Davidson (2018 Record: 33-21, 14-10)
After reaching the super regionals in 2017 Davidson had another solid season in 2018 but went 1-2 in the A-10 Tournament.
Returning Players
Eric Jones is back for his senior season after leading the team with a .333 average last year to go along with 42 runs scored, 14 doubles, 11 home runs, and 60 RBI. The catcher/infielder was a 2nd Team All-A10 player last year. Outfielder Alex Mardiney was an A-10 All-Rookie player last year after hitting .272 as a redshirt freshman. Max Bazin can play all over the infield and had a solid junior season hitting .301. First baseman Brett Centracchio hit .263 last year with 44 runs scored, 10 home runs, and 40 RBI. Outfielder Justin Lebek also brings some thump to the lineup after hitting 11 home runs last year.
Davidson has three senior pitchers coming back that should help lead a solid pitching staff. Allen Barry was 8-2 last year and posted a 3.83 ERA last year in 80 innings pitched with 75 strikeouts. Austin Leonard had a 2.86 ERA in 22 innings out of the bullpen with 23 strikeouts and 2 saves. Casey Sutherland posted a 2.47 ERA in 43.2 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts and 6 saves a year ago.
Newcomers
Freshman Trevor Candelaria was Davidson’s top recruit in the 2018 class according to Perfect Game and could see some time in the outfield this season. Another freshman, Matt Gravely, could see some playing time right away on the infield.
Freshman pitchers Gabe Levy and Blake Hely could see some significant innings this season, while Kieran Casey is a transfer who could help out right away.
Outlook for 2019
Head Coach Rucker Taylor said they would love to improve their team defense in 2019, while also improving their depth in the pitching staff.
Dayton (2018 Outlook: 21-31, 10-14)
Dayton won their most conference games since 2014 but were still unable to reach the conference tournament. We’ll see if they continue that improvement in 2019.
Returning Players
Outfielder Connor Echols is back after leading the team with a .293 average last year to go along with 6 home runs and 34 RBI. Shortstop Pat Meehan will be the leader on the infield after hitting .272 last year 39 runs scored, 6 home runs, and 31 RBI. Center fielder Mitchell Garrity will be back atop the lineup after hitting .267 last year with 38 runs scored and 15 stolen bases.
Aaron Ernst is looking to build off a solid freshman season in which he was named to the A-10 All-Freshman Team after posting a 5.02 ERA in 57.1 innings pitched with 42 strikeouts. They are expecting big things from senior Ben Hughes who missed 2018 due to an injury. He has a chance to be a weekend starter.
Newcomers
JUCO transfer Alex Brickman is a big power bat that could fit in the middle of the lineup, while playing first base and DH. It sounds like freshman Ben Blackwell ‘will start right away at second where he is an exceptional fielder.’
Hunter Wolfe is a transfer from Purdue who has a chance to be a weekend starter for Dayton this season. Cole Pletka is a JUCO transfer that stands at 6-foot-7 and will be an interesting matchup out of the bullpen most likely. Freshman Bryce Hellgeth is a converted catcher who will have the chance to close some games for Dayton this season.
Outlook for 2019
“Talent and physicality will be significantly better this year. Pitching will also be much improved. Many new guys will play a significant role this year, especially on the mound. We should be sound all around this year in all facets.” – Head Coach Jayson King
Fordham (2018 Record: 35-19-1, 16-8)
It was a great season for Fordham with 35 wins, including a win over South Florida and Shane McClanahan, but they fell short in the A-10 Tournament as the two seed.
Returning Players
Outfielder Alvin Melendez is back after leading the team with a .294 average a year ago. Shortstop Jake MacKenzie was second on the team with a .291 average to go along with 46 runs scored, 6 triples, 8 home runs, 42 RBI, and 34 stolen bases. Catcher Justin Bardwell was third on the team at .284 with 36 RBI. Outfielder Billy Godrick hit .259 a year ago with 38 runs scored and 5 home runs.
Anthony DiMeglio should be back in the starting rotation this year after posting a 3.40 ERA last year in 82 innings pitched with 95 strikeouts. Kyle Martin was dominate as the team’s closer in 2018 with a 1.62 ERA in 39 innings pitched with 56 strikeouts and 10 saves. Joe Quintal was solid mostly out of the bullpen in 2018 with a 3.14 ERA in 28.2 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts. Matt Mikulski should be a big part of the pitching staff as well this year after striking out 41 batters in 41.2 innings last year.
Newcomers
There are several freshman who have a chance to earn some playing time this year. Jake Guercio and Terrence Murray are both outfielders who could play right away. Andrew Semo is a talented freshman catcher, while Jason Coules could see time on the infield.
Cory Wall, Gabe Karslo, and Garrett Crowley are all freshman pitchers who could pitch significant innings in 2019.
Outlook for 2019
“Defensively we could continue to improve at limiting extra outs and free bases (extra 90’s). On the mound we could do a better job of getting a result (ball in play or K) sooner. Offensively we need to improve on scoring runners.” – Head Coach Kevin Leighton
George Mason (2018 Record: 29-27, 16-8)
George Mason had a very solid 2018 season as they finished second in the A-10 and then made it to the A-10 Tournament finals where they lost to the one seeded Saint Louis.
Returning Players
Logan Driscoll will be back behind the plate after leading the team with a .342 average last year to go with 43 runs scored, 13 doubles, 4 home runs, 34 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. Outfielder Brady Acker hit .282 in limited time last year with 4 home runs. He will take on a bigger role in this offense. Greg Popatak and Alejandro Aponte will be key contributors in the lineup as well.
Jared DiCesare will try to lead the weekend rotation this season after posting a 3.33 ERA in 2018 over 83.2 innings pitched with 71 strikeouts. Brian Marconi could figure into the weekend mix as well after posting a 4.70 ERA last year in 59.1 innings with 43 strikeouts.
Outlook for 2019
They lose three of their top five hitters and two starting pitchers from last year’s team. It’s possible George Mason takes a step back in 2019, but not much.
George Washington (2018 Record: 32-26, 13-11)
It was a solid year for GW finishing seventh in the conference, which was just good enough to make the conference tournament where they fought out of the loser’s bracket all the way to the semifinals.
Returning Players
Outfielder/DH Dominic D’Alessandro is back after hitting .318 a season ago with 31 runs scored, 15 doubles, 9 home runs, and 47 RBI. Steven Barmakian hit .310 last year with 44 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.
Nathan Woods should be back in the weekend rotation after posting a 3.18 ERA last year in 85 innings with 59 strikeouts. Jaret Edwards is also back after posting a 3.28 ERA a season ago with 45 strikeouts in 82.1 innings pitched. Elliott Raimo had a 2.76 ERA in 2018 with a 0.98 WHIP in 71.2 innings pitched with 72 strikeouts.
Outlook for 2019
George Washington returns their entire weekend rotation from 2018, so they should be set there. They will need to replace their closer and some other bullpen arms. They did lose two of their top four hitters from last season, but they have a nice core with D’Alessandro and Barmakian to work around.
La Salle (2018 Record: 14-41, 4-20)
The record was not pretty for La Salle in 2018 with just four conference wins. They will look to make major strides forward in 2019.
Returning Players
Outfielder Ben Faso led the team in hitting last year at .347 to go along with 31 runs scored, 17 doubles, 3 home runs, 36 RBI, and 9-for-9 in stolen bases. Second baseman Peyton Sorrels got off to a slow start last year but ended up hitting .280. Ryan Guckin led the team in home runs last year with four. He will move to the outfield this season.
Mike Anthony will move to a weekend rotation spot this season after posting a 5.85 ERA a season ago in 32.1 innings pitched 21 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Aiden Frye – Freshman with outstanding control and a low 90’s FB
Nick O’Day – 3rd baseman/Outfielder who can hit for average and power
Matt Rivera – Catcher with strong arm and light tower power
Tatem Levins – Power Hitting Catcher
Quentin Brown – leadoff type hitter with power and average ability with the bat
Chuck Kelley – power pitcher that could start for us this season
- Notes provided by Head Coach David Miller
Outlook for 2019
“We want to build on a strong recruiting class and make the A-10 tournament and focus on winning and playing as a team.” – Head Coach David Miller
In order to reach those goals, La Salle will need to make major improvements in its pitching staff this season.
UMASS (2018 Record: 15-29, 6-18)
Outside of dominating the Sunshine State Classic Series with a sweep over Bucknell, there wasn’t much to get excited about in 2018 for UMASS.
Returning Players
Eddy Hart should return to second base after leading the team with a .298 average last year to go along with 32 runs scored, 11 doubles, and 4 home runs. Outfielder Nolan Kessinger returns as well after hitting .285 last year with a team-high 27 RBI. Shortstop Ryan Lever will be back in the lineup as well.
Justin Lasko will be back to lead the weekend rotation after posting a 2.52 ERA in 2018 over 82 innings pitched with 63 strikeouts. Sean Harney will also be back in the starting rotation after a solid freshman season in which he posted a 3.46 ERA in 54.2 innings pitched with 40 strikeouts. Casey Aubin could work as the team’s closer after saving four games last year with a 4.50 ERA in 30 innings with 31 strikeouts.
Outlook for 2019
UMASS has its top two hitters and top two starting pitchers returning from last year’s team. You would have to think they make solid improvements this year.
Rhode Island (2018 Record: 24-27, 13-11)
It was a difficult start to the 2018 season for Rhode Island as they played nine games against ranked teams and started just 4-14. They rebounded to finish with a winning conference record but just missed making the A-10 Tournament.
Returning Players
Outfielder/DH Jackson Coutts is back after leading the team with a .310 average last year as a freshman. He also had a big summer in the NECBL hitting .376. Catcher Sonny Ulliana was second on the team last year with a .295 average to go along with 3 home runs. He also had a strong showing in the NECBL with 5 home runs. Xavier Vargas missed a lot of time in 2018 due to injury, but they expect the first baseman to be a middle of the order hitter.
Tyler Wilson has a chance to be one of the most decorated pitchers in Rhode Island history as he’s already the all-time strikeout leader and is second in career wins. Last season he posted a 3.58 ERA in 73 innings pitched with 70 strikeouts. Nick Robinson had a 1.90 ERA in just 18 innings last year but should be a weekend starter this season. Senior Cam LaFleur had a 3.62 ERA in 27.1 innings last season and could be a weekend starter or closer. Vitaly Jangols was a Freshman All-American in 2017 but was injured in 2018.
Newcomers
Freshman Jon Cristino will see time behind the plate and at DH this season as they expect him to be a middle of the order bat with power. Mark Coley could see playing time all over the field as a freshman and will add some speed to the lineup.
Justin Cherry is a two-way player who could see time on the infield and could also close some games as a freshman in 2019. Bobby Vath is another freshman that could see significant time on the mound this season.
Outlook for 2019
Rhode Island will need to improve offensively, and they expect to with all the power they have coming back. They will be very young, but this group is very talented. Pitching-wise, they lost two weekend starters and two top relievers from 2018, so they’ll need some pitchers to step up. They still have enough quality pitchers coming back to make up for what they lost. The coaching staff is very excited about the upcoming season and the future of the program.
Richmond (2018 Record: 32-24, 15-9)
The Spiders had a solid season with over 30 wins and 15 conference wins, but they went 1-2 as the four seed in the A-10 Tournament.
Returning Players
Infielders Justin Cook and Tyler Plantier are the top two hitters returning for Richmond after hitting .311 and .291 respectively. Plantier added five long balls to his 2018 campaign. DJ Lee and Anthony Forte should be part of the outfield mix again after hitting .251 and .233 respectively last year, while each hit 3 home runs. Sage Bruhl hit a solid .280 last year, while catcher Kyle Schmidt hit .278.
Tim Miller, Brendan McGuigan, and Aaron Winkler all have a chance to pitch in the weekend rotation. Miller posted a 3.13 ERA last year in 74.2 innings pitched with 63 strikeouts. Winkler started 13 games and had a 5.58 ERA in 61.1 innings pitched with 58 strikeouts. McGuigan had a 3.38 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Daniel Little, Mark Ready, and Justin Meyer are all newcomers who could see some playing time on the infield. AJ Kloehn has the chance to see immediate playing time behind the plate, while Johnny Hipsman will compete for playing time in the outfield.
Right-handed pitcher Kent Morrison has a chance receive some work on the mound right away.
Outlook for 2019
Offensively they hope to have more gap-to-gap power and clutch hitting that will lead to more runs. They also hope to be better defensively.
Saint Joseph’s (2018 Record: 21-27, 7-15)
Despite a strong finish to the season, Saint Joseph’s finished 10th in the A-10 conference and missed the conference tournament.
Returning Players
Outfielder Charlie Concannon returns after leading the team with a .317 average last year to go along with 5 home runs and 29 RBI. Dom Cuoci only played in 16 games last year but hit .241 with 3 home runs. Brendan Hueth and Cole Stetzar both received significant playing time last year and are expected to have bigger roles in the offense. Kadar Namey led the team with 6 home runs last year and will be back.
Matt Kennedy will have a chance to be a weekend rotation starter have making nine starts last year with a 5.24 ERA in 44.2 innings pitched with 34 strikeouts. Ryan Devine was excellent out of the bullpen last year with a 2.63 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched with 19 strikeouts and 2 saves. Jordan DiValerio will take on a bigger role in the pitching staff this year after striking out 28 batters in 25 innings pitched.
Newcomers
Freshman catcher Andrew Cossetti has a chance to see some time behind the dish right away. Freshman Nate Thomas and JUCO transfer Chris Skermo could earn playing time on the infield.
Luke Zimmerman is a freshman pitcher that could see significant time on the mound right away.
Outlook for 2019
“Need to improve on both sides of the game. Think we will be sounder through the lineup. Have better speed and a good mix of power. Like our club defensively. Starting pitching is a big question — we need a couple guys to emerge and perform with consistency. Felt like we saw some good things from several guys this fall, but still have much to iron out in the early part of the season.” – Head Coach Fritz Hamburg
Saint Louis (2018 Record: 38-20, 19-4)
It was a spectacular year for Saint Louis as they dominated A-10 play and won the conference tournament. They also beat Purdue (x3) and Iowa from the Big Ten. They played a couple of tough games in the Oxford Regionals as well.
Returning Players
Outfielder Jake Garella led the team with a .352 average a year ago to go along with 46 runs scored, 14 doubles, 2 home runs, and 47 RBI. Second baseman Cole Dubet hit .303 last year with 37 runs scored, 11 doubles, 5 home runs, and 26 RBI.
Saint Louis will have to replace one of the top pitchers in the country from a year ago in Miller Hogan. Drew Reveno will try and take his place after posting a 2.13 ERA last season with 52 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched. Jackson Wark will slot just behind him in the weekend rotation after going 9-2 last year with a 3.80 ERA in 83 innings with 80 strikeouts. Ryan Lefner could be the team’s closer after saving seven games last year with an ERA of 3.86 in 35 innings with 45 strikeouts.
Newcomers
– CF Tyler Reichenborn, Jr. (Iowa Western; Drafted 35th round by Dodgers)
– 1B Ryan Calhoun, Jr. (Hartford CC)
– 1B/3B Shane Benes, R-Sr. (Missouri)
– RHP Luke Matheny (San Jancinto CC)
Outlook for 2019
They are losing a lot from the starting lineup, but have several experienced transfers coming in who should help. The pitching staff could be just as good in 2019 even with the loss of Hogan.
St. Bonaventure (2018 Record: 10-33, 6-15)
St. Bonaventure took a step back last year and finished 11th in the conference, missing out on the conference tournament.
Returning Players
Shortstop Ryan O’Connor should be atop the lineup this season after hitting .278 in just 36 at-bats last year. Second baseman Mike Magnanti hit .321 last year with 23 runs scored. Outfielder Sam Fuller hit .282 with 24 runs scored and 13 stolen bases in 2018.
Casey Vincent made eight starts last year and had a 3.88 ERA in 46.1 innings pitched with 32 strikeouts and a complete game shutout. Braydon Nelson is also back after make 10 starts last year with a 4.45 ERA in 58.2 innings with 53 strikeouts.
Outlook for 2019
The pitching should be pretty good for St. Bonaventure this year, but they could have trouble scoring runs unless several of their newcomers give the lineup a huge boost.
VCU (2018 Record: 34-23, 14-10)
It was a solid season for VCU with wins over West Virginia, East Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland out of conference. They were the sixth seed in the A-10 Tournament but went two-and-out.
Returning Players
Outfielder Hogan Brown led the team in hitting as a freshman last year with a .344 average. Third baseman Paul Witt led the team 43 RBI, while hitting .277 with a pair of home runs. Senior shortstop Zac Ching will be the leader on the infield.
Connor Gillispie will lead the rotation after posting a 2.57 ERA last year in 73.2 innings pitched (18 starts) with 97 strikeouts. Sam Ryan was third on the team in innings pitched last year with 63, while posting a 4.14 ERA with 68 strikeouts. Mac McCarty should be the team’s closer as a senior after closing out 16 games a year ago with a 3.26 ERA in 38.2 innings pitched with 36 strikeouts. Ben Dum will also be an important bullpen arm after posting a 1.64 ERA last year in 49.1 innings pitched with 40 strikeouts and 3 saves.
Newcomers
Brett Norwood is a JUCO transfer that has a chance to earn some playing time on the infield this year. Brandon Henson is another JUCO transfer who could see playing time this year but in the outfield. Tomas Sanchez is a freshman who could also see time right away in the outfield.
Freshman pitchers Jaden Griffin and Danny Watson have a chance to throw significant innings out of the gate. Justin Sorokowski is a JUCO transfer that will help add depth to the pitching staff.
Outlook for 2019
VCU is hoping they will be able to generate more offense this season with the guys they have coming back and the influx of new talent coming in.
2019 All-A10 Preseason Team
C: Eric Jones (Davidson)
1B: Brett Centracchio (Davidson)
2B: Cole Dubet (Saint Louis)
SS: Jake MacKenzie (Fordham)
3B: Paul Witt (VCU)
OF: Ben Faso (La Salle)
OF: Connor Echols (Dayton)
OF: Jake Garella (Saint Louis)
DH: Dominic D’Alessandro (George Washington)
SP: Connor Gillispie (VCU)
SP: Elliott Raimo (George Washington)
SP: Drew Reveno (Saint Louis)
SP: Justin Lasko (UMASS)
SP: Anthony DiMeglio (Fordham)
RP: Mac McCarty (VCU)
RP: Casey Sutherland (Davidson)
RP: Kyle Martin (Fordham)
Second Team:
C: Logan Driscoll (George Mason)
1B: Xavier Vargas (Rhode Island)
2B: Eddy Hart (UMASS)
SS: Pat Meehan (Dayton)
3B: Justin Cook (Richmond)
OF: Justin Lebek (Davidson)
OF: Billy Godrick (Fordham)
OF: Charlie Concannon (Saint Joseph’s)
DH: Tyler Plantier (Richmond)
SP: Jackson Wark (Saint Louis)
SP: Nathan Woods (George Washington)
SP: Tyler Wilson (Rhode Island)
SP – Allen Barry (Davidson)
SP – Jared DiCesare (George Mason)
RP – Ryan Lefner (Saint Louis)
RP – Ryan Devine (Saint Joseph’s)
Honorable Mention:
C – Justin Bardwell (Fordham)
OF – Jackson Coutts (Rhode Island)
OF – Alvin Melendez (Fordham):
OF – Hogan Brown (VCU)
SP – Jaret Edwards (George Washington)
SP – Sean Harney (UMASS)
SP – Tim Miller (Richmond)
Predicted Order to Finish:
1. Davidson
2. Saint Louis
3. Fordham
4. VCU
5. George Washington
6. George Mason
7. Dayton
8. Rhode Island
9. UMASS
10. Richmond
11. St. Joseph’s
12. La Salle
13. St. Bonaventure
