Arizona lost a ton of production from the 2021 team that won the Pac-12 Conference and advanced to the College World Series. The ’22 Wildcats have enough high-end talent to make another run.
Led by potential high draft picks such as Daniel Susac, Tony Bullard, TJ Nichols and Chase Davis, Arizona has earned a spot in multiple preseason Top 25 polls. More will be asked of them and others as the Wildcats seek to replace seven draftees and some high-profile transfers.
The five players who led the ’21 Cats in batting average, on-base percentage and runs — Branden Boissiere, Jacob Berry, Ryan Holgate, Kobe Kato and Donta’ Williams — have moved on. So have last year’s leaders in wins (Chase Silseth) and saves (Vince Vannelle).
Who will be first-year coach Chip Hale’s top producers? Acknowledging that much can change between now and Memorial Day, here are 15 Wildcats to watch ahead of their Feb. 18 opener:
Mac Bingham
Position: Outfielder
Year: Third-year sophomore
Notable: Arizona’s projected starting center fielder was having a stellar season before a hand injury cost him most of the final 12 games. Among returning regulars, Bingham had the highest on-base percentage in 2021 (.417). That’ll be his main offensive role in a lineup that’s packed with power.
Tony Bullard
Position: Third baseman
Year: Fourth-year junior
Notable: Speaking of power, Bullard tapped into his late last season. Bullard smashed six home runs in a six-game stretch from May 28-June 11, including four in the postseason. Over the final 11 games, he raised his average from .242 to .298. Can he do it over a full season?
Tyler Casagrande
Position: Outfielder/second baseman
Year: Fourth-year junior
Notable: Mostly an extra outfielder as a Wildcat, Casagrande is in the mix for playing time in right field and possibly a new spot, second base. He’s one of the few left-handed hitters on the roster. His ability to run the bases and advance runners also provides value.
Garen Caulfield
Position: Second baseman
Year: Third-year freshman
Notable: The transfer from San Joaquin Delta College has emerged as the favorite to start at second base. He was one of Arizona’s top hitters in the fall. The next college game he appears in will be his first; Delta didn’t play the past two seasons because of the pandemic.
Holden Christian
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Year: Fifth-year senior
Notable: Arizona’s highest-profile transfer, Christian is in line to be the closer after a stellar 2021 season at Loyola Marymount. Christian posted a 3-1 record with a 0.77 ERA and a 0.74 WHIP in 35 innings for the Lions. He limited opponents to a .099 batting average.
Chase Davis
Position: Outfielder
Year: Second-year sophomore
Notable: A top high school prospect, Davis elected to attend Arizona and played a reserve role last season. He had only seven hits in 30 at-bats (.233), but four went for extra bases. He’ll have every opportunity to live up to the “superstar” label ex-coach Jay Johnson placed on him.
Quinn Flanagan
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Year: Fourth-year junior
Notable: Flanagan brings experience and versatility to Arizona’s pitching staff. He has appeared in 40 games over three seasons, including 17 starts. He posted a career-high 45 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings last year, including a pair of relief outings in which he fanned 15 batters in seven frames.
Garrett Irvin endured highs and lows as the Wildcats’ No. 2 starter last season. The left-hander is back for one final year.
Garrett Irvin
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Year: Fifth-year senior
Notable: Irvin served as Arizona’s No. 2 starter last season. He had some brilliant moments but also some bouts of inconsistency. He threw a three-hit shutout in his first playoff appearance but got shelled in the next two (12 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings), bumping his ERA from 3.51 to 4.58.
Nik McClaughry
Position: Shortstop
Year: Fifth-year senior
Notable: Arizona became a better team when McClaughry, a transfer from Sacramento City College, became the full-time shortstop last season. He already had flashed a strong glove as a defensive replacement at third base; his offensive production (.316 AVG, .412 OBP) from the bottom of the lineup was a bonus.
Dawson Netz
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Year: Third-year sophomore
Notable: Susac believes Netz is on the verge of a breakout. Used mostly as a reliever last year, Netz will be in the starting mix in 2022. He posted a 1.99 ERA with a 9.13 K/9 rate over his final 19 appearances. He limited Pac-12 opponents to a .175 batting average.
TJ Nichols
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Year: Second-year sophomore
Notable: Nichols has the highest ceiling of any UA pitcher with a fastball that has touched 99 mph and a wipeout slider. As a freshman, Nichols went 6-3 with a 4.77 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. He lowered his ERA by more than two runs over the final two months.
Tanner O’Tremba
Position: Outfielder
Year: Fourth-year junior
Notable: O’Tremba has made great strides since fall ball, according to the coaching staff, and should be locked into a middle-of-the-order role. A part-time starter last year after transferring from Texas Tech, O’Tremba batted .333 with a home run and four RBIs in six postseason appearances.
Blake Paugh
Position: Outfielder
Year: Fifth-year senior
Notable: Another veteran outfielder with pop in his bat, Paugh was trending toward a big season in 2021 before being slowed by a back injury. He hit safely in eight of his first nine appearances, posting a .350 average with a home run and nine RBIs in 40 at-bats.
Daniel Susac
Position: Catcher
Year: Second-year sophomore
Notable: The 2021 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Susac has made multiple preseason All-America teams and is projected to be a first-round pick in the ’22 draft. Susac slumped late in the season because of fatigue but rebounded at the end, notching two hits in each of the final three games.
Noah Turley
Position: First baseman
Year: Second-year sophomore
Notable: Turley enters his first year at Arizona after a prodigious season at Yavapai College. Turley hit .417 with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs in 163 at-bats for the Roughriders. He has worked extensively to improve his defense after mostly serving as a DH at Yavapai.
