2017 College Preseason Top 25 Capsules: No. 8 Cal State Fullerton

8. Cal State Fullerton

2016 Record (Ranking): 36-23 (NR). RPI: 42.
Coach (Record at school): Rick Vanderhook (196-103, 5 years)
Postseason History: 38 regionals (active streak: 25), 17 CWS trips (last in 2015), 4 national titles (last in 2004).

The Big West Conference has sent three different teams to the College World Series in the last three years, and the conference looks to be especially strong this season. But even with that depth, Cal State Fullerton, winner of five of the last six Big West titles, remains the conference’s Titan.

Coach Rick Vanderhook is hesitant to call this season’s group an old team, because while there are a lot of experienced players returning, the Titans also have some holes to fill, especially in the bullpen. Still, Fullerton returns its entire weekend rotation and several regulars on offense, including shortstop Timmy Richards. Vanderhook is pleased with his team’s depth and maturity.

“If everyone gets a little bit better, I think we’ll have a solid club,” Vanderhook said. “They really know how to play the game. I don’t have to tell them very much.”

The Titans’ strength will again be on the mound with starters Colton Eastman, John Gavin and Connor Seabold returning. The trio started 42 of Fullerton’s 59 games last year and combined to go 21-12, 2.27. All three are strong strike-throwers with three average or better offerings. They’ll be working with a new pitching coach after Oregon hired away Jason Dietrich; Vanderhook hired ex-big leaguer Blake Hawksworth to replace him.

Vanderhook said he doesn’t yet know how the rotation will line up and all three are fighting for the Friday night spot.

“They’re really competing against each other to decide who will pitch Friday, who will pitch Saturday and who will pitch Sunday,” Vanderhook said. “They pitch against each other every time they pitch. They have a little competition among themselves as they go.”

While the whole rotation is back, rebuilding Fullerton’s bullpen will be one of Hawksworth’s key tasks. Four Titans relievers—who combined to go 6-3, 1.03 with 11 saves last year—were drafted and signed, leaving plenty of high-leverage innings for newcomers and holdovers. Righthanders Gavin Velasquez and Brett Conine will be asked to take on larger roles as sophomores, and junior college transfer righthanders Jack Pabich and Joe Willis could provide immediate impact from a solid recruiting class.

Offensively, Richards again will be the focal point for Fullerton. With a team-high nine home runs and 10 stolen bases last season, he brings a veteran presence and power-speed combination to the Titans lineup. Vanderhook is also excited by the return of third baseman Taylor Bryant, who missed nearly all of last season due to concussions.

But after the graduation of Dalton Blaser and Tanner Pinkston, Fullerton’s top two hitters last year, some players will need to step up offensively. Vanderhook believes outfielders Ruben Cardenas and Scott Hurst are ready to make that jump. Cardenas ranked fourth on the team with 15 extra-base hits as a freshman last year and got stronger during the offseason. The junior Hurst was a high-profile player coming out of high school and played for USA Baseball’s 18U National team in 2013, but he hasn’t yet been able to put it all together in college. A back injury hampered his freshman season, but he bounced back to hit .306/.404/.347 in Big West play last year.

“Last year he didn’t show by how he hit numbers-wise that it was good, but for the last month and a half he squared up more balls than anyone on the team,” Vanderhook said. “If he plays good, we’ve got a chance to be pretty good.”
With its strong rotation and a lineup full of program veterans, Vanderhook believes the Titans are ready for another tough campaign in the Big West.

“I’ll take our nine guys on the field,” he said. “They’re pretty good. They’ve all got enough experience under their belt that they should be able to handle adversity.”

2017 LINEUP
Pos.	Name, Yr.	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	SB
C	Chris Hudgins, Jr.	.220	.277	.356	3	14	0
1B	Jake Pavletich, R-So.	.390	.448	.424	0	7	3
2B	Tristan Hildebrandt, Jr.	.174	.225	.215	0	10	1
3B	Taylor Bryant, Sr.	.227	.292	.409	0	1	0
SS	Timmy Richards, Sr.	.280	.361	.468	9	31	10
LF	Chris Prescott, Jr.	TR—Orange Coast JC (Calif.)
CF	Scott Hurst, Jr.	.215	.343	.250	0	15	4
RF	Ruben Cardenas, So.	.233	.301	.419	3	28	7
DH	Hank LaForte, So.	.253	.321	.320	0	8	1
Pos.	Name, Yr.	W	L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
RHP	Connor Seabold, Jr.	7	6	2.48	83	96	0
RHP	Colton Eastman, So.	8	3	2.24	101	100	0
LHP	John Gavin, Jr.	6	3	2.09	86	60	1
RP	Gavin Velasquez, So.	1	1	2.33	19	10	0