The Pac-12 baseball season is nearly upon us with opening day scheduled for Friday, Feb. 17. Who are the hitters to know from every team in the conference? Here is a cheat sheet to answer that question for you.
Arizona Chase Davis, OF
2022 Statline: .289 BA, .997 OPS, 13 2B, 18 HR, 54 RBI, 48 BB
The Wildcats lost a couple of their big bats from last season after Daniel Susac and Tanner OTremba were selected in the MLB Draft. Arizona hopes to have Chase Davis pick up part of their production. Truthfully, he doesnt have to do much to reach their numbers after he had a good season himself. Not only did Davis have good power numbers, but his 48 walks ranked sixth in the conference last season. Davis is on the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List and was named a preseason All-American by multiple outlets.
Arizona State Ethan Long, INF
2022 Statline: .294 BA, .901 OPS, 10 2B, 7 HR, 28 RBI
It was always going to be hard for Ethan Long to replicate his stellar freshman season but a wrist injury also slowed him down last season. Long is back healthy and sounds motivated to get back to where he was. Arizona State will need him to be closer to the slugger that hit 16 home runs and have a .340 average for the Sun Devils to make the NCAA Tournament.
California Rodney Green Jr., OF
2022 Statline: .293 BA, .930 OPS, 10 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 21 RBI
The Cal lineup will need multiple players to help replace the production left behind by first-round pick Dylan Beavers. Rodney Green Jr. is part of a solid sophomore class that will be responsible for that. Green Jr. can be a triple threat from the left side for the Golden Bears offense. He started to settle late into his freshman season by hitting over .350 in his last 18 games. If he can keep his strikeout numbers down, Green Jr. has a chance to vault himself into stardom.
Oregon Drew Cowley, INF
2022 Statline: .424 BA, 1.122 OPS, 16 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI
Drew Cowley doesnt have the power that others do on this list, but is one of the best pure hitters in the conference. However, the power numbers could be up as Cowley had to deal with a broken hamate bone midway through the season. Cowley will consistently hit line drives and still managed to have 21 extra-base hits last year. He also had an impressive 21-to-30 walk-to-strikeout ratio.
Oregon State Travis Bazzana, INF
2022 Statline: .306 BA, .903 OPS, 16 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 44 RBI, 14 SB
The Oregon State infielder collected nearly every Freshman All-American honor last season, and the Beavers will need even more from him. After the trio of Wade Meckler, Justin Boyd, and Jacob Melton moved on, a lot of the offensive production will rest on the shoulders of Bazzana and Garret Forrester. Bazzana doesnt look afraid of the spotlight after he hit two of his six home runs last year in the postseason.
Stanford Carter Graham, INF
2022 Statline: .331 BA, 1.041 OPS, 13 2B, 22 HR, 79 RBI
Carter Graham returns to the Cardinal lineup after leading the conference in home runs and finishing second in RBI. Graham only had 11 at-bats in 2021 and certainly broke out last season driving in two or more runs in 22 games. The Stanford first baseman also benefits from being protected by the likes of Tommy Troy, Drew Bowser and Braden Montgomery.
UCLA Ethan Duce Gourson, INF
2022 Statline: .294 BA, .894 OPS, 23 2B, 4 HR, 44 RBI, 43 BB, 19 HBP
Ethan Duce Gourson is another star in the Pac-12s loaded sophomore class. Goursons 23 doubles led the conference and set the Bruins program record. Hell always find a way to get on base after earning 43 walks and 19 hit-by-pitches in his freshman campaign. Despite not having eye-popping home run numbers, Gourson still led the team with a .894 OPS and 44 RBI.
USC Adrian Colon-Rosado, OF
2022 Statline: .298 BA, .838 OPS, 6 2B, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 12 BB, 12 HBP
Adrian Colon-Rosado will be a staple on the lineup in Andy Stankiewiczs first year. Colon-Rosado provides a balance of contact and power. He had 14 multi- hit games and recorded a 10-game hit streak in April. The left-handed outfielder also had six doubles and eight home runs. Last year was his first as a primary starter, so expect to see another step in his development.
Utah Kai Roberts, OF
2022 Statline: .277 BA, .846 OPS, 14 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 39 BB, 10 SB
Kai Roberts fills up his slash line. Roberts enters his third year as a starter and a reliable bat for the Utes. He improved his home runs and RBI numbers from his freshman season last year. In his career, Roberts has 63 walks, 29 doubles and 23 stolen bases are a big reason why he led the team in runs scored in 2022.
Washington AJ Guerrero, OF
2022 Statline: .299 BA, .871 OPS, 14 2B, 10 HR, 42 RBI
AJ Guerrero should be a big part of the lineup in Jason Kellys first year as head coach. Another sophomore that shined in his first collegiate season last year. Guerrero led all qualified batters from the Huskies with a .871 OPS. The outfielder hit 14 doubles, 10 home runs and drove in 42 runs. In the month of May, he collected 25 RBIs and had at least one in eight straight games during that stretch.
Washington State Jacob McKeon, UTL
2022 Statline: .348 BA, 1.030 OPS, 15 2B, 7 HR, 32 RBI
After joining the Cougars from Central Arizona in 2021, McKeon became a trustworthy bat. He has hit 25 doubles in his two seasons in Pullman and slots back into the heart of the order. McKeon improved his home run total from two to seven, while keeping his on-base percentage about the same. Part of that is due to his pitch selection and drawing more walks. Theres good reason to believe McKeons numbers will take another jump in his fifth year.