Excitement and hype surround Troy’s baseball program this season as they enter ranked for the first time in program history.
“It is great for the brand,” said head coach Skylar Meade. “It shows a high level of respect for our program.
“We will use this in our own way to motivate us in the proper way.”
The Trojans prepare for action on the diamond starting with the first series against Bellarmine on Feb. 14-16. This team has many big matchups on the horizon, including tilts with in-state foes Auburn and Alabama.
Where did the hype for this year’s team come from? Well, it starts with the return of All-American catcher Brooks Bryan. Bryan took the country by storm last season, exploding onto the scene with 85 RBIs, 18 home runs and a .589 slugging percentage.
His 85 RBIs ranked fifth nationally, and his performance last season gained him enough traction to be named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
“Last year kind of surprised me a bit,” said catcher Brooks Bryan. “Obviously, I worked hard, improving my game behind the plate.”
Meade had nothing but good things to say about Bryan at the team’s media day.
“Brooks is such a great kid,” Meade said. “His improvement has been as stark as any kid that I have seen in recent memory.”
Bryan has garnered national recognition this season as well, with D1 Baseball naming him the sixth best catcher in the nation. Bryan was not the only player to be recognized on D1 Baseball’s top player lists.
Freshman Jimmy Janicki was tagged as the 38th best third baseman in college baseball. This is significant because it ranks Janicki the third highest freshman in the country. The Illinois native brings power and an arm to go with it, hitting .489 his junior season and throwing out 95% of would-be base stealers.
Janicki’s infield mate Blake Cavill also earned recognition from D1 Baseball. Cavill was ranked as the 18th best first baseman in the nation, which makes him first in the Sun Belt conference at the position. Cavill --a Sydney, Australia native -- credits his career success to the unorthodox path he has taken to get here.
“When you play baseball overseas you get lots of opportunities,” Cavill said. “When I came over here and people found out I was Australian I got one opportunity after another and now I am here.”
The senior hit .313 last season with eight homers. Cavill enters as a perfect replacement for the loss of Will Butcher at first base, almost perfectly replicating the big bat of the Meat Man.
The pitching staff also received major upgrades. The pitchers were one of the many issues with the final stretch of last year, but Troy returns several starters in the position group. Ace Luke Lyon, Grayson Stewart and Garrett Gainous highlight the starters.
“I think we have some elite pitchers,” Gainous said. “From our freshman to our fifth-year seniors, everyone knows their place and role.”
Troy also added transfer Noah Edders from Bradley. The junior right hander led his team with 76 strikeouts last season. Edders’ best performance came against Omaha, where he pitched 8.0 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts.
Meade has the most talent of his young coaching career, but he has one goal in mind for this season, win for the brand.
“I think we have one of the most talented teams in the country,” Meade said. “There’s talent and these kids are competitive.
“This isn’t by accident. These kids are good, and many will go on to play professionally.”
The schedule for the year is as tough as it has been for Meade as well.
The Trojans face an early test in the fourth matchup of the season, traveling north to Auburn, Alabama. The Tigers have the fifth ranked catcher and top five draft prospect Ike Irish returning to action for them, but Troy added Auburn transfer pitcher Drew Nelson over the offseason.
Another early test comes when visiting nationally ranked Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi. The Bulldogs enter the season ranked No. 18 and were picked as one of the top teams in the SEC.
The season does not get easier after non-conference play. The Sun Belt has made themselves into one of the top conferences in America with several teams making postseason appearances over the last three seasons.
“When I got here five years ago it was a really good conference, but now I think it is a top three conference in the country.” Gainous said. “
“There is good competition from top to bottom, but that keeps us better.”
Southern Miss enters as the back-to-back champions. The Golden Eagles visit Troy the final weekend of the regular season. The Trojans also battle perennial powerhouses Coastal Carolina and Louisiana this season. The Chanticleers visit Troy in late March for the Sun Belt home opener, while the Trojans travel to Lafayette, Louisiana, for the conference opener a week before.
An April road trip to Virginia is highlighted by a series battle with James Madison. JMU surprised the league last season by making a tournament appearance, and now Troy gets to visit Harrisonburg April 11-13.
The season concludes in Montgomery with the Sun Belt Tournament, where Troy will attempt to bring home the hardware and make a push for an NCAA appearance.
The season begins Feb. 14 as Troy welcomes Bellarmine to Riddle Pace Field. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. for Friday’s matchup with the two following games of the series at 12 p.m. on Saturday and concluding at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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