The 2021 Rice baseball starting rotation might look different next year, but the Owls look to have avoided significant losses to the MLB on the mound.
The NCAA’s decision to award an extra year of eligibility to spring sport seniors could come into play here as well. There hasn’t been much in the way of definite statements as to which players will (or won’t) be returning to Reckling Park next season. For now, we’ll assume most players will.
With that in mind. Here’s what our lineup projection looked like entering the 2020 season.
Projected Starting Rotation as of Jan 31
- Alex De Leon, RHP
- Roel Garcia, RHP
- Kel Bordwine, RHP
- Dalton Wood, RHP
- Drake Greenwood, RHP
For the time being, none of these five have announced plans to be anywhere else in 2021. That includes Garcia, who likely would have been a draft pick had the draft not been severely shortened and his health afford him more chances on the rubber this past spring.
2021 Projected Starting Rotation
- Roel Garcia, RHP
- Blake Brogdon, RHP
- Dalton Wood, RHP
- Alex DeLeon, RHP
- Kel Bordwine, RHP
Garcia and Wood’s almost nonexistent usage in 2020 was driven by injuries. With another full offseason (and more) to recover, both should challenge for weekend rotation spots next season. That would make DeLeon the man on the bubble after Brogdon impressed in his first few turns through the rotation in 2020. His 4.19 ERA was the second-best among all weekend starters except for Drake Greenwood’s 3.94.
The Bullpen
The bullpen had a lot of unknowns entering 2020. Some of those were answered. Brandon Deskins came on strong. Cristian Cienfuegos, Garret Zaskoda and Joshua Larzabal each had extended looks. All four will likely factor into the bullpen usage in some way in 2021. Who else earns key roles will depend on what happens with fall practice and preseason scrimmages.
