The 2024 season will be the final one for the Beavers in the traditional Pac12 conference. With many questions about conference realignment still looming over the heads of these student-athletes, staff, and administrators, I urge all of Beaver Nation to support and show up to as many events as you can this spring! If this is our final year in a power conference, let’s go out with a bang!
On the offensive side for Oregon State, there is a ton to like! In my opinion, that home-run record set just a year ago is in some serious trouble! This team has a ton of plus-side power and will be looking to break 100 homers as a team.
The Beavers are led on offense by junior second baseman Travis Bazzana. Travis is the epitome of an electric Beaver leader, a true five-tool player who broke the single season stolen base record last season and will look more to his power adding electricity to this line up!
Sophomore OF Gavin Turley, who came alive at the regionals in Baton Rogue a season ago, will look to be among the Pac12 leaders in home runs and RBI. Former Oregon Gatorade player of the year Junior OF/3B/1B Mason Guerra has come into his own and has punished baseballs all fall. He’ll look to add another double digit homer performance in 2024.
Also returning OF Brady Kasper and OF Micah McDowell are both adding double digit homers and each one looks to improve on those numbers for their senior seasons! Junior C Tanner Smith returns looking to improve on his power numbers from a season ago; however, Smith is more known for his defensive ability and as a receiver of the ball working with the pitching staff. He’s the best in the Pac12 and possibly the country in my opinion. Junior C Wilson Weber will also get time behind the dish and possibly DH.
Sophomores returning looking to add depth and possible starts are OF/INF Dallas Macias, C/OF Easton Talt, 1B/3B/OF Jacob Krieg, UT Tyce Peterson, OF Cannon Reeder and INF Jabin Trosky, all of whom will contribute! Freshman fielders to look for are Redshirt INF Brandon Forrester (Garrett Forerester’s younger brother), hoping to get some opportunities along the way; Freshman Trent Caraway, the highest rated recruit to come to Corvallis, who may have a chance to be a day-one starter at third base. Caraway has big pop and great glove, look for him and all the freshman to just keep getting better.
C/OF Levi Jones is very talented but may not get a ton of opportunities due to the guys ahead of him. Transfer SS Elijah Hainline adds a good amount of power at the position, hitting .337 and 12 homers last season for WSU! Overall, 15 plus players are going to get chances to prove themselves throughout the spring!
On the pitching side, there is probably the most depth that we have seen in a long time! So many arms in the mid 90s, it’s going to be amazing to see. I am not sure who is going to end up getting the ball in the weekend rotation, but I’m going to give you some candidates for starts!
Aiden May Junior transfer from Arizona has all the ability and mental make up to be the Friday night guy. Jacob Kmatz and Jaren Hunter are also two very talented upper classmen that have seen a plethora of starts in their respective time wearing the black and orange! Both are candidates for starts on the weekend after returning from injury in 2023.
AJ Lattery has had quite a few spot starts and seems to keep improving with his breaking stuff could be a useful bullpen arm, if not used in a starting role. Most intriguing possible starting pitchers this season to me are Sophomore Lefty Nelson Keljo, who proved he has electric stuff down the stretch, and freshman Laif Palmer, who sits mid 90s and has pretty good stuff.
In addition to the possible starters, I think this may be the deepest bullpen, with Joey Mundt returning after a two-year arm injury. AJ Hutcheson, the wicked sidearm/submarine arm slot, will look to add to his great freshman season along side Aiden Jimenez, who had a great freshman campaign as well. Ian Lawson, the big right hander, returns looking for more innings in relief this season as well as Lefty Tyler Mejia!
Other arms who might get a chance to impact are two freshmen, Bryce Johnson and James DeCremer. Both have electric stuff p, although they may not have many opportunities and could see redshirt seasons depending on how the remainder of practice plays out heading into the February start.
Overall, I believe that this team has all the talent, drive, mental make up, coaching staff, and support staff to be a contender for Omaha this season! I implore all of you Beaver fans to show up and support this team as much as possible this year! I am so thankful that I get to cover this team and have had the wonderful chance to meet so many of you!
Thank you for supporting College Baseball Central and myself over the past two seasons, and I can’t wait to see how year three plays out! For the final season in the current Pac12, let’s go support this team and leave on top one last time! As always, Go Beavs!
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Great write per usual by Mark. There’s is a lot to love coming into the finale of the Pac-12. The early season test in Arlington should give us a great spring board going back to Goss.