Though the fluidity of the Dirtbag lineup leaves multiple positions, such as third base and the outfield, up for grabs, second base appears to be the only spot in the field where there is an open competition for the job. Colton Vaughn, the starter for the latter part of 2013, returns but will have to outplay two talented returning sophomore's in addition to a JuCo transfer with an impressive resume.
Replacing an all-Big West player like Jeff McNei won't be easy, but it's possible the high competition at second could drive the eventual starter (or starters) to play at peak performance.
Alex DeGoti – Sophomore; Bats: Right; .080/.207/.080, 16 games
DeGoti saw the least amount of playing time in 2013 among the returning Dirtbags, logging just 31 plate appearances across 16 games. There's not much to take away from DeGoti's spring performance, though he played solid defense at second base while also moonlighting at shortstop. For what it's worth he also went hitless in his final 16 at bats, spread across ten weeks.
DeGoti finally got a chance to cut his teeth playing summer ball in the West Coast League. Serving as the everyday shortstop for Victoria, DeGoti got off to a hot start at the plate. His season peaked with a ten-game hitting streak in late June and he carried a .400 On-Base Percentage into August before finishing with a .286/.370/.381 slash line. He managed to avoid many of the top pitching prospects in the league, but he did go 1-for-4 against top prospect (according to Perfect Game) Cody Poteet of UCLA and had a multi-hit games against San Diego's CJ Burdick.
In the field DeGoti was among the top shortstops in the league, logging a .965 fielding percentage across 51 games. He would end up being ranked the 37th best prospect in the league by PG and was be one of four Victoria players (along with fellow Dirtbag Ty Provencher) to be selected for the WCL all-star game.
DeGoti has physically grown a little since last spring, but so far there's not much to report as to how it's affected his bat. Had it not been for the unexpected arrival of top prospects Garrett Hampson, DeGoti could've been a candidate to take over shortstop duties this spring. Owning an exceptional arm, DeGoti remains an option at third base, but for now it appears his best chance for playing time will be a second. Regardless of where he plays in the field, how the sophomore's bat is progressing will play a big role in whether he can break into the starting lineup.
DeGoti is will be an interesting name for Dirtbag fans to follow this spring.
Zack Domingues – Red Shirt Sophomore; Bats: Left; .316/.538/.412, 37 games (Cuesta Community College)
A Cuesta alumnus, former SLO Blues player, and he can take a walk? I already like this guy. Originally a Chico State commit, Domingues moved down for San Luis Obispo for his collegiate debut last spring. There he displayed a remarkable batting eye, leading the state (by a considerable margin) in both walks (51) and on-base percentage in 2013, while striking out just 12 times in 174 plate appearances as the Cougars' shortstop.
Domingues then moved over to Sinschimer Stadium for the summer where he had less successful season at the plate, playing for the NBC World Series bound Blues. For the summer Domingues hit just .208 and saw his K-rate spike to 35 in about 170 plate appearances (data incomplete); though he still managed to get on base at a solid .378 clip thanks to another 37 walks.
Much like Alex Bishop at the catcher position, it's hard not to be optimistic about Domingues' talents after such a successful JuCo career. However, also like Bishop, it's difficult to know just how much of an opportunity Domingues will have to showcase his ability while facing such stern competition for playing time. According to the recent LongBeachState.com infield preview, Domingues should also get a long look at third base, much like DeGoti. A Visalia native, the “San Joaquin Valley God of Walks” also boasts the advantage of being just one of two hitting left-handed hitting infielders in the mix (Michael Hill being the other; this of course is ignoring first base) possibly giving him an edge when searching for starts against righties.
Colton Vaughn – Red Shirt Senior; Bats: Right; .263/.311/.293, 35 games
Vaughn's Dirtbag career took agonizingly long to take off, red shirting in 2012, then barely touching the field the first month of 2013. But ultimately Vaughn became as key part of the lineup as a “third year sophomore.” Vaughn's class seems to be in question, as last year he was listed on the roster as a RS sophomore, yet in 2014 is apparently an RS senior. He seemingly made his collegiate debut in 2011 playing JuCo ball, and it appears he graduated high school in 2009, so my best guess is he sat out 2010 and there was either a mistake on last year's roster, or he has since lost that year of eligibility. But back to his on-field results...
Vaughn spent the first five-plus weeks of the season making cameos here and there as a pinch runner, replacement second baseman, and even a center fielder (where he committed an error on his first play of the season). In the wake of Colby Brenner's struggles, however, he slowly moved into the starting second base position, as Jeff McNeil shifted to center field. Vaughn would start the Dirtbags' first four Big West games at the 4-position, yielding modest results at the plate but playing solid defense. After shifting back into a part time role for three weeks, he took over the position April 23 in the Dirtbags' 11-1 buttkicking of the eventual national champion UCLA Bruins, starting every game at second from there on out.
Despite batting second on multiple occasions during the season Vaughn's offensive output remained minimal (although he did manage an eight-game hit streak and another six-game streak during the year). A .344 average in 2011 while playing JuCo ball notwithstanding, Vaughn will likely remain a relatively weak hitter. Much like the light-hitting outfielder Colby Brenner, much of Vaughn's value derives from his speed and defense. After becoming the starting second baseman in April, Vaughn posted a solid .970 fielding percentage while average 5.2 chances per game.
Though Vaughn will likely start the year at second with DeGoti and newcomer Domingues in the fold (not to mention the hard-hitting sophomore Zack Rivera) his standing in the lineup is a precarious one. Being a righty, Vaughn could also be asked to enter a platoon. The obviously platoon-mate would be Domingues, but also keep an eye on Vaughn splitting time with the left-handed Brenner, with Rivera shifting back and forth between second base and the outfield.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: First Base
Long Beach State has a rare situation on its hands at first base this spring. They enter the spring without last season's starter, Jeff Yamaguchi, yet the position remains arguably the most secure one on the field. While twitter searches for what became of Yamaguchi, the 2014 Dirtbags fill first base with one of its team leader of the last three years and two sophomores with intriguing potential but will find themselves vying for playing time this spring.
Zack Belanger – Red Shirt Sophomore; Bats: Left; .250/.291/.346, 25 games
In his first season playing on Blair Field, Belanger struggled while playing sporadically, though he did show some promise by season's end. The-then redshirt freshman posted a poor K/BB of 20/1 and collected just four hits, all singles, in his first 24 at bats. He began to turn things around in the season's final month, slugging a home run against Cal State Fullerton, one of just 12 blasts the Dirtbags had on the season, before closing out with nine hits in his final 27 at bats (.333). Belanger ended up starting as the Designated Hitter more often than not for the hobbled Dirtbags over the final weeks.
In the summer Belanger would serve as the regular first baseman for the Wisconsin Rapid Rafters in the Northwoods League; though he continued to strike out with alarming frequency, K'ing nearly as often as he reached base. In the dog days of summer he followed a similar hitting pattern to his Dirtbags season, including going through an awful 16-for-107 slump in the middle of the year with just two extra base hits. He eventually rebounded a bit, went on a six-game hitting streak, and closed the summer on a 7-for-12 run.
Well-recruited out of high school with strong blood lines, Belanger will be interesting to watch as his college career progresses. Listed at 6'4”, 195 pounds he could develop some good raw power as he fills out. How that power potential comes along, and how well he manages to plug the hole in his swing, will determine just how much playing time he sees between first, outfield, and DH this season. For now, expect him to play a pinch hitting role, with the occasional start at first.
Ino Patron – Senior; Bats: Left; .301/.359/.435, 55 games
On the final game I attended of the 2011 season, the Dirtbags were in the midst of being no-hit by UC Irvine hurler Matt Summers. With two outs in the 8th inning a scrappy freshman came to the plate and I remember thinking to myself “if this guy can't get a hit, then Summers is gonna do it.” The batter, named Ino Patron, failed to get a base knock, but it was through no fault of his own. He got plunked with the pitch and even stole second for good measure. But that was our last real shot and sure enough the Dirtbags would end up going hitless (I really was at the game, I have an Irvine-superfan autograph in my scorebook to prove it).
All spring long, when the Dirtbags were having a painfully bad year at the plate, I was struck by how the freshman Patron seemed to grind out every at bat. As he enters his senior season as a would-be four year starter, Patron remains the best active embodiment of the Dirtbags name. For those four years he has been Long Beach's toughest out and best pure hitter; scratching a clawing for numbers that don't blow you away but always seem to get the job done (one stat on Patron I really wish I had to share is pitches-per-at-bat).
After two years of splitting time between first base and designated hitter, the loss of Johnny Bekakis forced Patron to add left field to his resume in 2013, playing 18 games there. At the plate he remained steady as always, hitting .316 during a nine-game hitting streak that began the third day of the season. After a brief cold spell in the first week of March, Patron's bat exploded; from March 10 to the 29th, against opponents such as Arizona State, Wichita State, and Cal State Fullerton, he hit .385 while slugging .641. That streak overlapped with a run of 19 consecutive games having reached base, running from March 23 to April 28, which included an OPS of 1.132. The on-base streak was snapped on April 30 against Loyola Marymount, marking the only time in the month of April Patron failed to reach base. Since we're on the subject, Patron will enter the 2014 season ridding a nine-game hitting streak.
In 27 Big West games Patron put up a slashline of .343/.395/.486; in between that he mixed in a 4 RBI game against eventual national champion UCLA, as the Dirtbags handed the Bruins their worst loss of the year, 11-1. Eventually Patron made his way from left field back to first base; playing there in ten of the Dirtbags' final 12 games. With the departure of Yamaguchi and the return of Johnny Bekakis, it's likely Patron will spend most, if not all, of the summer back at first base, with an occasional start at DH.
Patron is pretty much what you see above. He'll remain Long Beach's toughest out in 2014, likely batting third or fourth all season. As he enters his final year at Blair Field I'm reminded of Brennan Metzger's career at Long Beach State. Metzger, another quintessential Dirtbag, was also a four year starter (well, three and a half), and was the offensive leader in his final campaign. Sadly, Metzger saw his run end with a hard fought, yet losing, battle for a regional bid in 2012, thus finishing his career without a postseason appearance. While the 2014 season could present one of the strongest Big West conferences in recent years, with Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal Poly all in Top-25 territory, and UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge hoping for a postseason birth, it would be a shame to see Patron and the rest of the senior class also fail to see June baseball in their careers.
It'll take Dirtbags like Ino Patron to make sure that doesn't happen.
Zack Belanger – Red Shirt Sophomore; Bats: Left; .250/.291/.346, 25 games
In his first season playing on Blair Field, Belanger struggled while playing sporadically, though he did show some promise by season's end. The-then redshirt freshman posted a poor K/BB of 20/1 and collected just four hits, all singles, in his first 24 at bats. He began to turn things around in the season's final month, slugging a home run against Cal State Fullerton, one of just 12 blasts the Dirtbags had on the season, before closing out with nine hits in his final 27 at bats (.333). Belanger ended up starting as the Designated Hitter more often than not for the hobbled Dirtbags over the final weeks.
In the summer Belanger would serve as the regular first baseman for the Wisconsin Rapid Rafters in the Northwoods League; though he continued to strike out with alarming frequency, K'ing nearly as often as he reached base. In the dog days of summer he followed a similar hitting pattern to his Dirtbags season, including going through an awful 16-for-107 slump in the middle of the year with just two extra base hits. He eventually rebounded a bit, went on a six-game hitting streak, and closed the summer on a 7-for-12 run.
Well-recruited out of high school with strong blood lines, Belanger will be interesting to watch as his college career progresses. Listed at 6'4”, 195 pounds he could develop some good raw power as he fills out. How that power potential comes along, and how well he manages to plug the hole in his swing, will determine just how much playing time he sees between first, outfield, and DH this season. For now, expect him to play a pinch hitting role, with the occasional start at first.
Ino Patron – Senior; Bats: Left; .301/.359/.435, 55 games
On the final game I attended of the 2011 season, the Dirtbags were in the midst of being no-hit by UC Irvine hurler Matt Summers. With two outs in the 8th inning a scrappy freshman came to the plate and I remember thinking to myself “if this guy can't get a hit, then Summers is gonna do it.” The batter, named Ino Patron, failed to get a base knock, but it was through no fault of his own. He got plunked with the pitch and even stole second for good measure. But that was our last real shot and sure enough the Dirtbags would end up going hitless (I really was at the game, I have an Irvine-superfan autograph in my scorebook to prove it).
All spring long, when the Dirtbags were having a painfully bad year at the plate, I was struck by how the freshman Patron seemed to grind out every at bat. As he enters his senior season as a would-be four year starter, Patron remains the best active embodiment of the Dirtbags name. For those four years he has been Long Beach's toughest out and best pure hitter; scratching a clawing for numbers that don't blow you away but always seem to get the job done (one stat on Patron I really wish I had to share is pitches-per-at-bat).
After two years of splitting time between first base and designated hitter, the loss of Johnny Bekakis forced Patron to add left field to his resume in 2013, playing 18 games there. At the plate he remained steady as always, hitting .316 during a nine-game hitting streak that began the third day of the season. After a brief cold spell in the first week of March, Patron's bat exploded; from March 10 to the 29th, against opponents such as Arizona State, Wichita State, and Cal State Fullerton, he hit .385 while slugging .641. That streak overlapped with a run of 19 consecutive games having reached base, running from March 23 to April 28, which included an OPS of 1.132. The on-base streak was snapped on April 30 against Loyola Marymount, marking the only time in the month of April Patron failed to reach base. Since we're on the subject, Patron will enter the 2014 season ridding a nine-game hitting streak.
In 27 Big West games Patron put up a slashline of .343/.395/.486; in between that he mixed in a 4 RBI game against eventual national champion UCLA, as the Dirtbags handed the Bruins their worst loss of the year, 11-1. Eventually Patron made his way from left field back to first base; playing there in ten of the Dirtbags' final 12 games. With the departure of Yamaguchi and the return of Johnny Bekakis, it's likely Patron will spend most, if not all, of the summer back at first base, with an occasional start at DH.
Patron is pretty much what you see above. He'll remain Long Beach's toughest out in 2014, likely batting third or fourth all season. As he enters his final year at Blair Field I'm reminded of Brennan Metzger's career at Long Beach State. Metzger, another quintessential Dirtbag, was also a four year starter (well, three and a half), and was the offensive leader in his final campaign. Sadly, Metzger saw his run end with a hard fought, yet losing, battle for a regional bid in 2012, thus finishing his career without a postseason appearance. While the 2014 season could present one of the strongest Big West conferences in recent years, with Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal Poly all in Top-25 territory, and UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge hoping for a postseason birth, it would be a shame to see Patron and the rest of the senior class also fail to see June baseball in their careers.
It'll take Dirtbags like Ino Patron to make sure that doesn't happen.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: Catcher
If Dirtbags fans are looking for reasons for optimism entering 2014, then it's fitting to start with the catcher position. After having to make due with converted-pitcher Royce Murai and defensive stalwart but light hitting Kellen Hoime (with some decent patchwork from utility man Mike Marjama) Long Beach State enters this spring with arguably their best catching depth since 2008; which just so happens to be the last time they made a regional appearance. With no seniors, and three underclassmen, in the mix it's reasonable to hope the backstop remains solid for the 'Bags for the next couple season. The 2014 group includes a returning starter that has the potential to be one of the better catchers in the conference, a JuCo transfer who should have an impact on this year's squad, and a freshman that will likely be groomed to eventually hold the starting position.
Alex Bishop – Junior; Bats: Right; .435/.480/.602, 39 games (College of the Canyons)
After going virtually unrecruited by Division 1 programs out of high school, Bishop comes to Blair Field for his junior year to begin his NCAA career. A star quarterback and catcher in high school, the undersized Bishop would have to go the junior college route before getting people to take notice to his talents (this signalsvc.com story on him paints the picture of a player that was born to be a Dirtbag). After having a modest freshman year playing for Moorepark College, Bishop saw his prospect status take off last year at College of the Canyons.
Bishop would wind up claiming SoCal player of the year honors after leading the state of California in batting, tallying 11 three-hit games, and notching 97 total bases despite hitting just one home run. Though he drew only 14 walks on the season, he amazingly fanned just six times in 182 plate appearances. He was nearly as likely to hit a triple as he was strike out whenever he stepped into the batter's box.
Last season's starter, Eric Hutting, is back for his sophomore year so it'll be interesting to see what role Bishop plays for the Dirtbags in 2014, and how well his amazing 2013 numbers can carry over against D1 pitching. It's possible he'll share playing time behind the plate, having thrown out 23% of base runners last year, though Designated Hitter is also a possibility.
Eric Hutting – Sophomore; Bats: Right; .270/.326/.325, 40 games
In 2013, Hutting provided Long Beach the arguably most production at the plate they've seen from a backstop in six years; though much of that can be attributed to the offensive black hole the catcher position has been for the Dirtbags. Hutting's true freshman season started off strong, singling in his first collegiate at bat against eventual 2nd round draft pick Kevin Ziomek of Vanderbilt for the Dirtbags' first base runner of the season. By the end of the second weekend of the year, Hutting was 6-for-16 and showed his offensive versatility with 3 walks, two doubles, two sac bunts, and a bunt single. However, Hutting's hot start was short lived. He would draw only one walk the entire month of March and at one point was in a 5-for-44 slump.
The start of his defensive career was almost the exact opposite. Through his first eight games (seven starts) Hutting had already tallied five passed balls and by March 22 had 22 steals against. As his hitting slowed, however, his defense picked up. Hutting allowed just one passed ball the rest of the way, at one point going 24 straight games without letting a pitch go to the backstop. He ultimately finished with a respectable 33% caught stealing mark.
He finally got his bat back on track in Stockton, going 5-for-9 against Pacific's weak pitching to open the month of April. That would spark a hot streak he would carry for the rest of the season which included two seven-game hitting streaks. Aside from an 0-for-7 series against Cal Sate Fullerton, he would reach base in every game he played for the rest of the year.
Though Hutting ultimately earned the lion's share of catching duties, he split a considerable amount of time with Zach Miller and Royce Murai. The rookie Hutting would start on consecutive days only three times entering the final weekend of the year. On the final Friday of the season, Hutting, who had actually seen his playing time decrease slightly has the season dragged into it's final month, was brought in in the fourth inning of a blow out game against UC Irvine. Miller had started the game and allowed four steals to the Anteaters. Hutting would go on to finish the game and start the next two, catching the final 24 innings of the year for the Dirtbags.
In the summer, Hutting joined the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League where he managed to get in another 100 at bats. Playing irregularly, Hutting never found his stride in the summer. His average peaked in the .260 range before fading for a final slash line of .220/.262/.300. Playing over 60 games behind the plate between the two seasons may have caused some fatigue to set in by August.
Hutting figures to be more of a role player in the Dirtbag lineup than a piece to build around, but his ability to bunt and line drive swing make him a versatile option for Coach Zepeda. Hutting figures to bat in the latter half of the lineup for most of the season, but if he can continue to hit at the clip he closed the 2013 Dirtbag season with (23-for-66, .348) he could see time in the top two spots as well.
Daniel “DJ” Jackson – Freshman; Bats: Right
The fact that a solid freshman like Jackson will probably begin his Dirtbag career as a third-string catcher shows just how far this position has come for Long Beach State. The lanky rookie has a line drive swing and could become a “middle of the order hitter” as he gets older, according to coach Buckley; although Jackson could make a push for playing time this year on his arm alone. Jackson has a very good poptime behind the plate (1.89 in 2012, according to Perfect Game), and an arm strong enough to make scouts wonder what kind of pitcher he would make.
Albert Perez – Freshman; Bats: Right
There's little information available on Perez other than what can be found on the Long Beach State website (“three-year letterwinner... hit .485 as a senior”). It's probably safe to assume Perez is a walk-on. With Bishop, Hutting, and Jackson already in the mix it's unlikely Perez will see much playing time behind the plate this season. It's worth mentioning he was also listed as a first baseman and outfielder in high school.
Alex Bishop – Junior; Bats: Right; .435/.480/.602, 39 games (College of the Canyons)
After going virtually unrecruited by Division 1 programs out of high school, Bishop comes to Blair Field for his junior year to begin his NCAA career. A star quarterback and catcher in high school, the undersized Bishop would have to go the junior college route before getting people to take notice to his talents (this signalsvc.com story on him paints the picture of a player that was born to be a Dirtbag). After having a modest freshman year playing for Moorepark College, Bishop saw his prospect status take off last year at College of the Canyons.
Bishop would wind up claiming SoCal player of the year honors after leading the state of California in batting, tallying 11 three-hit games, and notching 97 total bases despite hitting just one home run. Though he drew only 14 walks on the season, he amazingly fanned just six times in 182 plate appearances. He was nearly as likely to hit a triple as he was strike out whenever he stepped into the batter's box.
Last season's starter, Eric Hutting, is back for his sophomore year so it'll be interesting to see what role Bishop plays for the Dirtbags in 2014, and how well his amazing 2013 numbers can carry over against D1 pitching. It's possible he'll share playing time behind the plate, having thrown out 23% of base runners last year, though Designated Hitter is also a possibility.
Eric Hutting – Sophomore; Bats: Right; .270/.326/.325, 40 games
In 2013, Hutting provided Long Beach the arguably most production at the plate they've seen from a backstop in six years; though much of that can be attributed to the offensive black hole the catcher position has been for the Dirtbags. Hutting's true freshman season started off strong, singling in his first collegiate at bat against eventual 2nd round draft pick Kevin Ziomek of Vanderbilt for the Dirtbags' first base runner of the season. By the end of the second weekend of the year, Hutting was 6-for-16 and showed his offensive versatility with 3 walks, two doubles, two sac bunts, and a bunt single. However, Hutting's hot start was short lived. He would draw only one walk the entire month of March and at one point was in a 5-for-44 slump.
The start of his defensive career was almost the exact opposite. Through his first eight games (seven starts) Hutting had already tallied five passed balls and by March 22 had 22 steals against. As his hitting slowed, however, his defense picked up. Hutting allowed just one passed ball the rest of the way, at one point going 24 straight games without letting a pitch go to the backstop. He ultimately finished with a respectable 33% caught stealing mark.
He finally got his bat back on track in Stockton, going 5-for-9 against Pacific's weak pitching to open the month of April. That would spark a hot streak he would carry for the rest of the season which included two seven-game hitting streaks. Aside from an 0-for-7 series against Cal Sate Fullerton, he would reach base in every game he played for the rest of the year.
Though Hutting ultimately earned the lion's share of catching duties, he split a considerable amount of time with Zach Miller and Royce Murai. The rookie Hutting would start on consecutive days only three times entering the final weekend of the year. On the final Friday of the season, Hutting, who had actually seen his playing time decrease slightly has the season dragged into it's final month, was brought in in the fourth inning of a blow out game against UC Irvine. Miller had started the game and allowed four steals to the Anteaters. Hutting would go on to finish the game and start the next two, catching the final 24 innings of the year for the Dirtbags.
In the summer, Hutting joined the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League where he managed to get in another 100 at bats. Playing irregularly, Hutting never found his stride in the summer. His average peaked in the .260 range before fading for a final slash line of .220/.262/.300. Playing over 60 games behind the plate between the two seasons may have caused some fatigue to set in by August.
Hutting figures to be more of a role player in the Dirtbag lineup than a piece to build around, but his ability to bunt and line drive swing make him a versatile option for Coach Zepeda. Hutting figures to bat in the latter half of the lineup for most of the season, but if he can continue to hit at the clip he closed the 2013 Dirtbag season with (23-for-66, .348) he could see time in the top two spots as well.
Daniel “DJ” Jackson – Freshman; Bats: Right
The fact that a solid freshman like Jackson will probably begin his Dirtbag career as a third-string catcher shows just how far this position has come for Long Beach State. The lanky rookie has a line drive swing and could become a “middle of the order hitter” as he gets older, according to coach Buckley; although Jackson could make a push for playing time this year on his arm alone. Jackson has a very good poptime behind the plate (1.89 in 2012, according to Perfect Game), and an arm strong enough to make scouts wonder what kind of pitcher he would make.
Albert Perez – Freshman; Bats: Right
There's little information available on Perez other than what can be found on the Long Beach State website (“three-year letterwinner... hit .485 as a senior”). It's probably safe to assume Perez is a walk-on. With Bishop, Hutting, and Jackson already in the mix it's unlikely Perez will see much playing time behind the plate this season. It's worth mentioning he was also listed as a first baseman and outfielder in high school.
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