Welcome to the Prospects Live Weekly College Baseball Roundup! Each week we’ll bring you highlights and stories from the college baseball series happening over the weekend, MLB Draft prospect performances to note, and a recap of our analysts' incredible work across the nation!
Stories From the Weekend
Duke (#12) Baseball Dominates in Baseball at the Beach: Duke competed in an early season tournament down in South Carolina and started the season 3-0 with impressive wins, including beating a tough Indiana team, dominating George Mason 23-5, and beating #18 Coastal Carolina. I was most impressed with freshman AJ Garcia, who went four for eleven with three home and nine RBI. Highly touted MLB draft prospect Jonathan Santucci had a very impressive first start where he blanked Indiana. He went five innings while giving up only four hits and striking out seven. The Blue Devils came away from this weekend looking like they will be very tough to beat both on the mound and at the plate. Head Coach Chris Pollard has to be happy with this weekend and I expected we see Duke move up the rankings.
Campbell Takes 2 of 3 From UC Santa Barbara (#17): After getting thrashed by 20-8 on opening night, the Campbell Fighting Camels fought back to take the series from the #17 ranked UC Santa Barbara. The Camels took game two behind a stellar performance from Zach Sabers, who went six innings and only gave up two runs on three hits. First baseman Reed Stallman and DH Dylan Koontz helped lead the charge in game three by driving in five of the Camels runs in their 7-3 victory to give the Camels their first series win of the season over a ranked opponent.
St. John’s Takes Down Florida (#2): In a shocking upset opening night, St. John’s beat the #2 ranked Florida Gators. Florida’s Friday night starter, Cade Fisher, only went two innings, giving up five earned runs over five hits while giving up six. It seemed like the entire St. John’s lineup was hitting in this one, but the major producers were leadoff hitter Jackson Tucker who went two for six with two hits, including a home run, and Garrett Scavelli, who drove in two. St. John’s bullpen truly sealed the deal for the Red Storm. TJ Winn, Jr., Ben Adams, and Sam Mettert went a combined four innings while giving up zero runs. Unfortunately for both teams, the following two games for the weekend were canceled due to bad weather.
Sacramento State’s Matt Masciangelo Gets Hit By a Pitch Eight Times: That’s one way to have a debut for your new team! Masciangelo transferred to Sacramento State from CSU Bakersfield and had an absurd first weekend for the Hornets. He was hit by a pitch eight times in twelve plate appearances, giving him a hilarious .692 on-base percentage.
2024 MLB Draft Prospect Highlights
(#3) 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State: 7 for 13, 4 R, 2 H, 4 RBI, 2 SB vs New Mexico, Minnesota, and CSU Bakersfield
(#4) RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest: 6 IP, 3H, 0 R, 1BB, 10 K vs Illinois
(#5) 1B/OF Charlie Condon, Georgia: 7 for 11, 4 R, 3 2B, RBI, 3 BB vs UNC-Asheville
(#16) LHP Jonathan Santucci, Duke: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K vs Indiana
(#27) RHP Ben Hess, Alabama: 4 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K vs Manhattan
(#42) SS Griff O’Ferrall, Virginia: 6 for 12, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, SB vs Hofstra
(#79) LHP/1B Payton Tolle, TCU: 3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 7 K & 4 for 13, 2B, HR, 5 RBI vs FGCU
(NR) INF Zander Darby, UC Santa Barabra: 4 for 13, 5 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB vs Campbell
(NR) RHP Khal Stephan, Mississippi State: 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 11 K vs Austin Peay
New Prospects Live Content
Video: RHP Matt Ager, UC Santa Barbara (Tyler Jennings)
Video: RHP Tyler Bremmer, UC Santa Barbara (Tyler Jennings)
Video: RHP Derek Vartarian, Campbell (Tyler Jennings)
Video: RHP Zach Sabers, Campbell (Tyler Jennings)
Podcast: On The Clock - Interview with LSU Head Coach Jay Johnson