Completed Event: Baseball versus No. 11 seed Kansas State on May 19, 2026 , Loss , 5, to, 9
Final Score
Baseball
5
vs No. 11 seed Kansas State
9
The University of Utah Athletics
2015 Utah Baseball Season Outlook: Infield and Outfield
2/10/2015 12:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 10, 2015
Over the next two days, UtahUtes.com will look at the 2015 Utah baseball team. Today will feature the infielders and outfielders, followed Wednesday by the pitchers and catchers.
At first glance, the 2015 Utah baseball team looks young. The Utes have just two seniors on the roster, with 14 freshmen joining the team. However, many of the juniors and sophomores on the team have significant playing experience with numerous starts under their belts.
"We do have 14 freshmen on the team, which strikes you as being young, but seven or eight of our offensive and position players played basically every day last year, so it doesn't seem like we're very young out there," Utah head coach Bill Kinneberg said. "Two of our starting pitchers are back, so that doesn't make me feel like we're very young either. However, if we have some injuries, that's where our youth comes in. Our backups are young players. Those guys will get some playing experience this year. At this point I feel pretty good about their progress, and the maturity of our guys who have played the last few years and the roles they are taking."
Key returning players include junior Kody Davis, who started every game last year at second base, and Wyler Smith, who also played every game last year in the outfield.
Schedule
The 2015 schedule features five teams that are currently ranked in one of the preseason baseball polls: Pac-12 foes UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon and Stanford, along with Oklahoma State in non-conference action. Highlighting non-conference play is the Pac-12/Big 12 Challenge, with the Utes facing Kansas State, Kansas and Oklahoma in addition to Oklahoma State. The Utes also have a three-game series against Kansas.
The Utes get underway on Feb. 13 in a four-game series at Sacramento State, and have their first home game of the year on March 17 vs. Utah Valley. Pac-12 teams visiting Salt Lake City this season include California (March 27-29), Arizona State (April 2-4), Washington State (April 24-26), USC (May 1-3) and Oregon (May 15-17). Southeastern Louisiana also visits SLC (April 10-12) and Utah hosts two of three games this year against in-state rival BYU (March 24, May 12).
The Utes are scheduled to have 17 games televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Infield
Davis hit .237 for the Utes last year and led Utah in walks (28) while tying for the team lead and sixth in the Pac-12 in stolen bases (12). Other returning players joining Davis in the infield include junior Cody Scaggari at shortstop, who has started 59 games over the past two seasons. He hit .288 in an injury-shortened season last year with a .370 on-base percentage. Redshirt sophomore Dallas Carroll, who was sidelined last year after breaking his collarbone in the first game of the season, hit .282 in 28 games his freshman year and will start at third base.
"Dallas, Kody and Cody staying healthy and being in the lineup is going to be key for us," Kinneberg said. "They are going to hit 1-2-3 and will be important both offensively and defensively. They are probably the most important guys we have, as far as making sure they are in the lineup day in and day out."
Several players could see time at first base. Sophomore Hunter Simmons made 27 starts in the outfield last year, hitting .198 with four doubles. Senior Biss Larsen hit .209 in 2014 and has played in 73 games in three years with 47 starts between first base, third base and designated hitter. Newcomers battling for a position include junior transfer Kellen Marruffo, who was an all-region and all-conference player at Pima Community College. Freshman Wade Gulden earned Northern Section Most Valuable Player honors at Shasta High School in Redding, Calif. Other infield backups include Kyle Hoffman, who redshirted as a freshman last year. He was an all-state player at Taylorsville High School in Utah.
"First base may be a platoon situation, or a guy will win the spot outright," Kinneberg said. "Wade is the swing guy who can play all four positions and he adds another left-handed bat, which is why he's looking at first. He is a true shortstop, and if you have a shortstop at first base, defensively you are probably pretty good. Kyle Hoffman has really improved on the defensive side so if something happens to Cody Scaggari, that can be an option for us."
Outfield
Two of Utah's three outfield starters return in Smith (center field) and sophomore Josh Rose (right field). Smith hit .259 last year with three triples, five stolen bases and 17 RBI. He had the team's longest hitting streak (10 games) and tied for the team lead with 13 multiple-hit games. Josh Rose made 24 starts in the outfield, hitting .188 with three home runs and 11 RBI.
Several freshmen are battling for an open spot in left field. Jayson Rose and Andre Jackson, both who are also looking at roles on the pitching mound, are among the players with an opportunity to earn the starting role. Jayson Rose (brother of teammate Josh) was a first-team all-state, first-team all-section and first-team all-CIF player at Granite Hills High School in California. Jackson was a 32nd round pick to the Texas Rangers in the 2015 MLB Draft and was a second-team all-state pick at Cienega High School in Arizona. Armett Johnson was ranked as one of the top 75 players in California by scouting service Perfect Game at Crespi Carmelite High School. Neil Sterling earned second-team all-area and second-team all-league honors at Serra High School in California.
"I feel very confident with our returning guys, both on the offensive and defensive side," Kinneberg said of Smith and Josh Rose. "In left field, we may platoon, we may play the hot hand, we may play the best defensive guy, or whatever situation may arise. Jayson Rose has won it at this point, but Andre and Armett are right behind him if not even with him. Sterling has had a really good fall, so he also has a chance. Those four guys have a chance to play a lot. We don't know what roles Jayson Rose and Andre will fill yet with them also pitching. But we have to find that third and fourth outfielder."
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