The source for Rice sports news

Rice Baseball: Bullpen fades as 2019 draws to a close

By

The 2019 Rice baseball season is in the books, closing the door on a bullpen which simply ran out of gas in the final weeks of the year.

The end of the 2019 season was jarring for the Rice bullpen. Four consecutive walk-off losses with blown save opportunities took their toll on a unit which had been up and down all year. Reasons for confidence were lacking, adding to the immense pressure each of these guys was facing whenever they took the mound.

More Season Review — Starting Pitching — Fielding — Lineup

Beyond the scope of one awful week, though, the bullpen had its moments. Pitcher for pitcher, here’s a look at how they faired over the duration of the 2019 season.

Kendal Jefferies

3-4 Record | 4.15 ERA | 23 Appearances | 43.1 Innings | 41 K | 14 BB | .294 Batting Avg Against

There was a period of time when Jefferies was the most reliable option Rice had in the pen. Particularly early in the season, he posted superb outings against UC-Irvine, Houston and Oklahoma. He less effective in conference play, opening the door for others to see opportunities on the bump.

Dalton Wood

1-0 Record | 4.23 ERA | 20 Appearances (1 Start) | 27.2 Innings | 21 K | 11 BB | .270 Batting Avg Against

Wood was one of the youngest arms in a veteran-laden relief corps who saw additional opportunities at the tail end of conference play. He made two appearances in the CUSA tournament, allowing one hit in 2.2 innings pitched. His role will increase in 2020.

Blair Lewis

3-2 Record | 4.28 ERA | 18 Appearances | 40 Innings | 24 K | 8 BB | .291 Batting Avg Against

One of the grittiest performers on the team, Blair Lewis had a solid senior season. He isn’t one with lights out stuff, but he always threw strikes and forced opposing batters to deal with him. He posted three or more strikeouts three times this season, griding through the lineup as one of the most effective innings eaters Rice had at their disposal.

Garrett Gayle

0-3 Record | 5.53 ERA | 20 Appearances (1 Start) | 40.2 Innings | 47 K | 20 BB | .286 Batting Avg Against

A recent MLB Draft selection, Gayle had his moments in 2019. He competed well, but command issues hampered his ability to go more than two innings often before being hooked. He led all relievers with 20 walks, but also topped the unit in strikeouts. There’s a lot of potential with Gayle if he can keep his command.

Drake Greenwood

0-2 Record | 7.81 ERA | 16 Appearances (3 Start) | 27.2 Innings | 24 K | 19 BB | .308 Batting Avg Against

After transferring into the program, Greenwood’s role on the team wasn’t clearly defined. He auditioned as a midweek starter when the Owls had the occasional pair of midweek games, but never showed enough to stick in that role.

Ben Schragger

0-0 Record | 8.53 ERA | 7 Appearances | 6.1 Innings | 1 K | 9 BB | .292 Batting Avg Against

Schragger presented a different look for opposing batters with his sidearm motion. The potential for a change of pace never materialized for him due to an inability to throw strikes.

Jackson Tyner

0-3 Record | 9 ERA | 12 Appearances | 12 Innings | 13 K | 15 BB | .214 Batting Avg Against

Tyner’s power arm flashed on several occasions early in the season. His .214 batting average against was the best in the bullpen and he was the only reliever with a sub 10 hits per nine innings rate. It wasn’t easy to make hard contact against Tyner, but he too failed to consistently make his pitches in the strike zone.

Addison Moss

1-1 Record | 9.98 ERA | 7 Appearances (2 Start) | 15.1 Innings | 8 K | 7 BB | 0.379 Batting Avg Against

The supposed Saturday starter, Addison Moss was never healthy enough to assume his spot in the rotation. He made two starts and a handful of relief appearances before being shut down for the season.

Reserves

A.C. Plum | 0-0 Record | 9.82 ERA | 5 Appearances | 3.2 Innings | 5 K | 2 BB | .278 Batting Avg Against
Benjamin Content | 0-0 Record | 10.38 ERA | 6 Appearances | 4.1 Innings | 3 K | 6 BB | .316 Batting Avg Against
Brandon Deskins | 0-0 Record | 11.12 ERA | 7 Appearances | 5.2 Innings | 7 K | 9 BB | .292 Batting Avg Against
Zach Esquivel | 1-0 Record | 12 ERA | 5 Appearances | 3 Innings | 2 K | 7 BB | .333 Batting Avg Against
Blake Brogdon | 0-0 Record | 27 ERA | 1 Appearances | 1.1 Innings | 0 K | 1 BB | .625 Batting Avg Against

The remainder of the bullpen saw sparse duty, mostly during the nonconference slate. None of these guys threw more than six innings making it a challenge to truly evaluate their contribution to the team.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Stat Pack: Finding more pass catchers key to offensive equilibrium

By

Rice football trusted a selected few to catch the football in 2018, something which must change if the Owls want to succeed in producing a balanced offense.

After discussing the balanced scheme Rice football would like to employ it seemed worth digging down another layer. A 50/50 run/pass split is around the neighborhood the offense will be aiming towards, but how does that ideal manifest itself on the field with the players Rice has on its roster?

Part of the reason Rice seemed to be more run-dominant than they were last year was the sheer volume of rushers. 16 different players registered at least one carry last season, second-most in Conference USA. A layer deeper still, 40 percent of all ballcarriers at Rice racked up at least 40 carries, the highest rate among all CUSA teams.

In a nutshell, not only did Rice rely on the run, they shared the load among several different backs. Contrasting that against the Rice passing game is where things get interesting. 10 players caught at least one pass for Rice last season, the fewest total in the conference and significantly fewer than the league average of 15.5 players.

Of those pass catchers, five caught 10 or more passes. The conference as a whole averaged 6.5 players with as many receptions per team. If your name wasn’t Austin Walter, Aaron Cephus or Austin Trammell, you probably weren’t getting the football.

When Rice ran the ball they had options. When they threw the ball, there were only a few guys who emerged as consistent receiving threats. The Owls’ ratio of 10+ carry players to 10+ reception players was the second-highest in the conference, trailing only FAU. The run/pass balance evened out in the long run, but the path to get there was wobbly.

In order to maintain the balance they’re aiming for, another legitimate pass-catching weapon (or two) need to emerge in 2019. JUCO transfer Bradley Rozner and a healthy Jonathan Sanchez could be the missing pieces the Owls need.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Baseball: Six Owls selected in 2019 MLB Draft

By

Headlined by pitcher Matt Canterino, a Day 1 selection by the Minnesota Twins, six Rice baseball players heard their names called in the 2019 MLB Draft.

Round 2 (54) – Twins – Matt Canterino

The most unsurprising Rice selection, Canterino was off the board early. His Rice career ends after a superb junior season where he finished with a 2.81 ERA in 99.1 innings.

Round 5 (155) – Reds – Evan Kravetz

Most assumed Kravetz would be a Day 2 selection. Instead he ended up closer to being a Day 1 selection than a Day 3 choice. Kravetz was off the board in the first 100 picks of the second day, impressing enough during his senior season to climb all the way to the fifth round.

Round 12 (376) – Astros – Garrett Gayle

One of the Owls’ most talented bullpen arms from 2019, Gayle was the only Rice reliever chosen this year. His 2019 splits weren’t overwhelming, but there’s a lot about his game to like.

Round 27 (807) – Blue Jays – Roel Garcia

Garcia missed the entire 2019 season and is now faced with a decision to make. Being selected in the back half of the draft makes a player’s decision to sign with their respective team far from a sure thing. Garcia certainly would have the chance to elevate his stock with another year at South Main.

Round 37 (1113) – Nationals – Trei Cruz

Those same sentiments go for Cruz. An impressive hitter with plenty of power and tools at the plate, Cruz can easily play his way into a Top 10 round selection with more discipline in the field and improved decision making at the plate.

Round 37 (1118) – Rays – Addison Moss

Although he did make a handful of appearances, Moss was never truly healthy this season. Projected to be the Saturday man entering the year, he’ll be a much higher selection in 2020 should he return to school.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

MLB Draft: Matt Canterino selected by Minnesota Twins in Second Round

By

Pitcher Matt Canterino is the first Rice baseball player selected in the 2019 MLB Draft, chosen by the Minnesota Twins in the second round.

Canterino entered the 2019 season with high expectations. After spending time with Team USA over the winter, the prospective early round pick put together an impressive spring campaign. Billed as the ace of a strong starting rotation, Canterino delivered in every way possible. Even his off days were strong starts. His best days, were MLB-caliber.

The Rice junior threw 99.1 innings with a 2.81 ERA and a stunning .970 WHIP. His 121 strikeouts were the most among Conference USA pitchers. He threw his first career complete game against FIU on April 5.

Those strong numbers did nothing but bolster his already potent MLB Draft stock. With Rice seeing their season end after a four-game conference tournament run, Canterino was able to turn his attention to the draft. And wait.

With the 54th selection of the second round, the Minnesota Twins selected Matt Canterino.

Several other Owls hope to hear their names called in the coming days. For now, Canterino becomes the most recent Rice player drafted since four Owls were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Shortstop Ford Proctor was chosen by the Tampa Bay Rays in the third round. Pitcher Ricky Salinas went to the Cincinnati Reds in the 25th Round. Outfielder Cody Staab was picked by the Seattle Mariners in the 30th Round. 2019 Signee Antonio Cruz was a 40th Round selection by the Houston Astros before opting to go to school.

2019 MLB Draft schedule

The 2019 MLB Draft runs from June 3 to June 5. Rounds 1 and 2 will take place Monday (June 3), televised on the MLB Network. The final two days will available to watch on MLB.com Round 3 through Round 10 will take place Tuesday (June 4) with the remaining Rounds 11-40 on Wednesday (June 5).

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football: Owls extend four offers at 3-Stripe Camp

By

Rice football had the opportunity to host the Adidas 3 Stripe Camp over the weekend, bringing top coaches and players to Houston on Saturday.

It was a big weekend at South Main. More than 500 recruits arrived on campus to participate in the Adidas 3 Stripe camp. After evaluating the talent at hand, Rice handed out four new offers: athlete Trey Johnson (Cy Falls), wide receiver Devin Gunter (Ridge Point), wide receiver Kade Renfrow (Stephenville) and linebacker Kenneth Phillips III (Fort Bend Bush).

If there was a common theme with the offers that went out this weekend, it was speed. Gunter turned heads with a blazing 40-yard dash during drills and Phillips and Johnson weren’t far behind. Getting speed at the skill positions is an area Rice needs to improve on. Several of these guys are built in that mold and there could be others from the weekend who get their names added to the list down the road.

Rice Football, Rice Football RecruitingThe Owls have been hard at work on a few targets who weren’t able to make it to campus this weekend as well. Shreveport, LA linebacker Geron Hargon and Mission Viejo, CA defensive end Lance Kenely like what they’re hearing from the Owls.

After picking up offers from Rice in the spring, both guys have stayed in contact with the staff. In that short time, Hargon went so far as to say “Rice has made a big jump recently on my list”, citing the genuine nature of the staff and their clear commitment to creating a stronger future. Keneley is working to finish up his school year in California but plans to do everything he can to get to campus at some point this summer.

June will be a busy one for Rice. They’ll bring more recruits to campus for visits as they continue to build on CUSA’s No. 1 class.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts