SETTING THE STAGE
The Red Raider roster went live late on the night of Saturday, January 23. Forty-three Red Raiders, new and old, made up the initial team listing for the 2021 squad.
In a normal season, the roster listed here would be pared down to 35 players by Opening Day to comply with NCAA rules which dictate 35 rostered players, 27 on scholarship, each receiving at least a 25% scholarship, and all equalling 11.7 scholarships. But 2021 will be different.
The NCAA has made multiple one-year exceptions for 2021:
- The NCAA 35-man roster limit has been waived.
- The 25% minimum scholarship has been waived.
- The 27 max scholarships are raised to 32.
Additionally, the Big 12 has increased it’s 27-man conference roster limit to 30.
So all of that to say, for the March 19 conference opener against Oklahoma State, the Red Raiders will pare this roster down to 30 men. But that is not a static roster, it is simply uniformed players, which can change day-to-day.
INJURIES
Currently, three Red Raiders are injured, which changes the math a bit considering how many players will end up watching from the stands when Big 12 play begins.
- Austin Becker is out – Tommy John surgery in June 2020.
- Jakob Brustoski is out – Tommy John Surgery in December 2020.
- Dillon Carter is currently out and should be available in April.
Considering the first two on this list, the Red Raiders functionally have 41 on their roster currently as these two will most likely be redshirting. Carter was putting together a strong freshman campaign before the shutdown and if he can get back into game shape quickly could figure into the mix for corner outfield spots again.
MISSING FACES
Looking through this roster I’m seeing some specifics worth pointing out.
- Dalton Beck is no longer with the Red Raiders. He was highly touted as an incoming freshman and potentially a two-way player, but he has not remained with the program.
- Brandon Hendrix is no longer with the Red Raiders. The freshman from Big Sandy appeared in 5 games in 2020 compiling a 6.00 ERA in 6.0 IP with a 5:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Hendrix wore #35, which now belongs to Seton Hill transfer Patrick Monteverde.
- Austin Hendrix did not come to campus. The brother of Brandon Hendrix was part of the Red Raiders’ #1 JUCO class coming out of San Jacinto College.
INTERESTING TIDBITS
- Kurt Wilson is listed as a Util/RHP, which is also on par with 2020. Kendall Rogers of D1 Baseball reported in his Fall Report that Wilson could be in the mix for a middle infield spot. We’ve seen Wilson play pretty much every position on the field with the exception of catcher. The question for 2020 is whether or not it’ll take a note to Coach Tadlock at Rudy’s to get more playing time or if he’s earning a spot from the get-go.
- Cole Stilwell locked down 1B in 2020 with a steely resolve and his bat also came alive in his sophomore campaign. The freshman from Rockwall-Heath was slashing a .345/.500/.564. With the Fall departure of Andrew Stubbs, that leaves the Red Raiders a little thin at catcher. So Stillwell is listed as a 1B/C on this roster and may end up seeing some time back behind the dish as the #3 man on the roster.
- Nate Rombach made a national splash with his power bat in 2020 and the freshman from Mansfield Legacy pounded a .308 with 6 dingers and 27 RBI in 2020 and spent his time at DH and as a rest day reliever for Braxton Fulford at catcher. Rombach has a dual listing on this roster of C/INF. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a mixture of Rombach and Stilwell behind the plate and at 1B this season, particularly early on.
- The INF/OF tag is where 3B and the corner outfield may shake out of. Easton Murrell, Braydon Runion, Drew Woodcox, and Dru Bakerare on the shortlist to fill some holes and push others. With Dillon Carter injured to start the season, LF is looking for an occupant. Additionally, with the departure of Brian Klein to the Washington Nationals organization, 2B is open and in my opinion, Jace Jung is also a candidate to fill that hole. Runion comes in as a JUCO transfer with experience at 3B but transitioning the bat will be the deciding factor. Baker’s bat, broad skillset, and fiery disposition make him an attractive corner fielder candidate. Woodcox was the most lake-ready position newcomer in the Fall and flashed power to all fields and exceptional speed on the basepaths. The x-factor in this conversation is the bat of Max Marusak and if he is ready to lock down a position in the Red Raiders’ outfield.
Overall, the Red Raiders are once again loaded and dealing with an embarrassment of riches. I’d suspect that the majority of the 11 who will not be dressing out for conference play will be some of the younger arms on the roster still in need of seasoning. As Kendall Rogers likes to say, it’s plug ‘n chug once again in Lubbock.
