State of The U - Miami Hurricanes Baseball: 2019 PreviewPissed Off For Greatnesshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52592/sotu_fav.png2019-02-11T08:00:00-05:00http://www.stateoftheu.com/rss/stream/179673272019-02-11T08:00:00-05:002019-02-11T08:00:00-05:00Miami Hurricanes Baseball: 2019 Final Preview and Predictions
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<figcaption>Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>With baseball returning to Mark Light Field on Friday, it’s time for one final preview of the 2019 season.</p> <p id="rZdYVo"><em><strong>“What’s different from last year?”</strong></em></p>
<p id="HUbZ4b"><em><strong>“How do you move on from the disappointment of the last few seasons?”</strong></em></p>
<p id="879jGt"><em><strong>“How hard is it to face the high expectations at Miami considering the events of the past two seasons?”</strong></em></p>
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<p id="KbJUiX">These are some of the questions that face Hurricanes baseball ahead of the 2019 season.</p>
<p id="5bfefl">They are the same questions that Miami faced in 2018.</p>
<p id="uG758P">This year the answer has to be more complete.</p>
<p id="s8CXkV">What has happened to Miami baseball in the last two years was a shock to the system. Something that no one could have imagined; something that hopefully has brought change to a program that desperately needed it.</p>
<p id="mpAUna">“We’re not gonna shy away from the expectations,” that’s how Gino DiMare answered those questions and others ahead of his first season in charge for the ‘Canes. Coach DiMare faces not only the challenge of turning around a program that has been on the downslide for two seasons, but also the challenge of following two of the greatest <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> coaches of all time. </p>
<p id="oQivMN">Coach DiMare inherits a roster with no seniors, and only seven juniors. Fortunately for him and the Hurricanes the younger players on the roster gained a lot of experience last season. However, this is a team that is going to be led by a handful of upperclassmen. Something that will be a huge challenge for team captains Evan McKendry and Michael Amditis.</p>
<p id="ChvUcV">Miami faces one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The Hurricanes play four series against consensus Top-10 teams, with three of those series coming on the road. Including an early season test with a series against No.6 Florida the second weekend of the season.</p>
<p id="EwMOEY">However, while the challenges might be great for Gino DiMare and his coaching staff, there are several reasons for optimism in 2019:</p>
<p id="k3yJUM">The strength of the team is the pitching staff. The rotation is led by junior right-hander Evan McKendry, one of the best pitchers in the ACC. Last season, McKendry developed from a Sunday starter into a legitimate ace, a role which any contending team needs to find a player to fill. The rest of the rotation is talented too. The Saturday starter will most likely be Christopher McMahon, a talented sophomore who saw late season action last year after recovering from an injury. McMahon has the talent to become a tremendous pitcher for the University of Miami, and feels like he’s “gotten a lot better,” over the last year after his injury. A plethora of other arms are battling it out for the role as the Sunday starter, but the favorite looks to be Slade Cecconi, a talented freshman out of Trinity Prep in Oviedo that dazzled in the fall game against FAU. Cecconi has the staff commenting that “he could be one of the best pitchers to come through the University of Miami by the time his career is over,” a sentiment Gino DiMare shared on Hurricane Hotline last week.</p>
<p id="itsQBu">The bullpen is nothing to scoff at either, with a mix of experience and new players playing important roles off the bench. Freshman JP Gates will be the closer for the Hurricanes as a freshman. Gates was dominant in high school, and his makeup should be perfect for that of a closer at the college level. Elsewhere, Daniel Federman, who was quite possibly Miami’s best pitcher last season, will look to return to his jack-of-all trades role on the pitching staff. Gregory Veliz and Brian Van Belle can serve in long relief and will battle for the Wednesday starting job, and Albert Maury Jr. returns from Tommy John surgery with hopes for a return to form as one of the ‘Canes best pitchers.</p>
<p id="nMj7jw">The pitching staff is undoubtedly the strength of Miami’s team. It’s where most of the experienced players on the roster play, and hopefully the mantra that pitchers and defense win games will hold true for the Hurricanes in 2019.</p>
<p id="ncYZfM">On offense the Hurricanes are in high hopes that player development and new talent can solve the problems that have caused Miami to have one of the worst offenses in college baseball over the last two seasons.</p>
<p id="59QGlQ">Freddy Zamora enters 2019 after a freshman season that earned him team MVP honors in 2018. The shortstop has reportedly added a lot of power to his swing, and will anchor the lineup for Miami this season. Adrian Del Castillo enters Miami with high expectations, with Gino DiMare repeatedly praising the young catcher ahead of the season. At the corners of the infield Miami will hope for offensive improvement after struggling at both first and third for years. Ray Gil had a great year in summer ball, which gave many surrounding the program hope for him to turn a corner this season, but he missed all of fall ball due to a hand injury. It seems likely that Willy Escala will move to third base due to another freshman, Anthony Vilar, showing promise at second base. First base could be filled in by the aforementioned Del Castillo, or by Alex Toral, a once highly touted draft prospect who hopes to forget a dreadful freshman season last year. Toral has as much pure talent as anyone on the Hurricanes’ roster, and him turning into an impact player for Miami in 2019 would be a big boost for the ‘Canes.</p>
<p id="52ODXM">In the outfield Dylan Cloonan is another talented sophomore that will play an important role for the Hurricanes in 2019. Tony Jenkins will play centerfield, and also seems an early favorite to lock down the leadoff role in the lineup, a role he’ll perform well in if he can cut down on his strikeouts. Chet Moore and Jordan Lala, two freshmen, will compete for the third outfield spot against Gabe Rivera and Chad Crosbie, two more experienced players. There will be a lot of player rotation in the outfield as Gino DiMare looks to find out who fills in the third spot the best. It’s also possible that Cloonan could play as the DH, opening up another spot in the field.</p>
<p id="iGc3iL">The Hurricanes have a roster that can, and should, make the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a> this season. The biggest obstacle on that path is the schedule, which is made yet more difficult when you consider the youth on Miami’s roster. The Hurricanes have very little experience playing in series as big as the ones they’ll play in this season. </p>
<p id="DAoj0P">There are a lot of question marks surrounding this team, especially in the lineup. The whole season relies on the strength of the pitching staff. Miami will need the rotation and the bullpen to perform well week in and week out to have success this season.</p>
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<h3 id="oZL7bs">Predictions</h3>
<p id="Dk9fzj"><strong>Most Valuable Player: SS Freddy Zamora</strong></p>
<p id="XjB3nC">Freddy Zamora was the best player on the team last year, and there’s no reason to suspect that won’t be the case this year. He has improved on his talents from last season, and that should propel him to yet another year as the centerpiece of the Hurricanes’ team.</p>
<p id="mEVdBu"><strong>Freshman of the Year: C Adrian Del Castillo</strong></p>
<p id="gqAAZo">Adrian Del Castillo has been repeatedly praised ahead of the season. He should see a lot of playing time throughout the year, and he should provide a lot of offensive production for the Hurricanes in what he hopes will be an outstanding freshman year.</p>
<p id="BbCTlB"><strong>Most Improved Player: 1B Alex Toral</strong></p>
<p id="0MzyKg">After a very disappointing freshman campaign it is very easy to forget about the talent that Alex Toral possesses, but he still has it. With a few tweaks to his swing and an improved approach at the plate Toral could be poised for big things in 2019.</p>
<p id="UsBcZV"><strong>Most Valuable Pitcher: Evan McKendry</strong></p>
<p id="SxeQ9F">Your ace is always one of the most important parts of the pitching staff, and the Hurricanes have one of the best pitchers in the ACC to fill that role. McKendry had a breakout year last season, and he’ll hope to continue that in 2019.</p>
<p id="lRhBh8"><strong>ACC Coastal Finish: Third</strong></p>
<p id="JKoUKq">The Hurricanes will be in a battle with Duke, Georgia Tech, and Virginia in the tier below North Carolina in the ACC Coastal. The Tar Heels are the odds on favorite to win the division, with a great rotation and a plethora of talented players on their roster.</p>
<p id="2vMbfe"><strong>Record Prediction: 35-21</strong></p>
<p id="9OcxzU">This may be a bit optimistic for the Hurricanes in 2019, but this year should see improvement over last year. Getting off to a good start will be crucial this season. Miami will need to stack up the out-of-conference wins ahead of a very difficult conference slate. </p>
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https://www.stateoftheu.com/2019/2/11/18217979/miami-hurricanes-baseball-canes-the-u-preview-2019-gino-dimare-evan-mckendryJohnReynolds2019-02-09T08:00:00-05:002019-02-09T08:00:00-05:00A Look at the 2019 Miami Hurricanes Catchers
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<figcaption>Tony Capobianco/State of The U</figcaption>
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<p>The most talent on the Hurricanes crouches behind the plate.</p> <p id="ZNJdUp">Entering 2019 one thing is clear for the Miami Hurricanes; catcher is easily the strongest position on the team, and quite possibly the strongest the catching room has been in the history of Hurricanes baseball. With two returning stars and one of the best freshmen in America on the roster the biggest concern surrounding the catcher’s meeting room is how to fit all three players into the lineup.</p>
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<h2 id="shZV8Y">Returning Players</h2>
<h3 id="6FAC5r">Michael Amditis</h3>
<p id="1hY8OL"><em>2018 Statistics: .225 AVG, .288 SLG, .273 OBP, 14 RBI, 80 AB, 18 H, 5 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 BB</em></p>
<p id="DCiXSl">After two injury plagued seasons in 2017 and 2018, Michael Amditis comes into the 2019 season “the healthiest he’s ever been for us,” according to Gino DiMare, and Miami will lean on him to lead the infield on defense. He is great in every facet of the defensive game: framing pitches, throwing out base runners, and playing with smart fundamentals when the ball is in play. On offense the sample size for Amditis is small, with only 94 career at-bats. In his freshman season in 2017 his stats were incredible through his first six games of the season, the only games he played, batting for a .357 AVG with a .429 SLG percentage. Last year his production regressed significantly. Amditis never had a chance to get into a rhythm due to constantly missing games and long stretches due to injuries.</p>
<p id="A0sxoN">In 2019 Michael Amditis could be, and should be, a huge part of the Hurricanes lineup. However the question of how many games he will be able to play still remains. With only thirty games played in two seasons on campus, Amditis will need to prove his durability to become the cornerstone of the ‘Canes behind home plate. However, no one can question the redshirt sophomore’s leadership ability, and he will serve as a team captain along with Evan McKendry in 2019.</p>
<h3 id="MmT1OU">Issac Quiñones</h3>
<p id="Kuqfxz"><em>2018 Statistics: .291 AVG, .370 SLG, .380 OBP, 24 RBI, 165 AB, 48 H, 10 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 17 BB</em></p>
<p id="jzBAOe">Issac Quiñones was the Hurricanes rookie of the year in 2018, and will look to build on that early success with a strong sophomore campaign in 2019. The Hurricanes will hope to get the same offensive production out of Isaac in his sophomore year, and will have to find a way to get his bat a spot in the lineup along with those of Michael Amditis and freshman Adrian Del Castillo. He isn’t as strong behind the plate as Amditis, which means he’ll probably give up the starting catching role and move into a spot as the designated hitter: a lineup arrangement that was seen several times at the end of last season.</p>
<p id="QoRVk9">2019 should see Isaac Quiñones as one of the best players on Miami’s team yet again. At the end of last year his bat began to cool off a little bit, but he has the talent and swing to find success at the plate again for Miami this season, and could be a big part of the offense for the ‘Canes this year.</p>
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<h2 id="tJXV2O">Incoming Freshman</h2>
<h3 id="VTOJ03">Adrian Del Castillo</h3>
<p id="qH6Iml"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="tZ2ixq">“I just want to win,” that’s how Adrian Del Castillo responded to a question on what his goals were for his freshman season at the University of Miami. As one of the most talented freshmen in the nation he’s poised to help the Hurricanes do just that. Gino DiMare told the media “Del Castillo swings the bat probably as well as anyone we’ve had here in awhile,” and he can provide a vital injection of power and production into what has been a terrible offense over the last two years. With the catching position so crowded this season, expect Del Castillo to slot in at first base or as the designated hitter if Issac Quiñones isn’t a part of Gino DiMare’s plan for the lineup. Del Castillo has a lot of pressure on his shoulders as a freshman, but if he swings the bat as well as he can he can power the Hurricanes to a significant improvement in their record in 2019.</p>
<p id="1EUvdb">Adrian Del Castillo is one of the players that Miami’s 2019 season hinges upon. If he plays well the Hurricanes offensive output should vastly improve, but if he isn’t as good as many hope the Hurricanes offense will be in search of answers somewhere else on the roster.</p>
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<p id="DOUNYV">Catcher is by far the strongest area of the field for the Hurricanes. Much of the difficulties will be getting each player significant playing time in 2019, but for the first time in years Miami can take an injury behind the plate and should not suffer from an immediate drop-off in either offensive or defensive production: an issue which has plagued Miami for the last several years.</p>
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https://www.stateoftheu.com/2019/2/9/18217937/miami-hurricanes-baseball-canes-the-u-gino-dimare-michael-admditis-adrian-del-castillo-quinonesJohnReynolds2019-01-31T10:30:00-05:002019-01-31T10:30:00-05:00New beginnings breeds new optimism for Hurricanes baseball
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<figcaption>Tony Capobianco</figcaption>
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<p>First season of DiMare era weeks away</p> <p id="3kgiNY">Baseball has a subtly beautiful way of introducing itself into the sports year. The college baseball season begins around the same time as pitchers and catchers begin to report for MLB Spring Training. </p>
<p id="spKyaT">The Miami Hurricanes had their version of spring training with a scrimmage in the middle of January. While the crisp overcast with a cool air reminds of the present presence of winter, the sight of the pitcher standing on the mound with palm trees in the background is more comforting than sipping a hot chocolate while covered in a blanket. </p>
<p id="B56SMq">The torch was passed from longtime head coach Jim Morris to longtime assistant coach Geno DiMare and now the one big question that remains is whether he is going to pick up where the retired coach left off or spring a new path for himself in an effort to return the Hurricanes to their former glory. </p>
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<cite>Tony Capobianco</cite>
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<p id="kCrPWb">DiMare takes over after the Hurricanes missed out of the postseason in back-to-back seasons. Prior to that, Miami has been in the NCAA Tournament for 44 straight years with its most recent appearance resulting in the program’s 25th College World Series appearance. </p>
<p id="2dZiob">“Obviously we haven’t played well the last couple of years,” DiMare said. “I’m the kind of guy that I like pressure. I like applying pressure. That’s how I played here under coach (Ron) Fraser. The pressure, we’re not trying to hide from it. We’re aware we did not have good years the last couple of years. We’re very aware of the history of this program, nobody more than me, and the more pressure I put on these guys day in and day out the better they’re going to be handling it and that’s the way we’re going to handle it. They better be able to handle pressure because they’re going to get it from me every day and they have from the first moment of the fall until now.”</p>
<p id="LTgSLE">At least DiMare gets a fresh team to go with his fresh start as head coach. The 2019 Hurricanes team is comprised of 10 freshmen, 15 sophomores, seven juniors, and not a single senior. Most of the sophomores saw playing time last year so while the team is young, it’s not as raw as the roster suggests. </p>
<p id="f8Ae3v">“The fact that they played and got a lot of experience is going to help and we played a lot of freshmen last year,” DiMare said. “Some had very good years and some did not. Our sophomore class is going to be very important for us. We are very young, but we have a lot of experience from last year. The offense is young. The pitching is where we have a lot of our juniors and more experience on the mound.”</p>
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<cite>Tony Capobianco</cite>
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<p id="lLJ4EF">The Hurricanes ranked 13th out of 14 ACC teams averaging 4.8 runs per game last season while hitting .257 with 23 home runs. DiMare expects improvement from the bats this season and mentions sophomore infielder Freddy Zamora as a potential breakout candidate.</p>
<p id="wCevtg">“He’s gotten stronger,” DiMare said. “He had a good fall and you can tell offensively he’s made vast improvements and of course his defense as well. We have some incoming guys, (Adrian) Del Castillo swings the bat as well as anybody we’ve had here in a while as a freshman and a lot of other guys who have to find their way in the lineup, it’s going to be very important from now until Opening Day to kind of see where guys are going to be at. I have an idea where guys are going to be on the field, just seeing where they are in the lineup now.”</p>
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<cite>Tony Capobianco</cite>
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<p id="zqkhPu">While vast improvement on an overall scale might be too much to ask at this point, there is reason for optimism in DiMare’s first season. D1 Baseball projected the Hurricanes to finish as one of the ACC’s nine regional teams this season, despite a projected record of (28-26, 16-13). Reason why is Miami has four of the top freshmen in the ACC in Slade Cecconi, Adrian Del Castillo, JP Gates and Anthony Vilar. </p>
<p id="UV8bOn">The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper also ranked the Hurricanes No.33 in their preseason poll. </p>
<p id="zobWh1">Miami begins the 2019 season at home against Rutgers, but the non-conference schedule is filled with in-state teams who are all expected to make a postseason run. </p>
https://www.stateoftheu.com/2019/1/31/18204767/new-beginnings-breeds-new-optimism-for-miami-hurricanes-baseball-gino-dimare-hitting-pitchingCapoPhoto2019-01-30T08:00:00-05:002019-01-30T08:00:00-05:00A Look at the 2019 Miami Hurricanes Infield
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<figcaption>Richard Lewis / Miami Athletics</figcaption>
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<p>The infield returns a lot of skill for the coming season, and a few key additions will hope to make an impact.</p> <p id="NGnskY">Hurricanes baseball returns several talented players ahead of 2019. Freddy Zamora and Willy Escala will again anchor down the middle of the infield and hope to build on a strong foundation built last year. At the corners Ray Gil and Alex Toral will hope to continue their growth and breakout for Miami in 2019.</p>
<p id="NQyIep">Since the catching room is very deep we’ll split the catchers off into their own preview article to make things a little easier.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="le0isN">
<h2 id="AGtwcJ">The Returning Players</h2>
<h3 id="gLUfHg">SS Freddy Zamora</h3>
<p id="GjtG3P"><em>2018 Statistics: .303 AVG, .412 SLG, .388 OBP, 28 RBI, 211 AB, 64 H, 12 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 24 BB</em></p>
<p id="xPNMD6">Freddy Zamora is one of the best, if not the best, player on the Hurricanes roster. He’s been consistently excellent since the start of his career at UM, and with more experience and a more developed skill set Zamora is poised for even better things in 2019. He led the team in several offensive categories including; hits, doubles, triples, walks, and total bases in 2018. In 2019 the Hurricanes infield will need Zamora to perform on the same level to help the team take the steps necessary to get back into the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a>.</p>
<p id="gY6Cj1">Freddy Zamora is one of the ACC’s best players and he’ll be asked to lead the Hurricanes infield, and the entire team, in 2019. His bat helps power the whole lineup, and Miami will need him to play to the best of his abilities in the coming season to have hope for a better season than the previous two.</p>
<h3 id="8pj68w">2B Willy Escala</h3>
<p id="tpRYBl"><em>2018 Statistics: .280 AVG, .346 SLG, .373 OBP, 11 RBI, 182 AB, 51 H, 6 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 22 BB</em></p>
<p id="8v0jfQ">Willy Escala is the other half of a very promising middle infield for the Miami Hurricanes. Him and Freddy Zamora have combined to give Miami a very exciting future up the middle of the diamond. In 2019 Escala looks to build on a strong 2018 campaign. He’ll look to add some power to his swing. Another area of improvement for Escala to focus on is the fundamental plays fielding the baseball. Escala has the capacity to make amazing plays, but the simple plays slip away from him sometimes. As a player expected to help lead the team, he’ll need to improve that area of his game to set the example for a young roster.</p>
<p id="CPcN2s">Willy Escala is another significant part of this Miami team. Him and Freddy Zamora will look lead Miami offensively and combine to form one of the best ACC middle of the infield duos this season.</p>
<h3 id="j5uqkj">IF Tyler Paige</h3>
<p id="ANsmPm"><em>2018 Statistics: .111 AVG, .111 SLG, .448 OBP, 4 RBI, 18 AB, 2 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 10 BB</em></p>
<p id="2vy7cg">Tyler Paige is another part of a promising sophomore class of infielders. He has the least experience of all of them, but he has the talent, and has a penchant for drawing walks. Paige is a great utility man, and he can fill an important role of playing anywhere for the ‘Canes in place for injuries or to give other players rest. He should see more playing time this season, which will only help him improve.</p>
<p id="jWWBlZ">Paige has a strong foundation to build on. Obviously you’d like to see his offensive statistics go up, but he has time to develop those skills and become an important piece of the Hurricanes in 2019 and beyond.</p>
<h3 id="YqpNSe">3B Raymond Gil</h3>
<p id="qW1Mxd"><em>2018 Statistics: .234 AVG, .367 SLG, .317 OBP, 19 RBI, 128 AB, 30 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 14 BB</em></p>
<p id="bEjn52">Ray Gil may be one of the most important players for Miami in 2019. The Hurricanes absolutely need his offense to improve to provide production from the hot corner, a position Miami has struggled at in the last several years. Gil had some strong performances in Summer League baseball, and showed flashes in his freshman year. He remains unproven, and Gino DiMare will need to find the right spot for him in the lineup.</p>
<p id="yGYbdb">Unfortunately, Gil missed nearly all of fall practice, so he needs to make up for some lost time. Especially because Miami will rely on him to anchor a very, very young infield.</p>
<h3 id="kzRdJ1">1B Alex Toral</h3>
<p id="UQUeDX"><em>2018 Statistics: .161 AVG, .237 SLG, .322 OBP, 11 RBI, 93 AB, 15 H, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 20 BB</em></p>
<p id="YdJ7xz">Alex Toral is another player that needs to turn the corner in the Hurricanes’ lineup this season. Coach DiMare has lauded Toral for emerging as a leader during fall practice and the start of spring practice, but that needs to translate to on the field success. Toral was one of the most highly touted recruits in the country out of high school, and shows good promise with patience at the plate and natural power. However, he needs to work on making contact, as a .161 batting average is just not good enough for the University of Miami.</p>
<p id="b5UUI1">Toral is yet another player that Miami hopes, and needs, to take the next step in 2019. He can become one of the greatest sources of power in the Hurricanes lineup if he shows improvement and reaches his immense potential.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="H2QAxm">
<h2 id="fZE5HB">Incoming Freshmen</h2>
<h3 id="4bek20">IF Anthony Vilar</h3>
<p id="s82R5d"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="HbZWkz">Anthony Vilar comes into Miami as a freshman hoping to make an immediate impact in the middle of the infield for the Hurricanes. He comes out of Westminster Christian as a two-time team MVP, and a 37th round pick by the Chicago Cubs. Miami hopes Vilar can help improve what has been a stagnant offense over the last several years. He has a strong swing, but like any freshman he’s a little rough around the edges.</p>
<p id="1b6wGr">Anthony Vilar has a lot of talent, and over his first season he’ll try to make an impact for Miami in any way he can. Expect him to see the field a lot, either as a utility infielder, or pitch hitter.</p>
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<p id="x280Md">The Hurricanes have a lot of inexperience in the infield, much like anywhere else on the diamond. A lot of young players will need to step up to lead the infield. The offense has been disappointing in recent years, as has the defense, and if Miami wants to get anywhere in 2019 it starts with this position group.</p>
https://www.stateoftheu.com/2019/1/30/18179278/miami-hurricanes-baseball-preview-canes-the-u-freddy-zamora-willy-escala-alex-toral-gino-dimareJohnReynolds2019-01-12T09:00:05-05:002019-01-12T09:00:05-05:00A Look at the 2019 Hurricanes Baseball Outfield
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<p>The Hurricanes have several new faces in the outfield that will need to perform well in 2019.</p> <p id="2nvgii">The Hurricanes outfield finds itself in a similar position to the pitching staff. With the departure of Michael Burns, Danny Reyes, Romy Gonzalez, and Hunter Tackett there are several roles and starts to replace for this group in 2019. A junior college transfer and several younger players with limited experience will need to fill in the roles of some of the most consistent players off of last year’s team.</p>
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<h2 id="t1uvbL">Returning Players</h2>
<h3 id="1B5LLo">Dylan Cloonan</h3>
<p id="RgmxLN"><em>2018 Statistics: .289 AVG, .402 SLG, .415 OBP, 14 RBI, 97 AB, 28 H, 9 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 19 BB</em></p>
<p id="uTidY0">Dylan Cloonan had an extremely strong freshman season in 2018. Growing from a player who started the season out of the spotlight and starting lineup to moving into a role as a consistent starter and solid performer. Cloonan has a strong frame, and he’ll need to start hitting for more power to help the Hurricanes outfield take the next step in 2019.</p>
<p id="Fj0nmF">Dylan Cloonan should be a key piece of the Hurricanes outfield in 2019. He had an extremely strong freshman season in 2018, and will look to grow into a more significant role in this year’s iteration of the ‘Canes.</p>
<h3 id="35uISi">Tony Jenkins</h3>
<p id="pgXw82"><em>2018 Statistics: .218 AVG, .327 SLG, .368 OBP, 12 RBI, 101 AB, 22 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 21 BB</em></p>
<p id="oFt5nb">Tony Jenkins was one of the Hurricanes key players in the outfield last year. He started the year as the leadoff man, and has a talent for working walks, however, he strikes out too much. If Jenkins wants to be the Hurricanes’ leadoff man in 2019, he’ll need to work on staying alive in the count. Jenkins is also a talented defensive player, and is a danger on the basepaths, even if Jim Morris was very conservative with the whole team’s stealing habits last season. Jenkins needs to work on making contact and getting on base more often to ensure he keeps his role throughout the season ahead for the Hurricanes.</p>
<p id="jAYPYT">Tony Jenkins is a talented player who will look to continue his development in 2019. There are some key areas to work on in his game, but he has the talent to become an important piece for the ‘Canes this year and beyond.</p>
<h3 id="sxrSgv">Gabe Rivera</h3>
<p id="2IPTQu"><em>2018 Statistics: .224 AVG, .397 SLG, .324 OBP, 9 RBI, 58 AB, 13 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5 BB</em></p>
<p id="uWcJCO">Gabe Rivera is another player with an opportunity to grow into a larger role in the coming season. In limited at-bats Rivera has shown some power, and he hit a homerun in the Hurricanes exhibition game against FAU this fall. However, Rivera needs to work on making more consistent contact in order to put that power to its’ best use. Rivera can play several positions, so his future isn’t limited purely to the outfield, and he’ll have every opportunity to make an impact in 2019.</p>
<p id="5XA3u6">Gabe Rivera is a talented player, who like the two players listed above him, has things to focus on ahead of this season. Hopefully he can grow into a significant role and help the Hurricanes achieve their goals in 2019.</p>
<h2 id="qWOJXe">Incoming Transfer</h2>
<h3 id="Joyb4w">Chad Crosbie</h3>
<p id="VsXRvF"><em>2018 Statistics (Saddleback Junior College): .277 AVG, .412 SLG, .423 OBP, 26 RBI, 148 AB, 41 H, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 37 BB</em></p>
<p id="aP75AV">Chad Crosbie is a talented incoming transfer who had a great year in the junior college ranks last season. His career began at UC San Diego, where he batted for a .322 AVG with 10 doubles and two homeruns in 2017, Division 1 Success he’ll hope to repeat at Miami in 2019. Crosbie is highly talented, and has been a standout at every level of baseball he’s played so far. However, much like several other players on the roster, he’ll face his biggest test in 2019 as a member of the Hurricanes.</p>
<p id="mE8eHw">Chad Crosbie is another player that the Hurricanes will hope can make an impact in 2019. He played well in the exhibition game against FAU, and he’ll hope to take the next steps in his collegiate career as a member of the ‘Canes for at least this upcoming season.</p>
<h2 id="gsJygS">Incoming Freshmen</h2>
<h3 id="mMriLx">Jordan Lala</h3>
<p id="inyX2N"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="FWyBTi">Jordan Lala is an extremely talented incoming freshman out of Tampa Catholic High School. He has a lot of room to add strength and is already extremely quick, which should translate to a great ability to field in college. He also posses a strong, accurate arm that is consistently on target. He’s got a solid swing that is very simple and gets his hands around to drive through the ball.</p>
<p id="NZ0DjK">Lala probably needs some further development to truly grow into an impact player at UM. However, he has all the tools for future success, and strong fundamentals that should propel him to being an important member of the roster in coming years.</p>
<h3 id="lOaia3">Austin Pollack</h3>
<p id="6Eoi40"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="EgmSvw">Austin Pollack is another incoming outfielder that comes out of Miami Country Day School. In his senior season he was an All-Dade County honorable mention after posting a .415 batting average. He excelled in high school, but he needs some development time in college to fill out his frame and become an excellent player.</p>
<p id="ypwf79">Austin Pollack is another freshman that can, and will, benefit from a year to develop. He needs to add some strength onto his frame, which will allow him to reach his potential as his career continues at UM.</p>
<h3 id="lHQA8S">Chet Moore</h3>
<p id="Io2PRF"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="kSIiOk">Chet Moore comes to Miami from Satellite Senior High School. In both 2017 and 2018 he was named to the All-Cape Coast Conference team. He had two standout seasons in the final two years of his collegiate career. Moore is much like the previous two players; in need of some time to grow into the college game. Similarly to the other two, he very much needs to add strength to his frame to begin to tap into his full potential.</p>
<p id="0pbL6s">Chet Moore is promising, but needs some time to develop. He can take some time to grow into the rigors of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> and learn from the more experienced players on the roster to find success in his time at Miami.</p>
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<p id="SvFkio">The Hurricanes have a young and inexperienced outfield heading into the 2019 season. This group of players is largely untested. Gino DiMare will have several different options to combine into his starting outfield, and he’ll need to find the best combination, quickly, in order for the Hurricanes to have success this season.</p>
https://www.stateoftheu.com/2019/1/12/18177916/miami-hurricanes-baseball-2019-preview-outfield-dylan-cloonan-tony-jenkins-gabe-riveraJohnReynolds2019-01-05T09:00:08-05:002019-01-05T09:00:08-05:00Previewing the 2019 Miami Hurricanes Baseball Pitching Staff
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<figcaption>Tony Capobianco/State of The U</figcaption>
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<p>A talented group of arms will hope to lead Miami to success in 2019.</p> <p id="LuoGzP">Pitching Coach and Associate Head Coach J.D. Arteaga will have a talented group of arms to work with in the 2019 season. Over the last several years the Hurricanes pitchers have become the lone bright spots in some grim seasons. With a balance of proven experience and young talent Miami should be poised to have a fantastic 2019 on the mound.</p>
<p id="mOcFWh">The Hurricanes will be forced to replace two-year ace Jeb Bargfeldt, closer Frankie Bartow, starter/set-up man Andrew Cabezas, talented starter Michael Mediavilla, and set-up man Cooper Hammond after all of them departed or graduated after the 2018 season. It will involve both more experienced players moving into more prominent roles, and will require new talent and inexperienced players seeing a significant amount of innings for the first time in their careers.</p>
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<h2 id="jmo58m">The Starting Rotation</h2>
<p id="dl1Qui">The Hurricanes return three pitchers who were members of last years starting rotation at some point, along with Daniel Federman, who started a few times in 2018 but should see bullpen work in the upcoming season. The 2019 starting rotation is not officially released, but here’s how it’s projected to line-up against Rutgers in the first series of the year based off of last year’s roles.</p>
<h3 id="uc5xVI">Friday Starter: Evan McKendry</h3>
<p id="AQQXbX"><em>2018 Statistics: 7-6, 3.52 ERA, 87.0 IP, 114 K, 33 BB, .239 BAA</em></p>
<p id="3NQF0M"><em>2018 Third Team All-ACC</em></p>
<p id="QS8ChM">Evan McKendry has the makeup of a great ace for the Miami Hurricanes pitching staff. In 2018 the junior struck out 114 batters, the first 100 strikeout season for a Hurricanes pitcher since 2014. Over the 2018 season McKendry earned three ACC Pitcher of the Week awards, along with gaining recognition as one of the ACC’s finest young arms. He’s proven against the toughest of competition, pitching six shutout innings against Florida in 2018, and is a highly talented rock of this Hurricanes pitching staff.</p>
<p id="5S4H7j">Expect McKendry to anchor down the weekend rotation in 2019. With a strong season McKendry can pitch himself into the second day of the 2019 draft, and with an All-ACC Third Team honor already under his belt, he’ll look to grow in the upcoming season.</p>
<h3 id="oQphJd">Saturday Starter: Greg Veliz</h3>
<p id="8myuY4"><em>2018 Statistics: 0-1, 3.12 ERA, 17.1 IP, 26 K, 14 BB, .188 BAA</em></p>
<p id="ZBUAo7">Greg Veliz has had an outstanding career so far at Miami. In 2017 he was an important contributor as a mid-week starter initially, eventually making a few strong starts in ACC play as well. In 2018 Veliz seemed poised for a breakout year; he made a strong start, that was let down by defense, against Florida, but was injured for almost the entire second half of the season. However, Veliz has returned to health, and made a strong appearance in Miami’s exhibition game against FAU. With an elite fastball, he should be an exciting member of Miami’s starting rotation.</p>
<p id="E68bFl">Greg Veliz can be a breakout star for the Hurricanes in 2019. Possessing a strong fastball and good physical makeup, if he can live up to the potential that he has had for several years he could be yet another draft departure next summer.</p>
<h3 id="jxiiQY">Sunday Starter: Chris McMahon</h3>
<p id="rbsTw1"><em>2018 Statistics: 1-1, 4.44 ERA, 26.1 IP, 18 K, 9 BB, .248 BAA</em></p>
<p id="JbqqrM">There’s a few options Miami can look to for a Sunday starter, but with his prior experience as the mid-week starter once healthy last season, it seems logical for McMahon to get the call as the final member of the Hurricanes starting rotation in the 2019 season. McMahon saw limited action last year, as he was constantly restrained in his pitch count after recovering from an injury that saw him miss nearly the entire first half off the season. McMahon showed flashes of dominance in 2018, specifically in one game against a talented FGCU team in which the righty delivered eight frames of one-run baseball to earn his first collegiate win. Becoming a permanent member of the weekend rotation would be a big step for McMahon, but he has the talent to make that stride in 2019.</p>
<p id="KkRJE8">Chris McMahon could be a strong Sunday starter for the Hurricanes in 2019. However, the biggest indictment against him is his lack of experience. He has never seen talent like that which he will face off against in the ACC and in the non-conference slate; it could be a trial by fire for the sophomore right-hander.</p>
<h3 id="iJRqUm">Mid-Week Starter: JP Gates</h3>
<p id="WSCXeJ"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="eNHXEG">The mid-week starter position could go to either JP Gates or fellow freshman Slade Cecconi, but for now Gates seems to be the more polished of the two. One of the most highly rated players in the 2018 baseball recruiting class; Gates is a talented left-handed pitcher who uses his command to get outs. He can not, and will not, overpower anyone at the plate, but he uses his breaking pitches to dominate. Gates put together a strong performance in the Hurricanes’ fall game against FAU, and will look to build on that in the competitive season in 2019. Another reason for starting Gates in the mid-week slot comes stems from his talent as a hitter. If he pitches in the mid-week game he would be available on the weekends as either a pinch-hitter or position player.</p>
<p id="O1jpQP">JP Gates would be an extremely talented mid-week starter for the Hurricanes. He has great off-speed pitches and, if used on Wednesdays, would be a talented bat to have in the weekend series. Miami’s mid-week starter has been a freshman for several years in a row, look for that to continue in 2019.</p>
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<h2 id="t0Rhud">The Bullpen</h2>
<p id="TbJs4g">The Hurricanes have a lot to replace in their bullpen. Losing longtime closer Frankie Bartow and talented set-up man Cooper Hammond will not be easy in 2019. The ‘Canes will need to find their replacements quick; a task that is easier said than done.</p>
<h3 id="VOj6w1">Right-Handed Reliever: Joe Sparber</h3>
<p id="Yd9bUa"><em>2018 Statistics: Played catcher.</em></p>
<p id="bIKIg8">Joe Sparber will look to make a transition from catching to pitching in 2019, and I wouldn’t expect to see him play a significant role this season for the Hurricanes. He will probably redshirt and make his first appearances on the mound next season.</p>
<h3 id="yR1Cly">Long Relief/If-necessary Starter: Slade Cecconi</h3>
<p id="tWWU48"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="jj7CNt">Much like Gates, Cecconi was a highly touted member of the Hurricanes recruiting class. Cecconi has an extremely strong fastball, accompanied by a promising arsenal of off-speed pitches. In all reality Cecconi is a just as viable of an option as the mid-week starter as Gates, and we should expect to see him make at least a few starts in 2019. I watched Cecconi pitch against FAU this fall, and he’s extremely talented. At one point he struck out three FAU batters in a row on about 15 pitches.</p>
<p id="Ii8YIx">Slade Cecconi is very talented, if unpolished. He should be a strong member of the Hurricanes’ bullpen or starting rotation. Expect to see him on the mound a lot for the Hurricanes in 2019.</p>
<h3 id="mlouTI">Right-Handed Reliever: Tyler Keysor</h3>
<p id="8cWFe2"><em>2018 Statistics (Eastern Florida State College): 5-5, 2.32 ERA, 73.2 IP, 80 K, 10 BB</em></p>
<p id="YogCms">Tyler Keysor is another newcomer to the Hurricanes pitching staff, after playing two seasons with the Eastern Florida State College Titans. Keysor could also be a member of the starting rotation, but with the talent on the roster returning it seems likely that he’ll slot in as a reliever for J.D. Arteaga’s pitching staff. Keysor is an extremely talented arm who could make a big impact for the ‘Canes in 2019. He’s notable for his strikeout to walk ratio, which is elite, but obviously he’ll face higher level talent as a member of the Hurricanes in 2019.</p>
<p id="D8egeG">Keysor could make an immediate impact for Miami as a transfer, much like Jeb Bargfeldt did when he transferred into the Miami program ahead of the 2017 season. He’s an extremely talented arm that has made several starts and represents great depth in case one of the starting rotation members is injured.</p>
<h3 id="paCf3H">Right-Handed Reliever: Mark Mixon</h3>
<p id="wJzczJ"><em>2018 Statistics (South Georgia State College): 6-1, 3.09 ERA, 75.2 IP, 92 K, 30 BB</em></p>
<p id="rOfIGh">Mark Mixon comes to Miami after two years at South Georgia State College which saw him make a lot of growth. Mixon is extremely talented, but much the same as Keysor, he’s never faced talent on the level that he’ll see at Miami. He profiles much more as a reliever than Keysor as well, and could see himself as an important member of Miami’s somewhat depleted bullpen in 2019. He relies on striking batters out, and he’ll need to be able to transfer that to NCAA and ACC play in order to have success Miami.</p>
<p id="lHRGPI">Mark Mixon will be given every opportunity to make an impact as a member of the bullpen in 2019. The Hurricanes have several roles that need to be filled after several members of the pitching staff left last season, and Mixon could also have an immediate impact for the ‘Canes.</p>
<h3 id="g4mGkX">Right-Handed Reliever: Brian Van Belle</h3>
<p id="WRD8mz"><em>2018 Statistics (Broward College): 5-1, 4.15 ERA, 65.0 IP, 48 K, 11 BB, .308 BAA</em></p>
<p id="OJZh6m">Brian Van Belle is another talented junior college transfer, and yet another one who has potential to make starts for the 2019 Miami Hurricanes. However, Van Belle is the least experienced and least polished pitcher of the three pitching transfers; this is due to him missing his first two seasons at Broward College due to injuries. While comparatively inexperienced, Van Belle still has talent, and could be an important pitcher who can fill in for an injured starter, along with being an important member of the bullpen.</p>
<p id="Ng2AjL">Brian Van Belle has the most to prove when compared to the other transfer pitchers, but he has talent and can be an important member of the pitching staff. He’ll need to learn quick in the ACC, but he can grow into an important role for the Hurricanes in 2019.</p>
<h3 id="tdhdHR">Right-Handed Reliever: Alex Ruiz</h3>
<p id="2C1tFR"><em>2018 Statistics: Redshirted</em></p>
<p id="uw9tLU">Alex Ruiz should see his first appearances on the mound for the Miami Hurricanes in 2019 after sitting out the 2018 season. Ruiz was an extremely talented prospect coming out of Westminster Christian before he arrived on campus in Miami, pitching to a 0.74 ERA in a notable junior season. Ruiz will need to grow into a role on the pitching staff after its’ loss of talent; especially since a lack of depth hampered the Hurricanes towards the end of the season in 2018.</p>
<p id="7wyAvy">Alex Ruiz is a bit of an unknown heading into the 2019 season, he hasn’t yet made an appearance for the Hurricanes, and so, much like the pitchers mentioned ahead of him, will need to adjust quickly to the NCAA and the ACC.</p>
<h3 id="Y5Jutk">Right-Handed Reliever: Daniel Rivero</h3>
<p id="a4Mlcd"><em>2018 Statistics (1 appearance): 0-0, 27.00 ERA, 0.1 IP, 1 K, 2 BB, .000 BAA</em></p>
<p id="q5rs5I">Daniel Rivero has only made 8 appearances at the University of Miami due to an injury plagued career. In his freshman season in 2017 Rivero showed flashes of talent, but was very inconsistent, and after missing essentially the entire season in 2018, he’ll need to build experience in 2019. Another question mark regarding Rivero is his ability to hold up for an entire season, which Miami will hope he can do in 2019.</p>
<p id="PBGMT2">Rivero will hope to dodge the injury bug and have a breakout season in 2019. He has next to no experience, but he has the talent to be an important member of the Hurricanes season in 2019.</p>
<h3 id="X349sN">Left-Handed Reliever: Jeremy Cook</h3>
<p id="75YNWu"><em>2018 Statistics: 0-0, 4.58 ERA, 19.2 IP, 18 K, 20 BB, .280 BAA</em></p>
<p id="L0eVU7">Jeremy Cook will need to grow into a bigger role for the Hurricanes in 2019, because he is the lone experienced left-handed pitcher returning to the Hurricanes. Miami has needed to balance the pitching staff for years, and the next recruiting class has gone a long way towards addressing that, but in 2019 Cook will be the lone proven lefty available to the Hurricanes. Cook is another pitcher that has shown flashes in his time at Miami, but he needs to get his walk rate under control; it was an issue that plagued him all season last year.</p>
<p id="lCG2QC">Jeremy Cook may have one of the biggest steps to take of anyone on the roster. He’ll need to step into an important role for the Hurricanes pitching staff and perform. The ‘Canes need the flexibility of having a strong left-handed pitcher out of the bullpen, and if Cook can’t provide it there will be very few other places to look.</p>
<h3 id="vKpR2t">Left-Handed Reliever: Bailey Mantilla</h3>
<p id="nurrK0"><em>2018 Statistics: N/A</em></p>
<p id="6oHF0H">Bailey Mantilla is another newcomer to the Hurricanes roster; a recruit out of American Heritage (Plantation, FL). Mantilla had a 2.05 ERA over his career at American Heritage, and if he can come in and make an impact for the Hurricanes in 2019 it would be a huge benefit for a pitching staff in need of left-handed arms. Mantilla has a strong fastball, and a good selection of off-speed pitches, but he still needs some development in order to reach his potential.</p>
<p id="RG8LGp">Mantilla is one of only three full-time left-handed pitchers on the roster (Dylan Cloonan is a pitcher but seems to be on a path to playing the field) so he has an opportunity to come in and make an impact in his freshman season at UM. It would be a big boost for the pitching staff if Mantilla could play a significant role in 2019.</p>
<h3 id="LHULVm">Set-Up Man: Albert Maury, Jr.</h3>
<p id="SXxyn0"><em>2018 Statistics: Did not pitch due to injury.</em></p>
<p id="9pQXkG">Albert Maury should make an impact returning from injury in 2019. He was one of the most trusted relievers for Jim Morris in his freshman season, and he showed the poise to be able to move into one of the most important spots on the pitching staff in 2019. The only issue with putting Maury in the set-up spot is if the Hurricanes’ coaching staff feels he isn’t ready to step into that big of a role after not pitching for a season. However, Maury is one of the most talented and experienced pitchers on the roster.</p>
<p id="4rC9fl">The Hurricanes will need the more experienced talent on their roster, like Maury, to pitch more often and more consistently in 2019. After a strong freshman season in 2017, it seems likely that Maury would be prepared to step into a significantly larger role on the pitching staff in 2019.</p>
<h3 id="BqQfDU">Closer: Daniel Federman</h3>
<p id="g9le95"><em>2018 Statistics: 2-4, 2.25 ERA, 60.0 IP, 54 K, 22 BB, .203 BAA</em></p>
<p id="zwN4lS">Daniel Federman was one of the best pitchers on Miami’s 2018 team in his freshman season. He consistently dominated his competition and was strong both as a starter and a reliever in the first year of his Hurricane career. He moved into the starting rotation after Greg Veliz’s injury last season, but to me he seems to be the logical replacement for Frankie Bartow as a dominant closer. He’ll have big shoes to fill, but with the makeup and talent that Federman possess, he should be able to comfortably slide into the most important role in the bullpen.</p>
<p id="ffUqny">Daniel Federman is one of the most talented pitchers in Coral Gables, he should be able to become a dominant closer in 2019, should the staff choose to use him in that fashion. He’s been a consistent performer, and the Hurricanes will need him to anchor an inexperienced bullpen.</p>
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<p id="u9xgjI">The Hurricanes should have a talented, if inexperienced, pitching staff in 2019. A lot of players will be making their debuts or moving into larger roles in 2018, but J.D. Arteaga has consistently put talented staffs together at Miami and 2019 should be no different. Miami will be in need of consistent performances from the mound as the offense continues to work to improve from two disappointing seasons in 2017 and 2018. The success of the pitching staff will come down to how quickly a young group learns and adapts as the season goes on.</p>
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https://www.stateoftheu.com/2019/1/5/18167758/miami-hurricanes-baseball-pitching-canes-the-u-greg-veliz-evan-mckendry-daniel-federmanJohnReynolds2019-01-01T08:00:04-05:002019-01-01T08:00:04-05:00Miami Hurricanes Baseball: A Look at UM’s Facilities Ahead of 2019
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<p>Miami has made strides in updating its’ baseball infrastructure over the past six years. Let’s take a look at where things stand.</p> <p id="QjSysY">As Gino DiMare looks to begin a rebuild of the Hurricanes Baseball program in 2019, he also will hope to continue improving the Hurricanes’ baseball facilities. Over time the program has fallen behind the rest of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> world in terms of infrastructure, but over the past several years improvements have been made. With the start of what should be an exciting new era of baseball upon us, it’s time to begin to bring the home of Miami Hurricanes baseball up to the level of the other elite programs in the nation.</p>
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<span>Alex Rodriguez</span> Park at Mark Light Field</h2>
<p id="161W1i">In 2009, the University of Miami received a $3.9 million dollar donation from star baseball player Alex Rodriguez to significantly improve the home of Hurricanes Baseball. An update was very much needed at the time.</p>
<p id="d96ibr">The park surrounding Mark Light Field was drastically redone. The Hurricanes clubhouse was completely rebuilt. With modifications including a new dugout, coaches’ offices, and a significantly improved player locker room. In addition, Miami added several new conference and team meeting rooms; finishing off the behind the scenes renovations with a baseball only weight room. </p>
<p id="RYKgcV">On the general public side of the stadium; fan and media amenities were also improved. New seats were installed in the grandstand, and the press box was extensively modified, rebuilt, and improved. A brand new LCD scoreboard was completed in the outfield, and the field was resurfaced. Not to mention that the concession area and concourse was expanded and brought up to modern standards that could accommodate increased crowds.</p>
<p id="MQw7xg">The Light has seen notable improvement in recent years, but there is still work left to be done in my opinion. One of the most notable needs was for a padded outfield, which was finally addressed this off-season;</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">First look at our new OF wall. Looks even better live. More to come. <a href="https://t.co/AdHZ7RNNAF">pic.twitter.com/AdHZ7RNNAF</a></p>— Gino DiMare (@GinoDiMare1) <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoDiMare1/status/1076225582889922560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2018</a>
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<p id="QZLZU5">However, programs across the country have started to establish new standards for the fan experience in recent years. This has become especially common across the southeast; Florida plans to build an entirely new baseball facility, along with similar process being undertaken at Oklahoma State, Kentucky (their new stadium opens this year), and Mississippi State, just to name a few. Miami needs to establish more permanent seating down each baseline, and work to provide cover for fans to truly bring an iconic stadium into the modern era.</p>
<h2 id="OBWFXK">Support Facilities</h2>
<p id="ySiFU6">With the donation in 2009 part of the work done was to build a state-of-the-art weight room for use by the baseball team. When work was completed it gave Miami one of the most modern strength facilities in the nation. Along with allowing the program to truly center around Mark Light Field, and not have to travel to the Hecht Athletic Center to weight train and condition.</p>
<p id="tcnQKD">The locker room, coaches offices, and other facilities also saw improvement, as previously stated. However, Miami still has serious needs in terms of practice and support facilities. Chief among these is the need for an Indoor Hitting Facility. Several teams have had indoor areas to hit since the early to mid 2000s, and Miami has been in desperate need of a facility of their own for a long time. Fortunately, it appears as if Blake James has taken steps to solve this problem. At Gino DiMare’s introductory press conference, James announced that the University’s Athletics Department has received funding to build an indoor facility for baseball. Miami’s batting cages haven’t received an update in several years. Much like the football team, the baseball team cannot effectively practice in the often stormy weather of South Florida. An indoor facility has become a glaring need for this program for more than a decade. It’s nice to see this need finally addressed and, hopefully, solved.</p>
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<p id="kMquXf">As Miami introduces a new era on the field in Coral Gables in 2019, it has work to do and goals to achieve for facilities around the program. The last ten years have seen strong work done around Mark Light Field, and that effort must be continued to put the Hurricanes, and Coach DiMare, in the best position for success.</p>
https://www.stateoftheu.com/2019/1/1/17516726/miami-hurricanes-baseball-mark-light-field-alex-rodriguez-park-coral-gables-university-of-miamiJohnReynolds2018-12-28T08:00:02-05:002018-12-28T08:00:02-05:00A Look at the 2019 Hurricanes Baseball Schedule
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<figcaption>Tony Capobianco/State of The U</figcaption>
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<p>As always the Hurricanes will play one of the toughest schedules in the nation in 2019, here’s a close look at some important series.</p> <p id="nym4xp">In Gino DiMare’s first season he’ll coach a Hurricanes team that once again plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation. Traditionally the ACC is one of the best conferences in America, and that should be no different in 2019, not to mention a non-conference schedule that includes series against Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, and Florida Atlantic. Here’s a closer look at some of the most crucial series on the schedule. </p>
<h1 id="QNrKmp">Weekend Series</h1>
<h2 id="DCRy6Y">At No.6 <a href="https://www.alligatorarmy.com/">Florida Gators</a>, February 22-24</h2>
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<p id="OjUwQ2">The Florida Gators have turned into a perennial powerhouse, and year after year the in-state rivalry between these two schools with storied baseball tradition has gotten more and more intense. This year, with Miami looking to prove it will be a contender in the ACC, things may get even more heated when the Hurricanes take a trip to Alfred A. McKethan stadium on the second weekend of the season.</p>
<p id="xa9Fb4">Florida is coming off a 49-21 season in 2018 that saw a run all the way to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-world-series">College World Series</a>, where they were eliminated by eventual national runner-ups Arkansas. This year the Gators will again be one of America’s best teams, and will look to a lot of youth playing in bigger roles after the departure of some key contributors to last year’s success.</p>
<p id="pC6KR2">These games will almost certainly be close, as they always are, and considering the strength of both teams are their pitching staffs it could be a low-scoring series. It’ll be a tough test for the Hurricanes, especially without home field advantage.</p>
<h3 id="zs5gI2">Prediction: Florida wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h2 id="B9VnO6">Vs No.17 <a href="https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/">Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets</a>, March 8-10</h2>
<p id="PqwWW3">Georgia Tech has consistently improved as a program over the last several years, having morphed from perennial mediocrity into a perennial contender in the ACC Coastal. This series could be one of the most important three-game sets on the Hurricanes’, and Yellow Jackets’, schedule. It is the first ACC series of the year for both teams, and it’ll be a battle between two talented programs to get off on the right step in conference play.</p>
<p id="g7eBUG">A preseason Top-20 team; Georgia Tech returns much of a roster that went 31-21 last season. Including one of the ACC’s best starting pitchers in Xzavion Curry. Seven starters remain in Atlanta off of last year’s dangerous club, and they’re hungry for more success in 2019.</p>
<p id="V0pjfL">For Miami, this series is a massive early season test. It will also serve as a measuring stick to see just how competitive the Hurricanes are with the best teams in the ACC. Despite coming early in the season, the importance of this weekend can not be overstated for either team, expect a battle Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Mark Light Field</p>
<h3 id="yhYpOI">Prediction: Miami wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h2 id="nNDZQp">At No.8 <a href="https://www.tarheelblog.com/">North Carolina Tar Heels</a>, March 15-17</h2>
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<p id="dsDf9P">The Tar Heels have become a perennial power in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 2019 they bring back a talented roster that won 44 games in 2018, and that lost just eight games in conference play. They, much like the Gators, made a run to the College <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>, losing to national champions Oregon State twice to get knocked out of the tournament.</p>
<p id="IK1iv7">North Carolina is an extremely well led, and highly talented, program. They are traditionally, Miami’s biggest threat in the Coastal Division of the ACC, and that should be no different this year. This series in Chapel Hill could go a long way to determining who takes the division at the end of the season.</p>
<p id="ujp53L">This series will be a huge one for Miami, it will be a big test in conference play, and it will be a true marker of how competitive the Hurricanes will be in 2019. Once again Miami faces the disadvantage of playing on the road, and they’ll need to rise to the occasion.</p>
<h3 id="dgKiyQ">Prediction: North Carolina wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h2 id="r8YaQX">Vs No.22 North Carolina State Wolfpack, March 22-24</h2>
<p id="31jXaj">The very next week the Hurricanes will face another talented team from North Carolina. The Wolfpack are one of the most talented teams of the ACC’s Atlantic Division, with a 42-18 record in 2018 that saw NCSU host a regional where they were eliminated by Auburn.</p>
<p id="r9Mkel">This year N.C. State should be one of the best teams in the ACC once again. N.C. State has high hopes for a 2019 season that sees them compete with Florida State, Clemson, and Louisville for the division crown.</p>
<p id="zKDw7H">This series wraps up a brutal three-series stretch where Miami faces Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and the Wolfpack to start conference play. Miami needs to play well in this series, along with the two prior to it, to get off to a good start in the ACC; something that has eluded Miami in the previous two seasons.</p>
<h3 id="gux8cM">Prediction: Miami wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h2 id="wF8rji">Vs No.10 <a href="https://www.tomahawknation.com/">Florida State Seminoles</a>, April 5-7</h2>
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<cite>Joe Rondone-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="qhlzQk">The first weekend of April sees one of the best programs in the nation, and one of Miami’s biggest rivals, visit Mark Light Field. It’ll be the final time long-time Seminoles’ Head Coach <span>Mike Martin</span> coaches against the Hurricanes, and Gino DiMare will look to ruin his last visit to Coral Gables.</p>
<p id="peDQ6J">Florida State returns a lot of experience from a team that went 43-19 last season. The Seminoles aim to make up for missed opportunities this season, driven by a hunger to make amends for a walk-off loss to Mississippi State that ended <span>Mike Martin</span> and the the Seminoles’ 2018 season without a national championship yet again.</p>
<p id="UBSxxL">For Miami, this series is a chance for Gino DiMare to make a statement in front of his home crowd. He and his team will go head to head with a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> legend in <span>Mike Martin</span>, and a series win here would be a great moment in DiMare’s first season.</p>
<h3 id="IY7Ipr">Prediction: Florida State wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h2 id="Dpzn5m">At No.9 <a href="https://www.cardchronicle.com/">Louisville Cardinals</a>, April 18-20</h2>
<p id="mm5VZy">Louisville is one of the finest baseball programs in America. Head Coach Dan McDonnell leads one of the most consistently competitive teams in the nation. In 2019 the Cardinals are looking to make a return to Omaha on the back of one of the most talented rosters in the country.</p>
<p id="1cO8va">Last year the Cardinals were 45-19, but this season they should only improve upon that record. UL has completely reloaded their roster, and should find themselves in a battle with Florida State and Clemson for the ACC Atlantic Division crown.</p>
<p id="jP31JG">This is another huge chance for Miami to make a statement of legitimacy to the college baseball world. However, Jim Patterson Stadium is a notoriously difficult place to play. Miami is a young team, and they’ll need to mature fast and learn from mistakes made earlier in the season to have success in Kentucky in late April.</p>
<h3 id="XpWqAQ">Prediction: Louisville wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h2 id="W6CSgu">Vs No.20 <a href="https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/">Duke Blue Devils</a>, May 16-18</h2>
<p id="fzCqWa">Duke is another ACC program that has improved immensely over the last few seasons. In 2019 they’ll look to build off a 2018 season that saw them come one win away from a trip to Omaha. Because it comes in the last week of the season, this series could have a huge impact on the way the ACC Coastal Division standings turn out.</p>
<p id="cKFZS3">Duke has to replace a lot of talent in 2019. A strong recruiting class and younger players moving into larger roles should see the Blue Devils reload rather than rebuild this upcoming season. Not to mention that Duke sports one of the most talented pitching staffs in the ACC.</p>
<p id="MY4sHA">This weekend could turn into one of the most important three-game stretches of the season for both teams. If it turns out that both teams contend for the ACC crown this year, as expected, then this final series of the season could have a huge impact on seeding for the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/acc-basketball-tournament">ACC Tournament</a>.</p>
<h3 id="v6z8n2">Prediction: Miami wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h1 id="yk6QXU">Mid-Week Series</h1>
<h2 id="PKAxOy">Florida Gulf Coast Eagles</h2>
<p id="BgPcN3">The Eagles are one of America’s best mid-major teams. They should find themselves once again in place to make a run in the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a>, and they’ll present a challenge every time Miami has to play them in the middle of the week this season.</p>
<p id="efGlSd">Florida Gulf Coast has a tradition of strong pitching, and that should be no different in 2019. Expect these matchups to be low-scoring pitchers duels. With teams like Florida Gulf Coast on the schedule, it highlights just how focused the ‘Canes will have to be in order to prevent the mid-week struggles that have seemed so unshakable over the last two years.</p>
<p id="MRRwKQ">Miami needs to play their best every time they play FGCU. Mid-week games affect your whole week. It is extremely difficult to have a positive week without winning the mid-week game. Focus and consistency are the keys to success on Wednesdays for Miami.</p>
<h3 id="BVpVO7">Prediction: Miami wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
<h2 id="VKlRHm"><a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/florida-atlantic-owls">Florida Atlantic Owls</a></h2>
<p id="nJpBmQ">Florida Atlantic is yet another program that has consistently improved over the last several seasons. The Owls always look to play their best against Miami, and this season will be no different. FAU will put their best on the field to beat the Hurricanes and make a statement to the nation. </p>
<p id="EcmxZE">Miami and FAU faced off in an exhibition game before the season, which Miami won 12-4. While that game may have seemed easy for the Hurricanes, the last few seasons have been anything but for Miami against FAU; Miami has gone just 3-3 against the Owls over that stretch.</p>
<p id="iW2lcM">Florida Atlantic provides yet another example of why Miami must bring their best during the week and not just on the weekends. The Hurricanes quite simply can not afford to drop mid-week games any longer, and Gino DiMare will need to remind his team of that to avoid a similar fate to the one suffered in 2017 and 2018.</p>
<h3 id="hNsBV2">Prediction: Miami wins the series; 2-1.</h3>
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<p id="AU6UCe">Miami will play one of America’s most difficult schedules in 2019. The ACC is the most talented it has been in several years, and there is truly no weekend where the Hurricanes can let their guard down. The Hurricanes’ youth will have to find consistency and poise to face a schedule that has very few easy weeks.</p>
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https://www.stateoftheu.com/2018/12/28/18131521/miami-hurricanes-baseball-canes-the-u-schedule-florida-state-north-carolina-virginia-techJohnReynolds