Sophomore Aaron Ping is expected to be one of USF's second basemen heading into the season.
2016 Season Preview: Infielders
2/3/2016 10:18:00 AM | Baseball
Part 1: Infielders, Wednesday, Feb. 3
Part 2: Outfielders, Friday, Feb. 5
Part 3: Pitchers, Tuesday, Feb. 9
Part 4: Catchers, Friday, Feb. 12
In anticipation of USF's season opening four-game series at UC Santa Barbara Feb. 19-21, it's time to start previewing the Dons' 2016 baseball season. The first of our four-part season preview breakdown will feature USF's infielders.
USF head coach Nino Giarratano, who is entering his 18th year at the helm, provided a quick general take on this year's squad that features one returning starter in the pitching rotation, three returning position player starters and 17 newcomers overall.
"Balance is the theme," said Giarratano. "There's not really a huge superstar, but there are a lot of players who are really good college players and a lot of depth."
With that theme in mind, we take a look at the 2016 USF infielders:
Headlining that group is junior shortstop Nico Giarratano (.237/9 2B/HR/16 RBI in 2015) as the most experienced returner. Giarratano has started every game but one in his career and boasted a solid .962 fielding percentage a year ago.
"Nico's got 107 games of experience at the shortstop position and that's irreplaceable," said Giarratano. "I think this year's going to be a great year for him. The guys laugh and say Nico's a 12th-year junior because he's been around the program for so long. I think he's done a great job of dealing with being the coach's son and proving himself time and time again, but this year I think he'll just be able to play the game and be comfortable in his own skin and not worry about some of that other stuff."
"I think we can do a lot of things defensively, especially up the middle," added Giarratano. "Our catcher and shortstop are strong spots for us, and anytime you can play up the middle you usually do pretty well."
Giarratano acknowledged the need to improve defensively at third base this year, which is where junior college transfer Dan James comes in. James (Portola Hills, Calif. / El Toro HS) joins the program after spending his freshman season at Oregon State and his sophomore campaign at Saddleback Community College, where he hit .315 last year while leading the team with six home runs.
"We feel really comfortable with Dan James," said Giarratano. "He's come in and shown a lot of great leadership skills. I really like what he's doing with the bat and the glove."
With the left side of the infield pretty well set heading into the season, Giarratano has a bevy of options at second and first base.
Sophomore Aaron Ping (.393/3 2B/HR/4 RBI), who was a shortstop in high school and played mostly third base as a freshman this past year, is expected to see most of his time at second base this season, likely in a platoon role with redshirt junior Allen Smoot. Smoot will see his first action on the Hilltop following a monster summer with the Humboldt Crabs where he took home Horizon Air Summer Series MVP honors after hitting a blistering .447 in 48 games.
"Aaron Ping really came on with the bat last year and I think he's going to be a very offensive second baseman," said Giarratano. "Meanwhile, Smoot had one of the best summers I've ever seen. He's been dealing with some injuries from the fall, but it could be a great left-right mix with those guys."
And finally, first base seems to have Manny Ramirez, Jr.'s name slotted into the lineup card heading into Opening Day, but he's just one of a trio of players who Giarratano expects to fill that role at various points this season. Between Ramirez (.228/3 2B/5 RBI), sophomore Ross Puskarich (.241/2B/HR/4 RBI) and freshman Matthew Warkentin (Leamington, ON / Leamington District Secondary), the Dons can play their mix-and-match game depending on the situation.
"Manny won the first base job in the fall," said Giarratano. "He's really starting to come into his own with all the high expectations, but I really think he's going to exceed those expectations. He's really improved defensively with his footwork and with the glove."
Puskarich is expected to see more time at first base this season after making 14 of his 24 starts at third base in 2015, while Warkentin comes in as a left-handed jack-of-all-trades whose primary position will be first base, but can also play outfield and pitch.
Giarratano admits, "It's going to be hard to find playing time for all of those guys, but I really like that situation at first base."
Rounding out the infield depth is switch-hitting freshman Riley Helland (Camarillo, Calif. / Oaks Christian HS), another Swiss Army knife of a player who can play all around the infield and pick up innings on the mound as well.
Aside from the defensive flexibility this group provides, the offense also benefits from the fact that James, Warkentin and Smoot hit from the left side, while Giarratano and Helland are switch hitters complementing right-handed bats in Ping, Ramirez and Puskarich. So no matter who the opposing pitcher is, Giarratano is sure to have some options in his situational bag of tricks among this year's infielders.
2016 PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
*2014 stats
^ at Saddleback CC
% at Mesa CC
# at College of San Mateo (2014)
Part 2: Outfielders, Friday, Feb. 5
Part 3: Pitchers, Tuesday, Feb. 9
Part 4: Catchers, Friday, Feb. 12
In anticipation of USF's season opening four-game series at UC Santa Barbara Feb. 19-21, it's time to start previewing the Dons' 2016 baseball season. The first of our four-part season preview breakdown will feature USF's infielders.
USF head coach Nino Giarratano, who is entering his 18th year at the helm, provided a quick general take on this year's squad that features one returning starter in the pitching rotation, three returning position player starters and 17 newcomers overall.
"Balance is the theme," said Giarratano. "There's not really a huge superstar, but there are a lot of players who are really good college players and a lot of depth."
With that theme in mind, we take a look at the 2016 USF infielders:
Headlining that group is junior shortstop Nico Giarratano (.237/9 2B/HR/16 RBI in 2015) as the most experienced returner. Giarratano has started every game but one in his career and boasted a solid .962 fielding percentage a year ago.
"Nico's got 107 games of experience at the shortstop position and that's irreplaceable," said Giarratano. "I think this year's going to be a great year for him. The guys laugh and say Nico's a 12th-year junior because he's been around the program for so long. I think he's done a great job of dealing with being the coach's son and proving himself time and time again, but this year I think he'll just be able to play the game and be comfortable in his own skin and not worry about some of that other stuff."
"I think we can do a lot of things defensively, especially up the middle," added Giarratano. "Our catcher and shortstop are strong spots for us, and anytime you can play up the middle you usually do pretty well."
Giarratano acknowledged the need to improve defensively at third base this year, which is where junior college transfer Dan James comes in. James (Portola Hills, Calif. / El Toro HS) joins the program after spending his freshman season at Oregon State and his sophomore campaign at Saddleback Community College, where he hit .315 last year while leading the team with six home runs.
"We feel really comfortable with Dan James," said Giarratano. "He's come in and shown a lot of great leadership skills. I really like what he's doing with the bat and the glove."
With the left side of the infield pretty well set heading into the season, Giarratano has a bevy of options at second and first base.
Sophomore Aaron Ping (.393/3 2B/HR/4 RBI), who was a shortstop in high school and played mostly third base as a freshman this past year, is expected to see most of his time at second base this season, likely in a platoon role with redshirt junior Allen Smoot. Smoot will see his first action on the Hilltop following a monster summer with the Humboldt Crabs where he took home Horizon Air Summer Series MVP honors after hitting a blistering .447 in 48 games.
"Aaron Ping really came on with the bat last year and I think he's going to be a very offensive second baseman," said Giarratano. "Meanwhile, Smoot had one of the best summers I've ever seen. He's been dealing with some injuries from the fall, but it could be a great left-right mix with those guys."
And finally, first base seems to have Manny Ramirez, Jr.'s name slotted into the lineup card heading into Opening Day, but he's just one of a trio of players who Giarratano expects to fill that role at various points this season. Between Ramirez (.228/3 2B/5 RBI), sophomore Ross Puskarich (.241/2B/HR/4 RBI) and freshman Matthew Warkentin (Leamington, ON / Leamington District Secondary), the Dons can play their mix-and-match game depending on the situation.
"Manny won the first base job in the fall," said Giarratano. "He's really starting to come into his own with all the high expectations, but I really think he's going to exceed those expectations. He's really improved defensively with his footwork and with the glove."
Puskarich is expected to see more time at first base this season after making 14 of his 24 starts at third base in 2015, while Warkentin comes in as a left-handed jack-of-all-trades whose primary position will be first base, but can also play outfield and pitch.
Giarratano admits, "It's going to be hard to find playing time for all of those guys, but I really like that situation at first base."
Rounding out the infield depth is switch-hitting freshman Riley Helland (Camarillo, Calif. / Oaks Christian HS), another Swiss Army knife of a player who can play all around the infield and pick up innings on the mound as well.
Aside from the defensive flexibility this group provides, the offense also benefits from the fact that James, Warkentin and Smoot hit from the left side, while Giarratano and Helland are switch hitters complementing right-handed bats in Ping, Ramirez and Puskarich. So no matter who the opposing pitcher is, Giarratano is sure to have some options in his situational bag of tricks among this year's infielders.
2016 PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
| NAME | POSITION | BATS/THROWS | 2015 STATS |
| 1. Harrison Bruce | LF | L/R | .182 / 2 2B / 4 RBI* |
| 2. Nico Giarratano | SS | S/R | .237 / 9 2B / HR / 16 RBI |
| 3. Dominic Miroglio | C | R/R | .340 / 3 HR / 38 RBI |
| 4. Dan James | 3B | L/R | .315 / 6 HR / 25 RBI^ |
| 5. Manny Ramirez, Jr. | 1B | R/R | .228 / 3 2B / 5 RBI |
| 6. Brady Bate | RF | R/R | .345 / 4 HR / 45 RBI% |
| 7. Ross Puskarich Aaron Ping Allen Smoot | DH | Puskarich: R/R Ping: R/R Smoot: L/R | Puskarich: .241 / HR / 4 RBI Ping: .393 / HR / 4 RBI Smoot: .313 / 4 2B / 14 RBI# |
| 8. Matt Sinatro | CF | L/R | .198 / 3B / 6 RBI |
| 9. Aaron Ping Allen Smoot | 2B | Ping: R/R Smoot: L/R | Ping: .393 / HR / 4 RBI Smoot: .313 / 4 2B / 14 RBI# |
^ at Saddleback CC
% at Mesa CC
# at College of San Mateo (2014)
Players Mentioned
OF
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OF
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INF
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INF/C/RHP
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C
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1B
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UTL
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