Oklahoma State University Athletics
Garrett Benge
Photo by: Juan Blas
Cowboy Baseball 2017: The Infield
February 07, 2017 | Cowboy Baseball
Oklahoma State opens the 2017 season next week, and expectations are again high for the Cowboys under fifth-year head coach Josh Holliday.
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OSU is ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in the preseason polls, and Big 12 Conference coaches picked the Cowboys to finish second in the league standings.
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Holliday's ballclub is coming off a memorable 2016 season in which it made the 20th College World Series appearance in program history and first since 1999. The Cowboys ended the season with a 43-22 record and finished second in the league standings with a 16-8 mark. OSU's NCAA Tournament appearance was its fourth straight under Holliday, and the Pokes have finished either first or second in the conference each of his four seasons at the helm.
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With the season almost upon us, we're taking a look at the Cowboys heading into 2017 with a breakdown of the roster by position. We begin today with the infield.
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Dustin Williams, 6-2, 220, L/R
• Senior and Cowboys' starter at first base
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 performer as a sophomore and junior
• Has played in 165 career games with 139 starts
• Career .239 batting average with 23 home runs, nine triples and 101 RBIs
• Led the Big 12 with 14 homers in 2016
• 36th-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016
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Jacob Chappell, 6-0, 180, R/R
• Junior who is expected to take over at shortstop for the Cowboys in 2017
• Career .237 hitter in 91 games, 62 of those as a starter
• Ranks in the top 10 on OSU's career list with 21 sacrifice bunts
• Played in 55 games as a freshman with 51 starts, 28 of those at third base and 23 at shortstop
• Named to the 2015 Big 12 All-Freshman Team
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Garrett Benge, 5-11, 203, L/R
• Junior and Cowboys' starter at third base
• An All-Big 12 Second Team performer in 2016
• Hit .292 with four homers and 40 RBIs in first season at OSU
• Was the 2015 NJCAA Division I Player of the Year as a freshman at Cowley County CC
• Hit .502 with 19 home runs and 97 RBIs to go along with 26 doubles and four triples
• Collected 103 hits and 15 stolen bases while recording a .946 slugging percentage and .601 on-base percentage for a team that went 54-5
• Selected in the 22nd round of the 2015 MLB Draft by Cleveland
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Andrew Rosa, 6-2, 187, R/R
• Junior who is in the mix to be the starter at second base
• Has played in 63 career games with 24 starts
• Career .259 hitter with two homers and 19 RBIs
• Had career-best 11 RBIs in 2016
• Played in nine games in 2015 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery
• A 30th round pick of Boston in the 2013 MLB Draft
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Nick Gallo, 5-11, 176, R/R
• Senior whose versatility allows him to play second base, third base or shortstop
• Appeared in two games as a defensive replacement in first season at OSU in 2016
• JUCO transfer who spent two seasons at Palm Beach State College
• Hit .320 with 24 RBIs in 52 games as a sophomore and was named first-team all-conference
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Colin Simpson, 5-9, 221, L/R
• Sophomore catcher also utilized at DH
• Played in 32 games with 17 starts as a freshman in 2016
• Hit .212 with two homers, three doubles, a triple and nine RBIs
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Ryan Cash, 6-0, 151, S/R
• Freshman middle infielder from Plano, Texas
• Led high school to first-ever state championship as a senior
• Hit .465 with 23 RBIs in final prep season
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Daniel DeSimone, 6-4, 220, R/R
• Freshman first baseman from Broken Arrow, Okla.
• Hit .500 with three homers and 25 RBIs as a senior at Bishop Kelley HS
• 2016 Ferguson Jenkins Outstanding Student-Athlete Award winner
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Cameron Dobbs, 6-1, 162, L/R
• Freshman middle infielder from Dallas
• Missed most of senior season recovering from back surgery
• A two-time all-district performer at Jesuit College Prep
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Michael Neustifter, 6-2, 211, R/R
• Freshman from Texas who is working at catcher and third base and will also be in the mix at DH
• Hit school-record 19 career homers at Hebron HS in Carrollton, Texas, and is also program's all-time leader in RBIs
• 2016 Perfect Game All-American
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Travis Wacker, 6-1, 191, R/R
• JUCO transfer from Grayson CC
• Catcher who hit 13 homers and drove in over 100 runs in two seasons in junior college
• Hit .384 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs as a sophomore
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OSU is ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in the preseason polls, and Big 12 Conference coaches picked the Cowboys to finish second in the league standings.
Â
Holliday's ballclub is coming off a memorable 2016 season in which it made the 20th College World Series appearance in program history and first since 1999. The Cowboys ended the season with a 43-22 record and finished second in the league standings with a 16-8 mark. OSU's NCAA Tournament appearance was its fourth straight under Holliday, and the Pokes have finished either first or second in the conference each of his four seasons at the helm.
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With the season almost upon us, we're taking a look at the Cowboys heading into 2017 with a breakdown of the roster by position. We begin today with the infield.
Â
Dustin Williams, 6-2, 220, L/R
• Senior and Cowboys' starter at first base
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 performer as a sophomore and junior
• Has played in 165 career games with 139 starts
• Career .239 batting average with 23 home runs, nine triples and 101 RBIs
• Led the Big 12 with 14 homers in 2016
• 36th-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016
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Jacob Chappell, 6-0, 180, R/R
• Junior who is expected to take over at shortstop for the Cowboys in 2017
• Career .237 hitter in 91 games, 62 of those as a starter
• Ranks in the top 10 on OSU's career list with 21 sacrifice bunts
• Played in 55 games as a freshman with 51 starts, 28 of those at third base and 23 at shortstop
• Named to the 2015 Big 12 All-Freshman Team
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Garrett Benge, 5-11, 203, L/R
• Junior and Cowboys' starter at third base
• An All-Big 12 Second Team performer in 2016
• Hit .292 with four homers and 40 RBIs in first season at OSU
• Was the 2015 NJCAA Division I Player of the Year as a freshman at Cowley County CC
• Hit .502 with 19 home runs and 97 RBIs to go along with 26 doubles and four triples
• Collected 103 hits and 15 stolen bases while recording a .946 slugging percentage and .601 on-base percentage for a team that went 54-5
• Selected in the 22nd round of the 2015 MLB Draft by Cleveland
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Andrew Rosa, 6-2, 187, R/R
• Junior who is in the mix to be the starter at second base
• Has played in 63 career games with 24 starts
• Career .259 hitter with two homers and 19 RBIs
• Had career-best 11 RBIs in 2016
• Played in nine games in 2015 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery
• A 30th round pick of Boston in the 2013 MLB Draft
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Nick Gallo, 5-11, 176, R/R
• Senior whose versatility allows him to play second base, third base or shortstop
• Appeared in two games as a defensive replacement in first season at OSU in 2016
• JUCO transfer who spent two seasons at Palm Beach State College
• Hit .320 with 24 RBIs in 52 games as a sophomore and was named first-team all-conference
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Colin Simpson, 5-9, 221, L/R
• Sophomore catcher also utilized at DH
• Played in 32 games with 17 starts as a freshman in 2016
• Hit .212 with two homers, three doubles, a triple and nine RBIs
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Ryan Cash, 6-0, 151, S/R
• Freshman middle infielder from Plano, Texas
• Led high school to first-ever state championship as a senior
• Hit .465 with 23 RBIs in final prep season
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Daniel DeSimone, 6-4, 220, R/R
• Freshman first baseman from Broken Arrow, Okla.
• Hit .500 with three homers and 25 RBIs as a senior at Bishop Kelley HS
• 2016 Ferguson Jenkins Outstanding Student-Athlete Award winner
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Cameron Dobbs, 6-1, 162, L/R
• Freshman middle infielder from Dallas
• Missed most of senior season recovering from back surgery
• A two-time all-district performer at Jesuit College Prep
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Michael Neustifter, 6-2, 211, R/R
• Freshman from Texas who is working at catcher and third base and will also be in the mix at DH
• Hit school-record 19 career homers at Hebron HS in Carrollton, Texas, and is also program's all-time leader in RBIs
• 2016 Perfect Game All-American
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Travis Wacker, 6-1, 191, R/R
• JUCO transfer from Grayson CC
• Catcher who hit 13 homers and drove in over 100 runs in two seasons in junior college
• Hit .384 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs as a sophomore
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Players Mentioned
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C/3B
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1B
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