(From left) ASU junior infielder Dalton DiNatale, sophomore infielder David Greer and junior reliever Jordan Aboites leads off during base running drills at the Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Jan. 28, 2015. (Daniel Kwon/ The State Press)Unlike its outfield, ASU baseball's infield went through a transition this offseason and will feature a few new faces heading into the Feb. 13 opener against Oklahoma State.
Out of the five infielders who started in the final loss of last season to Sacramento State, only two return to this year's lineup — sophomore catcher Brian Serven and junior third baseman Dalton DiNatale.
Head coach Tracy Smith preached the necessity of solid defense after the Feb. 7 intrasquad scrimmage, and this new group will look to improve upon last year's Pac-12 worst .965 fielding percentage for the Sun Devils.
CATCHER:
1. Brian Serven: .249 BA /.360 OBP /.355 SLG
Although fellow sophomore catcher Zach Cerbo provides a reliable option behind the plate, Brian Serven has played with the starters during practice and scrimmages and is expected to resume his position as starting catcher. Last year, he started 45 games at catcher and his 21 stolen bases against were the second lowest of any Sun Devil catcher since 2008.
He had 27 RBIs on 42 hits, including nine doubles, three home runs, and even scored 27 runs, which all rank first among freshmen last season. After the Feb. 7 scrimmage, Smith hinted that Serven may get some rest because of Cerbo's reliability.
2. Zach Cerbo
Last season, Cerbo had three at-bats in two games played, including an RBI triple in his first career at-bat against Baylor. He has looked good in practice and team scrimmages thus far, showcasing his arm and his power. He threw out a runner at second while catching and hit a home run to left field while batting. He will prove a second option behind the plate for ASU and will play much more than last season.
FIRST BASE:
1. Christopher Beall:.305 BA / .344 OBP / .364 SLG
Junior Chris Beall started 23 games at left field last year and seven in the designated hitter slot, making his transition to first base a bit of a surprise. However, he has played well in the scrimmages, and Smith said he is the starter until he loses the spot. Last season, he batted .333 in 19 conference games for ASU and had a run in March where he notched hits in 10 of 11 games. First base does not require a defensive stud because the duties are limited, giving Beall time to adjust. For now, his bat will be useful in the starting lineup.
2. Joey Bielek: .213 BA/ .327 OBP/ .213 SLG
Bielek, now a senior, started seven games at first base, six at third base and one at designated hitter during his junior season at ASU. Smith said he has liked what he has seen from Bielek, but noted he hurt something during the Feb. 7 scrimmage, where he started at first base for the Gold team (bench players). However, he still feels Bielek can be of use when healthy, whether it be in the infield or at the designated hitter spot.
SECOND BASE:
1. Jordan Aboites: .240 BA / .296 OBP / .360 SLG
Junior Jordan Aboites has already started his transition from shortstop to second base for this season, while still resuming his relieving duties out of the bullpen. He has been playing second base in practice and the scrimmages and will be the opening day starter at the position.
During his sophomore season, Aboites was tied for a team-high 30 appearances out of the bullpen and pitched a team-high 43.2 innings of relief, striking out 45 and only walking 14 batters. Although he allowed a walk or a run in 20 out of 30 appearances, he did not allow a run in his last six appearances on the mound. Fast forward eight months and he is fielding grounders over at second base, where he has looked comfortable and has played cleanly. Although he will resume his duties as reliever, he will be relegated to the later innings.
2. Andrew Snow
Snow, a freshman from Woodland, California, should receive a decent amount of playing time at second base when Aboites comes in to pitch. He lettered in varsity baseball two years in high school and received All-League honors during his senior season. He has been playing at second base with the second team during intrasquad scrimmages and will serve as the backup this season, looking to make an impact late in the game if Aboites moves to the mound.
SHORTSTOP:
1. Colby Woodmansee: .200 BA / .255 OBP / .318 SLG
During his freshman season at ASU, Woodmansee started 24 games at shortstop, including a streak of 22 consecutive starts at one point. In his starts, he only tallied 11 RBIs, 10 runs and 17 hits. Although he did not bat particularly well last year, he contributed five sacrifice flies, which were good enough for sixth-best in the Pac-12. Woodmansee is now the permanent starting shortstop after former Sun Devil Drew Stankiewicz was selected in the 11th round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.
2. Ryan Peep
Peep started at shortstop for the second team and was playing well until he collided with a fellow teammate. Smith said he is pending further medical evaluation, but it appeared he dislocated his left kneecap. Peep, who attended Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona, hit six home runs and won the Arizona State Championship in his senior season. When healthy, he will serve as the backup to Woodmansee this season.
THIRD BASE:
1. Dalton DiNatale: .294 BA / .367 OBP / .411 SLG
DiNatale started a the second most game's on the team with 51 last year, including 47 at third base, three at first base, and one in the designated hitter slot. He was one of ASU's most consistent hitters last year, tallying 12 multi-RBI games, 14 multi-hit games, and even had a team-high 14-game hitting streak. DiNatale, now a junior, also displayed some of his "clutch gene" as he ranked second on the team with 16 two-out RBIs, which accounted for almost half of his 36 RBIs last season. ASU will not only need his consistent bat this year, but will also need a solid defensive season from him — the Sun Devils ranked eighth in defensive efficiency last year. Regardless, DiNatale has cemented his place as the team's starting third baseman and has proven to be the a consistent performer on offense.
2. David Greer
Greer, a sophomore, started the first eight of the first 17 games last season before he was sidelined with an injury for six weeks, opening the door for DiNatale to permanently take over. During his 10 total starts last year, he batted .222 with eight hits, six RBI and eight runs scored. He has been playing third base for the Gold team during scrimmages, meaning he will be the backup to DiNatale this season.
Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or on Twitter @justintoscano3
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