With the graduations of former rotation stalwarts Johnny Piedmonte and 2018 ACC Pitcher of the Year Brian Brown, the NC State pitching staff loses 27 percent of the team’s innings pitched and 26 starts between the two from last season. Fortunately for the Wolfpack and head coach Elliot Avent, the team returns several key players along with a plethora of impact transfers to potentially make up for the losses in the starting rotation while forming one of the ACC’s top bullpens.

Newcomers

Joe Ingle, Senior

Ingle was dismissed from the program at ECU a couple years ago before transferring to NC State, but was an excellent reliever during his time with the Pirates, racking up 22 saves and a 3.37 ERA. He figures to slot into a late-inning relief role and possibly close this season.

Alec Barger, Junior

Barger is a transfer from Polk State with great stats but some control issues early in college. He was selected in the 16th round of the MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers after starting 16 games with a 3.56 ERA to go with a 9.3 K/9 and an excellent 1.7 BB/9. He should see time in the weekend rotation this season.

Logan Whitaker, Freshman

Whitaker is a tall righty that was the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association Class 2-A Player of the Year in 2018, and could see immediate innings in relief.

Hunter Christopher, Freshman

A two-way player from Greenville, North Carolina, Christopher is listed as just a pitcher on the roster. A 3-A all-state player last season for J.H. Rose High School, the right-hander could certainly be a bullpen piece this season.

Andrew Blake, Junior

Blake, a JUCO transfer, was solid at Pitt Community College, starting 11 games with a 4.40 ERA while putting up excellent strikeout numbers (79 Ks in 57.1 innings) while walking just 16 batters all year. The right-hander could at the very least serve as rotation depth, and it would seem likely he gets a shot at earning a weekend rotation spot.

Jason Parker, Junior

The right-hander threw 58 innings for Louisburg College last season and struck out 72 batters. He started all 10 of his appearances and is yet another starting candidate, but his stuff could be effective in the bullpen as well.

Baker Nelson, Freshman

The six-foot right-hander could push for innings out of the bullpen as a freshman but projects as a future starter.

Andrew Tillery, Freshman

A freshman from Georgia, Tillery sits in the low 90s and has the potential to be a formidable bullpen piece this season.

Canaan Silver, Sophomore

Another JUCO transfer, Silver had an impressive run at Spartanburg Methodist College last season, starting 12 games and going the distance in one with a shutout. His 3.72 ERA, coupled with a 10.37 K/9 as a starter is certainly a positive development for the Wolfpack. Expect Silver to make an immediate impact, possibly as a starter.

John Creel, Junior

Creel was an Ole Miss commit before transferring to Wake Tech after a semester. He experienced the yips at Ole Miss, but his fastball is up to the mid-90s now and he threw 45.2 innings at Wake Tech last year to the tune of a 2.96 ERA with a 78:45 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The 6-foot-5 righty should compete for a starting job or a high-leverage bullpen role if he can replicate those numbers.

Returning

Dalton Feeney, Redshirt Sophomore

An arm injury kept the talented Feeney out of action for all of 2018. The righthander was draft eligible last season but didn’t get selected, and he’ll have the opportunity to improve his stock in a big way. If he remains healthy, he certainly could be a starting option after appearing in 14 games and recording a 2.53 ERA.

Austin Staley, Redshirt Senior

Staley missed nearly all of last season, making only one appearance on the mound, but was a reliable bullpen piece the year before, throwing 47.2 innings with a 3.59 ERA.

Reid Johnston, Sophomore

Johnston was the third weekend rotation piece alongside Piedmonte and Brown, and he pitched extremely well down the stretch last season. The right-hander had a 3.06 ERA in 64.2 innings (10 starts) and struck out 49 batters to just 15 walks. He’ll be one of the weekend starters.

Mathieu Gauthier, Junior

The Canadian righty started just four games last season and saw most of his mound time out of the bullpen. He recorded a 4.01 ERA – an improvement from his freshman season – and will compete for a starting role.

Michael Bienlien, Junior

He’s always had excellent stuff, but has never put it all together in a Wolfpack uniform. Bienlien had a handful of impressive performances last season, most notably five innings of scoreless baseball in a start at then-No. 2 Clemson, and could be a weekend starter if he can be more consistent.

Cameron Cotter, Redshirt Freshman

An injury forced him to redshirt last season, but he was an all-state pitcher at Northern Guilford in 2017 and should have the opportunity to contribute this season.

Nolan Clenney, Redshirt Senior

Clenney is another JUCO transfer and was one of the few reliable bullpen pieces last season, throwing 44.2 innings and striking out 54 with a 3.43 ERA. He’ll be a key arm in the late innings.

Josh Pike, Redshirt Freshman

Pike made one appearance on the mound last season.

Nick Swiney, Sophomore

The left-hander from Huntersville, North Carolina, flashed some potential last year and was a solid contributor out of the bullpen. He threw 30.2 frames to the tune of a 3.52 ERA and could have an expanded role this season.

David Harrison, Sophomore

Harrison struggled to a 5.72 ERA last season in nine starts, but is clearly a talented pitcher, as the left-hander earned a spot in the weekend rotation at the beginning of last season. He didn’t have great strikeout or walk numbers, but expect him to improve this season.

Evan Justice, Sophomore

Justice finished last season with an unsightly 6.83 ERA, but he only gave up one homerun in 27.2 frames and struck out over a batter per inning, so there’s reason for optimism with the left-hander.

Kent Klyman, Junior

The towering 6-foot-7 left-hander was the star of the Wolfpack bullpen last season, pitching to a 2.34 ERA with four saves. Most impressively, he struck out 67 batters and gave up just three home runs due to his overpowering abilities. He saved the day for the Wolfpack on many occasions last year, so expect him to do the same this season.

“He’s one of the biggest competitors we got,” Avent said. “You don’t see that many big lefties with the command he’s got.”

Bottom Line

The NC State bullpen has the talent and depth to be one of the best in the conference with its returning players and transfer additions. With the exception of Johnston, who’s already the de facto number one starter, the rotation is open for whoever gets the job done at this point, and the Pack has plenty of options to choose from. Look for Barger and maybe one of Bienlien, Gauthier or Harrison to fill those roles. If the starting rotation is consistent, this pitching staff could be one of the best in recent years for NC State.