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Rice Baseball 2020: Previewing the Texas series

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The 2020 Rice baseball season begins with a three-game series against an in-state rival. The Owls welcome the Texas Longhorns to Reckling Park this weekend.

The long offseason is over and Rice baseball returns to the diamond on Valentine’s weekend for a three-game series with the Texas Longhorns. The Owls won their opening series a year ago, taking two of three from Rhode Island. A similar result this weekend against Texas would qualify as a great start to the 2020 campaign.

Game Notes

Times: Friday 7:00 p.m. | Saturday 5:00 p.m. | Sunday 1:00 p.m.
Venue: Reckling Park
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: CUSA TV (TBD)

Projected Pitching Matchups

Both staffs have question marks entering opening weekend. Here’s our best guess. Stats are from 2019.

Friday | Alex De Leon (7-3, 3.53 – JUCO) vs Bryce Elder (2-4, 2.93)
Saturday |Blake Brogdon (0-0, 27.00 – 1.1 IP) vs Ty Madden (4-1, 3.40)
Sunday | Kel Bordwine (1-3, 4.37)  OR Drake Greenwood (0-2, 7.81) vs Coy Cobb (1-3 3.45)

The availability of Roel Garcia probably impacts the pitching combinations somewhat. If he can go a few innings, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brogdon throw most of a game and Bordwine bumped into a long-relief role following a short outing from Garcia. We’ll have to see how it plays out.

Texas Pitching

Bryce Elder will be a challenging test for the Rice lineup on opening night. He’ll probably be one of the better arms the Owls face this year. He’ll be followed by Coy Cobb and most likely Ty Madden, both of which were regular starters for the Longhorns last season. Cole Quintanilla and Kamron Fields could be the first guys called from the pen. Each was among the leaders in appearances among the Texas staff last season.

Texas Hitting

The Texas lineup has a lot of talent, but most of it is unproven. Left fielder Eric Kennedy leads the way at the plate. He’s coming off a 2019 season in which he led the team with a .310 batting average and an .800 OPS. After him, center fielder Duke Ellis is probably the next most consistent hitter.

We’ll see a lot of young faces on the dirt against the Owls this weekend. Several true freshmen are likely to earn starting roles out of the gate. Two-way player Andre Duplantier and power hitter Brenden Dixon should both see plenty of action.

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Rice Baseball: Players chart course for Matt Bragga’s squad in Year 2

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There are high hopes for Rice baseball in 2020. Those expectations rest on the Owls’ players who will set the course for coach Matt Bragga’s second season.

The arrival of February has always brought joy to Rice baseball head coach Matt Bragga. No, it’s not Cupid, flowers or cheesy cards that make Bragga excited. February has always meant it’s finally time for baseball.

After an offseason that feels like it stretched on forever, Bragga and his blue and gray-clad ballplayers will take the field at Reckling Park on Valentine’s Day. Trading a nice quiet dinner with his wife for a ballpark full of boisterous fans is nothing new for Bragga. It’s become part of the all-encompassing responsibilities of leading a college baseball team.

More: Previewing the Owls’ starting lineup and defense

Leading Rice baseball, like leading every program Bragga has ever been responsible for, starts with letting go. Last week Bragga handed the reigns to his Iron Group, a collection of seniors and select juniors that Bragga trusts to be the catalyst for the team’s efforts this season.

Some coaches call it a leadership council. Others call it a steering group. Bragga has always labeled it an Iron Group, with purpose. Proverbs 27:17, the Bible verse from which the name originates, says “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Bragga believes he can guide and teach, but the onus rests on his players to make each other better every day. To sharpen each other.

“You want your guys to have ownership,” Bragga said, “It’s their team.”

That group met and set the goals for the upcoming 2020 Rice baseball season. Bragga said letting his players own that moment “makes [the goals] more real” than having them mandated from above.

Asked how big is too big or how small is too small, Bragga said if they put Omaha on the board “I’m in. If that’s what they say the goal is, and I hope they do because I think every college program should [aspire to reach the College World Series.”

More: Previewing the Owls’ pitching staff

On a more micro level, the team will focus on being what Bragga calls “five units strong”. To win any given game against any given opponent, Rice needs to have strong infield play, strong outfield play, strong catching, strong pitching and strong offense. That’s what the message from the top will be and has been from the moment Bragga arrived on campus. Having big goals is a good thing, but this team has been trained not to get caught up in the big picture and sacrifice the day-to-day steps it takes to get there.

“We can beat anybody if we go beat the game of baseball, “Bragga said. “Because there’s enough talent in that room to do that. That task starts Friday against the University of Texas. It’s not going to be easy, but as the old saying goes, that’s why they play the game. The Iron Group has set the course. Now it’s time to play ball.

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Rice Baseball 2020: Previewing the Owls’ pitching rotation and bullpen

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Pitching has always been the backbone of Rice baseball. Can the 2020 rotation and bullpen carry on that rich tradition of excellence?

It’s about time to get back to the ballpark for the beginning of the 2020 Rice baseball season. The Owls open up against long-time rival Texas on Valentine’s Day. Who will be on the mound for that Friday night tilt?

More: 2020 Rice Baseball lineup and position player breakdown

“Pitching is where the story is written most of the time,” head coach Matt Bragga said before diving into depth charts. With that as our frame of reference, here’s a breakdown of the potential starting pitching rotation and a look at the Owls’ bullpen.

Projected Starting Rotation

  1. Alex De Leon, RHP
  2. Roel Garcia, RHP
  3. Kel Bordwine, RHP
  4. Dalton Wood, RHP
  5. Drake Greenwood, RHP

I fully expect Alex De Leon to throw the first pitch of the 2020 Rice baseball season. Taking over for Matt Canterino is no small task, but De Leon has done nothing but impress in his short stint at Rice. Coach Matt Bragga said De Leon “has been our most consistent guy from the moment he got here as a junior college transfer until now.”

While De Leon will get the Opening Day nod, he could be supplanted down the line by Roel Garcia. After missing the entire 2019 season with injury, Garcia is getting close to being back to his usual self. He’s back on the mound and throwing bullpens, but isn’t likely to be extended more than a few innings until March.

That timeline would put him back in the starting rotation at the beginning of conference play. Bragga considers him “an absolute Friday night guy”, which could bode well for a rotation replacing two Top 5 round MLB draft picks, Canterino and Evan Kravetz.

The rest of the rotation is fluid. Kel Bordwine inserted himself into a weekend role late last season, but the staff has spoken highly of Dalton Wood, too. Wood came on strong at the end of the year, turning himself into a reliable piece out of the bullpen. Those two, along wide Drake Greenwood who was a midweek starter in 2019, will more than likely fill out the Sunday role and midweek jobs.

Projected Bullpen

  • Jack Conlon, RHP
  • Caleb Burgess, RHP
  • Matthew Santos, LHP
  • Andrew Kane, RHP
  • Blake Brogdon, RHP
  • A.C. Plum. RHP
  • Brandon Deskins, LHP
  • Ryan Rickett, RHP

Rice will be retooling in the bullpen as well. Garrett Gayle and Kendal Jefferies, their first two arms out of the pen on most nights, are both gone. The most intriguing name to watch is junior righty Jack Conlon. The former fourth round draft pick has a huge arm and has dazzled during the offseason. Bragga was adamant he’d have an important spot out of the bullpen.

Caleb Burgess is another guy who could ascend into the forefront of the relief corps. Currently rehabbing from Tommy John, Burgess “has a chance to be special” according to Bragga. Like Garcia, Burgess is likely to be eased in slowly as he works back toward being 100 percent.

Freshman Matthew Santos alongside transfers Andrew Kane and Ryan Rickett are three names to watch. Each of those guys has the potential to work themselves into a staple in the bullpen. They’ve each been successful at previous stops. Now they have to show they can do it at Rice. Meanwhile Blake Brogdon, A.C. Plum and Brandon Deskins have continued to develop after seeing brief action in 2019.

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Rice Baseball 2020: Previewing the Owls’ starting lineup

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It’s time to head back to Reckling Park for the beginning of the 2020 Rice Baseball season. Here’s a preview of the potential starting lineup.

The 2020 Rice baseball season is fast approaching. This year’s squad is composed of an intriguing combination of familiar faces, potent junior college additions and a host of younger players hoping to make a name for themselves.

First, a projected Opening Day lineup when Rice hosts Texas on February 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Projected Lineup

  1. Braden Comeaux, 3B
  2. Bradley Gneiting, RF
  3. Trei Cruz, SS
  4. Austin Bulman, 1B
  5. Brayden Combs, DH
  6. Cade Edwards, 2B
  7. Justin Collins, C
  8. Tyler Larue, LF
  9. Aaron Beaulaurier, CF

The Infield

Led by Preseason Conference USA Player of the Year Trei Cruz, the Owls have the makings of an explosive offense — at least on paper. Cruz was a late-round draft pick last year and should parlay himself into a much more lucrative selection at the end of this season. He slashed .305/.393/.519 in 2019 and was named a Cape Cod League All-Star during the summer. “It’s not normal and I mean that in a good way,” Coach Matt Bragga remarked of Cruz’s dedication to improvement. “It’s fun to watch. He’s going to have a great year.”

Joining Cruz in the field will be Braden Comeaux at third base and Cade Edwards at second base. They were two of the most reliable bats in the Rice lineup a year ago and should be fixtures in the starting nine this season. Both are .300 hitters with power to the gaps.

First base is a bit of a wildcard. JUCO transfer Austin Bulman is a third baseman by trade, but he’s been working hard to learn the other side of the diamond. The coaching staff is optimistic he’ll be ready to go by Opening Day. If he doesn’t start in the field, he’ll be the designated hitter. Bulman hit .381 with 16 doubles and 18 steals last season.

Designated Hitter and Catcher

Braden Combs will be the man platooning with him at first base, at least early on in the season. Another JUCO addition, Combs brings plenty of pop. He smashed 17 home runs and 17 doubles while batting .366 with 83 RBI last season. It’s hard to put one beyond the fence at Reckling Park, but if someone besides Cruz is going to threaten for 20+ dingers, it’s probably going to be Combs.

Catcher Justin Collins is another potential power bat. He hit seven home runs and 12 doubles last season. He led the team with 41 walks and scored 32 times, fifth-most on the team and the only hitter who spent most of his time outside the top four spots in the order to reach that high of a mark. Collins has plenty of upside.

The Outfield

While the infield (plus designated hitter) is more or less locked down, the outfield rotation is much less certain. The one certainty seems to be Bradley Gneiting. The senior filled in all over the diamond last year, seeing time at first and third base in addition to his usual spot in right field. He led the team in hits in 2019 and was one of two Owls (along with Edwards) to appear in all 59 games.

Beyond that, there are options, but few definitive answers. Aaron Beaulaurier and Dominic Cox are back. So are Antonio Cruz and Justin Dunlap. Those four known quantities will battle it out with newcomers Daniel Hernandez and Tyler Larue.

Hernandez has impressed with his versatility early on. He could play just about every infield spot minus first base and all three outfield slots. He has a good shot to see some of the field early.

Tyler Larue is the most likely freshman to start out of the gate. Coach Bragga called him “a special hitter”, speaking incredibly highly of his strength and ability to battle at the plate. He came into the program as a catcher, but the staff is going to make a concerted effort to get his bat into the lineup however they can.

That’s a lot of names for three spots. Assuming Gneiting is already on the top tier, that leaves six guys fighting for two spots. Ideally, a pair will rise up quickly. Bragga has indicated he’d love to keep the lineup card the same if the guys penciled in continue to play well.

More on the pitching staff next week…
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Top 10 moments from Rice Athletics in 2019

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2019 was an incredible year for Rice Athletics. It’s hard to boil down the success into a single list, but here are some of the most impactful moments of the year.

10. Baseball run-rules TCU at Shriner’s College Classic

Baseball’s first season under Matt Bragga was filled with ups and downs. The absolute shellacking the Owls’ laid on TCU at Minute Maid Park stands out as a high point. A perennial Omaha-bound squad, TCU looked stunned when the Rice exploded for nine runs in the final two innings. Cade Edwards blasted a dagger into the Crawford Boxes, ending the game in seven innings.

9. Football signs 17 in early signing period

The Owls haven’t had a top-five class in Conference USA since 2013, but are well on their way with the first installments of the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class. Rice entered the early signing period in the top four classes in the conference and has a few more weeks to add to the total. Dynamic athletes like Sean Fresch, Andrew Mason, Plae Wyatt and Mike Leone are going to help raise the floor, and the ceiling, for this program.

8.  Soccer goes 6-3-1 in C-USA play

The first year under a new head coach is filled with uncertainty, but Rice soccer and Brian Lee had a tremendous 2019 season. Rice won 10 games for the fifth time in six years and lost just one conference game, a feat the program achieved only one other time this decade.

7. Blaze Alldredge named first-team All-Conference USA

From junior college to the top of Conference USA, Blaze Alldredge’s story is incredible. He was the leader of a Rice defense that went from one of the conference’s worst to one of its’ best and is expected to return Alldredge and the majority of its key contributors in 2020. Neither Alldredge or this defense will fly under the radar next year.

6. Anthony Rendon wins World Series

In a moment bittersweet for native Houstonians, former Rice baseball great Anthony Rendon won the World Series in his hometown. The Washington Nationals’ third baseman had eight hits in the series, including a pair of game-changing home runs. He celebrated by signing a 7-year, $245 million contract with the Los Angels Angels during the offseason.

5. Women’s basketball makes NCAA Tournament

Rice Women’s basketball looked every bit the part in their first NCAA Tournament appearance of the decade. The Owls pushed Marquette to the wire, faltering late. The duo of Erica Ogwumike and Nancy Mulkey gave opponents nightmares and both are back for another shot in 2020.

4. Volleyball upsets No. 3 Texas

Rice volleyball delivered their biggest win in program history in front of a record crowd at Tudor Fieldhouse. It took five all five sets, but the home team delivered an upset for the ages, downing then-No. 3 Texas before celebrations broke out all over the arena. It’s hard to find an individual win more impressive than this one across all of Rice Athletics in 2019.

3. Women’s Basketball and Volleyball ranked for the first time ever

The upswing in Rice Athletics could be encapsulated in the first-time rankings of the women’s basketball and volleyball programs. Both teams had stellar seasons that warranted national attention. Not only did they both receive those honors, but they changed the perception of Rice on the national stage. Rice is no longer just any other school, it’s an elite institution with high-caliber athletes that can win big.

2. Football closes with three straight wins

There were rumblings of improvement, but an 0-9 start had Rice football in a tough spot. They knew they needed to start winning — and they’d come close several times — but getting over the hump proved to be a tougher task than expected. Once Rice got the taste of victory, they didn’t look back. The football team closed the year with three straight wins, the first time Rice has ended the year that well since 2013 when they won the conference title.

1. Women’s Basketball goes undefeated C-USA

No matter the sport or the conference, going undefeated is really hard to do. Rice women’s basketball did just that, blowing out the majority of their conference opponents in dazzling fashion on their way to a conference championship. Including the conference tournament, the Owls went a perfect 19-0 against Conference opponents.

Honorable Mentions…

How about you? Which of these moments did you enjoy the most? Which events should be added to the list?

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