After a 2023 West Coast Conference Tournament championship and NCAA Regional run, the Santa Clara University baseball program is back and looking to build upon that success, working to build an improved team for the 2024 season.
The 2023 campaign saw the Broncos have one of their most improved statistical seasons since the 1990s, and with that on-field success came recognition for their hard work. Eight players took home all-WCC awards including, Skylar Hales, Blake Hammond and Michael O'Hara, who landed on the all-WCC Second Team. The right-handed pitching Hales was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 2023 Draft and left-handed pitcher Nick Sando signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds. You can read about the successful 2023 season here.
The Bronco Boys' Fall 2023 Roster will include multiple returning Broncos. Starters at eight of the nine positions along with 10 pitchers who pitched in the 2023 season return. There are 17 new players in with the Broncos for the fall and their added talent will push starters for lineup positions while also enhancing the depth of the Broncos in 2024. Of the 17, 12 are true freshmen with four junior college transfers and one grad transfer. The Broncos' coaching staff have been encouraged by the work from all players during the summer and believe the athletic and balanced roster looks ready to take the Broncos through another strong schedule for the 2024 season.
The Bronco Boys understand that nothing is just given to them and the entire roster is ready to earn their roles this fall. Ahead of the team's final fall ball scrimmage on Saturday against rival San Jose State, let's take a look at the returners and new players in a short breakdown:
OFFENSE / DEFENSE:
Returning eight starters allows for familiarity in the fall season, but nothing is guaranteed with a group of talented incoming players pushing for their chance to impact the Broncos' lineup. The Broncos will again emphasize their overall team defense to support the deep pitching staff. The 2023 offense found its power stroke, ending the season with the most home runs in Santa Clara history and team slugging percentage of .491. The team carried a .892 OPS as a group in 2023.
CATCHERS: Senior Ben Steck and Sophomore Johnny Luetzow return after having caught all the games last season. Their combination of elite defense and offensive power will extend the heart of the lineup. The duo threw out 36.2% of runners attempting to steal. They'll be pushed by three new freshmen whose athleticism and game savvy will help the pitching staff develop: Koen Carston, Russ Filter and Kole Kinnison.
INFIELDERS: In the Infield, returning senior 3B/1B Efrain Manzo, junior shortstop Malcolm Williams, junior third baseman Robert Hipwell and sophomore 2B/3B Thomas Ferroggiaro combined to play the most innings in the infield and their experience and combination of offensive power and speed impacted the lineup during 2023. Graduate transfer first baseman Dylan Joyce will add power to the lineup and returning redshirt freshmen Kai Cunningham and Caden Thompson bring experience and multi-position versatility. New freshman infielders Ben Cleary, Niko Olson, Jack Lazark and Isaac Hawthrone will get their chance to impact the lineup and push the returners for roles.
OUTFIELDERS: Returning outfielders Coleman Brigman (graduate student), Michael O'Hara and senior Jon Jon Berring logged almost every start in the outfield during last season and their speed led to lock-down defense pitchers could count on. This group was counted on offensively just as much as defensively with their ability to get on base, drive in runs and steal bases. Returning junior Thomas Gould, redshirt sophomore Johnny Tarantino and sophomore Jordan Lewis all had an impact during the 2023 season and will be counted on to log important at-bats again in 2024. Newcomer freshman Payton Lambert rounds out the group and his mix of skills will add to the group.
PITCHING: Head coach Rusty Filter's extensive history in developing young pitchers is well known in the game, and this group is looking to add to that history. The Broncos' returning core of arms logged more than 300 innings with a near-equal amount of strikeouts (300). The 2023 staff posted an ERA of 4.54 -- tops in the WCC and ranked 40th in the nation. That experience will help as the Broncos move into the 2024 season with a deep staff ready to resume their 2023 success.
Graduate student and righty Cole Kitchen, fellow graduate student and righty Cade Pilchard, graduate righty August Souza, senior lefty Brandon Gomez and junior righty Blake Hammond pitched in multiple roles and produced big innings down the stretch of 2023 and should lead the staff again in 2024. The remaining returners: senior lefty Ronald Rockey, senior lefty Jace Root, junior righty Nico Stanley, junior righty Karthik Gondy, sophomore righty Caden Wooster, sophomore lefty Henry Stewart and redshirt freshman Will Pappas have pitched innings and will be counted on to take a step forward.
The deep group of new pitchers bring a variety of skills that will add to the rotation and bullpen. Junior college transfers righty Brayden Dotoli, righty Victor Martinez, righty Joshua Johnson and left-hander Sebastian Schreiber have pitched at top JC programs and are bringing in experience and competition to the pitching group. There is also an incoming group of strong freshmen: Tyler Alleman, Jace Gilmore and Max Bayles who want their chance to pitch early in their careers.
Click on the names of each of the returners to read their bios and find their career and season statistics from 2023.
