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Miami’s outfield should have a lot of depth in 2022, with eight outfielders on the roster that should all be able to contribute for the Hurricanes. There’s been significant competition during fall and spring practices for the starting roles in Miami’s outfield, and there are a lot of ways Gino DiMare could set up his lineup this season.
Mike Rosario
2021 Stats: Only two at-bats due to injury
Mike Rosario missed most of last season while recovering from an injury and ended up getting just two at-bats towards the end of Miami’s season. In 2019 and 2020 he was an excellent player at St. Johns River State, where he batted .295 and hit seven home runs in 2020 before the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rosario will be a key player in Miami’s outfield this season, and started in right field and batted second in the order in the alumni game last Saturday. Rosario is very talented and should be a solid player for the Hurricanes both on offense and defense in 2022.
Jacob Burke
2021 Stats (Southeastern Louisiana): .254/.384/.476, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 11 2B, 2 3B
2021 Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball), 2021 All-Southland Conference Second-Team
Jacob Burke transferred to Miami after an incredible two seasons at Southeastern Louisiana. He led the team in home runs, triples, and stolen bases in 2021, and possesses an exciting combination of power and speed. Miami’s coaching staff is extremely excited about Burke’s potential, and they feel he could have a huge impact for the Hurricanes this season. It will most likely take some time for Burke to adjust to the ACC, but he had a chance to play against teams such as LSU and Arizona last season, and has two years of college experience heading into this year.
In the alumni game Burke started in left field and batted fifth for the Hurricanes, and he likely will bat in the middle of Miami’s order all season. Burke’s combination of speed and power could set him up for a great first season as a Miami Hurricane.
Jacoby Long
2021 Stats: .333/.333/.333, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 2B, 0 3B
Jacoby Long started in center field for Miami in the alumni game and should see much more playing time during his sophomore season as compared to his freshman year, when he played in eight games. Long had a great summer with the Woodstock River Bandits, where he batted .330 and had 30 hits in 25 games. If he can continue his offensive momentum for Miami in 2022 he could have a breakout season for the Hurricanes.
Lorenzo Carrier
2021 Stats: N/A (Freshman)
Lorenzo Carrier begins his Miami career as the highest ranked position player in the Hurricanes recruiting class. Carrier hit an incredible .535 as a senior in high school to go along with four home runs and 26 stolen bases. Carrier will likely contribute during his freshman season at Miami off of the bench and could start in the outfield in some mid-week games for the Hurricanes this season.
Renzo Gonzalez
2021 Stats: N/A (Freshman)
In his senior season, Renzo Gonzalez won Miami-Dade 5A-7A player of the year and batted .425/.558/.838. Gonzalez hit nine home runs and six doubles and walked 23 times while striking out just 14 times. Gonzalez has very good bat speed and a good approach at the plate that should help him contribute for the Hurricanes as a freshman off of the bench, or as a starter in some mid-week games.
Gaby Gutierrez
2021 Stats: N/A (Freshman)
Gaby Gutierrez, like Lorenzo Carrier and Renzo Gonzalez, begins his Miami career after an exceptional high school career. Gutierrez batted .409/.540/.750 as a senior to go along with seven home runs and seven doubles. He finished his career as a two-time District Hitter of the Year, and like Carrier and Gonzalez, he has the talent to contribute to Miami very early in his career.
Edgardo Villegas
2021 Stats: N/A (Freshman)
Another member of Miami’s exceptional outfield recruiting class, Edgardo Villegas begins his Miami career after just one year of high school baseball. Before Villegas played high school baseball last season, he attended Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy. Villegas is extremely talented and has a lot of potential, with a chance to become a great player during his college career.
Zach Levenson
2021 Stats (Seminole State College of Florida): .291/.395/.581, 12 HR, 39 RBI, 12 2B, 1 3B
Zach Levenson had an incredible true freshman season at the Seminole State College of Florida where he led the team in home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage. He’s another player that could make significant contributions in his first season at Miami as a player off of the bench for Gino DiMare. In addition, Levenson is a freshman with four years of eligibility remaining despite playing last season.
Miami should have a lot of depth in the outfield this season with multiple players that can contribute both off of the bench and as a starter. The outfield is also a very young group for the Hurricanes, and could be one of the most exciting position groups on the team for Miami in the future.