2022 St. Cloud State Baseball Preview

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

2/5/2022 9:00:00 AM | Baseball

Huskies Baseball readies for year 15 of the Dolan era

2022 Schedule Release

2022 NSIC Preseason Poll

Coach Dolan Preseason Interview

St. Cloud, Minn. – St. Cloud State Baseball enters the 2022 season hungry for a return to the NCAA Central Region Tournament, having earned nine bids since 2010 but falling short in a pandemic-limited field last season. Opening Day 2022 is set for Thursday, February 10 at Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Arkansas with a 3:30 p.m. CT first pitch at Clyde Berry Field.

"I think we've got some pitching depth," said head coach Pat Dolan, who enters his 15th year at the helm of the program, "And we have some really good team speed. We're lacking a little bit of our strength in the past of our power hitting, but we really love the direction of our pitching staff, our team defense and our team speed. When it comes down to it, those are the three things that really win championships. We're really looking forward to get things started down in Arkansas."

The Huskies bring back seven starting position players and over 200.0 innings from their 2021 pitching staff – 70.1% of their workload. SCSU went 22-14 overall and finished third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference last season with an 18-9 conference record, landing four players on All-NSIC teams with first baseman Jake Shusterich earning ACBA All-Region honors. Centerfielder John Nett earned First Team All-NSIC honors, while Shusterich, rightfielder Matt Quade and shortstop Max Gamm picked up Second Team nods.

"Every year is different," Dolan continued, "Especially the last two years for everyone with the COVID situation. Getting just 14 games in two years ago, and then only having 32 [regular season] games last year. With the series we missed, having six key pitchers going down, our catcher blowing his knee out, Shusterich playing with one hand basically, for us to start the way we did last year – 0-and-3 – to finish strong. All of those redshirt freshmen and true freshmen got some playing time, and I got to believe that's going to help us."

Shusterich posted a monster 1.114 OPS while hitting .371 and driving in 33 while fellow senior and rightfielder Matt Quade supplied a .999 OPS with nine doubles, six home runs and 37 RBI, leaving two significant holes in the lineup. On the mound, St. Cloud State lost just two key pieces – ace Matt Osterberg was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2021 MLB Amateur Draft after working to a 2.76 FIP over nine starts, tossing 50.0 innings with a 70:22 K:BB ratio while righthander Mack Larson graduated after appearing in 12 games with four starts and covering 29.2 frames.

"We're still really young," said Dolan, "The seniors we have are unbelievable, and we're going to be playing a lot of second, third and fourth-year guys that gained a lot of experience last year. Then you add some new guys that we brought in – I'm very optimistic. Hopefully we finish first or second this year, but taking third place in the tough Northern Sun the way we started was quite the accomplishment for all the injuries we went through and all the young guys we were playing."

The Pitchers

Long a strength of the program, the Huskies' pitching staff projects to be among the best in the Central Region with an impressive collection of depth and collegiate experience. Guiding the staff in his first year with St. Cloud State, pitching coach Mitch McIntyre will mentor a group owning experience virtually unrivaled by the rest of the region.

"The biggest thing about our staff is that we have unreal depth," said McIntyre, "We have at least 10 guys that I'm very confident in giving us quality innings. I have a hard time believing that I won't be confident in putting all 10 guys – and more – in big situations. As for our rotation, we're going to be headlined by a lot of lefties – namely Trevor Koenig, Luke Tupy and Ryan Duffy – and also one of our captains, Riley Ahern. For the staff as a whole we prefer to start five guys, and really that fifth spot is up for grabs. It's a nice problem to have as a coach, when you don't know who that fifth starter is because you have five or more guys that could realistically win that job."

Koenig will assume the role of staff ace in his senior campaign after serving as an anchor on the Huskies' weekend rotation last season, making 10 appearances with eight starts. The southpaw won four games and worked to a 3.00 ERA, holding a 57:13 K:BB ratio across 57.0 frames and holding opponents to a .575 OPS. Becoming a reliable innings-eater in his fourth season, he went at least 6.0 innings in seven of his eight starts, going 5.0 in the lone outlier and pitched into the seventh inning four times. Koenig spent the summer with the St. Cloud Rox of the Northwoods League, leading the staff with 46.1 innings of work while guiding the team to a Great Plains Championship.

The hard-throwing Tupy provides the Huskies with another high-ceiling arm, impressing in a true freshman season cut short by injury in 2021. Tupy made four starts and pitched to a 2.65 ERA, striking out 21 over 17.0 frames while holding batters to a .179 average. His control has taken a step forward after walking 15 batters in his five appearances. Riley Ahern has enjoyed a strong return to health this spring, rejoining the Huskies' rotation after a season lost to injury. The younger Ahern was St. Cloud State's top righthanded setup man to Matt Butler in 2019 – working 32.1 innings to a 1.95 ERA with 38 strikeouts and a .198 opponent average – then dominated in his first three starts of 2020 before the pandemic cut the season short. Ahern went 1-0 with a 3.51 FIP, holding a 19:3 K:BB ratio over 14.2 innings.

Fresh off a fantastic four-year career at the University of Minnesota that saw him serve as the Gophers' top lefthanded reliever for the last three years, Duffy brings 133.2 collegiate innings to the Huskies for his final season in 2022. Duffy made a team-high 14 appearances out of the Gophers bullpen last spring, striking out the third-most batters of all Minnesota pitchers and finishing with a team-high six decisions. The lefthander has made 74 appearances at the college level including four seasons of Northwoods League baseball with Mankato, Fond du Lac and Waterloo, owning a 4.24 ERA and 131 strikeouts with a meager .230 batting average against.

Last summer Duffy made five starts for the Waterloo Bucks and earned Northwoods League All-Star Honors by going 2-1 with a 0.33 ERA over 27.2 innings, striking out 26 and allowing just 18 hits. Incredibly, Duffy surrendered just one earned run and limited batters to a .189 average and a .532 OPS. Ranked as the No. 41 overall prospect in the 2017 high school recruiting class by Prep Baseball Report, Duffy was caught by current Huskies redshirt freshman backstop Nick Friedges during his senior year at South St. Paul High School.

"I'm really looking forward to working with this group," McIntyre continued, "We have some talented freshmen, we have some nice senior leadership and I like the direction our staff is heading."

SCSU's fifth rotation spot won't need to be decided until conference play begins until the end of March, but the Huskies certainly boast a strong stable of contenders for the role. Jack Habeck operated as a high-leverage fireman as one of the Huskies' top options in 2021 – the southpaw led the staff in wins, ERA and WHIP while chartering a 6-1 record and a 2.61 ERA across 13 appearances and three starts. He worked 41.1 innings, struck out 35 while walking just 11 (6.4%), posted a 0.99 WHIP and held opponents to a .195/.273/.292 triple-slash for a .565 OPS against. Tommy Thompson made nine appearances with five starts in his first full season last year, going 3-0 with a 4.81 ERA and a 4.08 FIP across 33.2 innings of work. The righthander struck out 33 batters and walked just 12. Senior Fabian Villegas took the ball in eight games and made three starts while returning from injury, striking out 19 over 23.1 innings and notably stymieing Augustana on March 21 – the righty went 5.1 frames and did not allow an earned run while scattering four hits to go with two punchouts. Louisiana-Lafayette transfer Sam Riola also figures to become a significant piece in the Huskies' rotation. Over 41.2 collegiate innings, Riola has posted a 1.08 ERA with three complete games, two shutouts, two saves and a .140/.217/.189 opponent slash line for a .405 OPS against.

"I don't want to be too optimistic," commented Dolan, "But pitching depth from one to 15, 16 is the most depth I've had in my 30 years of coaching. Some of our years, we haven't really had an established fourth or fifth guy – much less a big bullpen. I like our chances of keeping ourselves in the ball game."

The Huskies bullpen likewise boasts a strong contingent of both experience and upside, led by graduate lefty Shannon Ahern along with veteran righthanders Nick Brauns and Eli Emerson. Ahern returns after missing 2021 due to injury, a welcome addition to the fold. Shannon has spent time in nearly every role on the Huskies staff in his four years of competition, finding a home as one of the Central Region's top firemen in 2019 with a 2.91 ERA across 46.1 innings of work while striking out 55 and walking just 13. The crafty southpaw has 15 collegiate wins and one NSIC Gold Glove under his belt. Brauns earned a key high-leverage relief role last season, making nine appearances and winning two games. The Arizona native tossed 14.1 innings to the tune of a 3.80 FIP, struck out 17 (27.4%) and held batters to a .255 average. Emerson owned a 3.24 ERA and a .265 BAA in conference play across seven appearances last season, striking out 10 in 8.1 frames. He spent the entire summer pitching for the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League, serving as a key weapon out of the pen while helping the Bucks to a Great Plains-East Championship and tied for the staff lead with five wins.

Righthanders Adam Winkels and Isaiah Katz both figure into the mix as righthanded options – Winkels impressed in limited opportunity last spring and Katz enjoyed a strong stint in the NWL with the Eau Claire Express – while true freshmen Ethan Lanthier and Owen Anderson are expected to serve key roles in their debut seasons. The flamethrowing Lanthier struck out 38 in 20.0 high school innings as a senior and features jaw-dropping stuff, while Anderson led Hudson High School (WI) to a conference championship by going 6-1 with a 1.84 ERA across 38.0 innings, striking out 63 and working to a 0.90 WHIP last spring.

The Position Players

St. Cloud State's lineup was one of the most dangerous groups in the NSIC a year ago, boasting their highest team OPS – .908 – since their ridiculous 2016 campaign. The Huskies led the Northern Sun in on-base percentage at .412 while finishing second in average (.316), slugging (.496) and OPS as the third-most prolific offense in the conference with 7.31 runs per game. On the basepaths, SCSU stole nearly two bags per game at an 85.7% success rate – the latter mark good for second in the NSIC. Defensively, the team shook off early-season rust and solidified their starters to finish with a strong .962 fielding percentage.

"Our team speed is definitely going to be our strength," said Dolan, "I know when I played this great game 30-plus years ago my coaches gave me the green light, and I like green lights. I like guys stealing bases when they feel they can steal. You look at John Nett, Max Gamm, Paul Steffensen, Sam Riola, Parker Savard, Mitchell Gumbko – we've got guys that can swipe some bases. When you swipe bases, they're like doubles in a sense. It keeps you out of the double play possibility and gets you in scoring position where you can score on a single. It's going to be an exciting style of baseball – we still have four or five guys that can hit the ball out of the yard, and we have a lot of guys with a lot of at-bats coming back."

The Huskies outfield projects to be a highly-productive patrol in 2022, centered by First Team All-NSIC and rising star John Nett. St. Cloud State's tablesetter enjoyed a breakout second season, starting all 36 games in the leadoff spot as the everyday centerfielder and slashing .378/.515/.575 for a 1.090 OPS. Nett scored a team-high 45 runs, drove in 27 and added nine doubles, two triples and four home runs while stealing 15 bags on 19 tries. The righthanded hitter continued to display a plus approach, drawing walks at an incredible 20.8% clip while striking out in just 12.5% of his plate appearances. Senior Paul Steffensen is expected to move across the corners from left to right this spring, taking the spot vacated by Quade. Steffensen established himself as one of the best bats in the NSIC by leading St. Cloud State with eight home runs and slashing .316/.373/.588 for a .961 OPS. He added seven doubles, three triples and drove in 31 while going 16-for-16 on steals. Across 216 collegiate games, Steffensen has slashed .312/.374/.478 for an .851 OPS with 162 runs scored, 41 doubles, 17 triples, 17 home runs, 140 RBI and 58 stolen bases on a 92.1% success rate.

"The first thing that sticks out to me is our team speed," assistant coach Rob "Doc" Swendra said, "We have a great group of guys, great athletes who have been very successful in their careers and will continue to develop in 2022 and beyond. I'm really looking forward to seeing John Nett continue to take his game to the next level. He had an incredible season last year and has a lot more left in the tank. Paul Steffensen Tyler Schiller, Mitchell Gumbko, Mason Primus, I can go on and on. We're really excited about this group of outfielders."

Tyler Schiller is the Huskies' returner with experience in left fresh off a freshman campaign that saw him burst onto the scene, starting 17 games while playing in 35 and slashing .318/.423/.515 for a .938 OPS. The lefthanded stick scored 14 runs, belted four doubles, homered three times and drove in 10. Muskegon College transfer and 2021 Honorable Mention MCCAA All-Western Conference selection Mitchell Gumbko slashed .378/.512/.571 for a 1.083 OPS in 35 games on the JUCO circuit last spring, clubbing four doubles, three triples and three home runs while driving in 19. He scored 33 runs and went 14-for-16 on steals (87.5%). The powerful bat of Mason Primus likewise joins the Huskies after a strong season at Dakota County Technical College where he belted seven doubles in 29 games and slashed .344/.444/.508 for a .953 OPS.

St. Cloud State's middle infield is headlined by Second Team All-NSIC shortstop Max Gamm, Louisiana-Lafayette transfer Sam Riola and standout second baseman Parker Savard. Gamm led all Northern Sun shortstops with a .310 batting average and provided a reliable presence at the top of the order, slashing .310/.384/.401 with 29 runs scored, four doubles, three triples, one home run and 19 RBI while going 18-for-21 on the basepaths. Riola was the Opening Day shortstop for the Ragin' Cajuns and served as an everyday starter until an injury cut his season short this spring. He slashed .371/.444/.452 for an .896 OPS with five doubles and 14 RBI across 20 games at Iowa Western in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign and has committed just two errors in over 85.0 collegiate innings at both second base and short. Savard had a monster debut season for the Huskies last year, becoming a weapon off the bench with a red-hot bat and solid defense at second base. He slashed .412/.459/.441 for a .901 OPS, scoring five runs and smacking one double while providing four multi-hit games.

On the corners, Tate Wallat returns as the starting third baseman after a strong debut season in 2021. The lefthanded bat slashed .282/.388/.436 for an .824 OPS, scoring 29 runs and driving in 19 while smacking five doubles, two triples and three home runs. Displaying a strong approach, Wallat drew walks at a stellar 12.9% rate while punching out in just 14.3% of his plate appearances. First base will be a question mark entering the year – replacing Jake Shusterich will be a true test for the Huskies. C.J. Breen provided a key righthanded power bat off the bench last season, driving in seven with one double and a home run. Called on in dramatic moments all season long, Breen blasted a go-ahead pinch-hit RBI double at Northern State to secure a crucial sweep. Fellow righty bopper Reid Conlee went 4-for-10 in pinch-hitting chances and enjoyed another stellar season on the Minnesota Baseball Association circuit with Champlin Park, hitting .303 with five doubles, a triple and three home runs while driving in 27 over 40 games. True freshman and 2021 St. Cloud Times Baseball Player of the Year Ethan Navratil will factor in as well after earning All-Conference accolades four times at Albany High School.

Rounding out the position player group behind the plate, catcher Drew Bulson had a strong season as the Huskies' starting catcher. Bulson committed just one error behind the plate for a .995 fielding percentage, threw out over 20% of runners and helped the staff throw the second-fewest wild pitches in the NSIC with his blocking chops. At the plate, he slashed .243/.398/.378 for a .776 OPS and added a pair of home runs while drawing walks at a 20.2% clip. Cameron Vollmer provides a strong bat at both catcher and first base, owning a .359 on-base percentage across 51 collegiate games at Holy Names. Vollmer threw out 35.3% of runners in his final season at HNU in 2020 before spending last season at junior college power Mt. San Jacinto College. The defensive-minded Ean Von Wald, Nick Friedges and Mason Diaz will help serve as key depth pieces behind the plate.

What the Huskies are Saying

Graduate captain Shannon Ahern on the 2022 pitching staff…

"The biggest thing for our pitching staff this year is the amount of depth and experience we have. This could be the best it's been in my time here. It's been fun to see all of it come together in our live at bats and scrimmages in practice. We all have different pitching styles which is what will be the most fun to see as we get rolling into the season."

Sophomore captain John Nett on the Huskies' lineup…

"Looking at our potential lineup, it's very easy to see a lot of team speed with a few guys that will give us some power when needed. I'm very excited to see how our offense can play off of each other."

Junior captain Riley Ahern on the locker room buzz and the team's confidence…

"I think we're all really excited. We have a lot of potential with our returners and additions and I think that our team chemistry is the best it's been in a few years. I think if we can go play the game we know we can play, we'll be at the place we want to be at the end of the year and finally punch that ticket to Cary!"

Sophomore captain John Nett on what the Huskies are capable of…

"As a team, I believe this is the most complete team I have been a part of since being a Husky. We are very capable of big things, but we are going to take it one game at a time. There are no give-me wins when playing in the NSIC."

Senior Trevor Koenig on expectations for the pitching staff…

"I think this year we have a ton of depth and experience on the staff. Everyone knows what they have to do to be successful in the role that they will be in. We are expecting big things out of the staff as a whole, getting some guys healthy off of injuries from last year will be huge for us. Having one of the better staffs in the conference last year and making the additions we have made we are expecting to take that next step forward this year."

Senior Max Gamm on the position player group's ceiling…

"This team has so much potential. If we play together, do our job at the plate and in the field we can beat every team we face this year. I believe we should be able to make a regional this year and even win that regional. We have so much depth this year for position players. There are even some redshirt freshmen that could play and produce. This really shows the potential this baseball team has this year and in years to come."

Senior Paul Steffensen on what excites him about the upcoming season…

"I think there's really a lot to be excited about. Getting a couple big DI transfers to come here (Duffy and Riola) was really awesome to see. In the Northwoods I got to see firsthand just what Duffy can do, so I'm very excited to see him suiting up for the red and black this year. I think that overall the talent we have at all positions is very exciting. With the talent that we have it makes this team very capable to make a run deep into the postseason. Last year missing out on the regional was a tough way to go out. This year we are looking to bounce back and get to the regional. Once there we are looking to make some noise."

2022 Media Coverage

All Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games held at home sites during the 2022 season are scheduled to be broadcast on the NSIC Network. KVSC 88.1 FM will carry select series throughout the 2022 campaign across their family of stations - 88.1 FM, 97.5 FM RadioX and the KVSC Sports Stream.

For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.