USF baseball is ‘out for redemption’ this year, head coach says
The USF baseball team makes its return to the diamond this weekend following an offseason full of change.
The Bulls begin the season with a three-game homestand, starting with UConn on Friday afternoon.
Related: Taking a look at USF baseball’s non-conference slate
South Florida coach Billy Mohl said that his team is ready to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season.
“[We’re] obviously out for redemption after last year, which was completely unacceptable,” Mohl said before practice last Wednesday. “I think these guys have the mission in the back of their heads as well to put us right back where we were a couple of years ago.”
Mohl took action in the offseason after finishing last season with a 21-39 record, bringing in Alan Kunkel and Chris Cates to man the offense and running game respectively.
Both have previous experience with the program. Cates was on staff from 2015 to 2019, and Kunkel during the 2020-21 season.
Mohl also made the transition into being the team’s pitching coach this offseason, putting an emphasis on renewing a pitching staff that had a 6.82 team ERA last year.
“I knew that if we were going to get this thing turned around I just had to go back to my roots, put my hands in the dirt and go to work,” Mohl said.
Junior pitcher and preseason All-AAC selection Jack Cebert is expected to get the start on opening day for the Bulls.
Related: Six USF baseball players to watch in 2024
Cebert made 14 starts and 16 total appearances in 2023 and led the team with five quality starts.
He should see some competition from other pitchers such as redshirt seniors Hunter Mink and Dominick Madonna and freshman hurler Logan Bevis.
The Bulls also invested in transfer pitchers in the offseason, bringing in senior Peyton Jula from Austin Peay and junior Matt Brown from St. Petersburg College to name a few.
“We have a very new look to our pitching staff which I’m excited about. There’s a lot of talent, it’s seeing when the lights are on and what they do to perform,” Mohl said. “We gotta make quality pitches. At the end of the day you’re a master marksman, you’re a sniper with a baseball.”
Mohl said he’s less concerned with his team’s hitting capabilities.
“We have a veteran offense that’s been through the fires before, they should be battle-tested and ready to go,” Mohl said.
Senior outfielder Drew Brutcher is one of the veteran stars in the Bulls’ lineup, and comes into the season tied for the sixth most home runs in school history.
Although Brutcher is prolific at the plate when he is on, he struggled with his plate discipline at times last year.
“We know he can flash the power when he wants to, it’s just having quality at-bat after quality at-bat,” Mohl said. “So if he can cut down on those strikeouts and put the ball in play more and that’s what he’s done this spring and it’s been good to see.”
With Brutcher, sophomore shortstop Eric Snow and junior second baseman Bobby Boeser, Mohl said this offense can hit with the best of them.
“If they play to the potential that they are capable of and stay within themselves, this is a really deep, talented lineup,” said Mohl.
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