A new spring full of baseball is inching closer as the new semester starts, but it is no different than it has been for the last eight years.
The preseason voting for RMAC baseball has followed the same pattern annually. CMU has been a Division II powerhouse in baseball for several years and, as usual, is showing no signs of slowing down. Led by Head Coach Chris Hanks, who returns for his 21st season, and a flurry of returning stars, the men are poised to make another championship run in 2019.
CMU received eight first-place votes from the coaches poll after finishing 2018 with a record of 43-16 and placed ahead of Colorado School of Mines and Dixie State, who were picked to finish second and third. The Mavericks have won the regular season RMAC championship for seven straight years and conference tournament for five. The Mavericks added to their dominance with their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance, reaching the NCAA South Central Region Tournament Final where they lost 12-5 to Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
The talented Mavericks lost three power arms to the MLB First-Year Player Draft in 2018. RHP Kyle Leahy (17th round, St. Louis), LHP Reagan Todd (32nd round, Colorado) and RHP Jake Mielock (40th round, Pittsburgh). SS Zach McLeod was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 33rd round.
The four selections marked a school record for Mavericks drafted in the Amateur Draft.
Leahy had a tremendous career. The ace was a consistent arm for CMU as a starter. Todd was a pitching/hitting hybrid that provided a boost on the mound and at the plate. Mielock provided quality innings from the bullpen. Losing key pieces to the draft has been a staple for CMU over the years, but it’s a testament to Hanks and the coaching staff’s ability to bring in quality student-athletes every season.
“We lost some good players last year but we also got some great one in this recruiting class,” senior outfielder Hunter Douglas said. “Not to mention that we have guys in the program who are more than capable of playing a huge role for us.”
A player to watch is sophomore Jordan Stubbings, who was a legitimate power threat at the plate as a freshman. The 6’1 slugger blasted 11 home runs, 11 doubles with a .382 average in 144 at-bats last season. He was selected as the preseason DH on the Preseason All-RMAC Team and is coming off a 2018 All-RMAC Second Team selection. His gap-to-gap power earned helped him a spot on the D2CCA All-Region Team.
Stubbings was joined by four other returning Mavericks: RHP JR McDermott, SS Caleb Farmer, OF Douglas, and RHP AJ Landis. Farmer earned All-RMAC First Team honors at the hot corner last season after batting .384 with four home runs and 15 doubles. Douglas is coming off All-RMAC and All-Region honors in a season that saw him bat heavily from the leadoff spot. The senior provided a jolt at the top of the lineup with a .409 average, eight home runs, and nine doubles.
Landis made 20 appearances out of the bullpen for CMU, finishing with a 2.80 earned run average and four saves that placed him on All-RMAC second team. The versatile righty should give Hanks a solid option out of the bullpen as Landis can handle short outings along with multiple innings if needed. McDermott will look to have a bounce-back season after making just three starts in 2018 before suffering a season-ending injury.
A yearly benefit for Hanks has been the depth the Mavericks possess. CMU’s depth has allowed Hanks to mix and match with his lineup card regularly. Reserves stepped up during the off days for the regulars last season, and with talent returning and new faces coming in, depth should be another factor that helps the Mavericks stay competitive in the RMAC.
“We kind of just have a next man up mentality,” Douglas said. “I think that this team has a chance to be highly successful, that’s the standard that we hold ourselves to. We spend a lot of time together and everyone has a mutual respect for each other. It’s easy to compete with and for these guys.”
The Mavericks open their season in St. George, UT on Feb 8th against Northern Nazarene University. Opening Day at Suplizio Field is scheduled for Feb. 15th against MSU Billings at 2:30 p.m.
