Arizona baseball had a up and down season last year going 33-26 and 12-18 in conference play. The Wildcats were able to make it to the Pac-12 Championship game as an eighth seed before falling short to Oregon.
Arizona then received a bid to the NCAA Tournament and got swept by TCU and Santa Clara in the Fayetteville Regional.
With the temperature slowly heating back up in the southwest, UA baseball is officially back for its 2024 season. Arizona will be returning 19 players from the 2023 roster and will be adding 20 newcomers through its recruting class and the transfer portal. The Wildcats were picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12 preseason poll.
"We have a good feeling about our club," Arizona head coach Chip Hale said at Local Media Day. "They've done a great job in the weight room all fall, they've come together as a group, as a team."
Although there will be a new look to the lineup, pitcher Anthony Susac mentioned that they've embraced the underdog mentality and that they're team that can surprise people.
"People don't know the weapons we have in the bullpen, don't know the weapons we have in the lineup," Susac said.
Here is a preview for the Wildcats' 2024 season:
Key subtractions:
- 1B Kiko Romero (MLB Draft)
- OF Chase Davis (MLB Draft)
- SS Nik McClaughry (MLB Draft)
- OF Mac Bingham (LSU)
- 3BTony Bullard (MLB Draft)
The Wildcats' lineup will be forced to change up a great deal this year after losing 57% of its hits, 63% of its RBIs and 69% of its home runs from Romero, Davis, McClaughry, Bingham and Bullard.
Hale said that sophomore Mason White, who batted mostly sixth in the lineup last season will see an increased role higher in the lineup and will have more eyes on him from opponents due to him being on multiple watch lists.
Hale added that it will be important for players behind White in the lineup such as Garen Caulfield and Emilio Corona to show that they can "do damage" when they pitch around White. He gave an example of Romero batting behind Davis, who would take walks and he ended up setting a school record for most RBIs in a season.
Corona mentioned that there is pressure contributing behind White this year, but noted "pressure is a privilege" and that they are all gifted to be in the position of top of the lineup, which puts them in a good spot mentally.
"We'll play it one at-bat at a time," Corona said.
According to Hale, there will be uncertainty for the other aspects of the lineup and could shake up pending on what happens on the field to start the season and that some of the newcomers could see early action.
"Until those lights come on against Northeastern and you cross that white line, we'll see how it goes," Hale said. "We feel like with [Brenden] Summerhill, Breyfogle, Brandon Rogers, Andrew Cain, young kids are going to get a chance earlier, there's some JC kids that are going to get chances."
