Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Baseball Has High Hopes In 2005
January 21, 2005 | Cowboy Baseball
Oklahoma State enters the 2005 season with a talented crew that has the potential to challenge for the Big 12 crown.
Along with several battle tested veterans returning from last year's Big 12 tournament winning team, the Cowboys have added several exceptional newcomers that add depth and versatility. The incoming class was ranked No. 4 in Collegiate Baseball and No. 7 in Baseball America and it did not disappoint in the fall.
Second-year head coach Frank Anderson was pleased with the fall performance and realizes that it may take some time for the group to come together and form a team.
“The fall went very well, competition was good at all the spots,” said Anderson. “The returning guys provided leadership by setting an example for the newcomers, and I think the biggest thing we noticed was the competition among the players.”
Catcher
The Cowboys will look to fill a huge hole at catcher with the departure of three-year starter and All-American Jason Jaramillo.
This was an area of concern heading into the fall and while there are several talented players vying for the job, no one stood out heading into the preseason.
Matt Clarkson, a juco transfer from Arkansas-Fort Smith, is a solid defensive catcher who threw out 12 of 24 base runners last season. He was a 16th round draft choice of the Boston Red Sox after hitting .323 with two homers and 22 RBIs.
Senior Jeff Parrish, who transferred from Virginia Commonwealth, is a veteran Division I performer with NCAA regional experience. He hit .223 with six homers and 31 RBIs as a junior, but looks to recapture the offensive touch he had as a sophomore when he hit .332 with eight homers, 17 doubles and 50 RBIs.
Junior college hitting star John Schindler is also in the mix behind the plate. He helped lead Grayson County Community College to the Junior College World Series and hit .431 with 10 homers and 83 RBIs. Schindler could also see time at designated hitter to utilize his potent bat.
Junior Mike Condry sat out the 2004 season due to injury after transferring from Seminole State Junior College. He is a good receiver and provides depth at the spot.
“We have to get better defensively behind the plate,” said Anderson. “We need somebody to step forward and grab the position and handle the pitching staff.”
First Base
First base will be manned by either Adam Carr or Cody Merrell, both of whom had stellar junior college careers and should add power to a position that requires it.
Carr, a California Junior College All-American at West Valley College, batted .376 with 11 homers and 46 RBIs last season. He is a two-time draft pick who may also see time as a reliever due to his strong throwing arm.
Merrell was a honorable mention All-American last season at Seminole State Junior College. He is a good competitor with solid offensive skills and is versatile enough to also see time in the outfield.
Second Base
Second base is another area with open competition as last year's starter Rusty Ryal has moved to his more natural position at third.
Junior college transfers Justin Colbert and Chad Abernathy will share time at the spot after having solid fall seasons.
Colbert helped lead Seminole State to the JUCO World Series last year and hit .429 with four stolen bases in five games at the series. He is considered one of the better offensive infielders and can play three infield positions.
Abernathy was an All-American at Maple Woods Community College after hitting .405 with 15 homers and 18 stolen bases. He is an athletic performer who can also play in the outfield.
Another player to watch along the infield is freshman Kendall Horner. The Claremore, Okla., native came to Oklahoma State after graduating from high school in December and should warrant playing time as the season progresses. He is a solid defensive infielder who could see time at three infield spots.
Shortstop
Junior Chris Gutierrez anchors the infield and is considered one of the finest defensive shortstops in the country. He did not have an error in 26 Big 12 contests and will look to provide the same stellar play this season. The coaches expect him to improve on his offensive numbers from last year when he hit .269 with five homers and 40 RBIs.
Newcomer Abe Aguirre is also a stellar defensive infielder who will see time at three infield positions. The junior college transfer from Midland College hit .293 with five homers and 39 RBIs last season and will be a valuable presence along the infield.
Third Base
Senior Rusty Ryal makes the move to third base and gives the team a veteran leader with a good work ethic. He hit .315 with 18 doubles and 28 RBIs last season, and will look to add to those numbers this year.
Justin Colbert, Chad Abernathy and Abe Aguirre could also see time at third as the Cowboys have significantly upgraded their infield depth from a year ago.
Leftfield
Sophomore Ty Wright makes the transition from the designated hitter spot to a full-time role in leftfield. He will look to build upon a strong freshman campaign in which he batted .327 with five homers and 42 RBIs. He split time at a variety of positions last season and looked good in the fall playing exclusively in the outfield.
Junior college All-American Trey Rachal is one of a group of solid newcomers that can play all three outfield positions. He hit .437 with eight homers and 45 RBIs at North Central Texas Junior College and should carry over that offensive success at OSU.
Centerfield
Sophomore Keanon Simon was another freshman who saw significant action last season. He made significant strides both offensively and defensively in center as the season progressed and finished with a .298 batting average with two homers and 34 RBIs. He has a strong competitive nature and can provide solid defense in the outfield.
Freshman Corey Brown had a strong fall season and proved to be an all-around performer with several outstanding tools. He has good speed and should be a player to watch as his career progresses.
Rightfield
Junior college transfer Mike Hernandez and redshirt freshman Steve Ptak are two other athletic performers who will see time in the outfield.
Hernandez had an outstanding fall and looks to be a fixture in the middle of the order. The Connors State transfer hit .307 with the Wareham Gateman of the Cape Cod League last summer.
Ptak transferred from Arkansas at mid-semester last year and sat out the spring season. He has good power and is a strong defensive outfielder. The Tulsa Union grad should see plenty of time at any of the three outfield spot and possibly at first base.
Pitchers
Another area of the team that saw a significant talent upgrade across the board is in the pitching staff where Coach Anderson will now have more quality arms to choose from.
Junior southpaw Thomas Cowley came on strong in his sophomore season and developed into one of the top pitchers in the Big 12. He went 8-3 with a 4.74 ERA and closed out the year with a two-hit win over Bethune Cookman in the NCAA tournament. He had a strong fall and will be one of the weekend starters heading into the season.
Junior Brae Wright transferred from Ole Miss and is another quality left-hander who is expected to start in the weekend rotation. He led the Rebels with a 2.81 ERA last season while posting a 6-2 record. Wright has good control and should be one of the top newcomers in the conference.
Junior college transfer Adam Daniels could round out the starting rotation and give the Pokes a weekend of lefthanded starters. The Eastern Oklahoma Junior College transfer went 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA last season and had 113 strikeouts in 79.1 innings.
Senior righthander Scott Richmond should see plenty of time on the mound as either a starter or long reliever. He rebounded from a tough start in 2004 to develop into a quality Big 12 performer with a 3-3 record and 4.66 ERA. He adds a mature presence with veteran leadership among the pitching staff.
Junior college transfers Dusty Barnard, Nate Melek and Rick Rivas are also candidates for a starting role or could be used in long relief.
Melek played two seasons at Clarendon College where he earned all-conference honors. The righthander had an impressive summer in the Texas Collegiate Baseball League posting a 3-0 record with a 0.69 ERA.
Barnard spent the past two seasons at Connors State and is a two-time amateur baseball draft pick. The hard throwing righthander had a solid fall and could fill a variety of roles.
Rivas went 10-4 in two seasons at El Paso Community College and had a strong finish to the fall season. He could be a swing guy with roles as a spot starter or reliever.
Senior DeWayne Carver should see significant action in relief or as a starter. The righthander went 3-0 last year with a 4.19 ERA and had 36 strikeouts in 43 innings.
Junior Brett McDonald will once again be counted on as a lefthanded specialist and could possibly close depending on the situation. He had a strong 2004 campaign, finishing with a 1.96 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 23 innings.
Senior David Bacon was injured last year and did not pitch for the Cowboys. The southpaw had a strong fall and showed improved velocity and should fill a relief role this year.
Freshman Michael Jarman is another quality lefthander who has an outstanding breaking ball. He was named All-Big City by the Daily Oklahoman as a senior after leading Edmond North to the state title game. He went 8-2 with a 1.22 ERA and was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 39th round. Jarman will be counted on out of the pen with his role increasing as his career progresses.
Sophomore Blake Kronkosky is another lefthander who will see time on the mound. The Howard Junior College transfer has a good arm and is a good defender and will pitch in relief early in the season.
Sophomore righthander Brent Weaver will be expected to pitch some significant innings once completely healthy. The Midwest City, Okla., product made 12 relief appearances last season and sported a 3.12 ERA. He has a good mentality for a reliever and could develop into the closer.
Righthanders Matt Delmas and Mike Phinney will also see time out of the pen.
Delmas transferred from Connors State and has three quality pitches in his repertoire.
Phinney, a transfer from Bacone College, has a 3/4 arm delivery and should keep opposing hitters off balance when he enters the game.
Junior southpaw Quinn Monsma had a good fall and could fill a role as a specialist.
Adam Carr and Iowa Western Community College transfer Chad Epperson could see time at the closer's spot.
Epperson was injured in the fall and his status for this season was unknown heading into the preseason.
“We will use the first six weeks to determine what roles each guy plays.” said Anderson. “As always with pitchers, it is an ongoing process that could change as the season progresses.”
“This year's club is more athletic overall with good arm strength on the mound,” said Anderson. “The biggest key is to find guys that can mesh. The success of our season depends on a lot of individuals and how quick they come together and form a close knit group.”
