Despite posting a team batting average of .257 — its lowest mark in more than 30 years — in 2016, IU baseball players and coaches said they are confident the talent in its deep lineup will allow that number to rise this season.
IU Coach Chris Lemonis said he will have a tough decision to make regarding the leadoff spot.
On Monday, he listed senior outfielder Alex Krupa, junior outfielder Laren Eustace and freshman infielder Jeremy Houston as potential table setters.
Lemonis named Houston the team’s starting shortstop Monday.
Lemonis said he is impressed with the Chicago native’s ability to play arguably the toughest position on the field at a high level.
“Our lineup is going to have some real depth to it, and when you’ll be able to put your freshman down there and let him hit in that part of the lineup, it’s key,” Lemonis said. “He’s a freshman, and it’s hard to put too much into freshmen, but he’s a good one.”
When Krupa and senior infielder Tony Butler were producing well last season, the team succeeded.
Senior outfielder Craig Dedelow said he believes their bright stretches were just a glimpse of what the Hoosiers can be this year.
After strong campaigns in 2015 and 2016, which culminated in a 2016 MLB draft selection by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dedelow is back in Bloomington for his final season.
He will hold down the middle of IU’s lineup along with junior outfielder Logan Sowers.
Lemonis said having the duo in the lineup will be key for the offense as a whole.
“These guys have played a lot of baseball, and they’ve swung it really well to this point,” Lemonis said. “I think that they are at a point in their career where they are ready to have big years.”
Sowers said the game has slowed down for him now after seeing even more college pitching during the summer.
He also said he’s confident he will rebound from the hand injury he suffered last season.
The junior said he has noticed clear jumps and improvements in the play of last year’s freshmen.
Now that they are more experienced, they have a good idea of what this season is going to be like, Sowers said.
“We feel like we have a really strong lineup one through nine,” Sowers said. “We feel like everyone has a chance to hit for some power, get on base, steal some bags and hit for average too.”
Lemonis used the versatility of Luke Miller last season. The then-freshman bounced around from position to position.
In order to maximize the production and number of at-bats for Miller in his sophomore season, IU’s third-year coach announced the utility man will see more permanent play at third base in 2017.
Perhaps the position with the largest increase in depth is the catcher spot.
Last season, then-freshman Ryan Fineman started 23 of IU’s 24 Big Ten games behind the plate for the Hoosiers, and rarely was able to get any rest.
Sophomore Eric Hansen and freshman Jake Matheny will provide Fineman with much-needed rest as they fill in for him throughout the season.
“We feel like we have three really capable catchers right there,” Lemonis said. “We’re still developing defensively all the time but we like our catching position right now.”
