University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 14
Tempe, AZ
8:30 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Oregon
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OF
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IF
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RHP
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RHP
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RHP
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LHP
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RHP
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OF
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C/OF
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IF
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LHP
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Preview: Gophers Begin 132nd Season with Trip to Angels College Classic
2/12/2020 9:22:00 AM | Baseball
Friday, Feb. 14
Oregon vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 8:30 p.m. CT
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Max Meyer (5-3, 2.11)
Oregon Starter: RHP Cullen Kafka (5-5, 5.48)
Saturday, Feb. 15
Minnesota vs. Pepperdine
First Pitch: 2:00 p.m. CST
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Sam Thoresen (4-3, 5.24 ERA)
Pepperdine Starter: RHP Cooper Chandler
Sunday, Feb. 16
Minnesota vs. San Diego
First Pitch: 4:30 p.m. CST
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Patrick Fredrickson (2-5, 5.59 ERA)
San Diego Starter: RHP Carter Rustad
Monday, Feb. 17
Minnesota vs. Arizona
First Pitch: 12 p.m. CT
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: TBD
Arizona Starter: TBD
After finishing the 2019 season at 29-27 (15-9) and making a trip to the Big Ten Conference Tournament semi-finals, the Gopher Baseball program is back for their 132nd campaign in Gold Country. Minnesota will officially begin the 2020 season this weekend (Feb. 14-17) in Tempe, Ariz., where the Gophers are slated to take on Oregon, Pepperdine and San Diego at the Angels College Classic – with Arizona to follow via a standalone game on Monday, Feb. 17.
Entering the season, the Gophers return an impressive grouping of starting pitching, with junior preseason All-American right-handed pitcher Max Meyer, junior right-handed pitcher Sam Thoresen and junior right-handed pitcher Patrick Fredrickson projected to headline the rotation. Referred to by head coach John Anderson as arguably "the deepest and most talented pitching staff" he has had in his 39 years, these hurlers are a big reason why Minnesota is universally the Big Ten's preseason number two team – behind only reigning College World Series runner-up Michigan.
Around the diamond, Minnesota welcomes back a handful of positional starters, including sophomore second baseman Zack Raabe, redshirt senior shortstop Jordan Kozicky, junior third baseman Jack Wassel and junior outfielder Easton Bertrand. Coupled with the aforementioned pitching core, this group will look to lead a promising 2020 Gopher squad that possesses the potential to bring the Maroon & Gold back to the national landscape experienced during the historic 2018 campaign.
Gophers in the Polls
Minnesota enters the season ranked No. 29 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. CBN also tabbed the Gophers as the Big Ten Conference's preseason runner-up, as did D1Baseball in their annual Big Ten preview. Last season, Minnesota was ranked No. 28 by CBN, while peaking with a preseason status of No. 24 by Baseball America. The Gophers ended the 2019 season as the No. 60 ranked team by RPI.
Against the Tournament Field
Although the Gophers' season opener with Oregon will be the first-ever game between the two schools, the U enters with an all-time record of 40-52-1 (.430) against Pacific-12 Conference opponents dating back to 1938. Conversely, Minnesota does have a limited history with the remainder of their weekend opponents. Minnesota is 4-5 all-time against Pepperdine, most recently falling to the Waves in a road slugfest last season, 13-12. As for San Diego, the series is tied at 3-3 after the Torreros topped the Gophers via a 6-5 walk-off victory at the Seattle Baseball Showcase in 2019. The Gophers possess a 21-18 (.538) all-time record against West Coast Conference competition.
Wildcats up Next
Following the conclusion of the Angels College Classic, Minnesota will take on Arizona for a single game in Tempe. Dating back to 1956, the Gophers boast an 18-13-1 (.563) record against the Wildcats. The most recent match-up between the two programs came in 2018, with Minnesota sticking out a 3-2 walk-off win in 12 innings in Minneapolis.
Preseason All-American Accolades
Meyer has already received a plethora of accolades in 2020, beginning with a series of preseason honors. BA and D1Baseball named Meyer a Preseason First Team All-American, while Perfect Game (Second Team), CBN (Third Team) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (Third Team) handed the right-hander honors as well.
B1G Buzz
CBN not only named Meyer a Preseason All-American, but the publication also honored the junior as their preseason pick for Big Ten Player of the Year. BA, D1Basebal and PG joined in on the action, tabbing Meyer as their respective picks for Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. On top of that, PG named Meyer and Kozicky Preseason All-Conference selections.
On the Draft Radar
Meyer headlines the list of Minnesota's potential upcoming draftees, having been listed as the No. 25 overall prospect for the 2020 MLB Draft by MLB Pipeline. CBN also acknowledged Meyer in their 2020 Draft Preview section as a player likely to be selected within the first two rounds of this June's MLB Draft. Meyer was previously drafted out of high school in the 34th round by the Minnesota Twins. Overall, the Gophers have 16 draft-eligible players in 2020. Junior right-handed pitchers Fredrickson, Thoresen, Drake Davis and Joshua Culliver, as well as position players Kozicky, Jack Kelly, Ronald Sweeny and Drew Hmielewski are among those also generating significant draft buzz.
Diamond Rooks
Eleven new faces can be found in the Gopher dugout this season, as the team welcomes eight freshmen and three transfers to the 2020 ranks. Davis will also be making his debut in the Maroon & Gold this year after sitting out the entirety of the 2019 season due to NCAA transfer restrictions. This year's rookie class was ranked third in the Big Ten and 54th in the country by CBN. 10 of the aforementioned 12 players received national rankings from either PG or Prep Baseball Report, while all 12 were ranked among the best at their position in their home state.
Familiar Faces
Coupled with the newcomers are 23 returners to Minnesota's 2020 dugout, including four positional starters and four starting pitchers. These returners will be led by Kozicky, the lone senior, although 12 juniors are back from last year as well.
2019 in Review
The Gophers finished the 2019 campaign at 29-27 (15-9), earning a berth in the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and for the 33rd time since the tournament began in 1981. As the No. 4 seed, Minnesota advanced all the way to the semifinal game before their journey came to a close with a loss to Ohio State. Included in the tournament was a season highlight for the U, as the Gophers upset No. 1 seeded Indiana to keep their bid for a championship alive.
Going Streaking
Raabe begins the season riding a 15-game on-base streak dating back to the 2019 campaign. The 15-game on-base streak was the longest of the 2019 season for any Gopher. Raabe's 12-game hitting streak from May 5 to May 24 was also tops among all Gopher hitters a year ago.
Milestone Watch
As the lone senior on the roster, Kozicky has numerous career milestones in sight as he embarks on his final season in Gold Country. Kozicky is just 45 hits away from reaching 200 for his career, while also being within striking distance of Minnesota's top-10 all-time lists in the following stats: doubles (11 needed), home runs (7 needed), RBI (48 needed) and hit by pitches (1 needed).
A Storied Program
The 2020 Gopher Baseball season will mark the 132nd in the history of the school. During that century-plus of competition, Minnesota owns a 2,660-1,651-25 record (.616), including a 1,033-632-3 in Big Ten Play (.620). The Gophers have made 32 NCAA Tournament appearances in that time, while winning 23 Big Ten titles and three College World Series Championships (five appearances).
Anderson Honored By Twins
After nearly four decades of service to the game of baseball in Minnesota and 1,317 wins to his credit, head coach John Anderson was awarded with the Minnesota Twins' 2019 Herb Carneal Lifetime Achievement Award in January. In winning the award, Anderson joined a legendary group of recipients that includes MLB Hall of Fame inductees Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew and Jack Morris.
Decade of Excellence
The 2010s represent a decade to remember for Minnesota Baseball. From 2010-19, the Gophers won 311 games, good for a .562 winning percentage. Minnesota also had 35 MLB Draft selections, received 15 First team All-Big Ten accolades and won three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2016, 2018). Two Big Ten Tournament Championships (2010, 2018) are included in the team's recent run of success as well.
Back at the Bank
After being away from their second home for the entirety of 2019 due to the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Minnesota is set to return to U.S. Bank Stadium this season. The Gophers will begin their 2020 home slate with 14 consecutive contests at U.S. Bank, running from Feb. 22 to March 11. Included in the U.S. Bank schedule will be the 2020 CambriaCollegeClassic, which will bring three juggernaut Atlantic Coast Conference programs (No. 15 Duke, No. 16 NC State, No. 23 North Carolina) to Minneapolis for a battle between ACC and Big Ten teams.
Returning All-B1G Selection
Meyer returns as the lone Gopher with Big Ten honors from last season, having been named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Working out of a starting role after relieving in 2018, Meyer went 5-3 with a 2.11 ERA across 43 2/3 innings in 2019, striking out a team-high 87 batters in the process.
Gophers in the Pros
Minnesota currently has 12 alumni serving time in MLB organizations, with four more signed on to play professional baseball with the American Association. Those presently signed with MLB organizations are Lucas Gilbreath ('17), Brian Glowicki ('17), Nick Lackney ('19), Ben Meyer ('15), Jackson Rose ('18), Dalton Sawyer ('16), Brett Schulze ('19), DJ Snelten ('13), Jake Stevenson ('19), Terrin Vavra ('18), Eli Wilson ('19) and Tom Windle ('13). Alex Boxwell ('18), Micah Coffey ('18), Jordan Jess ('16) and Dan Motl ('16) are all expected to compete in the independent American Association.
Up Next
The Gophers return to action next Friday, Feb. 21, against the Minnesota Twins in an exhibition game in Fort Myers, Fla. Minnesota will then return to Minneapolis the very next day for their home opener in a three game non-conference series against TCU from Feb. 22-24 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Oregon vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 8:30 p.m. CT
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Max Meyer (5-3, 2.11)
Oregon Starter: RHP Cullen Kafka (5-5, 5.48)
Saturday, Feb. 15
Minnesota vs. Pepperdine
First Pitch: 2:00 p.m. CST
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Sam Thoresen (4-3, 5.24 ERA)
Pepperdine Starter: RHP Cooper Chandler
Sunday, Feb. 16
Minnesota vs. San Diego
First Pitch: 4:30 p.m. CST
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Patrick Fredrickson (2-5, 5.59 ERA)
San Diego Starter: RHP Carter Rustad
Monday, Feb. 17
Minnesota vs. Arizona
First Pitch: 12 p.m. CT
Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium
Minnesota Starter: TBD
Arizona Starter: TBD
After finishing the 2019 season at 29-27 (15-9) and making a trip to the Big Ten Conference Tournament semi-finals, the Gopher Baseball program is back for their 132nd campaign in Gold Country. Minnesota will officially begin the 2020 season this weekend (Feb. 14-17) in Tempe, Ariz., where the Gophers are slated to take on Oregon, Pepperdine and San Diego at the Angels College Classic – with Arizona to follow via a standalone game on Monday, Feb. 17.
Entering the season, the Gophers return an impressive grouping of starting pitching, with junior preseason All-American right-handed pitcher Max Meyer, junior right-handed pitcher Sam Thoresen and junior right-handed pitcher Patrick Fredrickson projected to headline the rotation. Referred to by head coach John Anderson as arguably "the deepest and most talented pitching staff" he has had in his 39 years, these hurlers are a big reason why Minnesota is universally the Big Ten's preseason number two team – behind only reigning College World Series runner-up Michigan.
Around the diamond, Minnesota welcomes back a handful of positional starters, including sophomore second baseman Zack Raabe, redshirt senior shortstop Jordan Kozicky, junior third baseman Jack Wassel and junior outfielder Easton Bertrand. Coupled with the aforementioned pitching core, this group will look to lead a promising 2020 Gopher squad that possesses the potential to bring the Maroon & Gold back to the national landscape experienced during the historic 2018 campaign.
Gophers in the Polls
Minnesota enters the season ranked No. 29 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. CBN also tabbed the Gophers as the Big Ten Conference's preseason runner-up, as did D1Baseball in their annual Big Ten preview. Last season, Minnesota was ranked No. 28 by CBN, while peaking with a preseason status of No. 24 by Baseball America. The Gophers ended the 2019 season as the No. 60 ranked team by RPI.
Against the Tournament Field
Although the Gophers' season opener with Oregon will be the first-ever game between the two schools, the U enters with an all-time record of 40-52-1 (.430) against Pacific-12 Conference opponents dating back to 1938. Conversely, Minnesota does have a limited history with the remainder of their weekend opponents. Minnesota is 4-5 all-time against Pepperdine, most recently falling to the Waves in a road slugfest last season, 13-12. As for San Diego, the series is tied at 3-3 after the Torreros topped the Gophers via a 6-5 walk-off victory at the Seattle Baseball Showcase in 2019. The Gophers possess a 21-18 (.538) all-time record against West Coast Conference competition.
Wildcats up Next
Following the conclusion of the Angels College Classic, Minnesota will take on Arizona for a single game in Tempe. Dating back to 1956, the Gophers boast an 18-13-1 (.563) record against the Wildcats. The most recent match-up between the two programs came in 2018, with Minnesota sticking out a 3-2 walk-off win in 12 innings in Minneapolis.
Preseason All-American Accolades
Meyer has already received a plethora of accolades in 2020, beginning with a series of preseason honors. BA and D1Baseball named Meyer a Preseason First Team All-American, while Perfect Game (Second Team), CBN (Third Team) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (Third Team) handed the right-hander honors as well.
B1G Buzz
CBN not only named Meyer a Preseason All-American, but the publication also honored the junior as their preseason pick for Big Ten Player of the Year. BA, D1Basebal and PG joined in on the action, tabbing Meyer as their respective picks for Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. On top of that, PG named Meyer and Kozicky Preseason All-Conference selections.
On the Draft Radar
Meyer headlines the list of Minnesota's potential upcoming draftees, having been listed as the No. 25 overall prospect for the 2020 MLB Draft by MLB Pipeline. CBN also acknowledged Meyer in their 2020 Draft Preview section as a player likely to be selected within the first two rounds of this June's MLB Draft. Meyer was previously drafted out of high school in the 34th round by the Minnesota Twins. Overall, the Gophers have 16 draft-eligible players in 2020. Junior right-handed pitchers Fredrickson, Thoresen, Drake Davis and Joshua Culliver, as well as position players Kozicky, Jack Kelly, Ronald Sweeny and Drew Hmielewski are among those also generating significant draft buzz.
Diamond Rooks
Eleven new faces can be found in the Gopher dugout this season, as the team welcomes eight freshmen and three transfers to the 2020 ranks. Davis will also be making his debut in the Maroon & Gold this year after sitting out the entirety of the 2019 season due to NCAA transfer restrictions. This year's rookie class was ranked third in the Big Ten and 54th in the country by CBN. 10 of the aforementioned 12 players received national rankings from either PG or Prep Baseball Report, while all 12 were ranked among the best at their position in their home state.
Familiar Faces
Coupled with the newcomers are 23 returners to Minnesota's 2020 dugout, including four positional starters and four starting pitchers. These returners will be led by Kozicky, the lone senior, although 12 juniors are back from last year as well.
2019 in Review
The Gophers finished the 2019 campaign at 29-27 (15-9), earning a berth in the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and for the 33rd time since the tournament began in 1981. As the No. 4 seed, Minnesota advanced all the way to the semifinal game before their journey came to a close with a loss to Ohio State. Included in the tournament was a season highlight for the U, as the Gophers upset No. 1 seeded Indiana to keep their bid for a championship alive.
Going Streaking
Raabe begins the season riding a 15-game on-base streak dating back to the 2019 campaign. The 15-game on-base streak was the longest of the 2019 season for any Gopher. Raabe's 12-game hitting streak from May 5 to May 24 was also tops among all Gopher hitters a year ago.
Milestone Watch
As the lone senior on the roster, Kozicky has numerous career milestones in sight as he embarks on his final season in Gold Country. Kozicky is just 45 hits away from reaching 200 for his career, while also being within striking distance of Minnesota's top-10 all-time lists in the following stats: doubles (11 needed), home runs (7 needed), RBI (48 needed) and hit by pitches (1 needed).
A Storied Program
The 2020 Gopher Baseball season will mark the 132nd in the history of the school. During that century-plus of competition, Minnesota owns a 2,660-1,651-25 record (.616), including a 1,033-632-3 in Big Ten Play (.620). The Gophers have made 32 NCAA Tournament appearances in that time, while winning 23 Big Ten titles and three College World Series Championships (five appearances).
Anderson Honored By Twins
After nearly four decades of service to the game of baseball in Minnesota and 1,317 wins to his credit, head coach John Anderson was awarded with the Minnesota Twins' 2019 Herb Carneal Lifetime Achievement Award in January. In winning the award, Anderson joined a legendary group of recipients that includes MLB Hall of Fame inductees Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew and Jack Morris.
Decade of Excellence
The 2010s represent a decade to remember for Minnesota Baseball. From 2010-19, the Gophers won 311 games, good for a .562 winning percentage. Minnesota also had 35 MLB Draft selections, received 15 First team All-Big Ten accolades and won three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2016, 2018). Two Big Ten Tournament Championships (2010, 2018) are included in the team's recent run of success as well.
Back at the Bank
After being away from their second home for the entirety of 2019 due to the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Minnesota is set to return to U.S. Bank Stadium this season. The Gophers will begin their 2020 home slate with 14 consecutive contests at U.S. Bank, running from Feb. 22 to March 11. Included in the U.S. Bank schedule will be the 2020 CambriaCollegeClassic, which will bring three juggernaut Atlantic Coast Conference programs (No. 15 Duke, No. 16 NC State, No. 23 North Carolina) to Minneapolis for a battle between ACC and Big Ten teams.
Returning All-B1G Selection
Meyer returns as the lone Gopher with Big Ten honors from last season, having been named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Working out of a starting role after relieving in 2018, Meyer went 5-3 with a 2.11 ERA across 43 2/3 innings in 2019, striking out a team-high 87 batters in the process.
Gophers in the Pros
Minnesota currently has 12 alumni serving time in MLB organizations, with four more signed on to play professional baseball with the American Association. Those presently signed with MLB organizations are Lucas Gilbreath ('17), Brian Glowicki ('17), Nick Lackney ('19), Ben Meyer ('15), Jackson Rose ('18), Dalton Sawyer ('16), Brett Schulze ('19), DJ Snelten ('13), Jake Stevenson ('19), Terrin Vavra ('18), Eli Wilson ('19) and Tom Windle ('13). Alex Boxwell ('18), Micah Coffey ('18), Jordan Jess ('16) and Dan Motl ('16) are all expected to compete in the independent American Association.
Up Next
The Gophers return to action next Friday, Feb. 21, against the Minnesota Twins in an exhibition game in Fort Myers, Fla. Minnesota will then return to Minneapolis the very next day for their home opener in a three game non-conference series against TCU from Feb. 22-24 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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