Get to Know the Texas Tech Baseball Roster

Wondering who will be playing for the Red Raiders this season? Get to know the 2019 Texas Tech baseball Roster!

Introducing the 2020 Texas Tech Baseball Roster

With the 2020 college baseball season right around the corner, it’s time to get to know the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This year’s team is filled with young talent, and they’ll be looking to build on last year’s success. Here’s a quick introduction to the 2020 Texas Tech baseball roster

Catchers:

Tyler Payne – A junior from Longview, Texas, Payne is a two-year starter behind the plate. He’s a solid defender with a good arm, and he’s also shown some improvement at the plate in recent years He’ll be one of the leaders on this young Tech team.

Cole Stilwell – A freshman from San Antonio Stilwell is an intriguing prospect. He’s got good size and athleticism for a catcher, and he’s already shown some promise with the bat. He could be in for a big freshman season.

2020 Roster Breakdown

The 2020 Texas Tech Baseball roster is looking to be a very talented one. Here’s a breakdown of the roster:

Pitchers
-RHP Parker battered (5-11, 200, So.) – Parker was a key piece of the rotation last year as a freshman, appearing in 15 games and making 14 starts. He had a 4.50 ERA in 84 innings pitched striking out 71 batters. He’ll look to build on that success this year as he takes on a bigger role in the rotation.
-RHP Dylan Dusek (6-1, 185, Jr.) – Dusek was also a key piece of the rotation last year, making 15 starts and pitching to a 4.73 ERA in 84 innings. He struck out 61 batters and will look to be even better this year as he takes on an even bigger role in the rotation.
-RHP John McMillon (6-0, 190, Jr.) – McMillon is another pitcher who will be looking to take on a bigger role in the rotation this year after making 10 starts and pitching to a 5.40 ERA in 60 innings last year. He struck out 45 batters and will look to improve upon those numbers this season.
-RHP Finn Snyder (6-3, 195, RSr.) – Snyder is a senior who will be looking to make an impact out of the bullpen this year. He appeared in 17 games last year, pitching to a 6.35 ERA in 27 innings pitched. He struck out 30 batters and will look to be more effective out of the bullpen this season.

Catchers
-C Robert Ortega (5-11, 185, Jr.) – Ortega is the projected starter at catcher this season after appearing in 39 games and hitting .257/.357/.373 last year. He’ll look to build on those numbers and provide solid defense behind the plate this season.
-C Josh Jung (6-0 175, So.) – Jung is a talented young catcher who will serve as Ortega’s backup this season. He appeared in eight games as a freshman and hit .250/.250/.313. He’ll look to build on those numbers this season and provide solid defense when called upon.

Infielders

Position Players

The Texas Tech baseball team is composed of 28 student-athletes, with 24 of them being Position players and 4 pitchers. The position players are broken down into the following groups: infielders, outfielders, and catchers.

There are 6 infielders on the team, including the first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop. Outfielders include left fielders center fielders, and right fielders. Lastly, there are 2 catchers on the roster.

The 4 pitchers on the roster are all right-handed throwers.

Infielders

The infield is the area of the baseball field closest to home plate It typically consists of four players: the first baseman, second baseman, shortstop and third baseman. The first and third basemen are also referred to as corner infielders, while the second baseman and shortstop make up the middle infield.

The Texas Tech baseball team is stacked with talent at every position, but we wanted to take a closer look at the infielders. Here is a brief introduction to each of the talented players that will be manning the infield for the Red Raiders this season.

First Baseman – Cameron Warren
A native of Abilene, Texas, Cameron Warren was named a preseason All-American by multiple publications prior to the start of his senior season. He is coming off a junior campaign in which he hit .342 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI. Warren has been one of the most consistent hitters in the lineup over the past two seasons and will be looked upon to provide some pop in the middle of the order.

Second Baseman – Brian Klein
A transfer from Yavapai College Brian Klein brings a nice blend of speed and power to the table. He hit .384 with eight home runs and 36 stolen bases last season while earning NJCAA Division I First Team All-America honors. Klein will likely hit near the top of the lineup and his stolen base total should increase playing alongside some of Tech’s other speedsters.

Shortstop – Tyler Neslony
Tyler Neslony was one of Tech’s most reliable hitters last season, posting a .328 batting average with six home runs and 56 RBI. He also displayed good range defensively, making just eight errors in 53 games at shortstop. Neslony will once again anchor the middle of the Tech infield and should provide solid production at or near the top of the lineup.

Third Baseman – Josh Jung
A native of San Antonio Josh Jung was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year after hitting .336 with six Home Runs and 47 RBI last season. He started all 65 games for Tech en route to being named a Freshman All-American by Baseball America Collegiate Baseball News and perfect game USA. Jung has outstanding plate discipline for a young player and should continue to improve as he gains more experience at third base.

Outfielders

The outfield is often where some of the most exciting Plays in Baseball happen – from home run robberies to diving catches Here’s a look at the five men who patrol the outfield for the Texas Tech Red Raiders this season.

Sophomore Gabe Holt will be the primary Left fielder for the Red Raiders this season. Holt was a force at the plate last season, leading the team in batting average (.342), hits (89), doubles (22), and stolen bases (23). He was also second on the team in home runs (9) and run scored (61).

Junior Zach Rheams will be manning right field for Tech this season. Rheams was third on the team in batting average last season (.328) and led the team in RBIs (66). He also chipped in 8 home runs and 60 runs scored

In center field, junior Cory Taylor will look to build off a strong 2018 campaign which saw him hit .316 with 7 home runs 50 RBIs, and 61 runs scored.

Freshman Dylan Neuse will see time in both left and right field this season. Neuse was a highly-touted recruit out of Seguin High School where he hit .482 with 12 home runs as a senior.

Sophomore Jason Bagley rounds out the group of outfielders for Tech. Bagley appeared in 31 games last season, hitting .276 with 5 RBIs.

Catchers

Texas Tech has four catchers on its 2019 roster:
– senior Dylan Dusek
– junior Bryce Bonnin
– sophomore Gabe Holt
– freshman Cole Stilwell

Dusek is the only catcher who has seen significant playing time at the Division I level, appearing in 42 games over the past two seasons. He will be the primary backstop for the Red Raiders this season.

Bonnin, Holt and Stilwell are all newcomers to the Division I level. Bonnin played in 19 games as a freshman at Cisco College last season, while Holt and Stilwell each come to Texas Tech after redshirting their first year of college.

Pitchers

Texas Tech will rely on a pitching staff that includes a mix of experienced veterans and young up-and-comers. The staff is led by senior right-hander Davis Martin, who is coming off a junior season in which he posted a 10-4 record with a 3.42 ERA in 17 starts. Martin will be joined in the rotation by another senior righty, Lange, who went 8-5 with a 3.74 ERA in 16 starts last season.

Starting Rotation

The Red Raiders will have a new-look starting rotation in 2020 as they replace all three weekend starters from last season. Left-hander Dylan Dusek, who made 17 starts a year ago, is the only player with significant starting experience back in the fold. He’ll be joined by righties Dane Conklin and Micah Dallas, as well as lefty Caleb Kilian.

Relief Pitchers

Nathan Tibbs – Tibbs comes to Tech after posting a 1.93 ERA over 19 relief appearances and one start for Ranger College last season. The right-hander struck out 46 batters in 42.2 innings pitched while only walking seven.

Cory Taylor – A 6-foot-5, 245-pound right-hander, Taylor was a key reliever for Howard College last season, going 4-0 with a 1.54 ERA and four saves in 25 relief appearances. He struck out 46 batters in 35.1 innings pitched and held opponents to a .194 batting average

Parker Musslewhite – Musslewhite joins the Red Raiders after pitching to a 2-0 record and 0.93 ERA in 16 relief appearances for McLennan Community College last season. He struck out 33 batters in 29 innings pitched and held opponents to a .209 batting average

Key Players to Watch

1. Johnathan Gray- The consensus Preseason All-American is one of the most talented pitchers in the country and will likely be a high draft pick come June.
2. Barrett Barnes- One of the top outfield prospects in the nation. Is a five-tool player that does a little bit of everything on the field.
3. David Paiz- A big right handed pitcher that should solidify the backend of the Red Raiders’ rotation.
4. Jamodrick McGruder- The speedster at the top of the lineup that will create havoc on the base paths for opposing teams.
5. Derrick blossoms- The team’s best power hitter that will provide some much needed pop in the middle of the lineup.