In his Monday radio show, Texas Tech Baseball Head Coach Tim Tadlock said that center fielder Dillon Carter will be “out for awhile” after colliding with the wall in Tech’s Sunday loss against the University of Iowa.
Tech Rally Falls Short of Sweeping Iowa
In the ninth inning, Chase Moseley sent a long shot into the right-center field gap. Carter tracked hard angling towards the wall and dove for the play. According to Tadlock in his postgame availability:
“It kind of got stuck into the fence with his hand. I don’t think it was under, I think it just got stuck in that little ledge there, that little opening at the bottom. Looked like he was in a lot of pain.
It’s frustrating for sure…When one of your guys that can really play goes down like that, yeah, it’s frustrating. We’ll get it x-rayed and see what it looks like,” said Tadlock.
This is a particularly poignant loss for the Red Raiders, as Carter has worked exceptionally hard on multiple fronts to prepare for the 2o23 season. After two years of lingering issues with his shoulder, Carter entered the Spring semester healthy for the first time since his freshman campaign. He also put in extensive time in the cages working on his swing and approach and that work had paid off mightily for him.
Leading up to his injury Sunday, Carter led the Red Raiders with an on-base percentage of .548 and was slugging .844, second only to Gavin Kash, with 5 home runs and 9 total extra-base hits. Overall, Carter has slashed .400/.548/.844 this year, all while continuing to be an elite defender.
This loss begs the question, who is the next man up?
Tadlock has mentioned a few names in regards to this change, with Gage Harrelson moving over center field from right being one of those options.
#2 Gage Harrelson, OF
6-3, 180lbs
Kathleen, GA
Bats: L | Throws: L
Grade: 10
Harrelson comes to the Red Raiders from Kathleen, Georgia, only about three and a half miles from Bonaire, the hometown of former Freshman All-American Gabe Holt. He enters as a highly touted recruit with a Perfect Game Grade of 10 and as a Top 150 player nationally. He’s been clocked with 90+ mph velocity from the outfield as well as 80-grade speed with a 6.25 60-yard dash. For comparison, that is 0.12 seconds faster than former Red Raider speedster Max Marusak.
Harrelson’s start in collegiate baseball has most definitely raised some eyebrows. He’s slashing .338/.458/.515 so far and shares the team lead with Gavin Kash with 10 multi-hit games this season. He has become an everyday starter in right field for the Red Raiders and played plenty of center field in scrimmages. He has shown great arm strength to pair with his elite speed. Of course, if he slides over from right field that still leaves a position to fill.
#7 Jeric Curtis, OF
6-0, 165lbs
Cypress, TX
Bats: R | Throws: R
Grade: 9.5
Coming to the Red Raiders from Tomball Memorial HS, Jeric Curtis is another highly touted recruit coming in with a Perfect Game grade of 9.5 and listed as a Top 200 player nationally. Another outfielder with elite speed, he’s actually reported at a 6.22 60-yard dash time, 0.03 seconds faster than Gage Harrelson (that’s a foot race I’d like to see). Both of those guys boasted the two fastest times in shuttle drills at the MLB Draft Combine.
Curtis has seen time all around the outfield and has performed pretty well in all positions. Every ballpark has its own nuances that play out in the outfield based on how the ball flies, comes off the wall, etc. which brings a learning curve for every player. I say that because, in my eyes, Curtis has learned quickly and become more and more comfortable.
Curtis is hitting .400 in 5 at-bats this season. He’s an excellent runner with elite speed and he is an aggressive and instinctive runner on the basepaths. In my mind, he’s probably at the top of the list in filling a corner outfield spot
#25 Owen Washburn, OF
After supplying the opening day walk-off hit in Arlington to take down Michigan and give the Red Raiders their only win of the weekend, Washburn put together a strong 2022 season. He led the way among Tech underclassmen with 16 multi-hit games and slashed .313/.382/.545 in Big 12 play in addition to a solid season in right field where he put a cannon on display.
The 2021 Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year earned Big 12 Honorable Mention and Big 12 All-Freshman Team selections in 2022. Considering his performance, accolades, and his pedigree (dad Jarrod Washburn was a 2nd-round draft pick and booked 14 MLB seasons) it feels odd to say that Washburn’s freshman campaign flew a little bit under the radar with other teammates grabbing a bit more attention.
Washburn was the everyday starter in right field in 2022, but has seen limited action in an outfield clogged with new and returning talent. He’s also gotten off to a slow start offensively in 2023, seeing limited action so far as he’s started 1-20 at the plate.
#9 Zac Vooletich, INF/OF
A JUCO transfer from Navarro College, Vooletich made 27 appearances and 15 starts for Texas Tech in 2022, the most of anyone outside of the everyday starters. He batted in 18 runs in limited at-bats and his single home run was a big one. Homering in the ninth inning against Kansas State he set up Jace Jung’s walk-off two-run shot to complete the sweep in Lubbock.
The majority of Vooletich’s starts were in left field and he saw some time in center field as well. Primarily a catcher coming out of Brandeis High School with a Perfect Game Grade of 8, Vooletich played second base in his final season at Navarro. Voo has seen a fair amount of time back behind the dish in scrimmages and I’d expect him to be the fourth option back there this season for Tech.
Vooletich has seen limited work in 2023 but is hitting .333 with 9 at-bats on the season.
#33 Ryan Brome, INF/OF
A sophomore out of Katy High School, Brome saw limited action for the Red Raiders in 2022 with 13 appearances and two starts, one at DH and the other in center field. In 21 at-bats he posted a slashline of .286/.423/.429 and his bat looked solid in fall scrimmages.
Brome saw some scrimmage time at first base and in right field. He brings great left-handed power to the plate with the ability to absolutely beat up right-handed pitching. He’s certainly a guy whose bat Tadlock could want in the lineup depending on matchups.
One thing to love about the young man is that there’s no question about his dedication and determination. He has continued to put in the work and puts together competitive at-bats in the chances he’s had.
#28 Taber Fast, LHP/INF
6-2, 192lbs
Centralia, WA
Bats: L | Throws: L
Coming all the way to Lubbock from Olympia HS, Taber Fast has seen time on the mound and in the field through scrimmages. Perfect Game listed him as a Top 500 player nationally and the #1 left-handed pitcher in Washington.
Fast has seen limited time in various positions around the field, most of which came at first base where he played in high school. He’s shown a capable left-handed bat and good instincts on the basepaths.
Fast’s biggest contributions have come on the mound with 11 1/3 innings spread across four appearances, including two starts. Similar to Andrew Devine, Fast is a very athletic baseball player who could definitely figure into the outfield if that move was desired by the coaching staff
#31 Damian Bravo, INF/OF
6-2, 175lbs
Haltom City, TX
Bats: R | Throws: R
Grade: 8.5
A 6-2, 175lb player out of Haltom HS, Bravo was a Top 500 player nationally coming out of high school with a PG Grade of 8.5. Bravo is another two-way guy who we last saw throw publically in the fall scrimmages. I’m certainly not ruling him out of the mound as he was reported to have a mid-90s fastball in high school.
Bravo is another super versatile guy that can play multiple positions in addition to his developing closer role. He’s done most of his work this season on the mound with 4 1/3 innings across five appearances. He put in significant time at right field in scrimmages and could certainly figure into this conversation depending on the move for center field.
#41 Nolen Hester, OF
5-10, 180lbs
Rockwall, TX
Bats: L | Throws: L
Grade: 8
Hester comes to the Red Raiders after four years (including 2020) at Wofford in the Southern Conference. Originally from Midland Christian HS, he was a Top 1000 player nationally coming out of the 2018 class. At Wofford, Hester posted a four-year slashline of .331/.459/.431 and hasn’t classically been a power hitter, but he has been consistent. He has the second most experienced bat on the team with 487 collegiate at-bats, second only to Ty Coleman’s 560.
Hester definitely plays like a veteran with a patient approach, he reads the basepaths well and brings a level of reliability that injects confidence into a team with so many young players.
He spent much of the fall scrimmages in center field and did a nice job out there, but that was while Dillon Carter was not playing. Hester has been solid in left field and has used his developed plate approach to serve as an excellent leadoff hitter. Hester’s on-base percentage is sitting at .500 and he leads the team with 20 walks and 6 hit-by-pitches while batting .268 so far.
Hester could be a candidate to slide over from left field into a vacant center field, opening up a corner opportunity.
#50 Drew Woodcox, OF
6-1, 205lbs
Houston, TX
Bats: R | Throws: R
Grade: 9
Drew Woodcox came to the Red Raiders out of Lamar HS in Houston as part of the 2020 class. He was a Top 500 player nationally with a PG Grade of 9 and appeared in 20 games for Tech in 2021. Probably his most memorable moment came on March 26 in the series opener against the University of South Florida when Woodcox hit two home runs as part of a nine-run 5th inning. Texas Tech won 16-6 and gave Tim Tadlock his 318th win as head coach, moving him past Kal Segrist to second in Tech history.
Woodcox transferred to Rice for the 2022 season where he started 24 of the 30 games he appeared in. Woodcox hit .202 with 12 RBI last season but has made consistent contact in scrimmages since returning to Texas Tech.
He has flashed big power at the plate and played left field almost exclusively in scrimmages. If there’s a slide over from one of the current corner outfielders to center field, I’d expect Woodcox is in the conversation as well.
Whatever this coaching staff decides to do, it is a most unwelcome prospect as Tech’s Big 12 opening series with #12 Oklahoma State looms. The upcoming two-game midweek stand against UT Arlington will be pivotal in figuring out the outfield in preparation for the weekend series with the Cowboys.
