williamknox
Infield
Returning: SS Joey Kenworthy, Sr., C Jeremy Mayo, Jr., 3B Justin Berry, So., 2B Garrett Totten, So., C Kevin Whitehead, So.
Newcomers: 1B Stephen Hagen, Jr., 3B Nick Popescu, Jr., 2B Jamodrick McGruder, Fr., C Bo Altobelli, Fr.
Gone: 1B Chris Richburg (Graduation), 2B Willie Rueda (Graduation), 1B Logan Leslie (Left Team), C Mehdi Alavi (Left Team)
Injured: 1B Duke Von Schamann, Fr.
The infield will be the strongest part of the 2010 Red Raiders, with four positions being filled by returning starters. Leading the way will be Joey Kenworthy, a three year starter with a .309 career average. Kenworthy may only stand 5’5”, but he more than makes up for it with his leadership and heart. In the past two seasons, Kenworthy has shown an ability to not only reach base, but move runners and score runs. The senior is no liability with a bat, but led the Red Raiders in errors last season. Jeremy Mayo was the biggest surprise in 2009. After a freshman year with only a .235 average and a single home run, Mayo exploded for 11 homers and a .313 average. Defensively, Mayo threw out 24 of the 66 runners who attempted to steal on him last season. Justin Berry started his first career game at 3rd base, and established himself as an up and coming fielder in the Big 12 Conference. After a hot start with the glove, Berry cooled off and finished the season with 13 errors, but supplemented it by hitting .292 with four home runs despite playing the entire season with a hip flexor. Berry had offseason surgery, but will start the season on the bench for a few games while he recovers from a hand injury. 2B Garrett Totten wowed the coaching staff last fall before suffering an injury that sidelined him for a few games at the start of 2009. Totten was thrust into the starting lineup due to an injury to Willie Rueda, and finished the year on a positive note with a strong late season hitting streak which continued through the fall.
Replacing 1B Chris Richburg will not be easy, but Coach Dan Spencer recruited the talents of Stephen Hagen, the 2009 NJCAA home run leader with 29. Hagen was recruited by Spencer at Oregon State, but opted to attend Eastern Oklahoma State where he hit .315 and added 85 RBI. 3B Nick Popescu will begin the season as a starter due to Berry’s injury. Popescu was a member of Howard College’s 63-1 NJCAA Championship team last season, hitting .420 with 8 HR and 78 RBI. The junior from Flower Mound, Texas played errorless defense this summer with the Coppell Copperheads of the Texas Collegiate League, and had a great fall at the plate.
Texas Tech added a trio of talented freshmen who will no doubt help the Red Raiders in future seasons. C Bo Altobelli will battle with incumbent backup Kevin Whitehead for playing time. Whitehead only hit .197 last season, but managed an average over .400 during the Fall Series. Not to be overshadowed, Altobelli showed great promise at the plate, and may see quite a bit of action during the week and in blowouts. 2B Jamodrick McGruder may be the fastest player on the roster this spring. During the fall, McGruder saw time at second base as well as in center field, but struggled to get hits. 1B Duke Von Schamann battled Hagen for the spot at first base, but couldn’t overcome an elbow injury suffered in the fall. Von Schamann will sit out the season while healing the injury.
Outfield
Returning: CF Taylor Ashby, Sr., LF Michael Reed, Sr., RF/DH Scott LeJeune, So.
Newcomers: LF Bonham Hough, Sr., RF Barrett Barnes, Fr., OF Alec Mielnicki, Fr.
Gone: OF Logan Brown (Left Team), CF Kengray Fleming (Left Team), OF Mason Macnoll (Injuries)
Injured: OF Nick Hanslik
Taylor Ashby rebounded from a sophomore slump with a .330 average, and led the team with 17 2B and 12 stolen bases. Now a senior, the son of former Tech Head Coach Gary Ashby, is looking to improve on his All-Big 12 Honorable Mention season. Ashby’s speed makes him an excellent defender in the outfield, and a tough out once he gets on base. Playing next to Ashby will be Michael Reed, another speedy outfielder with an incredible eye at the plate. Reed hit .287 last season, but drew 45 walks and was hit by 10 pitches. His .439 OBP was good for third on the team behind Richburg and Mayo.
The right field spot could fall into the hands of freshman Barrett Barnes. Barnes, a shortstop in high school for Fort Bend Austin High School, has plenty of speed as well as an excellent bat. In the fall, Barnes made a habit out of hitting doubles down the opposite field line. With the outfield taken care of, Scott LeJeune will most likely return to the DH role. As a sophomore, LeJeune hit .327 with 14 2B and 37 RBI, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in the process. The first option off the bench will be Bonham Hough, a senior transfer from Texas-Pan American. Hough hit .314 for the Broncos last season, and led the Raiders with two home runs in the fall. Alec Mielnicki had an impressive fall and an even more impressive high school career. Mielnicki will have to prove himself as a valuable option in the early part of the season to see a good number of at bats in 2010. In what seems to be a trend, Nick Hanslik will sit out 2010 with an elbow injury after a promising freshman season.
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