Earlier on Wednesday, we previewed the NC State pitching staff for the upcoming season.
Bigger questions, though, loom in the lineup, where NC State is replacing arguably the best outfield in college baseball from a year ago. Here is a preview of how the Pack could look in the field this spring:
Catcher
There are very few questions here. Sophomore Patrick Bailey has the potential to become one of the top MLB prospects ever to come through the program. The switch-hitter batted .321 as a rookie with 13 homers, the most ever in a season for an NC State catcher, and 40 runs batted in. Aaron Fitt of D1Baseball.com even noted during his appearance on The Wolfpacker Podcast that with two more seasons like that, Bailey has a chance to be in the mix for the top overall pick in the 2020 draft.
"I think he compares with some of the great switch-hitting catchers we have seen come through the college baseball ranks," Fitt said.
Fitt added that Oregon State switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman is their current pick to be the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, and that Bailey is a similar talent.
The question is making sure that NC State has depth to ensure Bailey does not wear down behind the plate. Junior Brad Debo hit a team-best .335 when he was named a Freshman All-American in 2017, but struggled last year and hit only .253. Debo though appears poised to rebound and will likely be the designated hitter while giving Bailey a rest behind the plate on occasion.
Infield
In addition to Bailey and a potential rebound year from Debo, NC State is banking on two returning infielders that helped carry the lineup a year ago. Junior Will Wilson at shortstop hit .307 with 15 home runs and 53 runs batted in and was a second-team All-American last season.
"I think he has a shot to be a first-rounder," Fitt said. "He's a legitimate five-tool talent."
Senior first baseman Evan Edwards batted .297 with 15 homers and 53 RBI a year ago, and also returns to help anchor the lineup.
At second and third base are more question marks. Sophomore J.T. Jarrett started 44 games at second a year ago, while redshirt junior Dillon Cooper was at third base for 42 starts, but both struggled at the plate late in the season. Cooper finished hitting .256, while Jarrett batted .225, and the two combined for just four extra base hits, all doubles by Cooper.
"I think [Jarrett] has added 10 or 15 pounds of muscle, which he needed to do," Fitt noted.
That said, the two play good defense.
Freshman Tyler McDonough, who could also factor in the outfield, and sophomores David Vasquez and Devonte Brown might be in the mix.
Outfield
A year ago, the trio of Josh McLain, Brock Deatherage and Brett Kinneman shone. McLain led the team with 94 hits and a .344 batting average, while Deatherage (14 homers) and Kinneman (a team-best 17 home runs) both supplied power. All were drafted in the first 10 rounds in June. The three were also the only players to steal at least 10 bases.
Touted junior college transfer Jonny Butler, who is a sophomore, batted .372 with eight homers and stole 39 bases a year ago for Heartland Community College in Normal, Ill., and is a strong contender to get a starting spot in the outfield.
There has also been excitement about Czech Republic import Marek Chlup, a 6-foot-3, 223-pound freshman with the potential to add power to NC State's lineup.
Athletic sophomore Terrell Tatum, who earned rave reviews in the fall of 2017 before being slowed by a shoulder injury shortly before his freshman season began, is a wildcard. Tatum hit .271 in 85 plate appearances a year ago and was 9 for 11 on stolen bases.
Some of the infielders could also get a chance in the outfield.
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