Charlotte (2018 Record: 34-24, 17-13)
It was a solid 2018 season for Charlotte with a huge win over Arkansas. They finished fourth in CUSA and made it to the semifinal round of the conference tournament.
Returning Players
Harris Yett returns behind the plate after hitting .323 a season ago with 35 runs scored, 6 home runs, and 37 RBI. Outfielder Drew Ober hit .286 last year with 44 runs scored, 11 doubles, 4 home runs, 41 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. Tommy Bullock will be back at shortstop after hitting .259 a season ago with 42 runs scored, 12 doubles, 2 home runs, and 37 RBI. Dominick Cammarata (RF/1B) hit .265 last year with 34 runs scored, 13 doubles, 8 home runs, and 30 RBI.
Matt Brooks posted a 5.35 ERA in 2018 over 72.1 innings pitched with 55 strikeouts. He will likely take a weekend rotation spot. Joey Cooner could as well after posting a 5.43 ERA a season ago in 69.2 innings with 42 strikeouts. Carson Pinkney could move to a starter role after making four starts last year and posting a 4.54 ERA in 37.2 innings with 28 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Charlotte has several newcomers who could make an immediate impact this season: Carson Johnson INF, Will Palinkas RHP, Rafi Vazquez 1B/DH, Bryce McGowan RHP, Ryan Czanstkowski RHP, Josh Haney INF, and Alec Roberts OF.
Outlook for 2019
“We are looking to build on the momentum created over the past two years and to capture a C-USA title. We want to continue to take a step forward having been on the NCAA bubble over the past couple of seasons. We should be solid on defense and have more options from the pitching staff/rotation. The lineup will be a work in progress until we find the right mix. We have another great schedule, expect C-USA to be much improved and for us to try and compete for a C-USA Championship.” – Quote provided by Charlotte Athletics Department
Florida Atlantic (2018 Record: 43-19-1, 19-8-1)
It was a great 2018 season for FAU winning over 40 games and making it to the CUSA Tournament finals. And then they made it to the regional finals in Gainesville.
Returning Players
Pedro Pages and Gunner Lambert both return to the lineup after splitting duties between first base and catcher last year. Pages hit .309 with 23 runs scored, 4 home runs, and 31 RBI, while Lambert hit .246 with 46 runs scored, 12 home runs, and 32 RBI. Third baseman Joe Montes hit .293 a season ago with 31 runs scored and 40 RBI. Outfielder Eric Rivera hit .277 in 2018 with 45 runs scored, 6 home runs, and 50 RBI.
Blake Sanderson will be a big part of the pitching staff after posting a 4.91 ERA in 47.2 innings pitched with 47 strikeouts in 2018. Vince Coletti made 15 starts last year and had a 4.83 ERA in 78.1 innings pitched with 51 strikeouts. Zach Schneider should return as the team’s closer after posting a 2.61 ERA in 31 innings pitched with 21 strikeouts and 15 saves.
Newcomers
A few new guys who could contribute right away are: Bobby Morgensen, BJ Murray, and Ryan Sandberg.
Outlook for 2019
FAU is hoping to show improvement in its pitching staff this season. They need some young guys to step up this season and throw some big innings.
Florida International (2018 Record: 26-28, 15-13)
It was a decent year for FIU as they finished sixth in the conference but went 0-2 in the CUSA Tournament.
Returning Players
Third baseman Austin Shenton hit .344 last year batting in the middle of the order with 49 runs scored, 11 doubles, 9 home runs, and 29 RBI. Shortstop Derek Cartaya should return atop the lineup after hitting .342 a season ago with 36 runs scored. DH Jose Garcia hit .264 a season ago with 13 home runs and 38 RBI.
Logan Allen was a solid two-way player last season hitting .309, while posting a 3.89 ERA in 74 innings pitched with 85 strikeouts. Tyler Myrick started 11 games last year with a 3.86 ERA in 53.2 innings pitched with 55 strikeouts. Steven Casey posted a 2.82 ERA in 24.2 innings last year with 32 strikeouts and 2 saves.
Outlook for 2019
FIU has been putting together great recruiting classes for years now, but that’s yet to turn into wins on the field. With a lot of talent coming back this season, this could be the year they make a run in CUSA.
Louisiana Tech (2018 Record: 39-20, 21-9)
It was a great 2018 season for La Tech with wins over Texas A&M and Cal. They finished second in CUSA but went 1-2 in the conference tournament and were left out of the NCAA Tournament.
Returning Players
Utility infielder Hunter Wells returns after leading the team with a .357 average last year to go along with 47 runs scored, 12 doubles, 2 home runs, and 32 RBI. Center fielder Parker Bates hit .310 a season ago with 41 runs scored, 18 doubles, 4 home runs, 50 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. DH Steele Netterville hit .324 in 2018 with 6 home runs in just 105 at-bats. Taylor Young hit .302 as a freshman last season with 33 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, and a .479 on-base percentage.
Logan Bailey will lead the weekend rotation after going 8-1 last year with a 2.24 ERA in 76.1 innings pitched with 60 strikeouts. David Leal had a 2.27 ERA in 87.1 innings pitched last season with 81 strikeouts. Logan Robbins made 14 starts last year with a 4.66 ERA in 75.1 innings with 47 strikeouts. Matt Miller made 14 starts a season ago with a 4.20 ERA in 79.1 innings with 75 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Freshman catcher Philip Matulia and junior transfer shortstop Blake Johnson have a chance to make an impact right away.
Outlook for 2019
Head coach Lane Burroughs has done an outstanding job in his first two seasons with La Tech racking up 75 wins, including a program single-season record 21 conference wins last year. The lineup returns eight positions players from an offense that was among the top three in most offensive categories last year. They also return all three weekend starting pitchers to a staff that had ranked 25th nationally in ERA last year.
Marshall (2018 Record: 19-32, 7-23)
Marshall finished tied for last in the conference last season with just seven wins. They will try to bounce back in 2019.
Returning Players
Reynaldo Pastrana should be back behind the plate after hitting .355 a season ago with 37 runs scored, 14 doubles, 13 home runs, and 50 RBI. Second baseman Peter Hutzal hit .266 last year with 33 runs scored, 12 home runs, and 32 RBI. Shane Hanon should return to the lineup as well after hitting .324 last season before season-ending wrist surgery.
Joshua Shapiro made nine starts last season with a 4.84 ERA in 61.1 innings with 48 strikeouts. Zac McNeel made seven starts last year and could work his way into the weekend rotation.
Outlook for 2019
The offense should be pretty good with a couple of key bats coming back, but they will need to have some players step up in the pitching staff to get back into the conference tournament in 2019.
Middle Tennessee (2018 Record: 27-27-1, 12-17-1)
MTSU had wins over Tennessee and Vanderbilt last year, but they finished a game back of reaching the CUSA Tournament.
Returning Players
Outfielder Blake Benefield is back as a senior after hitting .278 a year ago with 10 home runs and 44 RBI. Shortstop Myles Christian hit .259 in 2018 with 28 runs scored and nine stolen bases. Catcher Aaron Antonini should be back behind the plate. Drew Huff is a two-player who hit .296 last year with 4 home runs mostly as a third baseman.
On the mound Huff saved six games with a 5.12 ERA in 31.2 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts. Zach Keenan has a chance to be in the weekend rotation after posting a 4.98 ERA a year ago in 43.1 innings with 54 strikeouts. Tyler Holcombe had a 5.10 ERA in 47.2 innings pitched with 37 strikeouts. Payton Wigginton is expected to have a bigger role in the pitching staff as well.
Newcomers
Outfielder Peter Brown has a chance to have an immediate impact on the lineup, while David Zoz should help give the pitching staff some depth.
Outlook for 2019
The one thing MTSU hopes to improve upon the most in 2018 is throwing strikes, thus limiting the amount of walks and giving their defense a chance to make plays.
Old Dominion (2018 Record: 15-37, 7-22)
It was a disastrous 2018 season for Old Dominion as they finished tied for last in CUSA and only won 15 games.
Returning Players
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino was limited to only 27 games last year but should be back to lead the lineup. He hit .299 a year ago in just 107 at-bats with 3 home runs. Outfielders Kyle Battle and Matt Schwarz will return to the lineup as well. Battle hit .272 in 2018, while Schwarz hit .335.
Morgan Maguire should return to the weekend rotation after posting a 3.38 ERA a year ago in 93.1 innings pitched with 61 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Matt Burch and Greg Lamb both have a chance to come in and see some playing time on the infield for Old Dominion, while Jacob Wetzel will compete for a spot in the outfield.
Nick Pantos has a chance to step into the pitching staff and earn some valuable innings on the mound.
Outlook for 2019
The coaching staff hopes to improve both with their starting pitching and in the bullpen from last season. They also hope to do a better job of hitting with runners in scoring position.
Rice (2018 Record: 26-31-2)
All good things must come to an end, and that was the case for Rice in 2018 as they missed the postseason for the first time in 24 years.
Returning Players
Third baseman Braden Comeaux will try to anchor the lineup after hitting .319 last year with 29 runs scored, 14 doubles, 2 home runs, and 36 RBI. Trei Cruz could move over to shortstop with Ford Proctor gone. Cruz hit .279 last season with 37 runs scored, 13 doubles, 6 home runs, and 45 RBI.
Matt Canterino returns to lead the weekend rotation as one of the best pitchers in the country. He posted a 3.06 ERA last year in 94 innings with 116 strikeouts. Addison Moss was solid last season as well with a 2.43 ERA in 63 innings pitched with 53 strikeouts.
Newcomers
There are some young arms who could help out right away, including Brandon Deskins, Dalton Wood, and Blake Brogden.
Outlook for 2019
Rice is hoping to get more quality at-bats on a more consistent basis in 2019. They have plenty of experience coming back in the pitching staff, which has always been the strength of this team.
Southern Miss (2018 Record: 44-18, 23-6)
It was another banner year for Southern Miss as they dominated the conference on their way to winning another CUSA Tournament. They went 1-2 in the Arkansas Regional.
Returning Players
“We expect junior All-American Matt Wallner (.351/16/67) to lead the way in both the outfield and more of a role on the pitching side this spring. In addition, senior Hunter Slater (.309/12/55) returns to anchor first base for the second-straight season while second baseman Matthew Guidry (.328/5/39) becomes a junior and should take on a leadership role for the program. In addition, 2018 freshman All-American Gabe Montenegro (.295/2/38) returns to the outfield as does senior catcher Cole Donaldson (.250/2/25) who started 46 games behind the plate last season.” – Info and notes provide by Southern Miss Athletics Department
Cody Carroll had a 2.23 ERA last year in 36.1 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts and will play a big role in the pitching staff.
Newcomers
“We expect junior Brant Blaylock, who had a successful stint at Northwest CC, to come in and pitch for us this season, while junior Hunter Stanley (Meridian CC) looks to add to the depth both in the infield and on the mound. Left-hander pitcher Brooks Warren (East Central CC) and infielder Jacob Edwards (East Central CC) both look to fill in gaps for the Golden Eagles along with freshman Danny Lynch (Jupiter, Fla./Dwyer HS), the younger brother of former Golden Eagle Tim Lynch, who looks to start at third base in his first season.” – Info and notes provide by Southern Miss Athletics Department
Outlook for 2019
Southern Miss will have to replace All-American pitcher Nick Sandlin. Finding pitchers to replace those innings with quality production will be key for the Golden Eagles in 2019. The offense should be elite once again.
UAB (2018 Record: 21-33, 13-17)
The Blazers made some progress getting back into the conference tournament in 2018 by finishing eighth in CUSA.
Returning Players
Carter Pharis returns for his senior season after leading the team with a .299 average in 2018 with 30 runs scored, 15 doubles, 6 home runs, 33 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. Tyler Tolbert returns as one of the fastest players in the conference after scoring 29 runs and swiping 24 bags last year.
Tanner Graham will likely lead the weekend rotation after posting a 3.86 ERA in 2018 over 88.2 innings pitched with 55 strikeouts. Ryan Wesson could figure into the rotation as well after making nine starts last season with a 4.40 ERA in 61.1 innings with 44 strikeouts.
Newcomers
These pitchers will have the opportunity to make a big impact this season: Jess Davis, J Paul Fullerton, Keegan Morrow, and Tanner Rusk.
Outlook for 2019
UAB has always been able to develop solid pitching in the past, but in order for them to get back to the top of the conference they will need to do a better job of scoring runs in 2019.
UTSA (2018 Record: 32-24, 16-13)
UTSA finished fifth in the conference and then went 1-2 in the CUSA Tournament, which is where their season ended.
Returning Players
Second baseman Bryan Arias will be back to lead the offense after hitting .335 last year with 8 home runs, 16 doubles, 35 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Outfielder Dylan Rock hit .287 last season with 6 home runs, 15 doubles, and 25 RBI. Garrett Moon (.304), Josh Lamb (.289), and Chase Keng (.250) all return to the lineup as well.
Karan Patel will try to lead the weekend rotation after posting a 3.96 ERA in 2018 over 63.2 innings pitched with 56 strikeouts. Palmer Wenzler had a 3.27 ERA last year with 41 strikeouts. Kyrell Miller (4.94 ERA) will be a big part of the bullpen as well.
Newcomers
Nick Thornquist is a JUCO transfer who will have the chance to play right away at catcher and DH.
Outlook for 2019
UTSA is losing a lot of key contributors from last year’s team, but they have enough coming back to put together a decent season if others step up both in the lineup and in the starting rotation.
Western Kentucky (2018 Record: 21-31, 11-18)
WKU fell just short of some big wins last year and missed out on the CUSA Tournament by a couple of games. I look for them to take the next step forward in 2019.
Returning Players
Luke Brown will move to center field this season after hitting .417 in conference play last year. Overall, he hit .369 as a freshman with 27 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Ray Zuberer is another outfielder coming back who hit .315 a year ago with 3 home runs. Sam McElreath is a utility player that they are hoping to get back this season after breaking his arm in 2018.
Colby Taylor has a chance to be the Friday night starter for WKU after a good showing in the fall. Last season he posted a 6.96 ERA in 42.2 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts. The coaching staff is hoping he has found his command after surrendering 33 walks last season. Troy Newell was drafted out of JUCO in 2017 but had an up-and-down season for WKU in 2018. He has a chance to be a weekend rotation starter. Dillon Nelson missed most of last year with an injury. His return could help add some depth to the pitching staff.
Newcomers
Davis Sims is a grad transfer from Murray State who will be an impact middle-of-the-order bat. He led the Cape Cod League in home runs this past summer and is getting a lot of attention from pro scouts. Jake Sanford is a JUCO transfer who hit 10-plus home runs both seasons in JUCO.
Reece Calvert is a transfer from Ohio State who is projected to be the team’s Sunday starter with a fastball that sits 90-92 with a good hard slider as well. Joey Filosa is a grad transfer from Ohio Dominican. He’ll likely add depth to the back of the bullpen this season.
Outlook for 2019
“Last year was a very average year for us. We had a number of areas to address and we feel like we have done that in the recruiting process. This year we feel like we have more quality depth on both sides of the ball. Our pitching staff is much deeper than in years past. Just in stuff we had nine guys throw over 90 (MPH) with five sitting 90-plus. Last year we had three total that touched 90. Stuff isn’t everything and they will have to prove they can actually pitch and get outs, but the material is there for our staff to make a jump. Same goes for the offensive side of the ball. We have some nice returning table setters who are athletic and can run. We recruited some nice power bats for the middle of the order, and we finally have a deep lineup. We played good defense last year and expect to do that again this year. Kevin Lambert is a three-year guy at shortstop and a plus defender, Brown in center field can go get it, and JUCO catcher Matt Phipps is a quality catch and throw guy.
“Our biggest question is can we mesh all these new guys together into a good team culture with our returning pieces? Our pitching staff is deep and we have to figure out how to put these guys in the right roles for them to have success.” – From WKU coaching staff.
2019 All-CUSA Preseason Team
C: Reynaldo Pastrana (Marshall)
1B: Hunter Slater (Southern Miss)
2B: Bryan Arias (UTSA)
SS: Trei Cruz (Rice)
3B: Austin Shenton (FIU)
OF: Blake Benefield (MTSU)
OF: Parker Bates (La Tech)
OF: Matt Walner (Southern Miss)
DH: Davis Sims (WKU)
SP: Addison Moss (Rice)
SP: Matt Canterino (Rice)
SP: Logan Bailey (La Tech)
SP: Morgan Maguire (ODU)
SP: David Leal (La Tech)
RP: Zach Schneider (FAU)
RP: Palmer Wenzler (UTSA)
RP: Steven Casey (FIU)
Second Team:
C – Harris Yett (Charlotte)
1B – Vinnie Pasquantino (ODU)
2B – Matthew Guidry (Southern Miss)
SS – Derek Cartaya (FIU)
3B – Carter Pharis (UAB)
OF – Eric Rivera (FAU)
OF – Luke Brown (WKU)
OF – Drew Ober (Charlotte)
DH – Steele Netterville (La Tech)
SP – Tanner Graham (UAB)
SP – Karan Patel (UTSA)
SP – Logan Allen (FIU)
Honorable Mention:
C – Gunnar Lambert (FAU)
1B – Dominick Cammarata (Charlotte)
1B – Pedro Pages (FAU)
2B – Peter Hutzal (Marshall)
SS – Tommy Bullock (Charlotte)
3B – Braden Comeaus (Rice)
3B – Joe Montes (FAU)
OF – Matt Schwarz (ODU)
OF – Gabe Montenegro (Southern Miss)
DH – Josh Garcia (FIU)
UTL – Hunter Wells (La Tech)
Predicted Order to Finish:
1. Southern Miss
2. La Tech
3. FIU
4. FAU
5. Rice
6. Charlotte
7. UTSA
8. WKU
9. Marshall
10. MTSU
11. Old Dominion
12. UAB
