Long Beach State University Athletics
Season Preview #2: Outfielders
1/31/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 31, 2014
With the baseball season just two weeks away and closing in fast, LongBeachState.com will be posting position group previews every Friday leading up to the season. This week, we hit preview number two our with a look at the outfield.
Season Preview: Outfielders
There is a lot of green to cover at Blair Field and three men are put in charge of covering all that green. The Dirtbags have three upperclassmen penciled in to occupy those three spots bringing all their experience in the field and at the plate with them.
The outfield will rely on that experience as one of its strengths. The depth of the infield and the mound isn't there for the outfielders but the experience that goes out there is plentiful. The bats that go along with the outfielders may also be the biggest run producers in the lineup.
Junior Richard Prigatano will reclaim his spot in right field. All-Big West selection junior Johnny Bekakis will also be back to roaming center field after missing the 2013 season. Senior Michael Hill is slated to start in left field with the versatility to play both corner outfield spots as well as move into the infield if called upon.
Hill was also mentioned in the infield preview as a possibility at third base. For now, he will be in the outfield and a center piece in the Dirtbags lineup. He had a breakout year in 2013 and proved that the Dirtbags need his presence at the plate. He hit .336 and showed some power with a team-leading three home runs in 37 games, missing some time with an injury.
He likely fits into left field but will not be only in left field as sophomore Zack Rivera can also play the position. Head coach Troy Buckley continually notes his versatility as a defender as an added bonus to his team. He also notes the need for his bat in the lineup and his ability to produce runs in any situation.
"Hill proved himself last year as being consistent against left and right handed pitchers," Buckley said. "He can hit anywhere in the lineup and do a lot of different things. He's a senior and has a lot of experience."
When not in left field, Rivera will serve as the team's DH. He had over 100 at bats as a freshman last and hit .283. He also drove in 25 runs, which is the second most among returning players. He is also a reliable defender that will likely see some innings in the field.
He will be a key contributor come on the offensive side where Buckley calls him "one of the best run-producing bats on the team." His numbers as a freshman in 2013 certainly support that claim and he will look to surpass those marks as a middle of the order hitter in 2014.
On the other corner of the outfield is Prigatano, who is going into his third year as a starter. Last year, he hit .302, drove in 23 runs and scored 22 times. He was one of three Dirtbags to hit more than 10 doubles with 11 on the year and also legged out a pair of triples.
"Prigatano needs to have a good year for us," mentioned Buckley. "He is certainly a threat in the middle of the order and we'll look to him to be one of our run producers."
Bekakis is back in center field but could also move around some other outfield spots if senior Colby Brenner were to enter into the game. Bekakis was an All-Big West selection as a sophomore in 2012 and the Dirtbags see him picking up right where he left off. He hit .290 two years ago, stole seven bases and scored 25 times.
Bekakis will be welcome addition in 2014, especially in the lineup with his speed and ability at the plate to put pressure on opposing teams. He was one of three All-Big West selections in 2012 to miss the 2013 season and Buckley can't wait to have all three back.
"Those three guys (Bekakis, Ryan Strufing and Kyle Friedrichs) were guys that helped us win games. They were performers. Not having Bekakis out there made our lineup thinner."
Brenner will be another piece in center field that could move Bekakis one way or the other in the outfield. His defensive abilities give the Dirtbags some options late in games when they hold a narrow lead. He will be called upon as a late inning substitution in those situations but should see a share of the innings in the outfield as the season progresses.
Transfer Nolan Meadows will also compete for some time in the outfield as he has shown the coaching staff tremendous growth since his arrival on campus. Buckley is especially impressed with his growth as a fielder and will not be shy about giving him some opportunities both at the plate and in the field.
All three Dirtbags slated to start in the outfield bring a wealth of experience and will be key pieces offensively. Bekakis, Hill and Prigatano have all strode to the plate for Long Beach State over 200 times and will be looked to as key pieces in the lineup.
"I think (the outfield) is where the bulk of our offense is going to come from," Buckley noted. ". We've got a lot of at bats back and you can't put a price on experience."
