USF baseball steps up to the plate this Friday with a new head coach and “mad mentality” as it challenges Iowa in its opening series.

Head coach Mitch Hannahs looks to lead the Bulls in his first year with the team, following the firing of former coach Billy Mohl. 

Hannahs, the 2023 NCAA DI Midwest Region Coach of the Year, was hired at USF in June after a successful tenure at Indiana State. He led Indiana State to 355 wins, six conference titles and five NCAA Regionals from 2014-24.

Under Hannahs, South Florida eyes to prove itself following a disappointing 2024 campaign where the Bulls (26-29, 11-16 AAC) finished its third consecutive season with a losing record. 

Mad Mentality 

As the Bulls prepare for the season, Hannahs wants the Bulls to focus on bringing more emotion into practice.

He said players should come to practice with a “mad” mentality. 

“You have to come to practice mad,” Hannahs said. “You need to prove yourself everyday.”

For USF, it’s not just about bringing more emotion into practice. Hannahs said it’s about taking chances and getting away from just following orders.

“They’re staying within the rules,” Hannahs said. “That’s not the reality of the teams that win, those teams are willing to take chances.”

Hannahs wants the Bulls to step outside of the box.

 Hannahs will be taking a chance on the Bulls’ pitching staff, with many players having never played postseason baseball.

“We don’t have guys daunting our roster with postseason accolades,” Hannahs said.

RELATED: USF brings on Indiana State’s Mitch Hannahs as head baseball coach – The Oracle 

Bulls Pitching Staff

Hannahs named starting pitchers for opening weekend, but did not yet name a closer. 

Redshirt junior pitcher Corey Braun, was named the opening game starter against Iowa, for Friday. 

Braun, a transfer from Ole Miss, was redshirted last season after not appearing in any games.

Braun will look to capitalize off of a strong 2023 campaign when he was with Santa Fe College. 

In 2023, Braun was named to the All Mid-Florida Conference First Team Honors and posted a record of 7-1 with Santa Fe.

Braun struck out a team-high 76 batters in his 64.1 innings pitched and finished with a 3.78 earned run average, allowing just 16 walks and one home run.

For game two, Hannahs named junior pitcher James Hill to be the starter.

Hill, a transfer from the College of Central Florida posted a 2-3 record with an 8.53 ERA (24 ER/25.1 IP) and 21 strikeouts. 

Hannahs said that junior pitcher and dual-sport athlete Bryce Archie will be the midweek starter. 

“We’re thankful football shares him with us,” Hannahs said. “We are going to have to mix and match”.

The Bulls will look to mix and match with the lineup too, as the Bulls will lean on junior first baseman Rafael Betancourt to do some heavy lifting.

RELATED: USF baseball lands highest-ranking recruiting class in AAC – The Oracle 

Players to Watch

Betancourt, a member of the 2023 AAC All-Freshman team, focuses on being a key contributor for the Bulls offense this season. 

Betancourt was picked to be the AAC’s preseason all-conference team designated hitter.

In 44 games last season, Betancourt batted .302 with 10 doubles, three homers, 20 RBI and 24 runs scored.

Betancourt also carried the team’s longest hitting streak (10 games) and the longest-reached base streak (10).

Betancourt’s focus isn’t about his own stats. It’s about the Bulls team.

“I would just say the will to work,” Betancourt said. “Everybody is smiling.”

Betancourt believes in another Bulls player who could break out. His teammate: sophomore infielder Alex Brazer.

“I think he just brings raw power,” Betancourt said. “Probably one of the rawest forms of power I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Brazer, a transfer from Eckerd College, was named the Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year in which he played in 38 games and batted .311 with nine doubles, three home runs, 22 runs scored and 27 RBI.

Brazer looks to lead the Bulls offense with his power production.

USF baseball will play its first game in a three game series against Iowa at 6:30 p.m  Friday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.