Updated look 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, especially after a couple of potential options over the weekend opted to sign pro contracts rather than play for the Wolfpack.

This Sunday represents the deadline for teams to sign draftees, and there are still three more with Wolfpack ties that have the potential option to either join there respective MLB teams or play for NC State.

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

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

• Catcher Luca Tresh

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.

Catcher Luca Tresh, who was drafted in the 17th round by the Kansas City Royals, much lower than anticipated, ended up receiving a $423,000 signing bonus, per MLB.com Jim Callis. That's roughly the equivalent of being the top pick in the fifth round.

Tresh could have potentially returned to NC State, try to boost his stock and still have leverage in the 2022 MLB Draft, but when given the option of taking a signing bonus that high it became a riskier proposition.

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

The draft has also claimed a pair of recruits, although one has not yet signed. 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 officially signed over the weekend.

Although first round draft pick Khalil Watson has not yet inked with the Miami Marlins, he is fully expected to bypass a collegiate career. The Wake Forest (N.C.) product was selected with the 16th overall pick.

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.

NC State has been active in the transfer portal.

It 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 is also set to bring in a pair of transfer from Charlotte, per sources, in outfielder Dom Pilolli and versatile LuJames Groover III. Pilolli was batting .274 with a .395 on-base percentage and .495 slugging before injuring his leg 29 games into the season. He had four homers and 22 RBI while going 9 for 10 on stolen bases up to that point.

Groover was a freshman sensation, leading Charlotte with a .351 batting average and also hitting four homers and driving in 38 runs in 54 games and 188 at bats. He could play a number of spots in the infield.

NC State has another potential instant-impact newcomer coming 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.

Hood has yet to sign with the Red Sox.

Boston also drafted Cary, N.C., shortstop Payton Green. MLB.com had him at No. 156 in its rankings, but it noted that Green is “considered a tough sign who could wind up at North Carolina State.” Like Hood, Green is yet to sign.

Another recruit that was drafted but remains unsigned 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.

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.

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 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.

Former Elon catcher Matt Oldham is also expected to transfer to NC State. Oldham played in 143 career games at Elon and had a .238 batting average with seven homers.

NC State also has a commitment from Brady Lavoie of Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif. 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.

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