Two Arizona players were named to the midseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award. Four Wildcats have been named Pac-12 Player or Pitcher of the Week.
None of them is Kobe Kato, and he’s perfectly OK with that.
Long-awaited success doesn’t seem to have changed the fourth-year second baseman, who’s still the same humble, team-first player he was when he was coming off the bench.
“Any way I can contribute to help move the offense is what my goal is. I’m not out there to try to chase hits or chase numbers,” said Kato, who nonetheless has posted sterling numbers — a .385 batting average and a .489 on-base percentage for the best offense in the nation.
“I’m out there to help the team win and help the team put up runs, because at the end of the day, it’s the whole team’s effort to get a win in the column.”
Kato appreciates the opportunity he has now after appearing in 30 games — but not starting any — over the previous two seasons. He also remembers how it all started — redshirting as a freshman in 2018 because he wasn’t strong enough to play college baseball.
“It’s been surreal,” said Kato, who has a 10-game hitting streak. “It was really tough, but now that it’s actually happening, I feel like I can play freely.
“But it’s still just being a great teammate. You being in the starting lineup doesn’t make you better than someone else on the team. It’s a collective agreement that everyone here is working towards the same goal.”
UA coach Jay Johnson, whose seventh-ranked Wildcats visit No. 19 Stanford Friday-Sunday, said no one on the team has contributed more to its success than Kato.
The Hawaii product has batted in seven spots in the lineup, from first to ninth. He leads the team with 32 walks. His average and OBP rank third behind Jacob Berry and Branden Boissiere — the two players who made the Golden Spikes watch list.
“When I say a player really knows our system, to the point that they probably could teach a lot of it, that’s like the ultimate compliment. I think Kobe could run our offense,” Johnson said.
Arizona second baseman Kobe Kato makes the throw to first during the eighth inning of last week's win over Utah.
He put center fielder Donta’ Williams in that same category. Like Kato, Williams is in his fourth season at the UA — a side effect of the pandemic in Williams’ case. The difference between them is that Williams started 92 games over his first three seasons. Kato had to wait his turn.
He kept believing in himself. Just as important, he kept believing in the system that has helped so many players develop into elite hitters.
“We’ve been here for a long time, so it is kind of ingrained in our mind,” Kato said of himself and Williams, who’s hitting .318 with a .470 OBP. “We really back it. And if people on our team need help with it, we’re more than willing to talk to them and work with them in the cages ... just because we want everyone to be at their best.”
Road to 64
With the initial list of possible postseason sites expected to be announced next week, this weekend’s series against Stanford (24-9, 10-5 Pac-12) represents the final chance for Arizona (31-11, 15-6) to impress the NCAA.
Barring an unlikely collapse, the UA is all but assured of hosting a regional at Hi Corbett Field. The bigger question is whether the Wildcats can secure a top-eight seed. If they can — and if they were to advance — they’d also be able to host a Super Regional series.
In its latest projection of the field of 64, D1Baseball.com has Arizona as the No. 6 overall seed. The website has Oklahoma State, UC Santa Barbara and Grand Canyon coming to Tucson.
If you’re looking for holes in Arizona’s résumé, the Wildcats are just 6-5 in true road games.
“We all know it’s really hard to win on the road,” Kato said. “Everyone knows that if they play college baseball or any sport.
“So we’re gonna go in there with the mindset as if it’s another game at Hi Corbett. It’s not your park. It’s not your fans. But we still have our team, and that’s the only thing that’s going to matter.”
Johnson said nothing will change regarding Arizona’s approach at Stanford’s Sunken Diamond, where the Wildcats are 1-5 under his watch.
“In years past, I would have said yes,” Johnson said. “In 2021, I would say no. I think our team needs to be our team.”
More pitching help
Pitching depth has played a key role in Arizona’s current 10-game winning streak, and the Wildcats might be getting even stronger in that area.
Freshman right-hander TJ Nichols allowed only one hit in 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief against Grand Canyon on Tuesday. It was Nichols’ first appearance since April 20 and his best outing since April 3, when he posted a quality start at Arizona State.
Nichols missed time because of an illness that forced him to skip the team’s trip to Washington State.
“I had a good meeting with him on Monday,” Johnson said. “I thought he looked poised, he looked healthier and really came after it.
“The first pitch he threw ... it’s like, ‘I’m here. I’m gonna get a bunch of outs.’ And he continued that.
“I thought his mound presence was good. His demeanor was good. He threw his fastball exactly where he wanted to almost all the time. ... It’s very important for our team going forward.”
Even more significant: Reliever Preston Price might be close to returning from an arm injury.
Price, who’s been out since April 9, has begun throwing. His availability for the Stanford series is still being determined, but he’s making tangible progress.
“We are in a lot better spot than we were at the outset of this break for him,” Johnson said.
Price has a 2.55 ERA, three saves and 32 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Inside pitch
Shortstop Jacob Blas isn’t 100%, Johnson said, and is likely to remain out of the lineup until he is. Nik McClaughry will continue to start at short, with Tony Bullard likely alongside him at third base.
The Wildcats’ 10-game win streak is their second of the year, giving them two double-digit streaks in a single season for the first time since 1976. They haven’t lost since getting crushed 21-2 at WSU on April 16. “It was kind of like a cold shower,” Kato said. “We have to come ready to play every day.”
Freshmen Berry and Daniel Susac each have 11 home runs. They are the first pair of Arizona freshmen to hit double-digit homers in the same season in program history.
Arizona leads the Pac-12 in most meaningful offensive categories, but the Wildcats (44) are second behind the Cardinal (51) in home runs. Stanford leads the league despite having played the fewest games.
Arizona and Santa Clara agreed to cancel their game Monday. Johnson cited logistical issues related to COVID-19 testing. He is seeking to schedule a 56th game, most likely at home, sometime over the final three weeks.
