2022 Horizon League Preview

Will Wright State win another title?

The Raiders have won either the HL regular season or tournament championship six of the last seven seasons, including three-straight regular-season titles. Last season, Wright State went 35-13 and rolled to a 28-4 conference record before a tough two-and-out in the Knoxville Regional after nearly upsetting Tennessee in the opener. From that team, Wright State must replace second baseman Tyler Black, outfielder Quincy Hamilton and righthander Jake Schrand, all of whom were drafted in the top 10 rounds.

While Hamilton, the HL player of the year and an All-American, and Black, the 33rd overall pick and the team’s leading hitter, are gone, Wright State is not short on offense. Catcher Sammy Sass (.362/.446/.717, 12 HR) and outfielder Alec Sayre (.383/.479/.662, 8 HR), both third-year sophomores, return to the heart of the order. Sixth-year senior DH Zane Harris (.347/.460/.567) gives the lineup more experience. Wright State will have to account for the loss of three of its best power hitters in Alex Alders (now the program’s director of player development), Black and Hamilton, who combined for 38 home runs. But even if the Raiders have a little less pop, they still figure to have a potent offense.

On the mound, Wright State is replacing its top three starters. Schrand was drafted, Bradley Brehmer transferred to Indiana and Austin Cline graduated. The Raiders will turn to righthanders Aaron Ernst, who was sidelined the last two seasons by transfer rules and then Tommy John surgery, Logan Tabeling (0-0, 8.31), who pitched sparingly in 2021 as a freshman, Jake Shirk (7-0, 2.01), who pitched in relief, and freshman Josh Laisure. It’s not an experienced group, but Ernst and Tabeling both have big stuff, with fastballs that reach 96-97 mph. Shirk doesn’t have quite as much power but controls his low-90s fastball well and pitched in some big moments. Laisure can run his fastball into the mid 90s and last year was named Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year.

There’s a lot of new this season for Wright State, but there’s no shortage of talent. The Raiders are the team to beat in the HL and will be aiming for a fourth straight title.

Can UIC challenge Wright State under first-year coach Sean McDermott?

While Wright State has won the last three regular-season HL titles, Illinois-Chicago has been its biggest competitor. The Flames last season went 30-18 overall and 28-11 in HL play, finishing in second place. This offseason has been one of change, however. Longtime coach Mike Dee, the winningest coach in program history, retired following the season after 23 seasons and six NCAA Tournament appearances. McDermott served as an assistant coach throughout Dee’s tenure and was promoted to head coach. Now, McDermott will lead UIC through its final season in the HL before joining the Missouri Valley Conference for the 2022-23 academic year.

UIC last season ranked eighth in the nation in batting (.309) and returns five starters from that lineup, including outfielder Bryan Rosario (.399/.460/.500, 12 SB), the team’s leading hitter. Joshua Figueroa (.351/.402/.563, 7 HR) and Cole Conn (.302/.377/.557, 9 HR) will split time behind the plate—likely with Conn seeing the bulk of it—and form a strong core in the middle of the order. The additions of outfielder AJ Henkle and third baseman Breck Nowick from junior college should further bolster what promises to be a deep lineup. On the mound, UIC must replace ace Jacob Key and closer Fred Gosbeth. The Flames have good options to work with—lefthander Nate Peterson transferred from Oklahoma and veterans like righthander Cristian Lopez (2-2, 5.18) and Chris Torres (7-2, 3.94) bring plenty of experience—but the exact roles may take some time to nail down.

There may be some early-season growing pains, but as the Flames settle into their new roles—both in the dugout and on the field—they should again be ready to compete at the top of the conference. Catching Wright State will be no easy task, but UIC’s depth gives it a chance.

Can Youngstown State challenge the conference heavyweights?

The Penguins have shown considerable improvement over the last two seasons after not topping 20 wins in a season since 2010. In 2020, YSU was 7-7 when the season was canceled and owned a series win at Houston. In 2021, it went 32-24 and finished third in the HL standings at 24-16, including a series win against Wright State.

Now, coming off its first winning season since 2005, what’s next for YSU? The Penguins lost some key players both to graduation and transfer but still have some standout pieces. On the mound, they must replace ace Collin Floyd and will turn to righthander Jon Snyder (6-2, 2.76) to move to the front of the rotation. Righthander Chad Coles (2-2, 4.33), who last season led the bullpen in innings, will move to the rotation to form a promising 1-2 punch.

The Penguins return outfielder Dominick Bucko (.344/.446/.600), who last season led the team with 10 home runs. The key for YSU will be how its new-look infield comes together after losing three members of the 2021 group to graduation or transfer. YSU will be counting on shortstop Seth Lucero, a junior college transfer, to make a smooth transition to Division I and Trey Law and Braeden O’Shaughnessy, who last year combined for 100 at-bats, to grow into bigger roles.

A bit of a step back might be natural after so much turnover, but the Penguins have been on the rise under sixth-year coach Dan Bertolini. Maintaining that momentum in 2022 is the program’s next challenge.

How will Northern Kentucky fare under first-year coach Dizzy Peyton?

Like UIC, Northern Kentucky went through a coaching change in the offseason following the retirement of longtime head coach Todd Asalon. And, like UIC, NKU promoted a longtime assistant to head coach, elevating Peyton after 17 years on staff.

The Norse last season went 17-31 and finished fifth in the HL at 14-25, just missing the conference tournament. Now, they must replace slugger Griffin Doersching, who last season hit a program-record 20 home runs before transferring to Oklahoma State. Replacing Doersching one-for-one will be impossible, but the good news is NKU does get back experienced hitters in outfielder Treyvin Moss (.298/.374/.360) and second baseman John Odom (.281/.357/.377), both of whom are entering their fourth season. On the mound, NKU needs to take a big step forward after posting a team ERA of 8.57. The Norse do have experience, as lefthanders Ben Gerl (4-6, 6.41) and Noah Richardson (2-2, 5.33) and righthander Kyle Klingenbeck (5-6, 6.50) return after combining for 32 starts in 2021.

The key for the Norse this spring will be to show improvement on the mound, which would help offset the losses they took offensively.

Will a Wright State player win conference player of the year for the fourth season in a row?

Wright State has had a firm hold on the player of the year race over the last few years, as Quincy Hamilton (2021), Peyton Burdick (2019) and Gabe Snyder (2018) have won the honors. The last time a player from another team won the award was in 2017 when UIC’s Rob Calabrese took home the trophy.

Wright State has two strong candidates again this season in catcher Sammy Sass (.362/.446/.717, 12 HR) and outfielder Alec Sayre (.383/.479/.662, 8 HR). But the Raiders will face challenges. UIC’s Cole Conn (.302/.377/.557, 9 HR) could be regarded as the preseason favorite, though he is just a sophomore and the HL is a conference that typically favors older players. Conn’s teammate, outfielder Bryan Rosario (.399/.460/.500, 12 SB), is coming off an impressive season, as is Youngstown State outfielder Dominick Bucko (.344/.446/.600, 10 HR).

A Wright State player is probably the smart bet, but the race looks to be wide open entering 2022.

Top 2022 Draft Prospects

1. Logan Tabeling, RHP, Wright State
2. Cole Conn, C, Illinois-Chicago
3. AJ Blubaugh, RHP, Wisconsin-Milwaukee
4. Nate Peterson, LHP, Illinois-Chicago
5. Aaron Ernst, RHP, Wright State