22. KANSAS STATE
2013 Record (Ranking): 45-19 (13). RPI: 16.
Coach (Record at school): Brad Hill (338-243-3, 10 years).
Postseason History: 4 regionals (active streak: 1), 0 CWS trips, 0 national titles.
2014 LINEUP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pos. Name Yr. AVG OBP SLG HR RBI SB
C Blair DeBord Sr. .327 .418 .392 0 37 6
1B Shane Conlon Jr. .341 .430 .502 7 28 17
2B Ross Kivett Sr. .360 .440 .483 3 39 26
3B R.J. Santigate Sr. .324 .409 .360 0 29 11
SS Austin Fisher Jr. .361 .443 .514 2 38 3
LF Kyle Speer Jr. .143 .273 .200 0 4 0
CF Clayton Dalrymple So. .343 .343 .400 0 6 2
RF Mitch Meyer Jr. .281 .322 .492 4 34 2
DH Max Brown Jr. NA Tr.—Bellevue (Wash.) CC
Pos. Name Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV
RHP Levi MaVorhis So. 5 0 4.77 55 30 0
LHP Jared Moore Sr. 4 0 3.73 31 23 0
RHP Colton Kalmus R-Fr. NA DNP-Injured
RP Jake Matthys So. 9 2 2.05 61 44 9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hitting: 65. Six regulars return from a team that ranked second in the nation in batting and fifth in triples last year, evidence of its prowess at driving the gaps. Up and down the lineup, the hard-nosed Wildcats apply pressure a variety of ways—working counts, getting hit by pitches, bunting, hitting behind runners, and mixing up their attack. Kivett, the reigning Big 12 player of the year, makes the Wildcats go with his energy and his ability to get on base thanks to a patient, mature all-fields approach. Fisher is a skilled, disciplined hitter with an inside-out swing, excelling at spoiling pitches and serving the ball to left field. Conlon, the most physical hitter in the lineup, can wear out the gaps or lay down a bunt. Meyer, Santigate and DeBord have all proven they can hit for average, and each delivered his share of timely hits last year. Speer and Dalrymple might not put up big numbers but should scrap and claw through at-bats, making them good fits in this lineup.
Ross Kivett (Photo by John Williamson)
Power: 40. Departed Jared King and Jon Davis combined to hit 12 of Kansas State’s 29 homers last year. Conlon matured into a legitimate power threat last year, and Meyer brings occasional pop as well. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Brown is something of a wild card, as he has flashed strength but remains somewhat raw at the plate. Speer could hit a few home runs, and Kivett flashed fringe-average power in the Cape Cod League but has hit just three homers in three years at KSU. The Wildcats figure to thrive on using the gaps again, racking up doubles and triples.
Speed: 60. Kansas State’s aggressiveness on the basepaths makes its speed play up. Kivett is a fringy runner but knows how to read pitchers, read balls in the dirt, and generally take the extra base when the opportunity presents itself. The same could be true of most Wildcats, to varying degrees. Conlon stole 17 bases in 21 tries last year, Santigate swiped 11 bags in 16 tries, and DeBord was 6-for-8—and that’s from the two infield corners and the catcher. The tooled-up Brown is the fastest player on the team, and Dalymple is also an above-average runner.
Defense: 65. The Wildcats have upperclassmen at all four infield spots and catcher, and all of them were reliable starters on a team that fielded .974 last year (36th in the country). Conlon is a premier defensive first baseman, while Kivett and Fisher make all the routine plays but lack standout range or flashy actions. Santigate has very good range and instincts at third, helping him get to more balls than most, but he needs to cut down his errors a bit. DeBord runs the show behind the plate; this will be his third year calling pitches, and he has a good feel for setting hitters up, in addition to strong receiving skills and an accurate arm, though not a cannon. The outfield should be decent but not exceptional.
Starting Pitching: 35. The rotation was KSU’s weakness last year, and it will be again. The Wildcats were able to win despite seldom getting solid five-inning starts on the mound, but they hope MaVorhis and Moore can go deeper into games this year. MaVorhis is a strike-thrower with a low-to-mid-80s fastball, an adequate slider and a very good changeup. Moore showed an improved changeup during his breakout fall, complementing his 84-86 fastball and decent curve. Kalmus missed last year with a fracture in his forearm and has dealt with some soreness this winter, but if healthy he offers more arm strength, with an 86-90 fastball, a decent slider and changeup.
Bullpen: 55. Matthys earned freshman All-America honors last year, when he anchored the entire pitching staff from the back. His unflappable confidence is his best asset, and he attacks hitters with a lively 86-88 sinker, a good changeup and slider. The Wildcats can extend Matthys for multiple innings to shorten games, but they also have a competitive, proven setup man in Jr. RHP Nate Williams, who works at 88-92 with serious sink and a power curveball that is an out pitch when it’s on. The X-factor is Jr. RHP Jake Whaley, a junior-college transfer with a 93-94 fastball who is still learning to throw strikes consistently.
Experience/Intangibles: 65. The Wildcats have long embraced a dogged, blue-collar ethos that starts at the top with coach Brad Hill. Toughness has been their calling card for years, consistently helping them play above their talent. They play with energy, they have fun, and they expect to win. It also helps that their lineup and bullpen are loaded with veterans coming off a strong showing in a tough super regional at Oregon State.
Baseball America OFP: 55. Starting with its first-ever regional in 2009, Kansas State has been to the NCAA tournament four times in five years. The Wildcats hosted a regional for the first time last year and won it. They are good enough to compete for another Big 12 championship and will have a shot to elevate the program to an even higher level if their starting pitching improves. But that remains a major question mark.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
