Led by an experienced, veteran lineup, Texas Tech won the Big 12 Conference last season and reached the College World Series for the second time in three years.
Half of last year’s regulars are now gone, including All American first baseman Eric Gutierrez, leaving a hole in the lineup for new Red Raiders to step up and fill.
Texas Tech hasn’t missed a beat this spring, however, starting the season 17-4 and rising to No. 8 in the Top 25 after five weekends. Along with senior first baseman Hunter Hargrove (.329/.387/.553), junior outfielder Tanner Gardner (.294/.344/.376) has been at the heart of the Red Raiders’ new-look offense.
After leading Texas Tech in batting last season (.379/.484/.549), Gardner got off to a slow start this spring. Ten games into the season, he was hitting .150/.222/.150. He has since broken out of that slump, and hit .422/.458/.578 in the next 11 games to raise his season line to .294/.344/.376.
Gardner said he was confident he would break out of his slump.
“Just play through it has been my mentality,” he said. “I have a bunch of positive guys in the locker room that have kept my spirits up. It’s just the grind of the game we play and the game that we love.”
Coach Tim Tadlock said he thought Gardner’s start to the season was probably the worst stretch of his baseball career. But for a player with his ability to impact the game in several ways, it was only a matter of time before his bat came around.
Denne historien er fra April 07 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
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Denne historien er fra April 07 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
SUMMER STANDOUTS
The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.
IN WITH THE NEW
The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.
