Looking ahead: NC State Wolfpack baseball lineup

There are still reasons to be optimistic about NC State baseball’s pitching going forward to the 2022 season, but there remain many questions potentially facing the lineup after the MLB Draft.

Here’s a look at how that may play out:

Massive departures

The MLB Draft claimed the following starters from NC State:

• Leftfielder Jonny Butler

• Centerfielder Tyler McDonough

• First baseman Austin Murr

• Designated hitter Terrell Tatum

• Shortstop Jose Torres

Joining that group of going pro is third baseman Vojtech Mensik, who signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Angels. Mensik started every game, hitting .239 with five homers and stealing 11 bases.

It still remains to be decided what's next for sophomore catcher Luca Tresh, who was drafted in the 17th round by the Kansas City Royals, much lower than anticipated. The deadline to sign is Aug. 1. It could go up to that date as the Royals will likely try to use any savings from its signings among its top 10 round choices to those like Tresh drafted after the 10th.

Teams are slotted a certain amount of signing bonus money to ink their top 10 draft picks, but any savings from that can be applied to later picks who otherwise can ink for a maximum of $125,000.

Tresh though could potentially return to NC State, try to boost his stock and still have leverage in the 2022 MLB Draft.

NC State would certainly welcome the return of Tresh, who hit 15 homers during the season and showed marked improvement behind the plate.

What's returning

Along with Tresh's slide down the draft, the other surprise was that junior rightfielder Devonte Brown was not selected. Brown was one of three players to start every game for NC State in 2021.

He hit 13 homers this year and had a .500 slugging percentage, but is also a patient batter that drew 34 walks and had an on-base percentage (.363) considerably higher than his batting average (.252).

Also expected back is junior second baseman J.T. Jarrett, a strong glove with an impressive .991 fielding percentage and only two errors. He hit a respectable .251 this season with a homer, 11 doubles and 23 runs batted in.

Freshman pitcher Sam Highfill was actually an accomplished hitter for Apex (N.C.) High before arriving at NC State and showed some of his skill with the bat by going 3 for 4 in the final game of the year at the College World Series in Omaha.

Could Highfill be in line for an expanded role as a designated hitter or in the field on days he is not pitching?

Freshman Noah Soles was a highly touted recruit in the 2019 class, and he turned down a chance to go pro after he was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 19th round. Soles was off to a good start as a rookie before COVID-19 canceled the 2020 season, going 9 of 15 at the plate with a pair of doubles and five RBI.

In limited games in 2021, Soles though went 6 of 29 (.207 average) and struck out 10 times.

Freshman infielder Carson Falsken was part of the famous Pack13 against Vanderbilt in the final game, and the speedy athlete legged out a bunt single, his third hit of the year in 15 at-bats spread across 10 games. In high school, Falsken set a single-season record in southern California with 26 stolen bases.

Another freshman infielder that came to Raleigh with high expectations was Eddie Eisert, but he went 0 for 9 at the plate with a couple of walks. He did score each time he drew a base on balls.

The only other players to get at-bats this year were second-year freshman infielder DeAngelo Giles (1 for 12) and redshirt junior catcher Danny Carnazzo (1 for 13). The latter was considered a prized junior college pickup when he inked with the Wolfpack, but he has entered the transfer portal.

One-time ECU signee Trey Truitt enrolled at NC State in the fall but did not play.

Newcomers ready to help?

Third/first baseman Tommy White, who plays at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., was universally expected to be a high draft pick. He was on MLB.com’s draft prospect rankings, checking in at No. 103.

Yet White, who Perfect Game rates as the top third base prospect in the 2021 class nationally and No. 18 overall recruit, went undrafted and will enroll at NC State, providing a potential instant impact.

MLB.com had Cary, N.C., shortstop Payton Green at No. 156 in its rankings, but it noted that Green is “considered a tough sign who could wind up at North Carolina State.” That will be tested after the Boston Red Sox selected Green in the 15th round.

Catcher/corner infielder Jacob Cozart from High Point, N.C.,. who Perfect Game USA gave a 10 grade, which is considered “potential very high draft pick and/or elite level college prospect,” but like White, he went undrafted.

NC State has a potential instant-impact transfer coming in with an addition of former Penn shortstop Josh Hood, who was also selected by the Red Sox, going in the 20th round. He was the unanimous Rookie of the Year in the Ivy League in 2019 after he batted .331 with eight homers and 42 RBI.

Junior college outfielder Trendon Craig had a big season at the plate for Louisburg (N.C.) College, hitting .420 in 143 at-bats with 14 homers and 11 doubles while also stealing 28 bases. He had an amazing on-base percentage of .546 and slugging percentage of .790.

But Craig was picked in the 20th round by the Baltimore Orioles and in a report indicated he was leaning towards signing with the MLB club.

Another recruit that was drafted was catcher Tucker Mitchell, who hit .382 with nine homers and 55 RBI in 52 games this season at State College of Florida after beginning his career at FAU. The Texas Rangers drafted Mitchell in the 14th round.

NC State has a commitment from former versatile fielder Sam Hall of Clemson. Hall started 116 games in four years with the Tigers and hit .242 with 14 homers and stole 43 bases, 30 of which came during his sophomore year. It also recently landed catcher Jacob Godman, a Las Vegas native who started 37 games as a freshman at UNLV and hit .215 with three doubles and a triple. He threw out 14 of 45 would-be base stealers.

Godman played in 2021 at College of Southern Nevada, where he hit .330 with a couple of homers and six doubles in 37 games (35 starts) and had 38 RBI. He showed an impressive contact rate with just 16 strikeouts and 23 walks in 106 official at-bats and a .433 on-base percentage.

NC State is also bringing in Brady Lavoie from Palomar College. He hit .327 as a freshman in 52 at-bats before COVID-19 canceled the remainder of that 2020 season and the 2021 campaign. Lavoie can play outfield or first base.