Men UConn Fall Baseball 2021

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

Limestone College (S.C.) Transfer Ben Huber:

 

[DarthGrumpy]

-> The Huskies will play two fall exhibition games with a Friday, October 8 matchup against Niagara CC at 6 p.m. at Elliot Ballpark and followed up by another home contest on Saturday, October 16 against URI at 1 p.m. Admission is free. <-

Figures, my oldest son has 14U games during both times. Guess we'll have to try and catch a game in the spring.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

A UConn baseball Walk-On Tryout for interested UConn students takes place tonight. We'll see what if anything comes of it.

 

[dbmill]

I enjoyed this:

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

Something unusual has happened. A UConn baseball fall roster has been posted on the UConn athletics website. While it may have happened before, I just can't remember when. Usually a UConn baseball roster isn't posted on the website until sometime during the winter.

If I counted right, there are 47 players currently on the fall ball roster.

One additional freshman then previously reported on the recruiting thread is on the roster. Joe Carrea, a RHP from New Jersey.

Kenny Campbell is back for another go at UConn baseball. I was thinking he had graduated.

Todd Petersen was reported over the summer to be in the transfer portal. Guess nothing happened there, as he is listed on the fall ball roster.

Zach Donahue is also back on the 2021 fall ball roster after not being on the spring roster last season.

Most surprising player not on the fall ball roster is Will Lucas. Andy Hague is not on either, but I was under the impression that he was moving on after graduating from UConn.

Here is the roster as it currently appears on the UConn Athletics website:

2021 Fall Baseball Roster

#	FULL NAME	HT.	WT.	B/T	POS.	YEAR	HOMETOWN
34	Brady Afthim	6-0	180		RHP	Fr.	Windham, ME
15	Hector Alejandro	6-1	225		RHP	So.	Waterbury, Conn.
13	Phoenix Billings	6-1	191		INF/OF	So.	Madison, Conn.
30	Chris Brown	6-3	221		INF	So.	Trumbull, Conn.
8	Zach Bushling	5-7	176		INF	Sr.	Lake Isabella, Calif.
37	Kenny Campbell	6-3	211		RHP	R-Sr.	Brick, N.J.
	Joe Carrea	6-2			RHP	Fr.	Cranford, N.J.
24	Cole Chudoba	6-2	200		RHP	Gr.	Oxford, CT
38	Garrett Coe	6-6	256		LHP	So.	Lakeside, Conn.
	Ramsey Collins	5-11	185		RHP	Fr.	Oakton, Va.
22	Ian Cooke	6-1	215		RHP	Fr.	New Milford, CT
21	Reggie Crawford	6-4	235		LHP/1B	So.	Frackville, Pa.
9	Casey Dana	6-4	215		OF/INF	Gr.	Montgomery, N.Y.
6	Zach Donahue	5-10	153		INF/OF	R-Fr.	South Windsor, CT
43	Matt Donlan	6-3	213		C	R-Jr.	Guilford, Conn.
53	Thomas Ellisen	6-4	190		RHP/INF	Fr.	Kimberly, WI
23	Sam Favieri	5-11	206		RHP	So.	Ridgewood, N.J.
7	Christian Fedko	5-10	175	R/R	INF	Sr.	Gibsonia, Pa.
12	Kevin Ferrer	5-9	199	R/R	OF	R-So.	Pawcatuck, Conn.
54	Jackson Ferrigno	5-11	170		INF	Fr.	Farmington, Conn.
42	Pat Gallagher	6-0	196		RHP	So.	Leominster, Mass.
5	Matt Garbowski	6-0	210		C/INF	Fr.	New Fairfield, CT
44	Ben Huber	6-3	245		1B/LHP	Gr.	Pendleton, S.C.
2	Ryan Hyde	6-1	189		C	So.	Berlin, Conn.
50	Devin Kirby	5-10	220		RHP	Sr.	Ukiah, Calif.
48	Mason Kolean	6-3	180		LHP	R-So.	Clarkston, Mich.
45	Curren Larson	5-8	155		RHP	Jr.	Irvine, Calif.
39	Bobby McBride	6-2	193		RHP	So.	Brewster, N.Y.
4	Korey Morton	6-1	177		OF	So.	Norwalk, Conn.
20	Brendan O'Donnell	6-2	228		LHP/1B	So.	Hull, Mass.
1	Bryan Padilla	5-10	200		INF	So.	Brooklyn, N.Y.
32	Mitchell Pascarella	6-0	191		RHP/INF	Fr.	Lakewood, N.Y.
52	Jack Petersen	6-3	195		INF	Fr.	Sandy Hook, CT
27	Todd Petersen	6-6	206		INF	So.	Newtown, Conn.
49	Austin Peterson	6-6	234		RHP	Sr.	Chesterton, Ind.
25	Craig Pihlkar	6-5	225		RHP	Fr.	East Northport, N.Y.
40	Braden Quinn	6-3	210		LHP	Fr.	New Fairfield, CT
26	T.C. Simmons	6-0	187		OF	R-Jr.	El Cajon, Calif.
10	David Smith	5-11	181		INF/OF	R-So.	Collegeville, Pa.
51	Leo Socci	5-9	184		RHP	So.	Stamford, Conn.
	Enzo Stefanoni	-			RHP	Fr.	Darien, CT
3	Zach Stephenson	6-0	170		OF	Fr.	Mansfield, Mass.
47	Erik Stock	6-0	211		RHP/UT	Sr.	Virginia Beach, Va.
18	Jack Sullivan	6-0	180		RHP	Fr.	Carmel, N.Y.
31	Jimmy Wang	6-3	224	R/R	RHP	R-Jr.	Beijing, China
36	Justin Willis	5-8	202		RHP	Sr.	West New York, N.J.
11	Joe Wozny	6-1	210		RHP	Fr.	Lake Grove, N.Y.

 

[scotty0330]

Andy Hague got a full time job with Cintas putting his business degree to good use.

 

[Tmill15]

I don’t remember Joe Carrea being officially committed to play baseball at UConn. Could he be a walk on? Also, Enzo Stefanoni from Harvard is probably a senior. It is indeed great to see a fall ball roster!!

 

[dbmill]

I don’t remember Joe Carrea being officially committed to play baseball at UConn. Could he be a walk on? Also, Enzo Stefanoni from Harvard is probably a senior. It is indeed great to see a fall ball roster!!

Stefanoni is a grad transfer, I am sure this will be corrected at some point. I would guess that Carrea is indeed a walk on. Usually there are a few incoming players we do not know about until the Alumni Game when we usually first see the fall ball roster. Only one unknown incoming player is rather amazing. Very few surprises at all with this roster, at least for me.

 

[businesslawyer]

The lineup has strength. Weekend starters has a big time #1 and depth. To me, the question is the bullpen. Lineup should be something like this:

Bushling (SS)
Simmons (CF)
Stock (RF)
Crawford (1B)
Fedko (2B)
Dana (LF or DH)
Ferrer or Huber (LF or DH)
Brown (3B)
Someone cathing. And if none of the catchers can hit, as long as they can catch the lineup should be able to carry a weak #9 bat, and the depth should be able to pinch hit there late in a close game.

Weekend starters looking like Peterson, Gallagher and from what we're reading Crawford. Stefananoni would be a strong #4, and then Wang and/or O'Donnell. And if Stefanoni is better than GAllagher, more power to him and to us.

But the bullpen is the question mark, where I don't remember entering the season with fewer answers than this. Willis is the only person you can count on. Can McBride and Coe throw strikes consistently? They both have arms if they can. Can Chudoba look like a Cape Cod league pitcher rather than a Division II pitcher. Can Campbell or O'Donnell or Favieri take it to the next level?

Even with the question at Catcher, I think the lineup and the starting pitching are more than enough to win the Big East. But being good enough to get an at large bid, if we need it, or making a run to get out of the first weekend of the NCAAs, is going to take a lot more answers in the bullpen.

 

[Tmill15]

The lineup has strength. Weekend starters has a big time #1 and depth. To me, the question is the bullpen. Lineup should be something like this:

Bushling (SS)
Simmons (CF)
Stock (RF)
Crawford (1B)
Fedko (2B)
Dana (LF or DH)
Ferrer or Huber (LF or DH)
Brown (3B)
Someone cathing. And if none of the catchers can hit, as long as they can catch the lineup should be able to carry a weak #9 bat, and the depth should be able to pinch hit there late in a close game.

Weekend starters looking like Peterson, Gallagher and from what we're reading Crawford. Stefananoni would be a strong #4, and then Wang and/or O'Donnell. And if Stefanoni is better than GAllagher, more power to him and to us.

But the bullpen is the question mark, where I don't remember entering the season with fewer answers than this. Willis is the only person you can count on. Can McBride and Coe throw strikes consistently? They both have arms if they can. Can Chudoba look like a Cape Cod league pitcher rather than a Division II pitcher. Can Campbell or O'Donnell or Favieri take it to the next level?

Even with the question at Catcher, I think the lineup and the starting pitching are more than enough to win the Big East. But being good enough to get an at large bid, if we need it, or making a run to get out of the first weekend of the NCAAs, is going to take a lot more answers in the bullpen.

I couldn’t agree more with that lineup. Could see guys like Bryan Padilla and Korey Morton getting some playing time as well. Hector Alejandro and Curren Larson could be good additions to the bullpen too but ur right there aren’t too many proven options in the bullpen besides Reggie and Willis. For the catcher, it will probably be Matt Donlan but Matt Garbowski seems to be a great option for the future

 

[dbmill]

The lineup has strength. Weekend starters has a big time #1 and depth. To me, the question is the bullpen. Lineup should be something like this:

Bushling (SS)
Simmons (CF)
Stock (RF)
Crawford (1B)
Fedko (2B)
Dana (LF or DH)
Ferrer or Huber (LF or DH)
Brown (3B)
Someone cathing. And if none of the catchers can hit, as long as they can catch the lineup should be able to carry a weak #9 bat, and the depth should be able to pinch hit there late in a close game.

Weekend starters looking like Peterson, Gallagher and from what we're reading Crawford. Stefananoni would be a strong #4, and then Wang and/or O'Donnell. And if Stefanoni is better than GAllagher, more power to him and to us.

But the bullpen is the question mark, where I don't remember entering the season with fewer answers than this. Willis is the only person you can count on. Can McBride and Coe throw strikes consistently? They both have arms if they can. Can Chudoba look like a Cape Cod league pitcher rather than a Division II pitcher. Can Campbell or O'Donnell or Favieri take it to the next level?

Even with the question at Catcher, I think the lineup and the starting pitching are more than enough to win the Big East. But being good enough to get an at large bid, if we need it, or making a run to get out of the first weekend of the NCAAs, is going to take a lot more answers in the bullpen.

I mostly agree with this.

The one other guy who could possibly find himself in the lineup is David Smith, who could find himself in the lineup either in an infield or outfield position. He sounds like a versatile bench option. Ferrer and Huber I would expect to get some playing time as well. We'll see if any of the other position players on the roster make a big move forward, whether they are returning players or new to the team.

At this point it would surprise me if the following guys are not in the lineup pretty much every day:

Bushling
Simmons
Stock
Crawford
Fedko
Dana

These guys are pretty much sure things. I suspect that with his defense and if he continues to show he can be a consistent hitter, Brown would likely join this group. The starting lineup looks like it should produce some offense.

I've said it before, but with Peterson, Gallagher, and Crawford, the weekend starting pitching is going to be one of the strengths of the team. I would expect the 3 transfer pitchers will likely contribute as well in some way.

After watching him in Norwich this past summer, I really don't have much in the way of expectations for Jimmy Wang to become a regular contributor on the mound for UConn. He was an older pitcher in a younger league, and he really didn't do all that well. Still, I'm hoping he fools me.

As for the other guys who played in Norwich this past summer, Korey Morton and Bobby McBride still at least have youth and time on their side.

No question, the bullpen and midweek starters does end up being the big question mark at this time. The pitching transfers (Chudoba, Stefanoni, and Larson) will definitely get a look. You can throw California JUCO Devin Kirby, who was hurt last season, into this group as well. Justin Willis will no doubt see action as well. Whatever the case, the UConn pitching staff definitely needs a bunch of returning guys and incoming freshmen to show something in fall ball. In order to have some depth, a bunch of young pitchers are going to have show some development and improvement.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dairybarn]

David Smith 5'11"??? I ran into him on campus a week ago and he was maybe 5'4". That's gotta be a misprint.

 

[dbmill]

I couldn’t agree more with that lineup. Could see guys like Bryan Padilla and Korey Morton getting some playing time as well. Hector Alejandro and Curren Larson could be good additions to the bullpen too but ur right there aren’t too many proven options in the bullpen besides Reggie and Willis. For the catcher, it will probably be Matt Donlan but Matt Garbowski seems to be a great option for the future

One thing Bryan Padilla did not do is show is much of a bat with the Mystic Schooners this past summer. As mentioned before, I half expect that the versatile David Smith could be a Tony Phillips type utility player this season for UConn, possibly seeing time in the middle infield and in the outfield as well. Smith saw some time in center field in summer ball, so it could be that he could end up being the prime backup middle infielder, and be the main competition to Korey Morton in backing up T.C. Simmons in center field. I would expect Morton with his speed will also continue to get time off the bench as a pinch runner.

 

[huskymedic]

David Smith 5'11"??? I ran into him on campus a week ago and he was maybe 5'4". That's gotta be a misprint.

Maybe but both Perfect Game & Prep Baseball had him @ 5-10 in 2019, LaSalle had him @ 5-10.

 

[dbmill]

UConn certainly has a bunch of young pitchers on the fall ball roster. 10 incoming freshmen pitchers to go along with the likes of returning young pitchers such as Favieri, Coe, McBride, O'Donnell, Alejandro, Socci, and Kolean. For UConn to have the pitching depth that is needed for weekend conference games and any run in post season ball, a number of these guys are going to have to show that they can get some outs when they are on the pitching mound. In my mind, development of some of these young pitchers is the real key to the upcoming spring season for UConn. While I could very well be proven wrong (and I hope I am), at this point I just don't have great confidence in such veterans as Kenny Campbell and Jimmy Wang.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

What happened to Josh Cohen?

 

[huskymedic]

What happened to Josh Cohen?

Transferred to Bergen Community College last year due to logjam @ pitcher…

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Transferred to Bergen Community College last year due to logjam @ pitcher…

Thanks. Did some digging. He then went to some JUCO in Lincoln California and is now on the roster back east at Sacred Heart.

 

[ATLDYKA]

I think you can throw Angus Mayock into the missing list with Will Lucas. Both guys I liked very much but never played much last year. I believe they both had some injuries, but maybe there was more to it seeing they are both gone. Too bad, they could have helped the bullpen.

 

[dbmill]

I think you can throw Angus Mayock into the missing list with Will Lucas. Both guys Is liked very much but never played much last year. I believe they both had some injuries, but maybe there was more to it seeing they are both gone. Too bad, they could have helped the bullpen.

Mayock was previously reported as being in the transfer portal as a Grad transfer over the summer, so he wasn't expected back. Of course Todd Petersen was also reported in the portal, but he is listed on the fall roster.