Deacon Sports Xtra: 2023 Wake Forest Baseball Positional Outlook
1/3/2023 8:36:00 AM | Baseball
Improvement in the field and at the plate in 2022 helped Wake Forest Baseball secure an NCAA Regional berth and led to a 21-win increase against the previous season.
The Deacs are primed for another big jump in 2023, returning the bulk of the starting lineup while adding some key players in the transfer portal. Wake Forest is likely to begin the year ranked in the top-10 nationally as one of the teams with an excellent shot of extending their season all the way to a run at the College World Series in Omaha.
Key to that production this season will be the first baseman Nick Kurtz and third baseman Brock Wilken combined for 38 home runs and 133 runs batted last season, with Kurtz earning Third Team All-ACC honors as well as Freshman All-America and ACC All-Freshman recognition.
"The big question will be where do you hit them in the order to protect them?," Wake Forest coach Tom Walter said. "My gut tells me that Kurtz should hit three and Brock should hit four. But then who do you hit five to protect Brock? And maybe should you hit Brock two and Kurz three? Those are all things that I think we're going to have to look at early in the year and figure out.
"Kurtz and Brock are as good of hitters as we've ever had here. We've got great people to get on base in front of them with Tommy Hawke and Pierce Bennett. And the question is between (Adam) Cecere, (Jake) Reinisch, (Pierce) Bennett, (Bennett) Lee and Justin Johnson — what order we put them in to best protect those guys. The good news is we have the pieces to do it, and it's just a matter of figuring out what's best kind of hitters brew is and where we put all the ingredients."
One of the most important challenges in the offseason for Walter was finding a capable catcher to replace the departing Brendan Tinsman, who hit .355 with 24 homers a season ago for the Demon Deacons.
"We brought in a transfer portal catcher from Tulane in Bennett Lee and he's really done a nice job this fall," Walter said. "He has great leadership skills and a really good kind of demeanor. He communicates well with the pitchers and the coaches, and has kind of stepped in and instantly earned the respect of everybody in our program."
Although his leadership will be vital, it won't just be Lee behind the plate this season for Wake Forest.
"He is really emerging as one of our go-to guys and that's not an easy thing to do and just a couple of months," Walter said. "He'll take over the lion's share of the duty back there. (Gio) Cueto played really well this fall, and even Chris Katz had a good fall swinging the bat. So we've certainly got some off options back there that we like. We're not going to have somebody back here that had the offensive year that Brendan (Tinsman) had, but I think they will get good production out of that position. And I do think we'll get really good defense out of that position.
"We're not going to have a catcher that hits 24 homers and replicate what he did offensively," Walter said about Lee. "But I do think we'll have a catching corps, because we didn't really have a good backup for him (Tinsman) last year that was ready. Gio Cueto is a good catcher, but he wasn't ready last year. So we didn't have good options to give to Tinsman the rest he probably needed.
"We're not going to have the offensive production out of that position that we had last year. But I do think from blocking, receiving, handling the pitcher, relationship with the umpire standpoint — all those things will be as good if not better."
Also gone from a season ago is shortstop Michael Turconi, who averaged .315 with 14 home runs and 68 RBIs in 2022.
"At shortstop, we brought in a grad school transfer from Lafayette, Justin Johnson, who had a great fall," Walter said. "He was really probably the biggest surprise of the fall. He stepped right in and swung the bat really well and played really good defense from day one. He's just the kind of gritty, grinder, gamer type and really can run and throw. He's got tools. I was really impressed with him in the fall.
"And then we have freshman shortstop Marek Houston who is going to be a special player. I don't know if it'll all come together this spring or next spring, but I know at some point in the next calendar year Marek Houston is going to be a special player."
The Deacs improved across the board last season, finishing with a team batting average of .319 with 122 home runs and a .548 slugging percentage. Maybe more importantly, team defense improved significantly, with just 62 errors committed in a season in which the Deacs finished 41-19-1.
"I think our defense up the middle is going to be better than it was last year — actually considerably better," Walter said. "We get (Lucas) Costello back, and then Tommy Hawke has really turned into a really good center fielder. So I think we'll be a much better defensive club up the middle than we were a year ago."
Wilken entered last season having claimed the Cape Cod League Most Valuable Player award during the previous summer, then went about grabbing career highs in hits (69) home runs (23), RBIs (77) and doubles (13). If the Deacs are going to make a run to Omaha, it'll be with Wilken steering the ship.
"I've never seen him look better," Walter said. "I think he's made some good swing changes in the offseason. He has a lot more adjustability in his swing, and he's got a lot tighter turn.
"Brock had a great fall, and he looks fantastic. He's been even more dedicated than ever on his body and his nutrition, and in the work he's doing. It's been pretty awesome to watch. So I'm really excited to see what his spring looks like."
Wake Forest begins the 2023 season by hosting Youngstown State and Illinois Feb. 17-19, with the opening contest taking place at 4 p.m. against the Penguins at The Couch. The Deacs will wrap up the first weekend of play with a doubleheader, facing both teams Sunday, Feb. 18 starting at 8:30 a.m.
