Get to Know the 2019 Creighton Baseball Roster

Get to know the 2019 Creighton baseball roster These are the young men that will be representing the Bluejays this season.

2019 Roster

The 2019 Creighton baseball team is looking to build on the success of last year’s squad. Head Coach Ed Servais returns for his sixth season at the helm of the Bluejays, and he’ll have a talented and experienced roster to work with. Here’s a look at the players who will be wearing blue and white this season:

Pitchers

Ethan DeCaster: A senior from Ankeny, Iowa, DeCaster is a right-handed pitcher who has made 31 appearances (seven starts) in his career at Creighton. He has a 4.28 ERA and has struck out 67 batters in 81 innings pitched

Michael Emodi: A junior from Palos Park, Illinois, Emodi is a left-handed reliever who has appeared in 30 games in his two seasons at Creighton. He has a 4.24 ERA and has struck out 32 batters in 38 innings pitched.

Connor Coleman: A senior from Overland Park, Kansas, Coleman is a right-handed reliever who has made 37 appearances in his three seasons at Creighton. He has a 3.86 ERA and has struck out 55 batters in 52 innings pitched.

Jonah Ulane: A junior from Council Bluffs, Iowa, Ulane is a right-handed reliever who transferred to Creighton after spending his first two college seasons at Iowa Western Community College In two seasons at Iowa Western, he had a 6-3 record with 11 saves and a 2.45 ERA. He struck out 61 batters in 64 innings pitched.

Position Players

Will Banfield: A sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia, Banfield is a catcher who was named to the Big East All-Freshman team last season after hitting .266 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 39 games played

Jacob Capitale: A junior from Northbrook, Illinois, Capitale is an infielder who hit .256 with four home runs and 17 RBIs in 38 Games Played last season. He has played both second base and third base during his career at Creighton.

Alec Bohm: A junior from Omaha, Nebraska, Bohm is an infielder who was named first team All-Big East last season after hitting .329 with eight home runs and 42 RBIs in 57 games played. He led the Bluejays in both batting average and RBIs last season.

Matthew Warren: A senior from Omaha, Nebraska, Warren is an outfielder who has appeared in 139 games during his three seasons at Creighton. He’s hit .273 with seven Home Runs and 77 RBIs during his career with the Bluejays

New Additions

The 2019 Creighton baseball roster features 28 returners from the 2018 squad and 11 newcomers. The roster includes 13 seniors, 9 juniors, 5 sophomores and 1 freshman. The Bluejays will look to replace key contributors in 2018 who have graduated, but return a wealth of experience and will look to build on last year’s success.

The pitching staff is led by Senior All-American Rollie Lacy who was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2018. Lacy posted a 10-2 record with a 2.74 ERA in 16 starts last season. He will be joined in the rotation by fellow senior Connor Everitt who was also an All-Missouri Valley Conference selection in 2018 after going 7-5 with a 3.38 ERA in 15 starts.

Notable Returners

While the Jays lost some Key Players to graduation, they have a strong core of returners that will provide leadership and production on the diamond in 2019. Here are some of the notable returners for Creighton baseball this season:

-Sophomore pitcher Nate Mary was named a Freshman All-American by multiple outlets last season after going 7-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 15 starts.
-Senior infielder Ty Blach was a 2nd Team All-Big East selection in 2018 after hitting .327 with 4 home runs and 36 RBI.
-Junior outfielder Michael Conforto was also a 2nd Team All-Big East selection last year, batting .296 with 7 home runs and 36 RBI.
-Senior pitcher Connor McCarthy is back for his final season after appearing in 32 games out of the bullpen last year, posting a 4.24 ERA.

The Infield

The infield is often considered the heart of the defense, and the 2019 Creighton Baseball Team is no exception. The Bluejays boast a strong infield with plenty of experience and leadership. Here’s a closer look at the players who will be manning the infield this season.

Catcher: Will Glazier
First base: Connor Morgan
Second base: Isaac Collins
Shortstop: Ryan Lamar
Third base: Benjamin Sems

The Outfield

An outfield of all seniors provides valuable leadership for the young team. The Jays will look to Left fielder Matt Warren, center fielder Isaac Collins and right fielder Mike Gerber to set the tone defensively and provide a spark on offense. All three outfielders started at least 50 games last season and are among the most experienced players on the roster.

Warren is a steadying influence in left field and has a strong arm. He batted .270 with six home runs last season. Collins had a breakout year in 2018, leading the team in batting average (.331) and stolen bases (17). He also hit four home runs and drove in 32 runs. Gerber is a two-time all-conference selection who brings power to the lineup. He finished second on the team in home runs (9) and RBIs (38) last season.

The Catchers

The first group up is the catchers. This position is pivotal in bluffing the other team and giving signs to the pitcher about what type of ball to throw. They must be very intelligent and have quick reflexes. Let’s get to knowCreighton’s catchers!

-Sophomore Parker Smejkal
At 6’2” and 190 lbs, Smejkal is from La Vista, Nebraska. In his free time, he enjoys playing the guitar. Last season as a freshman, he played in 32 games with 26 starts. He had a batting average of .253 with 19 RBIs.

-Senior Michael Emodi
Emodi is from Orland Park, Illinois and is 6’2” 200 lbs. He likes to play Video games in his spare time. Emodi has been a key player for the Bluejays since he started as a freshman. In his junior season, he played in 50 games with 42 starts. He had a batting average of .267 with 3 home runs and 26 RBIs.

The Pitchers

Pitchers and catchers are the first players to report to spring training each year. They are followed a few days later by the rest of the team. The pitchers throw to the catchers during training to help prepare them for game day

During the regular season each team plays 162 games. A pitcher’s job is to throw the baseball over home plate and into the catcher’s glove. The goal is to get the batter out three times out of every nine batters they face, which is why it’s important for pitchers to have variety in their pitches. A typical pitching staff has about 12 players, which includes starters and relievers.

The 2019 Creighton Baseball roster includes:
-Dylan Cease
-Matt Manning
-Michael Kopech
-Kris Bubic
-Braxton Garrett
-Seth Lugo
-Dylan Moore
-Brandon Woodruff

The Schedule

The 2019 season will see the Bluejays play fifty games, a schedule that includes twenty-six home games and twenty-four away games. Conference foes include Seton Hall Xavier, Georgetown, Butler, and Marquette. Out of conference, the Bluejays will take on Arizona State Gonzaga, and Cal State Fullerton

The Coaches

Creighton baseball is coached by Ed Servais, who is entering his 8th season at the helm of the Bluejays. He has led the team to 7 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the College World Series in 2014. His Coaching Staff includes assistant coaches Sean Mcdermott and Bryan Marquez, and Volunteer Assistant Coach Zachary Susi.

The Prospects

meet the potential future stars of the team. These are the young men with promising careers ahead of them, who have yet to prove themselves at the professional level. But don’t sleep on them – each one has the potential to be a key cog in the team’s future success.