 43 runs in 2017. Second base will be manned by junior Duke Kinamon, who batted .284 with three home runs, 22 RBI and 38 runs a year ago. Freshman Nick Brueser, from Chandler, Arizona, is a newcomer to look out for as he may end up being the starter at first base.
Pitching:
Junior Kris Bubic is a candidate to be a Friday starter after he went 7-6 last year with a 2.79 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 90.1 innings. Junior Tristan Beck is also a contender for that spot as he looks to become available after missing the 2017 season. In 2016, Beck was a Freshman All-American due to his 2.48 ERA in 83 innings. Sophomore Erik Miller started 13 games last year, posting a 5-2 record with a 3.65 ERA in 61.2 innings. Sophomore Will Matthiessen could headline the bullpen after going 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA in 38.2 innings a year ago. Freshman Austin Weiermiller is a newcomer to look out for. He could make an immediate impact from the bullpen.
2018 Outlook:
Stanford will look to build on a successful 2017 campaign using strong pitching and an experienced lineup.
UCLA (2017 Record: 30-27, 19-11)
UCLA finished third in the Pac-12 in 2017. The Bruins lost two close games to Texas and San Diego State last year in the Long Beach Regional.
Lineup:
Six starters will return to the Bruins’ lineup in 2018. Sophomore infielder Michael Toglia comes back after hitting .261 with eight home runs, 33 RBI and 33 runs a year ago. Sophomore infielder Kyle Cuellar also returns after batting .319 with one home run and 20 RBI last season. Sophomore Chase Stumpf returns to the infield after batting .239 with seven home runs, 30 RBI and 23 runs last year. Sophomore Ryan Kreidler is back in the infield as well after batting .241 with four home runs and 25 RBI in 2017. Junior Daniel Amaral comes back to the outfield after hitting .282 with one home run and 21 RBI last season. Daniel Rosica is back behind the plate for his sophomore season after batting .271 with one home run and 14 RBI last year.
Pitching:
The Bruins lost two weekend starters, however, they still have some experience on the staff. Senior John Olsen pitched 85 innings last year to the tune of a 7-1 record and 2.86 ERA. Junior Justin Hooper started nine games last season en route to 1-1 record and 3.69 ERA in 46.1 innings. Senior Jake Bird started 5 games in 2017, posting a 5-5 record with a 2.75 ERA.
2018 Outlook:
It looks like the Bruins are prime for a good 2018 season. They’ve got an experienced lineup along with a solid weekend rotation. I think UCLA will make it back to the NCAA Tournament this season.
USC (2017 Record: 21-34, 8-22)
It was a rough, injury ridden 2017 season as the Trojans found themselves in last place in the Pac-12 when all said and done. They will look to get healthy and back on track moving into 2018.
Lineup:
The Trojans return five players to the lineup this year. Junior outfielder Lars Nootbaar returns after hitting .313 with seven home runs and 34 RBI last season. Junior second baseman Brandon
Perez returns after batting .328 last year with one home run and 23 RBI. Sophomore outfielder Matthew Acosta will look to improve on his 2017 freshman campaign in which he hit .283 with two home runs and 15 RBI. Infielders Ben Ramirez and Jamal O’Guinn are incoming freshman to keep an eye on in 2018.
Pitching:
Two weekend starters are back for the Trojans in 2018. Sophomore Chris Clarke went 4-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 73.1 innings last year. Junior CJ Stubbs was 2-5 with a 5.04 ERA in 64.1 innings last season. Senior Brad Wegman could move into the weekend rotation after starting seven games last season with a 2-5 record and a 4.57 ERA in 65 innings a year ago. Freshman Kyle Hurt, from Torrey Pines High School, could help the staff right away this season.
2018 Outlook:
“We hope to improve on the mound, scoring runners from third with less than two outs.” said USC Sports Information Director, Tim Tessalone.
Utah (2017 Record: 27-24, 15-15)
2017 was a mediocre season for the Utes all around. They finished sixth in the conference with a .500 record in league play. Their overall record wasn’t quite good enough to be considered for a Regional berth.
Lineup:
Utah lost their top two run producers from a year ago, but they bring back five starters to their lineup. Junior outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. returns after .327 with three home runs, 31 RBI and 39 runs a year ago. Junior Chandler Anderson also comes back to the outfield after hitting .336 with one home run, 24 RBI and 28 runs last season. Junior Zack Moeller is back at catcher following his 2017 campaign in which he batted .265 with five home runs, 30 RBI and 30 runs. Junior transfer from Pima Community College, Erick Migueles, could make an immediate impact offensively and in the outfield.
Pitching:
Senior Josh Lapiana is the only returning weekend starter. He went 3-6 with a 5.52 ERA in 75 innings last season. Sophomore Jacob Rebar could possibly earn a position in the rotation after starting four games last season, going 3-5 and posting a 5.72 ERA in 39.1 innings. Sophomore Chase Bauerle could also contend for a spot after going 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 32.1 innings in 2017. Senior Trenton Stoltz returns after leading the bullpen last season with a 1.80 ERA in 20 innings. Senior Tanner Thomas and junior Joshua Tedeschi both had an impact last season posting ERAs of 2.91 and 2.79 respectively.
2018 Outlook:
“We are very young in spots. We need to establish starting pitching. We have a chance to be a very good offensive club,” said Head Coach Bill Kinneberg.
Washington (2017 Record: 28-26, 14-16)
The Huskies didn’t play well down the stretch, which led them to a seventh place Pac-12 finish. They’ve lost a lot of experience in their lineup so finishing higher this year could be a tall order.
Lineup:
Only three starters return to the Huskies’ lineup this year. Junior third baseman Willie McIver is back after hitting .292 with two home runs, 27 RBI and 28 runs last season. Senior Levi Jordan returns to second base after batting .279 with one home run and 19 RBI a year ago. Junior AJ Graffanino returns to shortstop after he hit .269 with 23 RBI last season.
Pitching:
The Huskies return three experienced starting pitchers this season. Junior Joe DeMers started 14 games last season, going 6-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 99.1 innings. Sophomore Chris Micheles started 13 games last year, posting a 4.38 ERA in 51.1 innings. Sophomore Jordan Jones started 10 games in 2017, and pitched 77.1 innings en route to a 4.42 ERA and 5-8 record. In the bullpen, Sophomore Leo Nierenberg had a 4.87 ERA last season in 40.2 innings. Senior Alex Hardy went 5-0 with a 4.60 ERA in 31.1 innings last year.
2018 Outlook:
Starting pitching could keep the Huskies competitive, however, there are a lot of question marks offensively.
Washington State (2017 Record: 24-29, 10-20)
In 2017, the Cougars went up two spots in the Pac-12 standings from last to ninth.
Lineup:
The Cougars will return six starters to their lineup this season. Junior Justin Harrer returns after batting .298 with five home runs, 32 RBI and 28 runs. Junior shortstop Andres Alvarez comes back after batting .308 with 19 RBI and 25 runs in 2017. Senior first baseman James Rudkin returns after hitting .288 with 32 RBI and 28 runs last year. Senior outfielder JJ Hancock is back after batting .298 with four home runs and 23 RBI a year ago. Junior catcher Cory Meyer is looking to make an impact after hitting .290 with one home run and 20 RBI last season.
Pitching:
Two weekend starters return for the Cougars. Last year’s ace, Cody Anderson, returns for his senior season after posting a 5-4 record with a 3.40 ERA in 79.1 innings last season. Senior Ryan Walker aims to fill a weekend role after going 5-5 with a 5.67 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 66.2 innings. Senior Scotty Sunitsch earned 8 saves last season while compiling a 4.17 ERA in 41 innings.
2018 Outlook:
The offense is an apparent bright spot for the Cougars heading into the season and they have decent starting pitching experience. A lot of what WSU will accomplish relies on how the bullpen will perform.
2018 All-Conference Preseason Team
C Lyle Lin (Arizona State)
1B Andrew Vaughn (California)
2B Duke Kinamon (Stanford)
3B Michael Gretler (Oregon State)
SS Nick Madrigal (Oregon State)
OF DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (Utah)
OF Gage Canning (Arizona State)
OF Lars Nootbaar (USC)
DH Alfonso Rivas III (Arizona)
SP Luke Heimlich (Oregon State)
SP Kris Bubic (Stanford)
SP John Olsen (UCLA)
SP Joe DeMers (Washington)
SP Kenyon Yovan (Oregon)
RP Drew Rasmussen (Oregon State)
RP Trenton Stoltz (Utah)
RP Jake Mulholland (Oregon State)
Honorable Mention:
OF Hunter Bishop (Arizona State)
OF Jeffrey Mitchell Jr. (California)
OF Cal Stevenson (Arizona)
OF Trevor Larnach (Oregon State)
DH Daniel Bakst (Stanford)
SS Nico Hoerner (Stanford)
2B Brandon Perez (USC)
SP Cody Anderson (Washington State)
SP Bryce Fehmel (Oregon State)
SP Matt Mercer (Oregon)
Projected Order To Finish:
- Oregon State
- Stanford
- UCLA
- Cal
- Arizona
- Oregon
- Arizona State
- Utah
- Washington
- Washington State
- USC
