13. UC IRVINE

2008 RECORD. Overall: 42-18 (Advanced to NCAA super regional). Conference: 14-10 / 3^rd in Big West Conference.

Coach: Mike Gillespie (42-18, 2^nd season at UC Irvine; 805-489 overall in 21 seasons).

First Game, 2009: Feb. 20 at No. 91 Hawaii .

 

OVERVIEW: UC Irvine won’t scare anyone this spring with big power bats or 90-plus fastballs but it has an experienced group of players with outstanding skills. Nine returning players got at least 100 at-bats a year ago on a team that came within one game of a trip to the College World Series. Steady senior SS Ben Orloff is the prototypical UC Irvine ball player and the leader of the team, while junior C Francis Larson is an under-appreciated talent behind the plate. In junior LHP Daniel Bibona, and junior RHPs Christian Bergman and Eric Pettis, the Anteaters have a trio of starting pitchers who should more than make up for the loss of Scott Gorgen (12-3, 2.26) and Bryce Stowell (8-3, 3.26), although moving Pettis from the bullpen, where he saved 17 games a year ago, is a calculated risk.

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

C: Francis Larson, Jr. (.314-*7-*40).

1B: Jeff Cusick (3), Jr. (*.363-0-29).

2B: Casey Stevenson, Jr. (.300-3-14).

3B: Eric Deragisch, Sr. (.299-1-16).

SS: Ben Orloff (1), Sr. (.344-0-23, 19 SB).

LF: Dillon Bell, Jr. (.324-5-30).

CF: Cory Olson, Jr. (.346-10-45, 19 SB at Orange Coast, Calif. , JC).

RF: Sean Madigan, Jr. (.328-2-24).

DH: Brock Bardeen (4), Sr. (.280-6-26).

1/Starter: Daniel Bibona, Jr. (9-3, 3.06, 102 IP/97 SO).

2/Starter: Christian Bergman, Jr. (5-2, *1.96, 60 IP/37 SO).

3/Starter: Eric Pettis, Jr. (4-3, 2.62, *17 SV, 44 IP/50 SO).

Closer: Brock Bardeen, Sr. (Did not pitch in 2008).

 

BEST TOOLS

Best Athlete: Matt Summers.

Best Overall Hitter: Brian Hernandez (ineligible in 2009)

Best Power Hitter: Brock Bardeen.

Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Sean Madigan.

Fastest Base Runner (60 time): Cory Olson (6.6 seconds).

Best Base Runner: Ben Orloff.

Best Defender: Ben Orloff.

Best Infield Arm: Eric Deragisch.

Best Outfield Arm: Cory Olson.

Best Fastball (velocity): Matt Summers (92 mph).

Best Breaking Ball: Daniel Bibona.

Best Changeup: Daniel Bibona.

Best Command: Daniel Bibona.

 

TOP FRESHMAN PROSPECT: Matt Summers, rhp. Summers, a 43^rd-round pick of the New York Yankees in last year’s draft, may not get many opportunities as a freshman due to the number of veteran arms on the UCI staff, but he has top-level raw stuff. His fastball topped out at 92 mph in the fall and he shows plus-slider potential. Summers was primarily an outfielder at an Arizona high school and may yet end up as a two-way college player.

TOP SOPHOMORE PROSPECT: Crosby Slaught, rhp. A coaching change at UCI, following the 2007 season, left the Anteaters scrambling to hold on to their recruits—and essentially left a void in their sophomore class. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Slaught (1-1, 4.37 in 17 appearances in 2008) will start the season as the Anteaters primary mid-week starter and is their most projectable pitcher. He works in the upper 80s now and could bump that up his velocity into the low 90s this spring. His changeup is his best secondary pitch and his slider is developing.

TOP JUNIOR PROSPECT: Casey Stevenson, 2b / Christian Bergman, rhp. Stevenson is big and physical for a second baseman at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds—and is a lefthanded hitter, to boot. He has very good bat speed and could become an offensive force in the middle of the infield this spring. Bergman doesn’t possess overpowering stuff, but he throws a ton of strikes and induces a lot of ground-ball outs with his sinker-slider approach. Bergman can throw four pitches for strikes, with his slider considered his best pitch. He throws from an easy slinger-like, three-quarters arm action and gets good sinking action on his 87-90 mph fastball.

TOP SENIOR PROSPECT: Ben Orloff, ss. Orloff has started 155 consecutive games for UC Irvine, despite never hitting a college home run. He’s an excellent defensive shortstop who can steal bases, bunt and move the ball around the field on offense. His makeup and leadership skills are off the charts, according to the UC Irvine coaching staff.

--DAVID RAWNSLEY