D1 Baseball Fall Report

Quotes from behind the D-1 BB Paywall -

"Forrester, Oregon State’s top returning power threat and first baseman, will be back to full throttle later this month after working his way back from cleanup surgery on his non-throwing shoulder."   p.s. a parent of a Beav player told me (in Bend) that Garrett took his first full batting practice about Sept. 29-30.

"Ferrer, who emerged as an All-America bullpen stopper after transferring from USC Upstate last year, had a hip procedure but is expected to be ready by Opening Day...."

"No player had a louder showing in Bend than outfielder Brady Kasper, a third-year player who has been waiting patiently in the wings for an opportunity to play regularly. He started in right field against Gonzaga and showed off exciting lefthanded power in game action, crushing a pair of no-doubter home runs to right — one of them a solo shot, the next a grand slam. And Canham said his improvement from last year is not limited to his offense."

"Garret Forester and returnee Mason Guerra look like the two favorites for the starting jobs at first base and third base, respectively."

"David Grewe is wiry and projectable, with a loose, slingy high three-quarters arm action that produced 88-91 velocity and a 76-78 sluve with plenty of snap. He could be a pick to click as a sophomore this spring. “There’s so much more in the tank, he even knows it — ‘I know I could throw the heck out of this ball, just gotta let it go.’ Don’t play catch, let it go. Let it eat,” Canham said of Grewe. “My guess is he’s a guy that is going to throw in the mid-90s with some arm-side run and a slider once it clicks. He came here to get a slider and turn the corner. We’ll put some time in with him and he could be a guy that could make that jump.”

"Righthander Jacob Kmatz ranked second on the team with 77.1 innings last year,... Canham said the big emphasis for him this fall has been landing his offspeed stuff for strikes and sharpening up his curveball and slider. Last year he pitched heavily off his fastball, which played above its 87-91 mph velocity, and he’s always had feel for his changeup. Kmatz did not pitch in Bend, but Canham said he has progressed very well this fall."