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Gopher Offense Consistently Dominating the Big Ten Ranks
10/8/2020 9:06:00 AM | Baseball
Over the past five seasons, no program in the Big Ten Conference has experienced more success in the batter's box than the Minnesota Gophers.
Four out of the last five years, Minnesota has led the Big Ten in both hits and total bases (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020). During that span, the Gophers have seen 18 different hitters achieve a batting average of .300 or better – the most such players of any program in the conference.
"It's not a mistake that we have led the Big Ten in four of the past five years," said junior infielder Zack Raabe. "That shows how much pride we take in our daily routines and going about every detail in the right matter, and it speaks volumes on what [assistant coach Packy Casey] and [head coach John Anderson] have done for us."
Since 1948, only two teams in Big Ten history have led the conference in hitting for three straight years or more (both overall and in-conference). Minnesota is the only team in the last 30 years to achieve that feat (2016, 2017 and 2018).
Excluding the abbreviated, 18-game 2020 campaign, the Maroon & Gold averaged 592 hits per season from 2016-19, again the top mark in the Big Ten. During that same period, Minnesota scored an average of 347 runs per season. From 2011-15, the Gophers averaged 454 hits and 224 runs per season, indicating an increase of 138 hits and 123 runs during the program's most recent four complete campaigns.
One of the signature components of Gopher Baseball's offensive approach is the PACK Mentality, centered on four primary characteristics: performance, aggressive, consistent and knowledgeable. The goal of the PACK Mentality is to turn individual at bats into a team approach. As a unit, the offense is more effective than if at bats were attacked solely as individuals.
"The idea of this is like a pack of wolves hungry to hit," said Raabe. "No matter who is on the mound, we have a sense of 'no fear,' because you have eight other guys behind you if you fail… Everyone has an individual role in the PACK system."
The PACK Mentality is just one factor driving Minnesota's recent string of offensive success. Another such component is the coaching staff's enhanced usage of technology and analytics. At present, the program has the following technology in place to better coach and help players develop from the moment they walk in the door: HitTrax, BLAST, K-Motion, InsideEdge, VidSwap, Meyend, GameSense, DriveLine, Edgertronic, Rapsodo, Baseball Rebellion and DiamondKinetics.
"The technology we have access to has helped me a good amount because I can objectively track what I am doing," said senior catcher Jack Kelly. "At Minnesota, we use it quite often and there are so many pieces of equipment we utilize, which makes sense, because to be one of the best in the country, it's important to use the newest technology that can take us to the next level."
With these resources in hand, the success of the Gopher offense has not been limited to solely team achievement, as numerous players have reached new heights at the plate during their time in Maroon & Gold. For starters, Minnesota is the only team to ever have three different First Team All-Big Ten catchers in a four-year span: Austin Athmann (2016), Cole McDevitt (2017) and Eli Wilson (2019).
Meanwhile, power has not been lost among the accolades and success of Gopher hitters. Athmann, Terrin Vavra and Jordan Kozicky all posted single-season double-digit home run totals from 2016-19, while 13 different Gophers recorded seasons of 10+ doubles and six different players delivered 40+ RBI campaigns since 2016. On top of these statistics, a conference-leading 18 different hitters batted .300 or better since 2016, as mentioned previously.
According to numbers provided by InsideEdge, the Gopher offense also capitalized on two of their key areas of emphasis: hitting with two strikes and executing on the fastball. From 2018-2020, Gopher hitters achieved a .305 batting average against the fastball, compared to the Major League Baseball average of .276. Furthermore, Minnesota's batting average with two strikes is 10% higher than the MLB average over that same period of time and the program finished in the top five of the Big Ten in fewest amount of strikeouts in three of the last five seasons.
The PACK Mentality also drives Minnesota's success in these areas of emphasis, as the situational scenario of the game is different every time a player steps into the box. This requires absolute buy-in from every member of the offense, allowing each hitter to adapt to the unique situations that occur as they arise.
"We are all three-hole hitters that have many tools at our disposal in order to get whatever job done that needs to be done," said senior catcher Jack Kelly. "At the very least, be a tough hitter to pitch to by having quality at bats with lots of hard contact and good two-strike approaches."
Culminating the team's unique approach and technological resources, many Gopher players have watched their MLB Draft stock rise during their time in Gold Country. Minnesota has developed seven professional position players since 2016, despite only having one position player drafted out of high school over that span. If not for the 2020 MLB Draft being shortened to five rounds, that number would have increased this past year.
As the program embarks on a new decade, Gopher Baseball remains committed to helping their student-athletes become the very best versions of themselves both on and off the field. Later this month, from Oct. 19-24, Minnesota will showcase all 14 of the program's 2021 draft-eligible position players as part of Virtual Scout Week.
Below is an overview of other notable achievements accomplished by Minnesota hitters over the past five seasons.
2020
.300 Hitters (six): Easton Bertrand, Otto Grimm, Sam Ireland, Zack Raabe, Jack Wassel, Andrew Wilhite
All-Americans: Zack Raabe
First in Big Ten: hits, doubles, total bases, sacrifice bunts
Nationally Ranked: No. 60
2019
All-Big Ten: Eli Wilson (First Team)
MLB Draft: Eli Wilson (Pittsburgh Pirates)
2018
.300 Hitters (four): Ben Mezzenga, Toby Hanson, Luke Pettersen, Terrin Vavra
All-Big Ten: Terrin Vavra (First Team), Micah Coffey (Second Team), Ben Mezzenga (Second Team), Luke Pettersen (Third Team)
All-Americans: Terrin Vavra
MLB Draft/Pro: Terrin Vavra (Colorado Rockies), Micah Coffey (Chicago White Sox), Luke Pettersen (St. Paul Saints)
Nationally Ranked: No. 17
2017
.300 Hitters (seven): Micah Coffey, Toby Hanson, Jordan Kozicky, Luke Pettersen, Jordan Smith, Terrin Vavra, Eli Wilson
All-Big Ten: Cole McDevitt (First Team), Micah Coffey (Second Team), Toby Hanson (Third Team), Jordan Kozicky (Freshman Team)
First in Big Ten: batting average, OBP, runs, hits, RBI, total bases, sacrifice bunts, sacrifice flies
Nationally Ranked: No. 36
2016
.300 Hitters (seven): Austin Athmann, Alex Boxwell, Micah Coffey, Matt Fiedler, Toby Hanson, Dan Motl, Terrin Vavra
All-Big Ten: Austin Athmann (First Team), Matt Fielder (First Team), Connor Schaefbauer (First Team), Micah Coffey (Second Team), Dan Motl (Second Team), Riley Smith (Freshman Team)
First in Big Ten (overall): batting average, slugging percentage, hits, RBI, runs, total bases
MLB Draft/Pro: Austin Athmann (Detroit Tigers), Matt Fiedler (St. Louis Cardinals), Dan Motl (St. Paul Saints)
Nationally Ranked: No. 7
Four out of the last five years, Minnesota has led the Big Ten in both hits and total bases (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020). During that span, the Gophers have seen 18 different hitters achieve a batting average of .300 or better – the most such players of any program in the conference.
"It's not a mistake that we have led the Big Ten in four of the past five years," said junior infielder Zack Raabe. "That shows how much pride we take in our daily routines and going about every detail in the right matter, and it speaks volumes on what [assistant coach Packy Casey] and [head coach John Anderson] have done for us."
Since 1948, only two teams in Big Ten history have led the conference in hitting for three straight years or more (both overall and in-conference). Minnesota is the only team in the last 30 years to achieve that feat (2016, 2017 and 2018).
Excluding the abbreviated, 18-game 2020 campaign, the Maroon & Gold averaged 592 hits per season from 2016-19, again the top mark in the Big Ten. During that same period, Minnesota scored an average of 347 runs per season. From 2011-15, the Gophers averaged 454 hits and 224 runs per season, indicating an increase of 138 hits and 123 runs during the program's most recent four complete campaigns.
One of the signature components of Gopher Baseball's offensive approach is the PACK Mentality, centered on four primary characteristics: performance, aggressive, consistent and knowledgeable. The goal of the PACK Mentality is to turn individual at bats into a team approach. As a unit, the offense is more effective than if at bats were attacked solely as individuals.
"The idea of this is like a pack of wolves hungry to hit," said Raabe. "No matter who is on the mound, we have a sense of 'no fear,' because you have eight other guys behind you if you fail… Everyone has an individual role in the PACK system."
The PACK Mentality is just one factor driving Minnesota's recent string of offensive success. Another such component is the coaching staff's enhanced usage of technology and analytics. At present, the program has the following technology in place to better coach and help players develop from the moment they walk in the door: HitTrax, BLAST, K-Motion, InsideEdge, VidSwap, Meyend, GameSense, DriveLine, Edgertronic, Rapsodo, Baseball Rebellion and DiamondKinetics.
"The technology we have access to has helped me a good amount because I can objectively track what I am doing," said senior catcher Jack Kelly. "At Minnesota, we use it quite often and there are so many pieces of equipment we utilize, which makes sense, because to be one of the best in the country, it's important to use the newest technology that can take us to the next level."
With these resources in hand, the success of the Gopher offense has not been limited to solely team achievement, as numerous players have reached new heights at the plate during their time in Maroon & Gold. For starters, Minnesota is the only team to ever have three different First Team All-Big Ten catchers in a four-year span: Austin Athmann (2016), Cole McDevitt (2017) and Eli Wilson (2019).
Meanwhile, power has not been lost among the accolades and success of Gopher hitters. Athmann, Terrin Vavra and Jordan Kozicky all posted single-season double-digit home run totals from 2016-19, while 13 different Gophers recorded seasons of 10+ doubles and six different players delivered 40+ RBI campaigns since 2016. On top of these statistics, a conference-leading 18 different hitters batted .300 or better since 2016, as mentioned previously.
According to numbers provided by InsideEdge, the Gopher offense also capitalized on two of their key areas of emphasis: hitting with two strikes and executing on the fastball. From 2018-2020, Gopher hitters achieved a .305 batting average against the fastball, compared to the Major League Baseball average of .276. Furthermore, Minnesota's batting average with two strikes is 10% higher than the MLB average over that same period of time and the program finished in the top five of the Big Ten in fewest amount of strikeouts in three of the last five seasons.
The PACK Mentality also drives Minnesota's success in these areas of emphasis, as the situational scenario of the game is different every time a player steps into the box. This requires absolute buy-in from every member of the offense, allowing each hitter to adapt to the unique situations that occur as they arise.
"We are all three-hole hitters that have many tools at our disposal in order to get whatever job done that needs to be done," said senior catcher Jack Kelly. "At the very least, be a tough hitter to pitch to by having quality at bats with lots of hard contact and good two-strike approaches."
Culminating the team's unique approach and technological resources, many Gopher players have watched their MLB Draft stock rise during their time in Gold Country. Minnesota has developed seven professional position players since 2016, despite only having one position player drafted out of high school over that span. If not for the 2020 MLB Draft being shortened to five rounds, that number would have increased this past year.
As the program embarks on a new decade, Gopher Baseball remains committed to helping their student-athletes become the very best versions of themselves both on and off the field. Later this month, from Oct. 19-24, Minnesota will showcase all 14 of the program's 2021 draft-eligible position players as part of Virtual Scout Week.
Below is an overview of other notable achievements accomplished by Minnesota hitters over the past five seasons.
2020
.300 Hitters (six): Easton Bertrand, Otto Grimm, Sam Ireland, Zack Raabe, Jack Wassel, Andrew Wilhite
All-Americans: Zack Raabe
First in Big Ten: hits, doubles, total bases, sacrifice bunts
Nationally Ranked: No. 60
2019
All-Big Ten: Eli Wilson (First Team)
MLB Draft: Eli Wilson (Pittsburgh Pirates)
2018
.300 Hitters (four): Ben Mezzenga, Toby Hanson, Luke Pettersen, Terrin Vavra
All-Big Ten: Terrin Vavra (First Team), Micah Coffey (Second Team), Ben Mezzenga (Second Team), Luke Pettersen (Third Team)
All-Americans: Terrin Vavra
MLB Draft/Pro: Terrin Vavra (Colorado Rockies), Micah Coffey (Chicago White Sox), Luke Pettersen (St. Paul Saints)
Nationally Ranked: No. 17
2017
.300 Hitters (seven): Micah Coffey, Toby Hanson, Jordan Kozicky, Luke Pettersen, Jordan Smith, Terrin Vavra, Eli Wilson
All-Big Ten: Cole McDevitt (First Team), Micah Coffey (Second Team), Toby Hanson (Third Team), Jordan Kozicky (Freshman Team)
First in Big Ten: batting average, OBP, runs, hits, RBI, total bases, sacrifice bunts, sacrifice flies
Nationally Ranked: No. 36
2016
.300 Hitters (seven): Austin Athmann, Alex Boxwell, Micah Coffey, Matt Fiedler, Toby Hanson, Dan Motl, Terrin Vavra
All-Big Ten: Austin Athmann (First Team), Matt Fielder (First Team), Connor Schaefbauer (First Team), Micah Coffey (Second Team), Dan Motl (Second Team), Riley Smith (Freshman Team)
First in Big Ten (overall): batting average, slugging percentage, hits, RBI, runs, total bases
MLB Draft/Pro: Austin Athmann (Detroit Tigers), Matt Fiedler (St. Louis Cardinals), Dan Motl (St. Paul Saints)
Nationally Ranked: No. 7
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