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Rice Baseball: Way too early look at the 2021 pitching staff

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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

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

  1. Roel Garcia, RHP
  2. Blake Brogdon, RHP
  3. Dalton Wood, RHP
  4. Alex DeLeon, RHP
  5. 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.

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Mississippi Flag draws NCAA criticism in wake of social changes

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The NCAA has revised its policies regarding the Mississippi State flag, potentially impacting Conference USA member school Southern Miss.

Social changes sweeping the nation continue to impact college sports, including Conference USA. The state of Mississippi is one of the most recent to come under fire. Restrictions surrounding the state flag, which bears a Confederate logo, have become increasingly more intense.

First, the SEC announced they would not be holding conference championship events in Mississippi until the flag was changed. Conference USA added their concerns soon after, stopping short of a total ban on par with the SEC. Instead, their admonition came across as more of a concern.

The NCAA followed with the hammer. Their demands were crystal clear: if the flag flies, the NCAA will not allow championship events of any kind in the state.

NCAA Chairman and Ohio State president Michael V. Drake was explicit in his statement:

There is no place in college athletics or the world for symbols or acts of discrimination and oppression. We must continually evaluate ways to protect and enhance the championship experience for college athletes. Expanding the Confederate flag policy to all championships is an important step by the NCAA to further provide a quality experience for all participants and fans.

Public universities in the state of Mississippi have not flown the flag for several years. Southern Miss, Conference USA’s tie into this discussion, does not fly the flag either. But it is flown in the state of Mississippi, making the future uncertain.

Southern Miss is tentatively scheduled to host the Conference USA Baseball championship in 2022, but it’s possible there could be conflict before then. If, for example, the Golden Eagles qualify to host a regional in baseball they would not be allowed to do so under the new NCAA policy.

Public pressure for change has never been higher. The financial ramifications of losing collegiate championship events are not trivial.

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Rice Athletics: Bubble inflation some good news on South Main

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Rice Athletics has its bubble. After more than a year of waiting, the Waltrip Indoor Training center has been inflated and will soon be ready for use.

Originally announced last summer, the Waltrip Indoor Training Center is nearing completion. For the first time, the bubble, as it is more often referred to, began being inflated on Friday morning. It’s expected to be permanently inflated in the coming weeks.

The inflation process capped off an extended construction period that was delayed by electrical issues a year ago and a pandemic this spring.

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The structure is named after Robert L. Waltrip. The lead gift giver, Waltrip was recruited to Rice under head coach Jess Neely in 1953. The center stands adjacent to Historic Rice Stadium in the attached parking lot. In his original statement so many months ago, Waltrip voiced his excitement for the project:

“I am grateful to be in the position to support this facility, which will have such a positive impact for student-athletes and the entire Rice community,” Waltrip said. “My connection to Rice began when I was young and my father would take me to football games at the old Rice Field. That connection stayed with me through my college years and into my adulthood. This is my hometown school and I will always be proud to be a Rice Owl.”

The inflatable indoor facility is yet another infrastructure addition for Rice Athletics in recent history. The Brian Patterson center was the most recent new construction, completed in the Fall of 2016. That, combined with the bubble, will help keep Rice in the arms race that is modern college athletics recruiting.

Further renovations to the stadium itself were under consideration prior to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 crisis in recent months. There is no set timetable for those changes at this time. When the time is right, they will be at the forefront for consideration.

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Rice Baseball: Way too early look at 2021 lineup

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The 2021 Rice baseball lineup will look different without Trei Cruz. Here’s a first pass at what players might trot out for the Owls on opening weekend next season.

Rice baseball hasn’t played many games since we last projected the starting lineup. Even still, so much has happened with the canceled season at the forefront of many of the developments.

Most notably, Trei Cruz was recently drafted by the Detroit Tigers. He has since signed. Rodrigo Duluc and Tyler LaRue intend to transfer. Those are the notable changes to the roster as of mid-June.

Earlier in the spring, the NCAA announced seniors in spring sports would be granted an additional year of eligibility. How that plays out from a scholarship situation will be handled on a case-by-case basis. To that end, we don’t have a definitive answer on which seniors will (or won’t) return in 2021. For the purposes of this exercise, we’ll assume they will come back.

With that in mind. Here’s what our lineup projection looked like entering the 2020 season.

Starting lineup projection as of Jan 31

  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

And here’s our projection in mid-June, taking into account the losses of Trei Cruz and Tyler LaRue.

2021 starting lineup projection

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

The most important new addition is Ole Miss transfer Connor Walsh. His commitment in early June was huge for the Owls. He’s the likely replacement behind Trei Cruz. The third outfield spot is a mystery at this point. Antonio Cruz, Justin Dunlap and Dominic Cox are the front runners by seniority, but nobody seized the job this past spring. Incoming freshman Guy Garibay Jr is a name to watch.

What are your thoughts? Share your guesses as to who suits up for the Owls in 2021 in the comments.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 QB Shawqi Itraish commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class has its quarterback. Bradenton, Florida signal caller Shawqi Itraish has committed to the Owls.

After several months of searching, the 2021 Rice football recruiting class has landed its quarterback. Shawqi Itraish from Bradenton, Florida has committed to Rice. Itraish is a pro-style quarterback who does most of his damage in the pocket. That’s a different mold than JoVoni Johnson, the Owls’ most recent high school signee at the position.

Rice did not sign a high school quarterback in the 2020 class, opting instead for two transfers. They added Mike Collins from TCU and TJ McMahon from the junior college ranks. That made finding the right high school passer a crucial component of the 2021 class.

The Owls were choosy with their offers, only handing out five despite the importance of the position. Three of those came on the cusp of the recruiting dead period set off my the COVID-19 restrictions, including Itraish’s. Landing a commitment from him during a pandemic is a credit to the Owls’ staff. Itraish chose Rice over offers from Appalachian State, UConn and Buffalo, among others.

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting commitment tracker

The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class now has nine commitments, including Itraish. All nine are rated as three-star recruits by 247 Sport. Itraish and offensive lineman Faaenuu Pepe, the Owls’ first commitment of the class, are their only two out-of-state commits at this time.

Itraish stands 6-foot-3 and weighs just under 200 pounds. There’s a lot to like about Itraish on the field. He throws with anticipation and is a quick processor. He checks a ton of boxes on the mental side of the position and plays with toughness. He’s not afraid to take a hit and finds ways to get the ball where it needs to be under pressure.

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