Freshman year is a time spent meeting new people from different places and experiencing things once only dreamt about. It's about moving out and living on your own. It is a year of transition.
However, for the freshman class of the Sun Devil baseball team, this first year will mainly be about preparation, rather than merely transition.
Although the transition from high school to a university the size of ASU is always a process, their time now will be focused on preparation: preparation for their season, their careers and their lives.
"I expect a lot out of them," coach Pat Murphy said. "I expect them to want to expect great things from themselves."
The new class ranked as the second-best recruiting class in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
The publication annually ranks the nation's top-recruiting classes - comprised of all newcomers to the program - for collegiate baseball.
This year ASU ranks only behind South Carolina.
Texas, Vanderbilt and LSU capped off the top five respectively. UA took home the number-seven spot while UCLA, Stanford, Washington and California all were ranked in the top 40.
The rankings are based on statistics and performance as well as potential. There is much gray area in these rankings, however they do provide hard numbers that fans can wrap their hands around.
For ASU, its recruiting class is made up of six freshmen and seven transfers. The freshmen will be the ones most scrutinized, and likely grouped together in how well they perform.
Five of the incoming freshmen were drafted in the 2005 MLB Draft. Most notable were infielder Matt Hall in the eighth round, pitcher/outfielder Ike Davis in the 19th round and catcher Preston Paramore in the 22nd round.
"It's a great honor and everything but after that you have to throw it out the window because during the season it doesn't mean much," Paramore said. "But it does mean we have the talent to go and do it."
Coming into this season Paramore has a good chance of taking over the catching position left vacant by the departure of four-year starter Tuffy Gosewisch.
With that, Paramore is focused less on the ranking and more on performing.
"Baseball is baseball; you got to go out and play either way no matter what your ranking is," Paramore said.
All concerns have now focused themselves onto the field in preparation for the upcoming season.
"I hope to help lead the team the best I can to the College World Series and do my part and play my role the best to my ability," Hall said.
With the departure of many key players such as Jeff Larish, Erik Averill and Travis Buck, the class of newcomers may receive a quick opportunity to show off some of their skills and why they deserve such high rankings.
Still, many are curious, if not concerned, to see how this highly touted class of newcomers will perform.
"It's about people, and everybody brings something different to the table," coach Murphy said. "This is a game and it's fun."
Reach the reporter at william.hayes@asu.edu.
