Uc San Diego Baseball Roster: The Ultimate Guide
Contents
The UC San Diego baseball team is set to have another great season. Check out their roster and learn more about the team.
The Infield
The infield is the area of the baseball diamond enclosed by the bases and the three baselines. The infield consists of four positions: first base, second base, third base, and shortstop.
While all nine players on a team play both Offense and defense the infielders and outfielders have different defensive roles. Outfielders are responsible for catching fly balls and fielding ground balls that hit the outfield grass. Infielders play closer to home plate and must be able to field hard-hit ground balls as well as thrown balls from the pitcher.
The shortstop is often considered the most important Defensive Player on the infield because they have the most range and must be able to field balls hit to both sides of second base. The second baseman must be able to field ground balls hit to their right as well as throws from the shortstop. The third baseman must be able to field hard-hit ground balls hit directly at them as well as throws from the shortstop or second baseman. The first baseman is responsible for fielding throws from the pitcher or other infielders when there is a runner on first base.
The Outfield
In baseball, the outfield is the area of the field beyond the infield. The positions played by the outfielders are generally referred to as left field center field, and right field. Outfielders must also be adept at running to catch fly balls hit near or over them.
Uc San Diego team currently has three outstanding outfielders. Freshman Mikey Filia is in left field, junior Austin Griffin plays center, and redshirt sophomore Bryce Willits rounds out the group in right.
The Catchers
As the most important position on the team, the catcher has numerous responsibilities. They must be able to catch the ball thrown by the pitcher, as well as blocking balls hit by the batter back to the pitcher. In addition, they must be able to throw out runners who attempt to steal bases. The catcher is also responsible for calling plays, and must have a strong understanding of the game.
The following is a list of the catchers on UC San Diego’s Baseball Team
– name
– year
– batting average
– home runs
– RBIs
In addition to being good at baseball, the catchers on UC San Diego’s baseball team are also good at academics. All of them are enrolled in UC San Diego’s world-renowned Division 1 baseball program
The Pitchers
The pitchers for the University of California San Diego baseball team are:
Tyler Kobyuka
Aidan McDermott
Ryan Steckenrider
Garrett goodwin
Clayton Kwok
The Coaches
The UCSD Baseball Team is coached by Eric Newman and his assistant coaches They are all former baseball players who have been successful at the collegiate and professional levels. The team’s focus is on developing well-rounded student-athletes.
Newman was hired in June 2014 as UCSD’s head baseball coach He came to UCSD after serving as an Assistant Coach at the University of Arizona Newman played college baseball at UC Santa Barbara from 2001-2004. He was a two-time All-Big West Conference selection and led the Gauchos to the 2002 College World Series Newman also played professionally for two seasons in the San Diego Padres organization.
Assistant coaches Nate Johnson and Mike Peña also have experience playing college baseball Johnson played at Loyola Marymount University from 2002-2006 and was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 19th round of the 2006 MLB Draft Peña played collegiately at UC Irvine from 2009-2012 and was selected in the 38th round of the 2012 MLB draft by the Houston Astros
The Farm System
The minor League Baseball system in the United States is often referred to as the farm system This is because each Major League Baseball (MLB) team maintains its own minor league teams (or affiliates) throughout the country. These Minor League teams are where players are developed and groomed for the MLB.
The UC San Diego Baseball team is no different. The team has several minor league affiliates that help to develop and train its players. Here is a look at the UC San Diego baseball team’s farm system:
Tri-City Dust Devils: The Tri-City Dust Devils are a Class A-Advanced affiliate of the UC San Diego Tritons The team is located in Pasco, Washington and plays its home games at Gesa Stadium.
Seattle Mariners: The Seattle Mariners are a Class AAA affiliate of the UC San Diego Tritons The team is located in Seattle, Washington and plays its home games at Safeco Field.
Tacoma Rainiers: The Tacoma Rainiers are a Class AA affiliate of the UC San Diego Tritons. The team is located in Tacoma, Washington and plays its home games at Cheney Stadium.
The History
UC San Diego Baseball is a Division II program that competes in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Tritons play their home games at Triton Ballpark, located on North Campus in La Jolla. The facility opened in 2004 and has a capacity of 1,000 spectators.
The team’s first Head Coach was Bill Kernen, who led the team from its inception in 1966 through the 1971 season. In 1972, Sam Blalock took over as head coach and guided the Tritons to their first conference championship After winning the CCAA title again in 1974, Lock Left UCSD to become Head Coach at San Diego State
Bob Burton took over as Head coach in 1975 and led the team to three more conference championships (1976, 1977, 1978). Burton’s 1977 squad advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series where they finished in fourth place. Burton continued to lead the Tritons through the 1980 season.
In 1981, Dick Nutrition took over as head coach He led UCSD to two more conference championships (1982, 1983) and three consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II World Series (1981, 1982, 1983). The 1982 squad finished as national runners-up, while the 1983 team finished in third place. Nutation left after the 1983 season to become head coach at UCLA.
Mike Batesole took over as head coach in 1984 and led UCSD to four straight conference championships (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987). The 1986 squad won UCSD’s first NCAA Division II National Championship Batesole left after the 1987 season to become head coach at Fresno State
After Batesole’s departure, Jim Dietz became UCSD’s head coach in 1988 and led the team to two more conference championships (1989, 1990). He also guided the Tritons to three straight trips to the NCAA Division II World Series (1988, 1989, 1990), including a second-place finish in 1989 and a third-place finish in 1990. Dietz left after the 1990 season to take over as Head Coach at Arizona State
The Rivalries
Uc San Diego baseball fans are some of the most passionate in the country. So it’s no surprise that when it comes to rivals, they take their baseball seriously. Here is a guide to the top 3 UCSD baseball rivalries.
No. 1: UC Irvine
The Anteaters and Tritons first met on the diamond in 1974, and since then, they have played each other nearly 200 times. The two teams have met in the postseason five times, with UCI winning three of those meetings. The most recent came in 2016, when the Anteaters eliminated UCSD from the NCAA Regionals.
No. 2: Cal State Fullerton
These two teams have been playing each other since 1976, and they have combined for 18 NCAA tournament appearances. The Titans have won 13 of the 22 meetings between these two team, but UCSD has won four of the last six.
No 3: Long Beach State
This is a newer rivalry, as the two teams have only been playing each other since 2013. But with both teams being among the best in the country, they have quickly become one of the must-see matchups in college baseball UCSD has won seven of the nine meetings between these two teams, but Long Beach State got revenge last year when they eliminated UCSD from the NCAA regional
The Fans
UCSD baseball is more than a team, they’re a family. And that’s because of the fans. The fans are what make UCSD baseball so special.
They’re the ones who turn out in droves to support the team, no matter what the score is. They’re the ones who are always there to give a helping hand, whether it’s picking up a ball or offering a player a ride to the airport.
And, of course, they’re the ones who make sure that every player feels like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. That’s what makes UCSD baseball so special, and that’s why the fans are the ultimate guide to this team.
The Future
As we enter the 2020 season, the UCSD baseball roster is looking better than ever. Here are some of the players that fans should be excited about:
Pitcher Alec Tonti is a name to watch out for. As a freshman, he was named to the All-American Team and helped lead UCSD to its first ever College World Series appearance.
Outfielder Blake Maniopoulos is another player who made a big impact as a freshman. He batted over .400 and was named First Team All-American.
First baseman Ryan Medina is another key player on the UCSD roster. He batted cleanup for most of the 2019 season and led the team in home runs
Catcher Nick Paquette rounds out this list of exciting players on the UCSD baseball roster He was named Second Team All-American as a junior and will be a key leader for the team in 2020.