With baseball season finally here, NC State is gearing up for what could be a special season. Following its trip to the College World Series, the Pack9 returns several exciting players and a plethora of talented additions. From postseason heroes to rising stars, here are some preseason NC State baseball superlatives.
Batter of the year: Alex Sosa
The Wolfpack lost several key offensive contributors from last season’s squad and will have a very different-looking lineup. While much of the power has moved on to the professional level, sophomore catcher Alex Sosa remains in Raleigh with plenty of upside.
After serving as a designated hitter last year, Sosa will likely be a regular in the lineup this season as the team’s catcher. While he struggled early as a freshman, Sosa improved throughout the season. By the end of the season, Sosa hit one of the most important home runs of the year — a moon shot to put the Georgia Bulldogs away in Game 3 of the Athens Super Regional. Watch for Sosa to emerge as one of the top bats in the Wolfpack’s lineup this year.
Pitcher of the year: Jacob Dudan
The Wolfpack features one of the deepest pitching staffs in the country, with talented options in its starting rotation and bullpen. But sophomore right-handed pitcher Jacob Dudan stands above the rest of the staff as NC State’s preseason pitcher of the year. Ranked as D1Baseball’s top reliever, Dudan will be a major weapon for the Wolfpack.
The quality of pitchers often drops when a team turns to the bullpen, but when Dudan takes the mound, it improves. With a nasty slider and impressive fastball, the sophomore is a strikeout artist. No player has contributed as much as Dudan has to the optimism in Raleigh for the upcoming season.
Freshman of the year: Ty Head
While it’s always tough to crack the lineup as a freshman, NC State may have a prospect who can get on the field and shine early. Freshman outfielder Ty Head was one of the top high school prospects in Florida and comes to Raleigh with plenty of upside.
The 6-foot-3 freshman has the opportunity to compete for a spot at centerfield or as a designated hitter, providing a left-handed option at the plate. Batting .408 last season to close his high school career, Head is beginning his college career with the talent and pedigree to be an instant impact freshman.
Transfer of the year: Ryan Jaros
The Wolfpack plucked sophomore infielder Ryan Jaros from conference foe Georgia Tech to play third baseman. Hitting .343 last season, Jaros will likely be one of the more reliable bats in NC State’s lineup. Additionally, Jaros will be manning a key spot in the infield, taking over third base from one of the ACC’s best last season, Alec Makarewicz.
Coming out of high school, Jaros was one of the top third basemen in the country, then made 25 starts at the position last season. A key factor in NC State’s success this season will depend on Jaros playing well.
Breakout player of the year: Ryan Marohn
With plenty of young players, many breakout candidates would fit here. One of those is sophomore left-handed pitcher Ryan Marohn, who largely served as the Pack’s midweek starter last season. With Sam Highfill and Logan Whitaker out of eligibility, Marohn is a natural choice to emerge as a weekend starter after excelling as a freshman.
The lefty posted a 3.97 ERA over 16 appearances, including 10 starts last season. With an offseason to improve his craft, watch out for Marohn to be a key player on the mound, potentially cracking the weekend rotation.
