CHARLOTTE — In NC State’s 6-5 comeback win over the Charlotte 49ers on Tuesday night, freshman center fielder Tyler McDonough hit in the leadoff spot for the first time this season.
McDonough went 1-5 with a double to start the game. With McDonough is hitting .348 on the year and sporting a .406 on-base percentage coming into today, he could be a good candidate for that leadoff role.
“It bothers me to change my leadoff spot,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “I didn’t want to do that but McDonough’s been good and it gives us something to think about. It certainly gives us another option. Your leadoff hitter is so important.”
Sophomore outfielder Jonny Butler, who was feeling under the weather yesterday, is normally in that spot, but in the fifth inning, he came off the bench to pinch hit for sophomore second baseman J.T. Jarrett. Butler produced in the clutch by delivering a two-out RBI single to right field for NC State’s first run of the game.
Butler ended up going 1 for 3 with an RBI after coming into the game. Butler is hitting .258 on the season with a .413 OBP.
As for the McDonough and Butler leadoff debate, McDonough currently has the best average of the two but both have been productive at the plate, putting up a similar OBP.
After Butler pinch hit for Jarrett, Butler came in to play center field and McDonough, a natural infielder, moved to second base for Jarrett. A switch of McDonough for Jarrett in the future could be possible if the coaching staff is comfortable with him at second base and comfortable with the other options in the outfield.
“I just like being on the field,” McDonough said. “I don’t really care where I play. I just want to help the team any way I can.”
Jarrett, although an important piece of this team the last two seasons, is only hitting .179 this year and is more used for his defense and bunting ability. McDonough would be a much more dangerous weapon at the plate and it would allow Butler, Tatum and another outfielder to enter the lineup every day.
This baseball team has shown its depth in the bullpen and at the plate but can improve the lineup with that switch. In turn, it comes down to the third outfielder, after Tatum and Butler, being a more productive hitter right now than Jarrett, who certainly has the tools to be the every-day second baseman.
Either way you look at it, NC State is undefeated and ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ I wouldn’t expect a permanent switch in the leadoff spot, especially looking at the production McDonough has had deeper in the lineup.
However, McDonough playing more second base could be an interesting move for this team to get more bats in the lineup. Avent will learn more about this team and likely slow down the revolving door of substitutions as ACC play begins, but there are a lot of options.
Freshman infielder Tyler McDonough swings during the game versus UNC-Charlotte on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 in BB&T Ballpark. The Wolfpack beat the 49ers 6-5.
