Pitcher and Hitter that you think will step up big next year?

[CadaverDawg]

I was discussing the baseball season with a buddy today, and we talked about how Stratton made such a leap in one season, as did Adam Frazier. Then the question came up.....who could we see making that kind of leap this year? So I ask the pack.

I think the pitcher will be Brandon Woodruff. His slider is very nasty, and if he learns command like Stratton did, he could do big things next year.

I'm not going out on a limb with either pick, but I would go with CT Bradford as the breakout hitter next year. I think he will revert back to his Freshman form next year....especially with Frazier in the lineup ahead of him, which should get him some good pitches to hit (assuming he hits 2nd behind Frazier).

What say ye?

 

[PickleHead]

And I'm really looking froward to this kid from Canada that I read about a few weeks ago...can't remember his name.

 

[beachbumdawg]

Nm

 

[missouridawg]

Assuming Stark continues to focus more on hitting than pitching.</p>

 

[57stratdawg]

Renfroe needs to settle wrap up the 3 hole and add some consistent pop in this lineup.

Graveman, Woodruff, and Lindgren - that's a pretty solid weekend rotation.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

asdf

 

[HireCohen]

I wanted to take Renfroe because of his natural ability but just can't pull the trigger on him. He has such a long swing with too many moving parts. He seemed to be off-balanced on anything off-speed. I think if he works on shortening his stride and getting his front foot down sooner he could really be good. I expected him to be a later developer considering the academy-level baseball talent he faced in high school. I saw Norris play on the Bama Bombers summer team before getting to State and came away thinking he would be a stud after some progression. I hope this year's troubles were mostly due to his knee, we will see. I think next year we will have the best 1-2 combo in the league with Bradford and Frazier. We just need someone behind them to consistently drive them in. If Lindgren continues to progress this summer and fall, I think he could be our Saturday guy next year sandwiching Graveman and Woodruff.

 

[mstatefan88]

Hunter has a ton of upside, he just needs to learn to take advantage of certain opportunities he has at the plate. I know Cohen's mantra is more of the walk, HBP, work the count approach, but Renfroe needs to be the guy in the lineup that ambushes that first pitch fastball, or that we hit and run with when Frazier is on base.

He improved a good deal between last year and this year, so I'm hoping he can do the same this offseason and be a .300 10 HR 50 RBI kind of guy next year. With Frazier and a healthy Bradford in front of an improved Renfroe next year, he could have an All SEC type of year.

 

[bullybrews]

He was flashy towards the end of the season, can't discount his for the next. If he gets a hold of one, he may be the strongest hitter we got.

 

[Coach34]

Woody on Friday, Lindgren on Saturday, and then Graveman on Sunday will be tough for teams to deal with and give us a chance to win every series next year.

We just have to score

 

[DawgBot]

Rea needs to learn some better plate discipline, but the power is there. Ross Mitchell had a great year, but I think he will get double the innings next year.

 

[patdog]

A lot of people went with Woodruff but to me he already stepped up this year. Renfroe showed his potential in his late-season hitting streak. He's got to get more consistent, but I think he's got a chance to be a good hitter.

 

[CadaverDawg]

I still think Woodruff has a lot of room to get better. I think he could be a Stratton by his Junior year...maybe even next year. I agree with above poster about the Canadian. Seems like we could have a great #9, #1, & #2 with some serious speed if Robson turns out to be a player. I feel like our offense could take huge strides next year....granted, it wouldn't take much to be considered a huge stride.

 

[Todd4State]

I think if we get to Norris to focus on pitching only, he could be pretty good. He won't blow up many radar guns other than Gene's- but he has good control and throws strikes.

As a freshman, Norris went 2-0 with 19 K's and 12 BB's and 20 hits allowed in 25 IP's and had an ERA of 3.20. Opponents hit .213 against him.

Remember- Caleb Reed didn't blow up radar guns either. I think Norris could be used in a similar role as Reed this year where we use him as a set-up guy for Holder.

The three hitters I picked above- two had injury problems and at the end of the year, both looked good at times. Renfroe is the other, and he made some big strides between his freshman and sophomore year. I think it's only a matter of time before he puts it all together. He is pretty close now. I think Renfroe and Rea could both hit .300 with 10 home runs apiece next year. Henderson doesn't have that kind of power- but I think he can hit .300 and he can steal 15 bases or so with regular playing time.

 

[Moonlight Graham]

Sure he has talent off of the mound and I wish we would have used him as a mid week guy this year. It would be hard to take one of our better sticks out of the lineup for next year and have him pitch only though (never seen Flair though). Not a horrible third baseman either...just not much range.

For the original question in this thread though, I'm going with Renfroe/Woodruff. Both high ceiling guys.

 

[Todd4State]

as much as what he wants to do.

And as I have said, I think Flair will be better. So, hopefully we get better in two spots. Win/win.

I think Flair can give us better defense and a year about like Renfroe had last year. Maybe not as high an average, but more power and better defense than what we got out of Norris.

 

[studentdawg87]

I wasn't overly impressed with Norris as a pitcher, and I can't see him getting drafted very high as one. He lacks the power arm and bat he supposedly had in high school, but he was killing the ball when healthy this year. I just can't see him pitching full time.

Didn't Gene use to claim he was hitting 95 or 96 in high school?

I think Rea and Fitts are breakout players next year. Rea was far and away our most intimidating hitter last year, which isn't saying much, and I expect him to lead us in home runs and maybe RBIs again. Fitts has a big-time arm and should make a huge jump next year.

 

[Todd4State]

He was drafted out of high school as a pitcher. I'm not sure what he prefers.

He is not a bad hitter- the problem is he does not have a lot of power at a position you need to show power at.

You don't have to throw hard to get drafted- see Routt and Graveman today.

I don't know what Gene did or did not claim about him to be honest. The highest I had personally ever seen him recorded at was 91 in high school. That was topping out- so he was probably in the mid-upper 80's. Sometimes Gene makes projections that are very generous to say the least- and not very realistic. Like expecting someone to grow 2-3 inches in college.

I don't think Norris will get drafted high no matter what he plays. I think he is picking what gives him the best chance to make it. Plus, he knows that Flair is darn good and could replace him. He also knows that Cohen is not afraid to replace him with a better player if it makes us better. Sitting on the bench gives him zero chance of being drafted.

 

[Foronce]

are my most obvious, but i am hoping Cox takes a huge jump along with Slauter...

Slauter did well coming in as a JUCO transfer taking over the pitching staff, now that he has that out the way ...I hope we all seem him take off at the plate, he was pretty solid late in the year in some key moments