The Louisville baseball season is inching closer. Who will be the starters in 2023?
It is about that time of the year again! The 2023 Louisville baseball season is quickly approaching. Following a strong 2022 campaign that saw the Cardinals go 42-21-1 (18-11-1), Dan McDonnell and co. have high expectations for the 2023 squad.
Louisville saw their season come to an end in the Super Regionals last season, on the road at the hands of Texas A&M. A young team with a lot of question marks entering the season ended up resetting the standard for Louisville baseball following a disappointing 2021 season, which saw the Cardinals fail to reach the NCAA tournament. Now the stakes are even higher. A very good junior class and a highly touted group of freshmen highlight the group of players that Dan McDonnell has to work with.
Here, we are going to predict whom the Cardinals starters will look like on opening day, 2023.
The position players
C- Jack Payton
Following the departure of Dalton Rushing, (40th overall draft pick in 2022 to the Dodgers) it is no surprise that Jack Payton will be the guy behind the plate. Payton is coming off a sophomore season that saw him hit .350 while splitting time behind the plate and at DH. Perhaps the only weakness of Payton’s game is his arm behind the plate. He put those doubts to rest in the fall when he registered a 1.85 pop time during the scrimmage at Miami (OH).
As is the case with every catcher, Jack Payton will not be behind the dish every game. Dan McDonnell brings in an elite trio of freshman catchers that are all vying for the second catcher spot. Look for Will Vierling, Matt Klein, and Brantley Bamberg to contribute behind the plate this season as well.
1B- Ryan McCoy
Ben Bianco held down first base for the majority of the 2022 season. His graduation meant another player for the coaching staff to replace. Enter Ryan McCoy, a 6’4 transfer from JUCO powerhouse, Wabash Valley Community College. While at Wabash in 2022, McCoy hit a ridiculous .435 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs. Through his first fall on campus, it appears that McCoy has not missed a beat and he appears ready to take control of first base.
Also in the mix at first base is Wil Cook. Cook is a redshirt freshman who missed all last season due to a shoulder injury that he sustained during the fall of ’21. Cook has also had a nice fall and will certainly be in the mix for first base as the spring rolls around.
2B- Christian Knapczyk
The Cardinals return their spark plug for yet another year, however, the 2023 season is likely to bring on a position change for Christian. Following a big ’22 campaign, the Cardinals’ leadoff hitter is likely to find himself a new home at second. Coach McDonnell has always preached that he wants to give guys looks where they are most likely to profile as a professional. At 5’9 and a prototypical left-handed contact hitter, Knapczyk profiles as a Major League second baseman and will be getting most of his time there as his draft approaches.
SS- Gavin Kilen
There were numerous people surprised that Kilen made it to campus this summer following the draft. A consensus top draft prospect, Kilen held firm on his commitment to Louisville baseball and was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round of the draft. After not signing, Kilen stepped onto campus and has looked the part of a high-level college shortstop since day one. His career is going to be a fun one to watch.
Also, in the mix at shortstop, keep an eye on sophomore Noah Smith and freshman Tucker Biven. Both players made some noise this fall and will make the shortstop competition a tough one to win for Kilen.
3B- Patrick Forbes
Perhaps the position that is most up in the air at the moment is third base. Having a true freshman left side of the infield is something that is unprecedented. Patrick Forbes and Gavin Kilen are just that good though. Hailing from Bowling Green, Kentucky, Forbes ranks as the number one player in the state’s ’22 class by Perfect Game. He had a monster fall and even got multiple looks on the mound as well.
Right there with Forbes is Logan Beard. The second baseman on the ’22 team, Beard got a lot of looks at third base during the fall. As of right now, the job is a toss-up. The competition will be a good one and you could see at-bats split 50/50 between the two, early in the season.
LF- Eddie King Jr.
Eddie King is coming into his second season in the program. Following a redshirt season in ‘22, King went to the Alton River Dragons where he led the Prospect League in home runs this past summer before taking home MVP honors. King continued that hot hitting into the fall and may have played himself into the middle of the opening-day lineup.
Also Read: Eddie King Jr. Ready for Big Role in 2023
CF- Haven Mangrum
The departure of Levi Usher is not an easy pill to swallow for many Cardinals fans. He left some big shoes to fill in center. If anyone is prepared to fill them though, it’s Haven Mangrum. Mangrum is a JUCO transfer from Columbia State Community College in Tennessee. Mangrum hit .311 during his ’22 campaign and has the speed and glove that rivals Levi Usher’s.
Tyeler Hawkins is another name to keep an eye on in center field. Hawkins is coming off a season that saw him produce in limited action. The senior returns for another year and had a nice fall as well. Mangrum and Hawkins could also be splitting playing time early in the season.
RF- Isaac Humphrey
While nobody is set in stone at a position, it feels that Isaac Humphrey in right field is about as close as it is going to get. The junior returns to Louisville baseball, coming off a season that saw him start 58 games in right field while hitting .328 at the plate. Humphrey did it all for the Cardinals last season and once again figures to be a force in the lineup.
DH- Logan Beard
There are numerous options for the coaching staff to turn to at the DH spot. Logan Beard, JT Benson, Will Cook, and Brandon Anderson all figure to be strong options as DH. This spot in the lineup figures to be a revolving door and you will see a lot of new names here. If Dan McDonnell’s biggest problem this season is too many options, that’s a pretty good problem to have.
The Starting Pitchers
Friday- Kade Grundy
Saturday- Riley Phillips
Sunday- Ryan Hawks
Midweek-Justin West
The group of pitchers is all speculation. A weak spot on last year’s team, look for the pitching to step up in a big way this year. A draft-eligible sophomore, Kade Grundy is coming off a monster summer on the Cape and seems poised to lead the pitchers. Phillips returns to the rotation after getting the bulk of Sunday starts last season. Ryan Hawks is an interesting option. After most of his career coming out of the bullpen, Hawks has seen himself stretched out and seems ready for the role of a starter.
Justin West is going to be a fun name for Cardinals fans to keep an eye on. A 6’3 left-hander out of Paducah Tilghman, West put up video game numbers while in high school. West missed his entire senior season due to Tommy John Surgery and was an early enrollee at Louisville so he could rehab. Now fully healthy, he’s had a dominating fall and is ready to be a fixture in the Cardinals rotation.
There are a number of options for the coaching staff to turn to. Veterans Tate Kuehner and Garrett Schmeltz return and figure to have key roles in either the rotation or bullpen. Younger guys such as Will Koger, Carson Liggett, and Ben Wiegman will also be key to the pitching staff’s success in 2023.
Opening day lineup
Just for speculation, let’s piece together what the opening day lineup could look like for Dan McDonnell and Louisville baseball Bucknell on February 17th.
1. Christian Knapczyk-2B
2. Jack Payton- C
3. Isaac Humphrey-RF
4. Eddie King Jr.-LF
5. Ryan McCoy-1B
6. Patrick Forbes-3B
7. Logan Beard-DH
8. Haven Mangrum- CF
9. Gavin Kilen-SS
SP. Kade Grundy
With this kind of talent and the amount of talent that is waiting in the wings, 2023 will be a year of Omaha or bust.
