Virginia Cavaliers
Overall Rank: #20
Conference Rank: #5 ACC
The Cavaliers turned in their best season ever reaching the College World Series semi-finals in just their second CWS appearance. The 56 wins were the most in school history and the second consecutive year Virginia won over 50 games. Head Coach Brian O’Connor, the 2011 ACC Coach of the Year, will start his 9th season this spring. Replacing all four of his starting pitchers and five of his most productive hitters will be a challenge, especially given the Cavaliers tough schedule. Virginia will do battle in 26 games against 10 teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season. The good news is the Cavaliers have 36 of their regular season games at home.
2011: 56-12, 22-8
2011 Postseason: NCAA, CWS Semi-Finalist. Eliminated in CWS (two losses to South Carolina)
Coach: Brian O’Connor, 9th Season
Field Players:
Junior infielder Chris Taylor hit .305 and played in all 68 of Virginia’s games last spring. He was third on the team in hits (87), doubles (18) and RBI (49). Senior Keith Werman was solid on defense with a .971 fielding percentage. He led the team in walks with 31. Senior Jared King played in 54 games last year, hitting .321, with 29 RBI and 24 free passes. King scored 39 times.
Pitchers:
Though the Cavaliers lost their entire starting pitching staff, they still have some experienced arms to count on. Junior Brandon Kline was a star out of the bullpen in 2011, appearing 32 times in relief. The righty went 4-1, recording a 2.13 ERA. He saved 18 games, tying the single-season ACC and school records and earned All-America honors. Senior Justin Thompson came out of the pen 22 times, went 3-1, striking out 41 in 39 innings. Left hander Kyle Crockett appeared 26 times in relief and kept opponents scoreless in 22 of those. He finished 3-0, with a 1.97 ERA, fanning 32 in 32 innings.
Who to Watch:
Newcomer Derek Fisher was picked by the Texas Rangers in the sixth round of the draft. The Pennsylvania State Player of the Year in 2011 was one of the top high school recruits, hit .484 and 12 bombs while driving in 31. Freshman Mike Papi was drafted in the 30th round by the Angels, was a High School All American and an ESPN Rise Magazine All-State selection. He hit .531 with a .708 on base percentage as a senior. Brandon Downes joins the Cavaliers after a stellar high school career. Drafted by the Red Sox, he holds ten school records at South Plain High. Brandon Cogswell was named High School All American in 2011. His senior year he hit .500 and slugged 10 home runs with a .612 on base percentage.
Final Projection:
If Coach O’Connor can retool his pitching staff and reload with his standout newcomers, Virginia can continue to be among the best teams in the ACC and the country. The pitchers will need to fill the 39 win void created by graduation and the draft. With improvement from Taylor, Wierman and King, the addition of the talented freshmen and a favorable home schedule, Coach O’Connor could reach 50 wins for the third consecutive year. Expect the Cavaliers to be competitive in the ACC and to reach the post season.
Projected Postseason: NCAA
Returning Leaders:
At Bats: Chris Taylor, INF, 285
Hits: Chris Taylor, INF, 87
Home Runs: Chris Taylor, INF, 2; Jared King, INF, 2
RBIs: Chris Taylor, INF, 49
Runs: Chris Taylor, INF, 63
Stolen Bases: Chris Taylor, INF, 15
Wins: Whit Mayberry, P, 5
Innings Pitched: Branden Kline, P, 43
Strikeouts: Branden Kline, P, 56
Saves: Branden Kline, P, 18
Madness 2012 MLB Draft Rankings:
#52 Chris Taylor
#56 Branden Kline
Madness 2012 Baseball Recruit Rankings:
#60 Derek Fisher
