Xavier Baseball: 2020 Season Preview

02.12.20 | Baseball

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Coming off a second-place finish in the BIG EAST, Xavier baseball looks to build on a strong 2019 campaign where the Musketeers challenged for the BIG EAST regular season and tournament championships. Xavier finished 2019 at 27-31 overall against the one of toughest non-conference schedules in the nation and posted a 12-4 record in a conference schedule abbreviated by a pair of rainouts. Xavier earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, where the Musketeers advanced to the BIG EAST Championship series, finishing runners-up to Creighton.

Ahead of the 2020 season, Xavier baseball was picked in a three-way tie for second place in the BIG EAST by the league coaches with four preseason all-conference honorees. The Musketeers collected 28 points in the preseason poll, including one first place vote, to match Seton Hall and St. John's for second place. Creighton was picked first with 29 points.

Xavier baseball gets the 2020 season underway on Friday, February 14, opening up the season with a three-game series at Memphis.

ON THE MOUND

The Musketeers return a strong core from last season's bullpen, including sophomore Lane Flamm, a unanimous selection to the preseason All-BIG EAST squad after earning Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American and All-BIG EAST Second Team honors following his rookie season. As a freshman, the righty emerged as the Musketeers' go-to closer, appearing in 25 games as a reliever. Flamm finished with an ERA of 2.68 overall and 1.80 in BIG EAST action, collecting eight saves in 53.2 innings of work last season, with four coming in against conference opponents. Flamm, who will move into the starting rotation in 2020, allowed just 16 earned runs with 47 strikeouts overall in 2019, with only three runs allowed in 15.0 innings of work in BIG EAST play.

The Musketeers also return a pair of starters from 2019 in Nick Zwack and Griffin Lanoue. Zwack, a lefty entering his junior season, made 20 appearances with 12 starts in 2019, finishing with a record of 4-3 and an ERA of 6.28. Zwack gave up 37 earned runs on 61 hits, struck out 43 and walked just 24 in 53.0 innings of work as a sophomore. Lanoue made 10 starts in 13 appearances during 2019, finishing the season with a 3-3 record after allowing 34 earned runs on 54 hits, while striking out 25 in 45.1 innings of work.

Junior Trevor Olson, who appeared in 22 games and made one start last season, is expected to work in to the rotation during the 2020. The left-hander ended 2019 with an ERA of 6.19 in 36.1 innings of work, with 31 strikeouts to just 16 bases on balls.

The Musketeers also return an experienced bullpen in a pair of graduate students, Sam Czabala, Trey Schramm. Czabala, a lefty, made 18 relief appearances in 2019, posting an ERA of 3.44 in 34.0 innings pitched with a record of 3-2. Czabala allowed just 13 earned runs on 26 hits with 27 strikeouts to his credit and just 10 walks. Schramm, appeared in 20 games in relief for the Musketeers last season. The righty went 3-2 on the season with an ERA of 5.66 in 35.0 innings of work, allowing 22 earned runs on 38 hits with 19 strikeouts.

Xavier also returns junior relievers Henry Miller and Evan Miller, and adds an influx of talent on the mound with a deep freshman class, adding right handers Ethan Bosacker, Michael Dillon, Connor Gill, Shawn Hepler, Luke McCollough, Xander Rojahn, Bobby Spencer and Cooper Williams, as well as lefty Jack Lynch.

The Musketeers' lost a trio of regulars on the mound in Conor Grammes, Matt Kent and Damien Richard. Grammes, a fifth round selection in the MLB Draft by the Diamondbacks, was a unanimous selection to the 2019 All-BIG EAST First Team after posting a 3.95 ERA in 14 appearances, the best mark among Xavier's starters. Grammes allowed 30 earned runs on 48 hits in 68.1 innings of work, finishing with five wins in his junior season. Grammes had a team-leading 79 strikeouts in 2019, including 38 Ks of BIG EAST opponents during the regular season. At the plate, Grammes, who primarily filled the designated hitter spot in his junior season, led the Musketeers with a .333 average and a team-high 75 hits in 58 games.

Kent made 16 appearances, including five starts, in 2019 with an ERA of 7.41, finishing last season with 25 strikeouts to 24 walks in 34.0 innings pitched. Richard made 16 appearances, including nine starts last season, finishing with an ERA of 5.32. He struck out 57 with 25 walks in 67.2 innings pitched.

BEHIND THE PLATE

Returning behind the plate, senior catcher Natale Monastra earned the first preseason honors of his career following his selection to the All-BIG EAST Second Team following his junior campaign. Monastra finished the 2019 season with a fielding percentage of .997, the highest among Xavier's regular players. Monastra has just one error in 51 appearances, and has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 13 starts in BIG EAST play. At the plate, Monastra had a .313 average in BIG EAST play and a .237 mark overall for 2019. He finished with 41 total hits, with 15 in conference action, including five doubles, three triples and four home runs. All three of Monastra's triples came against conference opponents.

Luke Stephenson, who made 28 appearances, including 12 starts at catcher, also returns as a key reserve. Stephenson batted .203 on the season and .231 in BIG EAST play. Freshman Mason McLeod also joins the Musketeers at catcher.

MUSKETEER INFIELD

The Xavier infield features a pair of Preseason BIG EAST All-Conference selections entering the 2020 season. Sophomore Jack Housinger earned the preseason all-conference nod at shortstop after earning Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American and All-BIG EAST Second Team honors following last season. He made 55 appearances for the Musketeers in 2019, including 50 starts, primarily at third base. As a freshman, he batted .275 on the season, with 47 hits and a team-high matching 36 walks for an on-base percentage of .407. Housinger had 12 doubles on the season, with five coming in BIG EAST play. Housinger finished his freshman year with fielding percentage of .974 with only four errors, and just one of those coming during conference play.

Junior infielder Ryan Altenberger was the league's preseason selection at second base after a sophomore campaign where he hit .259 in 158 plate appearances, coming around for 32 runs on 41 hits and 27 walks. He finished 2019 with a slugging percentage of .443, finishing with 12 doubles a triple and five home runs, collecting multiple hits in 11 games last year. The junior also collected eight stolen bases in 14 attempts last season. Altenberger started in 45 games, making 38 starts at second base, in 2019, finishing the season with a fielding percentage of .974.

The Xavier infield also returns sophomore infielder Kody Darcy, who appeared in Xavier's starting line-up 26 times, including 10 conference match-ups during his freshman season, primarily at third base. Darcy finished conference play with a .206 average in 11 BIG EAST appearances, scoring seven runs on seven hits against BIG EAST opponents. Reserves Eddie Rivero and Jackson Kaplowitz also return in 2020.

Xavier adds junior college transfer Sam Olson to the infield. Olson made 51 appearances, primarily at shortstop, for Heartland Community College in 2019, batting .294 with 52 hits, 48 runs scored and 28 RBI. The Musketeers also added a pair of freshmen infielders in Jonathan Kelly and Jared Gadd to the squad.

The Musketeers lost a pair of all-conference performers in Chris Givin and Matt Warkentin. Givin was a unanimous choice to the All-BIG EAST First Team in 2019 after the shortstop collected 75 hits in 58 games on the season, batting .306 overall and .309 in BIG EAST play. Givin had a team-high four triples, to go with including 11 doubles, and seven home runs for a slugging percentage of .471 during his senior season. Givin was selected by the Padres in the 19^th round of the 2019 MLB First Year Players Draft. Matt Warkentin was the Musketeers' primary first baseman, appearing in 51 games in 2019. Warkentin finished the season hitting .264 with 37 RBI on 58 hits, including six doubles and nine home runs for a .414 slugging percentage.

XAVIER OUTFIELD

Two of Xavier's everyday starting outfielder from 2019 return for the Musketeers this season, junior Allbry Major and sophomore Luke Franzoni. Major leads the returning Musketeers in batting average from 2019, finishing .281 at the plate through 51 starts. Major collected 57 hits, including a team-high 15 doubles and brought in 34 RBI during his sophomore season where he played primarily in left field.

Franzoni made 42 appearances during his rookie season, including 32 starts, mostly in center field. Franzoni hit .254 for his freshman season, hitting his stride during BIG EAST play where batted .320 in 14 appearances with a .620 slugging percentage, boosted by a team-high four homeruns against BIG EAST opponents. Franzoni led the Musketeers with 11 homers overall for a team-best slugging percentage of .563 for the season. His 35 RBI from 2019 are the most among Xavier's returners.

Xavier also returns reserves Andrew Sexton, who made 17 starts in 45 appearances for the Musketeers, and Andrew Walker. The Musketeers also add a trio of newcomers in Garrett Schultz, Jack Krumbach and Tyce Brown.

From 2019, the Musketeers lost every day starter at right field Jake Shepski, who made 54 starts in 55 appearances, batting .286 and leading the team with 43 RBI during his lone season at Xavier as a graduate student. The Musketeers also lost key reserve Ryan Fournier, who made 28 appearances, including 13 starts in the outfield, as a senior in 2019.