Beavers’ eyes on the prize as baseball season unfurls

Junior Jacob Melton has recovered from shoulder surgery and will be a key cog in the Beavers’ lineup, probably manning an outfield position (courtesy OSU sports communications)

It has been 15 years, but Mitchell Dean Canham hasn’t forgotten the thrill of claiming the second of back-to back national championships as catcher and captain of Oregon State’s baseball team in 2007.

Canham, now 37 years old (can that really be?) and beginning his third season at the coaching helm of his alma mater, would like nothing more than for his players to have the chance to experience that kind of high.

Practice began last Friday for the Beavers, who open the 2022 season against New Mexico on Feb. 18 in the first of seven games over a nine-day span in Surprise, Ariz. Canham isn’t predicting a national title, but he’s saying that lofty a goal is possible with this group.

“Watching our guys go about their business, we think we have a chance to do something special,” Mitch says. “I believe in this group. I know they believe in themselves.

“Do I think these guys can win the Pac(-12)? Yes. Do I think they can be national champions. yes. Do I think they can be great students and people, and become great husbands and fathers? I do. Our goal for these guys is to reach their true potential in life.”

But first, it’s baseball. Two preseason polls — Baseball America and D1 Baseball — have Oregon State ranked among the nation’s top 20. That despite the loss of a number of important players from the ’21 squad, including shortstop Andy Armstrong, catcher Troy Claunch and pitchers Kevin Abel, Bryant Salgado, Nathan Burns, Chase Watkins and Jack Armstrong.

Plenty of talent returns, however, from the OSU team that went 37-24 and came within a whisker of reaching a Super Regional in last year’s NCAA Tournament. The Beavers lost to Dallas Baptist 8-5 in the final game of the Fort Worth Regional after taking a 5-0 lead into the sixth inning.

That will provide motivation this season, but there is already plenty of that to be had.

“I’ll tell you this,” Canham says. “The one thing all of us coaches are excited about is that no one seems to care what position they’re playing on the field, or where they’re hitting in the lineup, or what day of the week they’re throwing on. They just want to win. It’s whatever it takes.”

A strong nucleus of veterans, bolstered by the addition of freshman infielder Travis Bazzana and utility player TJ Wheeler, gives the Beavers a roster they hope will take them on a path to the College World Series.

Freshman infielder Travis Bazzana, the MVP of the West Coast League last summer, will likely start somewhere for Oregon State this season (courtesy OSU sports information)

Last year’s Beavers led the Pac-12 and ranked ninth nationally with a 3.48 ERA and also led the conference in opponents’ batting average (.215), fewest hits allowed (427) and strikeouts (611). OSU hurlers also topped the league in hit batters (83), combined walks/HBPs (325) and wild pitches (64).

The 2021 Beavers ranked third nationally in fielding with a school record .982 percentage and hit a collective .280 with 53 homers in 61 games. But they also struck out a Pac-12-high 512 times.

Pitching will be a strength again this season, and there appears to be plenty of it. With the exception of the catcher position, there is an abundance of skill and experience to compete for playing time at every position.

“We have depth that we’re excited about,” Canham says. “There will be a starting nine, but there are a lot of other guys who can find a way to get onto the field. There is going to be some really strong competition at just about every position, which is good for everybody. But it’s going to make for a tough job for us (coaches).”

The likely weekend starting rotation will include 6-3, 200-pound sophomore left-hander Cooper Hjerpe (3-6 with a 4.21 ERA in 2021), 6-7, 215-pound junior right-hander Jake Pfennigs (5-0, 3.24) and 6-foot, 230-pound sophomore right-hander Will Frisch (3-0, 2.38).

Sophomore right-hander Will Frisch will be a member of Oregon State’s regular starting rotation this season (courtesy OSU sports communications)

“Those guys provide leadership by example,” Canham says. “Young guys like (freshman right-hander) David Grewe are playing close attention. They can learn a lot from those guys.”

Mid-week starters fill an important role, too.

“Winning those games can be a separator for hosting a Regional,” Canham says.

Pitching coach Rich Dorman has plenty of candidates. Brock Townsend, a 5-10, 170-pound junior right-hander who was 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 28 innings, is one. Jacob Kmatz, an impressive 6-3, 210-pound freshman from Albuquerque, is another.

The closer role will be manned by 6-3, 210-pound senior right-hander Mitchell Verburg, who at 24 is the senior citizen on the roster and a proven veteran.

“It take a special guy to close,” Canham says. “That’s why you want to have a guy like Mitch. He doesn’t give a dang who’s in the (batter’s) box, he’s going at him.

“But the ninth inning isn’t always the closing inning. Sometimes the guy who works the sixth or seventh inning stops the heart of the (opponent’s) order.”

Candidates to work the middle innings include right-handers Reid Sebby, a 6-foot, 195-pound senior, and Joey Mundt, a 6-5, 215-pound junior. Or maybe 7-foot, 255-pound redshirt freshman Hunter Cope, who averaged two strikeouts per inning last summer for the Medford Rogues of the Golden State Collegiate League.

“It’s hard not to be drawn to a guy that tall,” Canham says. “His arm is in good shape. We want him to continue to progress. Control is an issue, and he needs to clean up some mechanical stuff. Some time by the middle of the season, he might be the big shot in the arm that you need.”

There is another skyscraper in DJ Carpenter, a 6-8, 240-pound sophomore transfer from from Central Arizona JC.

“Big DJ is a gentle giant,” Canham says. “A soft-spoken kid, but get him on the bump and he’s mean. He has that scowl on his face, like he’s going to deck you. He’s a tough guy who attacks the zone.”

Canham goes back to his catching days when talking about Sam Stuhr, a 6-1, 200-pound sophomore who prepped at Portland’s Madison High and played last spring at Lower Columbia CC in Longview, Wash.

“I look at Sam throwing and I’ll think, ‘OK, I’m not catching his bullpen today. I’ll pass,’ ” Canham says with a chuckle. “He has electric stuff. He’s settling in. He could be a guy who really helps us.”

Two other right-handed holdovers — 6-6, 225-pound sophomore Ian Lawson and 6-1, 200-pound redshirt freshman Ryan Brown — could also figure in the bullpen picture.

“Lawson is continuing to trend up, getting that chip on his shoulder to get after it,” Canham says. “Brownie continues to do well. He has one of the nastiest changeups on the club. I foresee them both getting a real shot to prove themselves.”

OSU’s cast of returning position players is strong, led by junior outfielder Jacob Melton, who hit six homers with 25 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 32 games before missing the rest of the season with a shoulder Injury. His .404 batting average would have led Pac-12 had he had enough at-bats to qualify.

“He is healthy and going full bore, with a dangerous bat,” Canham says. “Everything that comes off of it is loud and over 107 mph. He hits the ball a long way, and he’s fast enough to lay down a bunt and then steal second. A bunt turns into a double.”

Wade Meckler, a 5-10, 170-pound junior who hit .303 with a .396 on-base percentage last season, will man a corner outfield position.

“Wade is going to be one of the toughest outs in all of the country,” Canham says. “He is ornery. He’s going to be vying for a spot at the top of our lineup to start the season.”

Among other contenders for outfield spots are 6-foot, 190-pound sophomore Justin Boyd, 6-foot, 205-pound junior Greg Fuchs, 6-1, 190-pound sophomore Micah McDowell and 6-2, 190-pound redshirt freshman Thomas Dukart.

“Justin is going to do some damage wherever he is in the lineup,” Canham says. “Yesterday in practice, Fuchs hit one 400 feet. He’s driving the ball to all parts of the field, and he threw a perfect one-hopper from right field to second base. It was like, we need to get this guy in the lineup. Micah has transformed himself physically and could be a factor for us. Thomas is one of our fastest guys. He’ll make a push to play somewhere.”

Garret Forester, a 6-foot, 205-pound sophomore who hit .299 with seven homers and 32 RBIs (with a .435 OBP that ranked 11th in the Pac-12), will hold down the first-base position or fill the designated hitter role.

The stiffest competition in the lineup could come for starting jobs at shortstop and second and third base.

Returnees Jake Dukart (6-2, 195-pound junior), Kyle Dernedde (5-8, 175-pound sophomore) and Matthew Gretler (6-foot, 190-pound junior) are lead candidates to start at short, second and third, respectively, based on experience. Don’t use a pen on the lineup card, though. They will get fierce competition from 5-9, 195-pound redshirt freshman Paul Myro and freshmen Travis Bazzana (6-foot, 190 from Sydney, Australia) and Jabin Trosky (5-10, 165 from Carmel, Calif.). Bazzana earned Most Valuable Player honors in leading the Corvallis Knights to the West Coast League crown last summer, hitting a league-record .429 with 18 stolen bases in 45 games.

“Travis is as competitive as it gets,” Canham says. “Through the fall and now, I haven’t seen one pitch that he has not been present for. Trosky is a wizard with the glove, but so is Gretler. We pass around a gold glove each practice for guys fielding the best, and he has gotten it over and over.

“Everything is still very wide open at those three positions because we have so much competition. We want everyone be able to handle noise.”

Then there is 5-10, 215-pound TJ Wheeler, a left-handed bat who hit .399 with 21 homers and 62 RBIs in 54 games with Yavapai (Ariz.) JC last season. “Big bat with strong plate discipline,” says Canham, who figures Wheeler can help at DH, first base, left field or catcher.

Sophomore Gavin Logan, who hit .318 in 22 at-bats last season, “is in the lead role right now” at catcher, Canham says. But the OSU coach likes the potential of 5-11, 220-pound freshman Tanner Smith out of Chandler, Ariz., who played for the Knights last summer.

“He’s smooth, catches well and has some of the raw tools you like,” Canham says. “He throws down to second base at 90-91 mph. Not many guys can do that.”

Canham wants his batters to cut down on their strikeouts this season. And he wants to run more.

“We have some high functional speed,” he says. “Melton and Meckler can run and will run. Bazzana can really run. We’re doing some stuff a little differently on the base paths that will allow us to increase our stolen bases, force more opponents’ wild pitches and help us take extra bases.”

Two incoming freshmen will sit out the season due to surgeries — outfielder Tyree Reed of Vallejo, Calif. (knee) and pitcher Cole Nelson of Lynnwood, Wash. (arm).

Oregon State’s schedule starts out with the seven games at Surprise — three against Xavier, two each against Gonzaga and New Mexico. The home opener is March 1 vs. Seattle U, with the first home series March 4-6 vs. Cal Irvine. The Pac-12 opening series is at Washington State March 11-13, with the conference- opening home series March 18-20 against Arizona State. There is a non-conference series with Long Beach State April 14-16 at Goss Stadium.

Then there is the first Pac-12 conference tournament, a double-elimination, eight-team affair from May 25-29 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“We’ll have one less preseason week because of the conference tournament,” Canham says. “You have to pack games in and you have one less week to do it. It’s a very challenging schedule.

“We like having (the conference tournament). We believe it’s to our advantage with our pitching depth. It prepares clubs for the postseason. There are must-win games. It is going to bring a lot more attention to how good this conference is.”

Beaver fans would like to see a turnaround from last season in one regard. Rival Oregon beat OSU in five of six matchups. The teams square off five times this spring — single games in Eugene April 26 and May 3 and a conference series in Corvallis May 6-8.

“We had some tight games with (the Ducks) last season,” Canham says. “You always want to beat the guys just down the road, but you want to beat everybody. Our guys have their eyes in the right position. It’s about being a bottle of water rather than a bottle of Pepsi. Shake up a Pepsi and it’s out of control. Our guys are going into the season under control.”

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