2/16/2021 baseball Edit

NC State Wolfpack baseball 2021 season preview: Lineup

Matt Carter • TheWolfpackCentral

Editor

@TheWolfpacker

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This season, NC State has the potential to field one of its most potent lineups in the Elliott Avent era.

Here is a preview.

Catcher

NC State Wolfpack baseball Luca Tresh — NC State could be replacing a first-round MLB Draft pick at catcher (Patrick Bailey) with another high draft pick (Luca Tresh, pictured). (NC State media relations)

NC State has to replace one of the best catchers in college baseball in the San Francisco Giants’ first-round draft pick Patrick Bailey, but it has some good options, headlined by sophomore Luca Tresh.

Tresh missed the first few games of last year with an injury, but when he returned he crushed the baseball, going 17 for 42 at the plate with three homers and three doubles. His .405 average led the team and his .690 slugging percentage was second. MLB.com ranks him as the No. 54 prospect in the 2021 draft class.

“Relatively inexperienced behind the plate, Tresh showed significant improvement as a receiver during the fall,” MLB.com noted. “He should become at least an average and perhaps a solid defender, and his plus arm allows him to keep the running game in check.”

NC State also added a top junior college transfer in Danny Carnazzo from College of San Mateo in California.

First Base

There’s little dispute here. Junior Austin Murr was playing well before the season was shut down, second on the team with a .470 on-base percentage. He produced a .306 average at the plate while hitting three homers, seven doubles and two triples (tied for the team lead). He also ranked second on the team with 16 walks.

Second Base

Junior J.T. Jarrett started most of the games last season at second base and continues to get stronger at the plate while being a good glove at the position. Jarrett batted .333 (15 for 45) with two homers and six doubles, and had a .982 fielding percentage.

The Pack also has some versatility it can use. Star sophomore Tyler McDonough can play second as well as outfield. McDonough followed up his 2019 Freshman All-America season when he led the team with 80 hits by having a team-high 23 hits before the 2020 season was shut down. That included three home runs and four doubles, and he had an impressive .457 on-base percentage and .554 slugging percentage.

McDonough is expected to be a top MLB Draft prospect.

Shortstop

NC State Wolfpack baseball Jose Torres — Shortstop Jose Torres started all 17 games for the Wolfpack as a freshman in 2020. (NC State media relations)

Expectations were high for freshman Jose Torres last season, and he was living up to them. He started all 17 games at shortstop, and he had an impressive .967 fielding percentage with only two errors. The bat, after a slow start, was coming around as well. He was 20 for 60 (.300) at the plate with three home runs and three doubles, although he strike out 20 times.

Torres will be draft-eligible this summer, and MLB.com ranks him as the No. 80 draft prospect.

Third Base

Czech Republic import Vojtech Mensik hit .265 a season ago with two homers and two doubles at the plate, and is probably a leading candidate to start at third base.

Junior Devonte Brown could also conceivably play third base if needed, although he is more frequently used in right field. The powerful Brown was crushing the baseball last season in his breakthrough performance. He had a team-best (among qualified hitters) .692 slugging percentage thanks to his five home runs, six doubles and a triple among his 22 hits. He was batting .338 with a .429 on-base percentage.

Another possible candidate could be freshman DeAngelo Giles, who received a limited audition a year ago and was 1 for 2 at the plate with one RBI in three games.

Touted freshman Eddie Eisert from Fairfax Station, Va., was considered one of the top recruits in the class and may battle for time on the infield somewhere, with third being the best bet if he can handle the hot corner defensively.

Outfield

NC State Wolfpack baseball Tyler McDonough — Sophomore Tyler McDonough is a potential All-American candidate. (Ken Martin/The Wolfpacker)

McDonough and Brown are two top options in the outfield, and also returning is two-year starter and junior Jonny Butler. Last season, Butler hit .290 (18 for 62) with a home run, four doubles and a triple, and he led the Pack with nine stolen bases. He has experience playing both left and center field.

Junior Terrell Tatum can also bring tremendous speed to the equation. He was 7 of 7 on stolen bases and hit .292 (7 for 24) with one triple last year. Tatum also drew 10 walks, giving him an impressive .500 on-base percentage.

Freshman Noah Soles was considered one of the top recruits in the 2020 class (he turned down a chance to join the Arizona Diamondbacks after they drafted him in the 19th round), and he was scorching hot at the plate when the season shut down, going 9 for 15 (.600) with a pair of doubles.