Indiana University Athletics
Big Ten Champions Ready for 2020 Season
1/31/2020 9:47:00 AM | Baseball
By Jared Rigdon
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – When Jeff Mercer took over the IU baseball program last season, he knew it would take some time to implement the system he wanted.
His system, focused around a patient presence at the plate and an active attention to detail on the base paths, incorporates the main fundamentals of the game and turns them into a condensed package of quality.
He had to balance the implementation of a new system while also trying to address the roster he was left with. It was an NCAA Tournament team the year before he took over but it was filled with some question marks.
Even with a roster full of new players, Mercer quickly formed IU into a contender in the Big Ten. It rattled off wins over UConn and Washington as well as a series victory over Michigan in mid-May. That culminated in a Big Ten title and the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Although the success came early, he understands that things will run a little smoother during his second campaign with his players and staff.
"Things are a little easier the second year from a procedural standpoint," Mercer said. You know everyone and how the place operates. You've got your feet underneath you in that sense. You spend that first year trying to analyze your team to see what recruiting needs you really have for the immediate future. You're trying to produce immediately but also analyze for what you need in six months. That part is tough but I think we did a really good job of being able to bring in some immediate impact guys but also build a base for the future."
The element of the unknown has a strong presence in collegiate baseball. When Mercer came in, it wasn't expected that Tanner Gordon and Andrew Saalfrank, a JUCO transfer and spot starter respectively, would be selected early enough in the MLB draft to warrant starting.
However, after their improvement and dominating performance in the weekend rotation, IU has to replace them both.
Although this year's weekend rotation will be entirely different than the one that pitched the final series of the year against Rutgers to clinch the Big Ten title, IU's got young pieces full of potential that have the chance to take the next step.
"I've been really impressed with our staff," Mercer said. "Coach (Justin) Parker is incredible and always does great work, but I think this has been one of his better jobs, quality as he is."
This year's group of pitchers lacks experience but has the potential to be one of the deepest groups on the diamond.
Junior Tommy Sommer and sophomore Gabe Bierman headline a talented selection of pitchers that Mercer plans to use in the rotation in the early part of the season.
On top of that, sophomore pitchers Alex Franklin, McCade Brown and Braydon Tucker are all improved arms that figure to factor into the weekend rotation or midweek spot starts.
"The young guys have done a good job improving," Mercer said. "It'll be good to watch those guys go out and compete to execute pitches. We won't lack ability. We may be a little light on experience, but we won't lack ability. That's a good place to be for the short term and for the future. To have young guys grow through these things together, we will have growing pains, but we'll grow through those together."
With his rotation, Mercer doesn't want to set anything in stone right away. Last year, Pauly Milto and Gordon were bonafide starters right away and Saalfrank quickly established himself as the Sunday guy.
But with a young core of pitchers, he wants to give them the chance to figure things out, especially in different situations.
"We'll have that first portion of the season to analyze and figure out what we like," Mercer said. "We have a couple weekends that are four-game weekends right before conference play starts. We'll be able to have four starters and have the ability to shake things up. It gives you the ability to bring someone on the weekend and if you like them there you can keep them and if not, they just stay on their routine as a mid to long relief guy."
Mercer revolutionized the IU offense in his first year in Bloomington. He brought a patient approach to the plate that changed the perspective at the plate.
IU destroyed the baseball last season to the tune of 95 home runs in 60 games, good for second across the entire nation. Its lineup was anchored by future draft picks Matt Gorski and Matt Lloyd but also featured the breakout of returning stars such as Elijah Dunham and Cole Barr.
Both Dunham and Barr went from sparingly used players during their freshman campaigns to future stalwarts of the IU lineup.
Barr slugged 17 home runs last season, good for a tie for the team lead while Dunham hit eight home runs after missing time early in the year with an injury.
After the departure of Lloyd, Gorski and Scotty Bradley, Barr and Dunham have the potential to be breakout stars in the conference. The two were recently named to the all-conference preseason team by D1 Baseball.
"They'll be relied on," Mercer said. "Last year, there were offensive players that played sparingly but went and produced. Year after year you watch those younger guys grow and develop into upperclassmen and leaders. Now the expectation is for them to be the catalyst and drive the offense and I'm confident they will."
This year's roster has a strong mix of freshmen, transfers and returning talent. It's one that lacks a true dominant leader but one full of guys who've bought into what Mercer is building in Bloomington.
He's using these first few months to see who will step up and take the reins of a talented team looking to repeat as conference champions.
"I don't have to name captains or leaders," Mercer said. "They find themselves. It sorts itself out and the locker room is a sanctuary where those guys are on a mission individually and then collectively to go out and be the best that they can be."
An entire baseball season can stretch from as early as mid-February to as late as the end of June depending on the team's success.
During that course, you've got to be able to deal with anything thrown at you. Weather, slumps, injuries and the daily life of a college student all have the ability to steer your season off course.
But Mercer knows this squad is built to deal with anything that might trip them up.
"There will be highs, lows and everything in between but we have the guys to weather those storms," Mercer said.
There will be no welcome period for IU this season. Mercer has made it a priority to play anyone at any location.
Last year IU played a three-game set at Tennessee during the second weekend of the season. Now, it heads back to the SEC to face LSU in Baton Rouge at one of the premier venues in all of collegiate baseball.
IU's got their work cut out for them in the opening months of the season, but that's exactly how Mercer wants it.
He knows that they'll eventually see top level competition and he wants to expose his team to it early in the season.
Because if IU has plans of deep postseason success, it'll have to do it all over once again.
"You've got to play great teams and play them in great environments," Mercer said. "You've got to prepare yourself for what it's going to be like to play in the postseason. When you play big environments like LSU, that's what it's going to be like at the end of the year. There's no point in sheltering the guys. We want to expose them and we're going to go down there and compete."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – When Jeff Mercer took over the IU baseball program last season, he knew it would take some time to implement the system he wanted.
His system, focused around a patient presence at the plate and an active attention to detail on the base paths, incorporates the main fundamentals of the game and turns them into a condensed package of quality.
He had to balance the implementation of a new system while also trying to address the roster he was left with. It was an NCAA Tournament team the year before he took over but it was filled with some question marks.
Even with a roster full of new players, Mercer quickly formed IU into a contender in the Big Ten. It rattled off wins over UConn and Washington as well as a series victory over Michigan in mid-May. That culminated in a Big Ten title and the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Although the success came early, he understands that things will run a little smoother during his second campaign with his players and staff.
"Things are a little easier the second year from a procedural standpoint," Mercer said. You know everyone and how the place operates. You've got your feet underneath you in that sense. You spend that first year trying to analyze your team to see what recruiting needs you really have for the immediate future. You're trying to produce immediately but also analyze for what you need in six months. That part is tough but I think we did a really good job of being able to bring in some immediate impact guys but also build a base for the future."
The element of the unknown has a strong presence in collegiate baseball. When Mercer came in, it wasn't expected that Tanner Gordon and Andrew Saalfrank, a JUCO transfer and spot starter respectively, would be selected early enough in the MLB draft to warrant starting.
However, after their improvement and dominating performance in the weekend rotation, IU has to replace them both.
Although this year's weekend rotation will be entirely different than the one that pitched the final series of the year against Rutgers to clinch the Big Ten title, IU's got young pieces full of potential that have the chance to take the next step.
"I've been really impressed with our staff," Mercer said. "Coach (Justin) Parker is incredible and always does great work, but I think this has been one of his better jobs, quality as he is."
This year's group of pitchers lacks experience but has the potential to be one of the deepest groups on the diamond.
Junior Tommy Sommer and sophomore Gabe Bierman headline a talented selection of pitchers that Mercer plans to use in the rotation in the early part of the season.
On top of that, sophomore pitchers Alex Franklin, McCade Brown and Braydon Tucker are all improved arms that figure to factor into the weekend rotation or midweek spot starts.
"The young guys have done a good job improving," Mercer said. "It'll be good to watch those guys go out and compete to execute pitches. We won't lack ability. We may be a little light on experience, but we won't lack ability. That's a good place to be for the short term and for the future. To have young guys grow through these things together, we will have growing pains, but we'll grow through those together."
With his rotation, Mercer doesn't want to set anything in stone right away. Last year, Pauly Milto and Gordon were bonafide starters right away and Saalfrank quickly established himself as the Sunday guy.
But with a young core of pitchers, he wants to give them the chance to figure things out, especially in different situations.
"We'll have that first portion of the season to analyze and figure out what we like," Mercer said. "We have a couple weekends that are four-game weekends right before conference play starts. We'll be able to have four starters and have the ability to shake things up. It gives you the ability to bring someone on the weekend and if you like them there you can keep them and if not, they just stay on their routine as a mid to long relief guy."
Mercer revolutionized the IU offense in his first year in Bloomington. He brought a patient approach to the plate that changed the perspective at the plate.
IU destroyed the baseball last season to the tune of 95 home runs in 60 games, good for second across the entire nation. Its lineup was anchored by future draft picks Matt Gorski and Matt Lloyd but also featured the breakout of returning stars such as Elijah Dunham and Cole Barr.
Both Dunham and Barr went from sparingly used players during their freshman campaigns to future stalwarts of the IU lineup.
Barr slugged 17 home runs last season, good for a tie for the team lead while Dunham hit eight home runs after missing time early in the year with an injury.
After the departure of Lloyd, Gorski and Scotty Bradley, Barr and Dunham have the potential to be breakout stars in the conference. The two were recently named to the all-conference preseason team by D1 Baseball.
"They'll be relied on," Mercer said. "Last year, there were offensive players that played sparingly but went and produced. Year after year you watch those younger guys grow and develop into upperclassmen and leaders. Now the expectation is for them to be the catalyst and drive the offense and I'm confident they will."
This year's roster has a strong mix of freshmen, transfers and returning talent. It's one that lacks a true dominant leader but one full of guys who've bought into what Mercer is building in Bloomington.
He's using these first few months to see who will step up and take the reins of a talented team looking to repeat as conference champions.
"I don't have to name captains or leaders," Mercer said. "They find themselves. It sorts itself out and the locker room is a sanctuary where those guys are on a mission individually and then collectively to go out and be the best that they can be."
An entire baseball season can stretch from as early as mid-February to as late as the end of June depending on the team's success.
During that course, you've got to be able to deal with anything thrown at you. Weather, slumps, injuries and the daily life of a college student all have the ability to steer your season off course.
But Mercer knows this squad is built to deal with anything that might trip them up.
"There will be highs, lows and everything in between but we have the guys to weather those storms," Mercer said.
There will be no welcome period for IU this season. Mercer has made it a priority to play anyone at any location.
Last year IU played a three-game set at Tennessee during the second weekend of the season. Now, it heads back to the SEC to face LSU in Baton Rouge at one of the premier venues in all of collegiate baseball.
IU's got their work cut out for them in the opening months of the season, but that's exactly how Mercer wants it.
He knows that they'll eventually see top level competition and he wants to expose his team to it early in the season.
Because if IU has plans of deep postseason success, it'll have to do it all over once again.
"You've got to play great teams and play them in great environments," Mercer said. "You've got to prepare yourself for what it's going to be like to play in the postseason. When you play big environments like LSU, that's what it's going to be like at the end of the year. There's no point in sheltering the guys. We want to expose them and we're going to go down there and compete."
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