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Season Preview: Anderson Set to Lead Gophers for 40th Year in 2021
2/26/2021 10:15:00 AM | Baseball
Head coach John Anderson is set to begin his 40th season at the helm of the Minnesota Baseball program on March 5, but even with four decades of experience, the 2021 campaign figures to play out unlike any other. Minnesota will compete in a 44-game, Big Ten Conference-only regular season slate this year. There will be no Big Ten Tournament and Minnesota will begin the first two weekends of the year hosting pods of four visiting teams at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Entering 2021, Anderson boasts 1,325 wins, 19 NCAA postseason appearances, 11 regular season Big Ten Championships, 10 Big Ten Tournament titles and eight Big Ten Coach of the Year awards. At present, Anderson ranks second in wins among active Division I head baseball coaches and 22nd all-time in the history of the sport. Although he has been head coach of the Gophers since 1981, he has been part of the program since 1978.
Despite the uniqueness of the 2021 season coupled with the abrupt ending of the 2020 campaign after just 18 games, the Gophers have a lot to be optimistic about heading into the year. The Maroon & Gold return starters at every position on the diamond except shortstop, as the team only lost one offensive player to graduation last season in infielder Jordan Kozicky. Additionally, the Gophers will return 31 total players, including six different Gophers who hit .300 or better last season. Aside from shortstop, the Gophers boast seven returning starters, featuring Preseason Second Team All-American second baseman Zack Raabe and third baseman Jack Wassel.
Offensively, Raabe and Wassel will lead a Gopher offense with the potential to be among the best in the country. Minnesota led the Big Ten in both hits and total bases once again in 2020, marking the fourth time over the last five seasons the Maroon & Gold have done so (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020). Minnesota also sports the most .300 hitters in the conference since 2016, as 18 different Gophers have batted at .300 or above during that span.
After leading the nation with 31 hits in 2020 and slashing .463/.526/.612, Raabe solidified himself as one of the premier second baseman in the country. Entering the year, D1Baseball ranks Raabe as the fourth-best second baseman in the nation, just slightly edging out Wassel, who holds status as the sixth-ranked third baseman nationally. Wassel comes into 2021 fresh off a junior season that saw him collect Big Ten Breakout Player and Breakout Hitter honors from D1Baseball after he batted .364/.475/.591 across 18 starts. Minnesota is one of just three programs in the country with two top-six infielders.
Aside from Raabe and Wassel, the Gophers possess a lot of talent elsewhere on the diamond. Senior Ronald Sweeny is projected to see a good chunk of the innings at first base after playing in 11 games including eight starts last year, while senior Jack Kelly will also see some time there in addition to appearing behind the plate and in the outfield. Kelly started all 18 games for the Maroon & Gold in 2020 and should again be a mainstay in the heart of the Gopher order, regardless of where he is positioned defensively. At shortstop, sophomore Drew Stahl continues to battle for playing time with redshirt sophomores Noah Berghammer and Zack Elliott.
Behind the dish, junior Chase Stanke will be the clear-cut starter after playing in all 18 games including 15 starts one year ago. As one of the top defensive catchers in the conference, Stanke owns a .994 career fielding percentage, having paced the Big Ten in putouts (174) in 2020 while tying for first in runners caught stealing (seven) and pickoffs (one). After slashing .310/.360/.470 in the Northwoods League this past summer and earning Postseason All-Star honors, Stanke is primed for a breakout 2021 campaign. Kelly and redshirt sophomore Riley Swenson will both be in line for time behind the plate as well.
In the outfield, senior Easton Bertrand and junior Andrew Wilhite are likely to be mainstays in the starting lineup. Bertrand batted a robust .302/.400/.605 last season with a team-high four home runs, while Wilhite broke out to the tune of a .320/.443/.340 batting line. Sophomore Sam Ireland should be in store for plenty of starts as well after batting .303/.361/.424 as a freshman. The same goes for redshirt sophomore Otto Grimm, who enjoyed a coming out party in 2020 with a .400/.525/.533 batting line and his first career home run. Then there are redshirt seniors Gabe Knowles and Drew Hmielewski, with each representing formidable weapons for the U. Knowles batted .318 in 2019, while Hmielewski holds status as an elite defender and holds a .252 career average with five stolen bases.
Also in Minnesota's 2021 plans will be redshirt freshmen Kyle Bork and Steve Jamroziak, who will be active for the Gophers after taking their redshirt years last season.
As for the pitching staff, Minnesota will be tasked with replacing 2020 All-American and the third overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft, Max Meyer. At the top of the starting rotation, junior J.P. Massey steps into Meyer's role as staff ace. Massey enjoyed dominant starts against heavy-hitting Arizona and Duke last season, ultimately finishing with a 4.66 ERA and 24 strikeouts across 19 1/3 innings. The Gopher right-hander is currently ranked as a top prospect for the 2021 MLB Draft, having been tabbed by D1Baseball as the No. 71 college prospect on top of being the No. 48 starting pitcher the country.
Behind Massey, sophomore Trent Schoeberl will look to fill in as a weekend starter after impressing with a 2-0 record and 2.75 ERA across 19 2/3 frames as a freshman. In addition to Schoeberl, redshirt sophomore Jack Liffrig will be fully healed from Tommy John surgery and seems positioned to fulfill a substantial starting role for the Gophers. Former 2018 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Patrick Fredrickson and redshirt junior Drake Davis (15.1 K/9 in 2020) both aim to see plenty of starting opportunities as well after showing flashes of brilliance in previous seasons.
In the bullpen, Minnesota will be awaiting the return of senior Joshua Culliver, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery but intends to be available at some point in the upcoming season. Fellow senior Bubba Horton was arguably the Maroon & Gold's top reliever one year ago, tossing 16 innings of 4.50 ERA ball while tying for the team-high in saves with two. Southpaw Ryan Duffy will also be a major component of the Gopher pen, as will left-hander Danny Kapala and right-handers Gus Radel, Bennett Theisen, Will Anderson and Ireland. Senior Nolan Burchill will likely assume his swingman role as both a midweek starter and potential high-leverage bullpen option. The aforementioned Hmielewski could also be in line for some innings after working out with the pitchers this past fall and spring.
As for the newcomers, Minnesota welcomes five freshmen and one transfer to the fold this season: freshman outfielder/left-handed pitcher Brett Bateman, freshman catcher Cody Kelly, freshman infielder Boston Merila, freshman left-handed pitcher Noah DeLuga, freshman right-handed pitcher George Klassen and redshirt senior left-handed pitcher Tom Skoro. DeLuga, Klassen and Skoro will all look to add immediate depth to the Gopher pitching staff, with the latter of the three providing a veteran, left-handed presence to the squad after transferring in from Mizzou. Meanwhile, the positional trio of Bateman, Kelly and Merila will push the returning starters and battle for freshman at bats.
Minnesota will officially kick off the 2021 campaign on Friday, March 5 with a 7 p.m. game against Indiana prior to taking on Rutgers (March 6, March 7). The Gophers will also go head-to-head against the Hoosiers on Sunday, March 7.
Entering 2021, Anderson boasts 1,325 wins, 19 NCAA postseason appearances, 11 regular season Big Ten Championships, 10 Big Ten Tournament titles and eight Big Ten Coach of the Year awards. At present, Anderson ranks second in wins among active Division I head baseball coaches and 22nd all-time in the history of the sport. Although he has been head coach of the Gophers since 1981, he has been part of the program since 1978.
Despite the uniqueness of the 2021 season coupled with the abrupt ending of the 2020 campaign after just 18 games, the Gophers have a lot to be optimistic about heading into the year. The Maroon & Gold return starters at every position on the diamond except shortstop, as the team only lost one offensive player to graduation last season in infielder Jordan Kozicky. Additionally, the Gophers will return 31 total players, including six different Gophers who hit .300 or better last season. Aside from shortstop, the Gophers boast seven returning starters, featuring Preseason Second Team All-American second baseman Zack Raabe and third baseman Jack Wassel.
Offensively, Raabe and Wassel will lead a Gopher offense with the potential to be among the best in the country. Minnesota led the Big Ten in both hits and total bases once again in 2020, marking the fourth time over the last five seasons the Maroon & Gold have done so (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020). Minnesota also sports the most .300 hitters in the conference since 2016, as 18 different Gophers have batted at .300 or above during that span.
After leading the nation with 31 hits in 2020 and slashing .463/.526/.612, Raabe solidified himself as one of the premier second baseman in the country. Entering the year, D1Baseball ranks Raabe as the fourth-best second baseman in the nation, just slightly edging out Wassel, who holds status as the sixth-ranked third baseman nationally. Wassel comes into 2021 fresh off a junior season that saw him collect Big Ten Breakout Player and Breakout Hitter honors from D1Baseball after he batted .364/.475/.591 across 18 starts. Minnesota is one of just three programs in the country with two top-six infielders.
Aside from Raabe and Wassel, the Gophers possess a lot of talent elsewhere on the diamond. Senior Ronald Sweeny is projected to see a good chunk of the innings at first base after playing in 11 games including eight starts last year, while senior Jack Kelly will also see some time there in addition to appearing behind the plate and in the outfield. Kelly started all 18 games for the Maroon & Gold in 2020 and should again be a mainstay in the heart of the Gopher order, regardless of where he is positioned defensively. At shortstop, sophomore Drew Stahl continues to battle for playing time with redshirt sophomores Noah Berghammer and Zack Elliott.
Behind the dish, junior Chase Stanke will be the clear-cut starter after playing in all 18 games including 15 starts one year ago. As one of the top defensive catchers in the conference, Stanke owns a .994 career fielding percentage, having paced the Big Ten in putouts (174) in 2020 while tying for first in runners caught stealing (seven) and pickoffs (one). After slashing .310/.360/.470 in the Northwoods League this past summer and earning Postseason All-Star honors, Stanke is primed for a breakout 2021 campaign. Kelly and redshirt sophomore Riley Swenson will both be in line for time behind the plate as well.
In the outfield, senior Easton Bertrand and junior Andrew Wilhite are likely to be mainstays in the starting lineup. Bertrand batted a robust .302/.400/.605 last season with a team-high four home runs, while Wilhite broke out to the tune of a .320/.443/.340 batting line. Sophomore Sam Ireland should be in store for plenty of starts as well after batting .303/.361/.424 as a freshman. The same goes for redshirt sophomore Otto Grimm, who enjoyed a coming out party in 2020 with a .400/.525/.533 batting line and his first career home run. Then there are redshirt seniors Gabe Knowles and Drew Hmielewski, with each representing formidable weapons for the U. Knowles batted .318 in 2019, while Hmielewski holds status as an elite defender and holds a .252 career average with five stolen bases.
Also in Minnesota's 2021 plans will be redshirt freshmen Kyle Bork and Steve Jamroziak, who will be active for the Gophers after taking their redshirt years last season.
As for the pitching staff, Minnesota will be tasked with replacing 2020 All-American and the third overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft, Max Meyer. At the top of the starting rotation, junior J.P. Massey steps into Meyer's role as staff ace. Massey enjoyed dominant starts against heavy-hitting Arizona and Duke last season, ultimately finishing with a 4.66 ERA and 24 strikeouts across 19 1/3 innings. The Gopher right-hander is currently ranked as a top prospect for the 2021 MLB Draft, having been tabbed by D1Baseball as the No. 71 college prospect on top of being the No. 48 starting pitcher the country.
Behind Massey, sophomore Trent Schoeberl will look to fill in as a weekend starter after impressing with a 2-0 record and 2.75 ERA across 19 2/3 frames as a freshman. In addition to Schoeberl, redshirt sophomore Jack Liffrig will be fully healed from Tommy John surgery and seems positioned to fulfill a substantial starting role for the Gophers. Former 2018 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Patrick Fredrickson and redshirt junior Drake Davis (15.1 K/9 in 2020) both aim to see plenty of starting opportunities as well after showing flashes of brilliance in previous seasons.
In the bullpen, Minnesota will be awaiting the return of senior Joshua Culliver, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery but intends to be available at some point in the upcoming season. Fellow senior Bubba Horton was arguably the Maroon & Gold's top reliever one year ago, tossing 16 innings of 4.50 ERA ball while tying for the team-high in saves with two. Southpaw Ryan Duffy will also be a major component of the Gopher pen, as will left-hander Danny Kapala and right-handers Gus Radel, Bennett Theisen, Will Anderson and Ireland. Senior Nolan Burchill will likely assume his swingman role as both a midweek starter and potential high-leverage bullpen option. The aforementioned Hmielewski could also be in line for some innings after working out with the pitchers this past fall and spring.
As for the newcomers, Minnesota welcomes five freshmen and one transfer to the fold this season: freshman outfielder/left-handed pitcher Brett Bateman, freshman catcher Cody Kelly, freshman infielder Boston Merila, freshman left-handed pitcher Noah DeLuga, freshman right-handed pitcher George Klassen and redshirt senior left-handed pitcher Tom Skoro. DeLuga, Klassen and Skoro will all look to add immediate depth to the Gopher pitching staff, with the latter of the three providing a veteran, left-handed presence to the squad after transferring in from Mizzou. Meanwhile, the positional trio of Bateman, Kelly and Merila will push the returning starters and battle for freshman at bats.
Minnesota will officially kick off the 2021 campaign on Friday, March 5 with a 7 p.m. game against Indiana prior to taking on Rutgers (March 6, March 7). The Gophers will also go head-to-head against the Hoosiers on Sunday, March 7.
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