2014 ACC Baseball Thread

[Edisto_Tiger]

2014 College Preview: ACC - BaseballAmerica.com

Atlantic Coast Conference

Atlantic Division: Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Wake Forest.

Coastal Division: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech.

TOP 20 PROSPECTS, 2014 DRAFT

1. Carlos Rodon, lhp, N.C. State
2. Trea Turner, ss, N.C. State
3. Luke Weaver, rhp, Florida State
4. Derek Fisher, of, Virginia
5. Andrew Suarez, lhp, Miami
6. Pat Connaughton, rhp, Notre Dame
7. Mike Papi, of/1b, Virginia
8. Nick Howard, rhp, Virginia
9. Branden Cogswell, ss/2b, Virginia
10. Brandon Downes, of, Virginia
11. Chris Marconcini, 1b/of, Duke
12. Boo Vazquez, of, Pittsburgh
13. Benton Moss, rhp, North Carolina
14. Logan Jernigan, rhp, N.C. State
15. Daniel Gossett, rhp, Clemson
16. Mark Zagunis, c, Virginia Tech
17. Brett Austin, c, N.C. State
18. Landon Lassiter, 3b, North Carolina
19. Andrew Chin, lhp, Boston College
20. Garrett Boulware, c, Clemson

TOP 10 PROSPECTS, 2015 DRAFT

1. Skye Bolt, of, North Carolina
2. Nathan Kirby, lhp, Virginia
3. Jameis Winston, rhp/of, Florida State
4. Steven Duggar, of, Clemson
5. D.J. Stewart, of, Florida State
6. Trent Thornton, rhp, North Carolina
7. Joe McCarthy, of, Virginia
8. David Thompson, 3b, Miami
9. Korey Dunbar, c, North Carolina
10. Tyler Krieger, ss Clemson


Checking in: Notre Dame (from Big East), Pittsburgh (from Big East).

Checking out: None.

Conference Tournament: Eight teams, group play. May 20-25 at Greensboro, N.C.

Team to Beat: Virginia.

Preseason No. 1 is athletic, deep, powerful, fast and experienced. Pitching is less proven but extremely talented.

Player of the Year: Trea Turner, ss, N.C. State.

With blazing speed, quick hands and rare baseball savvy, Turner is the most exciting player in college baseball.

Pitcher of the Year: Carlos Rodon, lhp, N.C. State.

Already a two-time All-American, Rodon’s premium fastball, premium slider, nasty competitive streak and big-game track record make him the clear favorite to be drafted No. 1 overall.

Freshman of the Year: Chris Okey, c, Clemson.

A gifted defender with an advanced feel for the game, Okey took charge behind the plate this fall, and he also should make an impact with his bat.

Top 25 Teams: (1) Virginia, (5) N.C. State, (6) Florida State, (13) Clemson, (16) Miami, (17) North Carolina.

Other Projected Regional Teams:

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have plenty of experience on the infield, where 3B Matt Gonzalez and SS Mott Hyde form a very offensive left half. The rotation features plenty of arm strength with veteran RHPs Dusty Isaacs and Cole Pitts along with tenacious LHP Jonathan King, but all three had ERAs above 4 last year and must show they have improved their feel for pitching. If freshman position players like Elliott Barzilli, Keenan Innis and Ryan Peurifoy mature quickly, Georgia Tech should be in regionals for the seventh straight year.

Notable Storylines: The ACC expands from 12 to 14 teams with the additions of Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. Former Boston College coach Mik Aoki returns to the ACC as head coach at Notre Dame, which must replace sluggers Eric Jagielo and Trey Mancini but has a potential ace in righty Pat Connaughton, a basketball player with a fastball that reaches the mid-90s. Pitt, like Notre Dame, competed for a regional last year in the Big East but lost a number of key pieces, led by catcher Elvin Soto and ace Ethan Mildren. The Panthers’ strength is their hard-hitting outfield (upperclassmen Boo Vazquez, Stephen Vranka and Casey Roche) . . . With 11 pitchers who touched 91 or better on scout day, Duke is deeper than ever on the mound and has a dangerous lineup centerpiece in slugger Chris Marconcini. Dogged LHP Trent Swart is a battle-hardened ACC ace, and RHP Mike Matuella is a breakout candidate who touched the mid-90s this fall. It won’t be easy to break a 52-year regional drought, but Duke has a shot . . . Add Virginia Tech to the list of ACC teams that have big shoes to fill. Stalwarts like Chad Pinder and Tyler Horan are gone from a Virginia Tech team that hosted its first regional last year, leaving Mark Zagunis and Sean Keselica as capable anchors of a depleted lineup. Keselica is one of the most important players in the league; the lefthander figures to be the Saturday starter when he’s not at first base. But Zagunis is one of the league’s most well-rounded players, a catcher who hits for average (.341 last year) and power (nine homers) while also providing speed (36 career stolen bases in 46 tries).

 

[Red_Alert]

 

[obxyankeefan]

WA HOO WA. After football it feels good to be able to say that again.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Bueller ........ Bueller ....... Bueller .......

 

[SuperGnat]

The Heels won their series with Xavier (2-1), but continue to struggle at the plate. Today a couple of Freshman sealed the win with some timely hitting in the 9th to win the game 3-2. This group may be pretty good come May, but it's going to be painful getting to that point.

 

[Papa]

Conference slate begins this weekend.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

I sure hope we show up for conference play. That garbage they called baseball this past weekend against the dirtpeckers isn't going to cut it.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

My Tigers aren't looking that strong so far this year. We've already dropped 5 games and gotten swept once.

 

[Papa]

FSU takes the series against Maryland 2 games to 1. Maryland's Friday and Saturday starters are very good, and their defense is as good as I have ever seen (they've been awful in the past, usually). Their Sunday guy isn't good, nor is their pen, but the other two guys will give any team a run for their money.

Final series Maryland will play in Dick Howser as an ACC member...we had lots of fun with that.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Well, we got to break out the brooms today. A sweep of the Hokies over the weekend.

 

[hokiehi21]

Well, we got to break out the brooms today. A sweep of the Hokies over the weekend.

We took the anger out on Pitt


But yeah the Hokies are pretty bad this year. No pitching whatsoever.

 

[SuperGnat]

Congrats on the Hokies sweeping Pitt. Something we couldn't do...I thought they were pretty good.

 

[Trevler]

I'm happy the Terps were able to take 1 out of three from their three toughest opponents so far(Florida, FSU and UNC). Their conference schedule is very top heavy. The next two conference opponents are NC State and Clemson. It would be nice to steal one series from one of the two. After the Clemson series, the rest of the conference schedule gets a lot easier.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

I'm happy the Terps were able to take 1 out of three from their three toughest opponents so far(Florida, FSU and UNC). Their conference schedule is very top heavy. The next two conference opponents are NC State and Clemson. It would be nice to steal one series from one of the two. After the Clemson series, the rest of the conference schedule gets a lot easier.

I think we are mediocre at best this season. We've already dropped 7 games.

 

[Trevler]

I think we are mediocre at best this season. We've already dropped 7 games.

MD baseball has been improving, but a mediocre season for Clemson is considered a good season for the Terps.

 

[Trevler]

The Terps shutout NC State 10-0. Hopefully the Terps can win the series.

 

[SuperGnat]

The Heels take the first game against Ga. Tech in 11 innings. Double header today as Sunday's weather looks bad.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

We stole 1 from the Noles yesterday. A nice start to the weekend. And the dirtpeckers lost too!

 

[Trevler]

The Terps beat NC State 7-4 today taking the first two of the series.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Well, we lost both games in the double header to FSU today.

The dirtpeckers lost again though, so it's not all bad news.