2022 Baseball Preview

Photo by: Greg Fiume

Feb 14 | Baseball

Scarlet Knights set for full schedule in year three under head coach Steve Owens

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LISTEN: HEAD COACH STEVE OWENS SEASON PREVIEW PODCAST WITH DOM SAVINO

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Following a 44-game Big Ten schedule last season, Rutgers baseball is set for a full 56-game slate in 2022. The Scarlet Knights were picked to finish sixth in the projected Big Ten standings forecasted by D1Baseball.com. In 2021, RU made strides across the board in earning its best placement (eighth) and winning percentage (.477) in Big Ten play since joining the conference.

The Scarlet Knights are led by head coach Steve Owens, who enters his third season in Piscataway and 31st overall as a head coach. In building Rutgers with an emphasis on toughness, commitment and development, Owens is among the top 15 active Division I coaches in wins (941) and winning percentage (.646). He is an 11-time conference coach of the year who has mentored 22 All-Americans and 54 professional players.

The 2021 season included winning six series, a 7-5 mark against NCAA Regional qualifiers and at least one victory over each team in the league. In addition, the Scarlet Knights led the conference in road wins (13).

The campaign was highlighted by a five-game winning streak over ranked Michigan and Nebraska, all on the road. Rutgers was the only team in the Big Ten to win a series over league champion Nebraska. Through 24 games, a standard Big Ten season, RU set Big Ten team season records in wins (12), runs (141), homers (35), total bases (356), slugging percentage (.430), on-base percentage (.353), strikeouts recorded (196), least walks allowed (72), batting average against (.254) and saves (7).

HEAD COACH STEVE OWENS BIO

COACHING STAFF

"The guys have done a really good job of staying focused, staying grounded and staying present."

Pitching coach Brendan Monaghan on developing roles, recruiting and more.#RBaseball #TCD @MonnyBall15 https://t.co/4JFSkyZRUI
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) February 4, 2022

"The guys have really bought into the vision of what's going on here."

Hitting coach Kyle Pettoruto reflects on the improvements last year and looks ahead to continuing the progress in 2022.#RBaseball #TCD @K_Pettoruto11 https://t.co/ycLfSxgQHe
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) January 28, 2022

"We have a solid group of infielders, dynamic and versatile."

Assistant coach Mike Garza discusses his playing career, coaching the infielders, running camps and more in the latest podcast.#RBaseball #TCD @coach_garz https://t.co/m2HBehAh3w
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) January 21, 2022

Podcast: Director of operations Peter Barron looks back to the challenges of 2021, looks ahead to 2022 & discusses working behind the scenes to keep the program running smoothly.#RBaseball #TCD @pdb2293 https://t.co/ZbMUZrADe6
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) January 18, 2022

OF Ryan Lasko and LHP Dale Stanavich earned a spot on the Perfect Game Preseason All-Big Ten Team

Rutgers returns 20 letterwinners with 17 players on the roster with at least three seasons of college baseball experience. The program welcomes 17 newcomers.

2022 ROSTER

2022 Weekends

at Houston Baptist
at Coastal Carolina/at UNC Wilmington/vs. Middle Tennessee
at William & Mary/at Richmond/at VCU
at Hawaii
at Nebraska Omaha
at Penn State*
Minnesota*
at Nebraska*
Indiana*
Iowa*
at Ohio State*
Maryland*
Bowling Green
at Michigan*

* - Big Ten

The 2022 Big Ten Tournament begins May 25 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.

2022 Midweeks

at Saint Joseph's
Wagner
at Rider
NJIT
Saint Peter's
Monmouth
Lafayette
Penn
Iona
at Princeton
Hofstra
at Seton Hall
Saint Joseph's

Rutgers travels to Hawaii for spring break

PITCHING

LHP

Jared Bellissimo (66.2 career innings)
Brian Fitzpatrick (31 strikeouts in 23.1 career innings)
Joe Mazza (freshman)
Justin Sinibaldi (five starts, one save as a true freshman)
Dale Stanavich (five saves, 3.13 ERA and 11.74 strikeouts per nine in first season at RU)
Ryder Tallent (redshirted in 2021)

RHP

Sam Bello (seven saves, 3.03 ERA at Maryland last year)
Ethan Dodd (freshman)
Nathan Florence (211 strikeouts in 197.2 career innings at Hartford)
Garrett French (returning from injury)
Ben Gorski (10 games in 2021)
Cole Hansen (freshman)
Jayson Hoopes (2019 MLB Draft pick)
Danny Kerr (freshman)
Jared Kollar (222 strikeouts, 3.05 ERA and 17 wins in 168 career innings at Seton Hill)
Nate McLain (led the bullpen with 24.2 innings in 2021)
Kyle Muller (1.11 WHIP and .207 BAA in 2021)
Wyatt Parliament (early enrollee freshman)
Sam Portnoy (redshirted in 2021)
Matt Rowe (freshman)
Parker Scott (33 career games)
Andrew Tofolo (freshman)
Tyler Tornberg (transfer from County College of Morris)

2021 Notes

Pitched three shutouts, most since 2016, including first road shutouts in Big Ten play
Picked up 14 saves, tied for third-most in a season in program history, with six different pitchers notching at least one
Racked up 328 strikeouts on the mound to rank 10th in a season in school history
Placed second in the Big Ten with only 3.46 walks allowed per nine innings, with 150 total to rank eighth-least in a season in school history

2021 HITTING NOTES

Clubbed 48 homers, tied for sixth-most in a season in program history and most since 2010
Needed just seven games to shatter the previous mark of 12 homers in a season against Big Ten competition
Had two players reach double-digit homers in the same season for the first time since 2010 (Ryan Lasko 11, Chris Brito 10)
Blasted six grand slams after not having one since 2016 coming into the year
Scored at least 15 runs in a game three times, including a team Big Ten record 16 at Minnesota

CATCHER

Andy Axelson (handled 104 chances defensively without an error in 2021)
Nick Cimillo (compiled a .319/.404/.487 slash line in 103 games at Manhattan)
Jason Shockley (freshman)

INFIELD

Chris Brito (2021 Third Team All-Big Ten, led the team with a .923 OPS)
Danny DiGeorgio (team-best 12-game hitting streak last year)
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (freshman)
Cameron Love (11 starts as a freshman)
Bradley Norton (four games in first season at RU)
Danny Rogers (freshman)
Tony Santa Maria (named to MAAC All-Rookie Team at Iona)
Jordan Sweeney (seven homers in first full season)

OUTFIELD

Garrett Callaghan (slashed .375/.533/.809 last season at Ithaca)
Richie Schiekofer (hit .390 with a .467 on-base percentage over the last 27 games in 2021)
Ryan Lasko (2021 Collegiate Baseball Freshmen All-American Team, 11 homers)
Evan Sleight (.353 OBP with two grand slams in first season at RU)
Mike Nyisztor (toughest hitter in the Big Ten to strike out last year, fourth in batting average (.351) and sixth in on-base percentage (.456))

Thanks for the generosity of Ron and Pat Bainton, new FieldTurf was laid down on Bainton Field in the fall of 2019. In addition, the fences were brought in (LF-329, LC-370, CF-392, RC-370, RF-324) with new padding and signage.