ROSTER MANAGEMENT - POST DRAFT UPDATE 2.0(THE PICTURE IS CLEARING UP)

BACKGROUND:
Following the Pandemic that crippled college baseball in the 2020 season, the NCAA offered college coaches and their programs some relief in helping to manage their player personnel and movement. The relief came in the form of several rule changes designed to ease the burden and uncertainty of roster management.

1. College athletes that saw their 2020 season canceled or shortened would be granted an extra year of eligibility with the replacement of the 2020 season.
2. College athletes were given the option of a one-time transfer without penalty.
3. College roster limits were increased.
Roster management has now become more complicated and important with the increased roster limits, the allocation and parceling of scholarship aid, the Transfer Portal and the new 20 round MLB Draft. There are now many moving parts with roster planning - rosters are much more volatile now.
In addition, the unknown impact of NIL on college baseball, if any could be a factor in the transferring of players or in signing top-tier recruiting prospects . NIL could become another part of the roster equation.
In addition to the already difficult task, our coaches now will now be spending time on contingencies brought on by the splintering of the PAC-12 Conference. Beginning in the 2024 season, there could be budgetary changes for the baseball program, scheduling uncertainties, and changes in recruiting priorities.
Mitch Canham and the OSU coaching staff will be working with these 4 rules and objectives in constructing the 2023 Beaver Roster:

1. A roster limit of 35 players.
2. An additional 5 players with Covid 2020 year restoration may be carried, bringing the roster total to 40.
3. Oregon State has 5 players that fall in that category; Mundt, Lattery, Brown, McDowell, and Dernedde.
4. Carry the full complement of 40 players with the right position and class balance.

PLAYER INVENTORY:
Completed eligibility (2): Verburg and Sebby.
Moving on (1): Gretler
Transfers in Portal (4): P. Myro to UNLV. J.Dukart to Texas Tech. Hibbard, Fuchs and Larson
MLB Draft (8): Hjerpe, Melton, Boyd, Frisch, Meckler, Pfennigs, Carpenter, Logan
Possible Free Agency (1): Ferrer.
Return is uncertain (1): Cope
Scheduled to return (26): Lattery, Townsend, Brown, Boisvert, Wheeler, Dernedde, McDowell, Hunter, Lawson, Stuhr, Nelson, Grewe, Kmatz, Quinn, Case, Thornsteinson, Webber, Smith, G. Forrester, Bazzana, Trosky, Guerra, Kasper, T. Dukhart, Reed, Mundt.
Recruits lost in MLB Draft (1): T. Gough,
Recruits scheduled to enroll (22): Marshall-Inman, Hill, Pote, Keljo, Miller, Jiminez, Mejia, Larson (JC Xfer), Rivera (JC Xfer), Ferguson (PLU Xfer), Burke (JC Xfer), Kennell, B. Forrester, Peterson, Krieg, Macias, Turley, Talt, Reeder, Dougherty, Hutcheson, Cedillo (JC Xfer)

FORECAST:
1.If everyone with eligibility makes it to Fall Practices, the Beavers are a bit heavy - over the roster limit by somewhere in the vicinity of 10 players (depending on Cope’s status).
2. Chances are, not all the incoming freshman will survive the fall. A good percentage of the 22 recruits are walk-ons being given an opportunity to compete for a roster spot.
3. There will likely be cuts made affecting veteran players.
4. By February 1st, the staff will have carefully evaluated and trimmed the roster to the 40 player limit.

Massage the numbers, come up with your 40 man roster, and post your thoughts. If I overlooked someone, add them to the model.