CCU baseball team starts practice amid escalating expectations

Standing off to the side as his Coastal Carolina baseball team started its first preseason practice Friday, coach Gary Gilmore said he didn’t want to get too specific in regard to the Chanticleers’ potential this spring.

But he said enough.

“I don’t want to jump out there and say where we need to be. This is a team that could be special – I’ll go that far,” he said. “It could be very special.”

That’s the national opinion as well as the Chants were voted No. 23 in Baseball America’s preseason poll, after finishing 39-20 last year with a return to the NCAA Regionals.

This marks only the second time since 2005 that Coastal Carolina has been ranked in the Baseball America preseason top 25, with the other coming before the program’s memorable 2010 season.

And the reasons for optimism are both obvious and abundant.

The Chants return most of their 2015 team with the notable exceptions being standout catcher Casey Schroeder, veteran left-hander Austin Kerr and senior lefty Brock Hunter, who underwent Tommy John surgery in the fall.

“It’s just exciting to get out here,” Gilmore said. “I’m not sure what the buzz is – we’ve got a long way to go. It’s great, though, that people see the returning guys and the health of our team has improved tremendously. So we’re really excited, to be honest with you.”

Headlining the roster is junior shortstop Michael Paez, who was named a preseason All-American on multiple lists after a breakout 2015 season in which he hit .326 with 17 doubles, eight home runs, 58 runs scored and 42 RBI along with 19 stolen bases and highlight-reel defense.

Then there is senior second baseman/right fielder Connor Owings, who hit .270 with nine homers and 48 RBIs.

And senior Anthony Marks, who led the team with a .343 batting average and 58 runs. And junior designated hitter G.K. Young, who batted .301 with nine homers and 49 RBI. Along with senior third baseman Zach Remillard (.272-6-42), versatile senior Tyler Chadwick (.303-5-35) and others.

“Our whole lineup can hit the long ball. So no one is really in the bottom of the lineup. It’s a struggle for every team that faces us,” Paez said.

Senior David Parrett, who clubbed 10 homers last season and started strong before struggling down the stretch, is competing with sophomore Matt Beaird for catching duties.

Meanwhile, the Chants will have plenty of options in the outfield to fill in around Marks. In particular, Gilmore is hopeful sophomore Dalton Ewing can take over right field after missing most of last season due to injury. Sophomores Josh Crump and Billy Cooke return with some experience as well.

Coastal Carolina also has plenty of options in the infield to pair with Remillard and Paez. Sophomore corner infielder Kevin Woodall Jr. and sophomore middle infielder Seth Lancaster have some experience, while Gilmore is also high on freshman middle infielder Kieton Rivers.

It’s not clear yet where Owings or Chadwick will plug in as Gilmore moves all his available pieces around this preseason looking for the best combination, but there is plenty of time to figure that out before the Feb. 19 season opener.

“I don’t know that what we start with will be what we finish with as far as lineups and things like that, but we have some good headaches to have,” Gilmore said. “... We have a chance to be very good and we have a chance for a lot of guys to contribute. That’s the fun part for the kids. They know that 12-15 guys can contribute offensively and defensively for us. I think we’ll go 10-12 deep pitching-wise as well.”

That’s really what makes this an especially promising season for the Chants – finally having that depth within the pitching staff that has been lacking in recent seasons.

Junior right-hander Alex Cunningham says he is fully healthy after battling arm troubles the second half of last season. He still finished 2015 with a 6-0 record and 2.56 earned-run average and is expected to plug into the weekend rotation.

Joining him should be 6-foot-6 senior righty Adam Hall, a transfer from Xavier who throws in the low to mid 90s.

Then there is highly-touted freshman righty Jason Bilous, a 29th-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers who turned down a $600,000 signing bonus to come to school. He is returning from Tommy John surgery and is going to be brought along slowly, but Gilmore said he hopes the rookie can be a significant factor for the team by April 1.

Overall, the Chants have plenty of options to consider for both starting roles and bullpen spots. While the team is lacking proven left-handed pitching options, it returns a bevy of righties in sophomore Bobby Holmes (4-1, 2.90), senior Mike Morrison (2-3, 3.97), junior Andrew Beckwith (6-4, 3.26), senior Tyler Poole (1-1, 4.55), senior Patrick Corbett (missed last season with injury) and sophomore Zack Hopeck (3-2, 4.91).

“That’s going to be our biggest challenge is how to figure out where the pieces go there,” Gilmore said. “There are a lot of very good pieces. Who are ultimately our four or five starting guys going to be, who works out of the bullpen and things like that? We have some guys who can do a lot of things.”

Returning to the NCAA Regionals for the 13th time in 15 years last season was a big step for the program after missing out on the postseason in 2014, and it sure looks like the Chants have the talent to take the next step this spring if everything falls into place.

But that’s what the next handful of months will determine.

“A lot of potential is there, but you’ve got to stay healthy and you’ve got to play well,” Owings said. “So hopefully we’ll be playing here in June. That’s our goal is to be playing at home in a regional and hopefully have an opportunity to play a super regional at home. That’s our goal and what we’re striving to do daily.”

Said Cunningham: “[That No. 23 ranking] is good, but it’s not good enough. Everyone is kind of staying humble about it, and everyone’s hungry.”

Gilmore, meanwhile, was asked if he’s more relaxed this season with so much experience returning?

“You obviously don’t know me. Relax? Come on. There is no such thing,” he said with a smile. “… But it’s a fun stress.”

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 8:42 PM with the headline "CCU baseball team starts practice amid escalating expectations."