Junior Matt Sinatro looks to see plenty of time roaming center field this season.
2016 Season Preview: Outfielders
2/5/2016 10:43:00 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
Part two of the 2016 USF baseball season preview focuses on the Dons' outfielders – a group that will feature an entirely new regular starting cast roaming the spacious Benedetti Diamond outfield this year.
"There are some big shoes to fill in the outfield," said head coach Nino Giarratano, who is coming into his 18th year at USF.
Giarratano established that the lack of a true star to power this year's lineup means the Dons will enjoy a balanced and deep roster in 2016.
"We really have six players who are very interchangeable in the outfield," added Giarratano. "That gives us great depth, probably the most depth we have outside of first base."
Heading into Opening Day, redshirt junior Harrison Bruce (.182, 2 2B, 4 RBI in 2014) is expected to fill the left field slot. Bruce missed the 2015 season, but by Giarratano's estimation is the team's best offensive threat among the outfield corps.
"Harrison Bruce was part of the program when we went to a Regional (in 2013) and actually came up with a big base hit to tie the game against Rice," said Giarratano. "So he's got some big experience and I think he's going to be a great leadoff hitter for us and play left field."
That leaves center and right field up for grabs between junior Matt Sinatro (.198, 3B, 6 RBI in 2015) and junior college transfer Brady Bate (Spanish Fork, Utah / Mesa CC). Sinatro has the most experience among USF's outfielders coming into the year, with 85 starts in 96 career games – 58 of those coming in the outfield. Meanwhile, Bate was a first-team all-conference pick last year at Mesa Community College after hitting .345 with four home runs, 20 doubles and 45 RBI.
"Center field is a situation where Matt Sinatro and Brady Bate are competing," said Giarratano. "Both are really good players; both can run and do a lot of different things for us. Sinatro may win the job in center and then Bate slides over to right field."
Giarratano points out that each player brings something different to the table – Sinatro provides a constant threat on the basepaths with his speed (nine career stolen bases), while Bate projects to offer the most power potential of the outfielders.
Adding to the outfield depth is graduate transfer Beau Bozett (Spokane, Wash. / Ferris HS) who is no stranger to the WCC after spending the past four years at Gonzaga where he made 88 appearances (35 starts) for the Zags. Bozett could provide a strong right field arm as well as more speed on the bases, as shown by his 26 steals in 30 attempts over the summer with the Humboldt Crabs. Bozett capped off a strong summer by hitting .345 and tying for the team lead in home runs (4) while driving in 26 runs.
The true utility man of the group is sophomore Kyle Norman (.160, 4 R, 5 RBI), who Giarratano pegs as the team's best defensive player in the outfield because he can be plugged into all three outfield positions. Norman made 34 appearances in 2015 (4 starts), but like Bozett, Norman looks to build off a productive summer where he hit .316 with a home run and 22 RBI with the Newark Pilots of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.
Not to be overlooked is the impact of redshirt junior Blake Valley (.233, 9 R, 6 RBI) coming off the bench.
"There's a good mixture of six guys," said Giarratano, "and then you take Blake Valley who has been a great role player and a great teammate, and he can go out there and play any of those three positions, pinch hit, pinch run. He was really our threat last year to come off the bench and do some damage for us."
Like their infield situation, the Dons should benefit from a diverse mix of pieces in the outfield heading into the 2016 campaign.
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
Part two of the 2016 USF baseball season preview focuses on the Dons' outfielders – a group that will feature an entirely new regular starting cast roaming the spacious Benedetti Diamond outfield this year.
"There are some big shoes to fill in the outfield," said head coach Nino Giarratano, who is coming into his 18th year at USF.
Giarratano established that the lack of a true star to power this year's lineup means the Dons will enjoy a balanced and deep roster in 2016.
"We really have six players who are very interchangeable in the outfield," added Giarratano. "That gives us great depth, probably the most depth we have outside of first base."
Heading into Opening Day, redshirt junior Harrison Bruce (.182, 2 2B, 4 RBI in 2014) is expected to fill the left field slot. Bruce missed the 2015 season, but by Giarratano's estimation is the team's best offensive threat among the outfield corps.
"Harrison Bruce was part of the program when we went to a Regional (in 2013) and actually came up with a big base hit to tie the game against Rice," said Giarratano. "So he's got some big experience and I think he's going to be a great leadoff hitter for us and play left field."
That leaves center and right field up for grabs between junior Matt Sinatro (.198, 3B, 6 RBI in 2015) and junior college transfer Brady Bate (Spanish Fork, Utah / Mesa CC). Sinatro has the most experience among USF's outfielders coming into the year, with 85 starts in 96 career games – 58 of those coming in the outfield. Meanwhile, Bate was a first-team all-conference pick last year at Mesa Community College after hitting .345 with four home runs, 20 doubles and 45 RBI.
"Center field is a situation where Matt Sinatro and Brady Bate are competing," said Giarratano. "Both are really good players; both can run and do a lot of different things for us. Sinatro may win the job in center and then Bate slides over to right field."
Giarratano points out that each player brings something different to the table – Sinatro provides a constant threat on the basepaths with his speed (nine career stolen bases), while Bate projects to offer the most power potential of the outfielders.
Adding to the outfield depth is graduate transfer Beau Bozett (Spokane, Wash. / Ferris HS) who is no stranger to the WCC after spending the past four years at Gonzaga where he made 88 appearances (35 starts) for the Zags. Bozett could provide a strong right field arm as well as more speed on the bases, as shown by his 26 steals in 30 attempts over the summer with the Humboldt Crabs. Bozett capped off a strong summer by hitting .345 and tying for the team lead in home runs (4) while driving in 26 runs.
The true utility man of the group is sophomore Kyle Norman (.160, 4 R, 5 RBI), who Giarratano pegs as the team's best defensive player in the outfield because he can be plugged into all three outfield positions. Norman made 34 appearances in 2015 (4 starts), but like Bozett, Norman looks to build off a productive summer where he hit .316 with a home run and 22 RBI with the Newark Pilots of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.
Not to be overlooked is the impact of redshirt junior Blake Valley (.233, 9 R, 6 RBI) coming off the bench.
"There's a good mixture of six guys," said Giarratano, "and then you take Blake Valley who has been a great role player and a great teammate, and he can go out there and play any of those three positions, pinch hit, pinch run. He was really our threat last year to come off the bench and do some damage for us."
Like their infield situation, the Dons should benefit from a diverse mix of pieces in the outfield heading into the 2016 campaign.
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
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