Troy University Athletics
Troy Baseball Season Preview - Position Players
2/15/2017 4:54:00 PM | Baseball
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TROY, Alabama – The Troy baseball team opens its 2017 season this weekend with a four-game series against the defending Big East champion Xavier Musketeers at Riddle-Pace Field; the teams play a single game on Friday (6 p.m.), a doubleheader on Saturday (1 p.m.) and a single game on Sunday (12 p.m.).
Head coach Mark Smartt sat down with TroyTrojans.com to breakdown his team ahead of his second season at the helm of the program … today we look at Troy's position players.
Mark Smartt on Troy's Infielders:
"It's a talented and experienced group of infielders with all but one player having played here prior to this season. When you have experience up the middle, that's an anchor of your defense, and I'm really excited about the combination of Matt Sanders at shortstop and Brandon Lockridge at second base. We should get some offense from the first base position with TJ Binder and Justin Friend, while at the other corner spot Drew Frederic is a very athletic young player.
"I think it is going to be a very talented group of infielders that can not only defend their position well, but also contribute heavily to our offense. Our overall defense has been sound for years now and there is no reason for me to think that will change with this group."
Infield Notes:
• Shortstop Matt Sanders and second baseman Brandon Lockridge have started a combined 142 games.
• Justin Friend and TJ Binder both posted an OPS of .840 or higher last year and combined to hit seven home runs, with 15 doubles and 47 RBIs.
• Troy's four returning infielders combined to hit 11 home runs and 33 doubles while driving in 90 runs.
• Brandon Lockridge posted four multi-hit games over Troy's final 15 games of the 2016 season.
• Matt Sanders struck out just once every 10.7 plate appearances a season ago.
Mark Smartt on Troy's Outfielders:
"This is a dynamic group of players and the most athletic group of outfielders we've had in tandem in quite a while. It could be the best dual threat capability we've had in terms of being able to defend your position at an average or above rate and contributing offensively in the middle and top of the lineup. All three positions will play a prominent role in our offense, especially Joey Denison and Trevor Davis.
"Denison and Davis will both anchor our offense as well as man the corner outfield spots.
We've got two guys in center field that will impact our team in Steven Whitaker and Mack Hathcock -- they are both good runners and good athletes. As a group, those four are going to be able to cover more ground and do more things defensively than we have in our past."
Outfield Notes
• Joey Denison and Trevor Davis combined for 11 home runs, 24 doubles and 67 RBIs last season.
• Joey Denison hit .373 with three doubles, two home runs and 14 RBIs over Troy's final 17 games of the 2016 season; he also posted a .925 OPS over that stretch.
• Steven Whitaker hit .476 over an eight-game stretch in mid-May.
• Trevor Davis reached base in 21 straight games during the 2016 season, the longest such streak of any Trojan.
Mark Smartt on Troy's Catchers:
"We've got two experienced catchers in Chase Smartt and Brody Binder and we're developing some others. I think that it will be a strength of our ball club defensively throughout the year."
Catcher Notes:
• Chase Smartt threw out 40.5 percent of potential base stealers last season; additionally, teams only attempted 51 stolen bases against the Trojans all season – the fewest in the Sun Belt by 10 attempts.
• Chase Smartt hit .328 with four extra-base hits and 11 RBIs over the final 11 games of the 2016 season.
• Brody Binder has appeared in 50 games and started 26 in his career at Troy.
TROY, Alabama – The Troy baseball team opens its 2017 season this weekend with a four-game series against the defending Big East champion Xavier Musketeers at Riddle-Pace Field; the teams play a single game on Friday (6 p.m.), a doubleheader on Saturday (1 p.m.) and a single game on Sunday (12 p.m.).
Head coach Mark Smartt sat down with TroyTrojans.com to breakdown his team ahead of his second season at the helm of the program … today we look at Troy's position players.
Mark Smartt on Troy's Infielders:
"It's a talented and experienced group of infielders with all but one player having played here prior to this season. When you have experience up the middle, that's an anchor of your defense, and I'm really excited about the combination of Matt Sanders at shortstop and Brandon Lockridge at second base. We should get some offense from the first base position with TJ Binder and Justin Friend, while at the other corner spot Drew Frederic is a very athletic young player.
"I think it is going to be a very talented group of infielders that can not only defend their position well, but also contribute heavily to our offense. Our overall defense has been sound for years now and there is no reason for me to think that will change with this group."
Infield Notes:
• Shortstop Matt Sanders and second baseman Brandon Lockridge have started a combined 142 games.
• Justin Friend and TJ Binder both posted an OPS of .840 or higher last year and combined to hit seven home runs, with 15 doubles and 47 RBIs.
• Troy's four returning infielders combined to hit 11 home runs and 33 doubles while driving in 90 runs.
• Brandon Lockridge posted four multi-hit games over Troy's final 15 games of the 2016 season.
• Matt Sanders struck out just once every 10.7 plate appearances a season ago.
Mark Smartt on Troy's Outfielders:
"This is a dynamic group of players and the most athletic group of outfielders we've had in tandem in quite a while. It could be the best dual threat capability we've had in terms of being able to defend your position at an average or above rate and contributing offensively in the middle and top of the lineup. All three positions will play a prominent role in our offense, especially Joey Denison and Trevor Davis.
"Denison and Davis will both anchor our offense as well as man the corner outfield spots.
We've got two guys in center field that will impact our team in Steven Whitaker and Mack Hathcock -- they are both good runners and good athletes. As a group, those four are going to be able to cover more ground and do more things defensively than we have in our past."
Outfield Notes
• Joey Denison and Trevor Davis combined for 11 home runs, 24 doubles and 67 RBIs last season.
• Joey Denison hit .373 with three doubles, two home runs and 14 RBIs over Troy's final 17 games of the 2016 season; he also posted a .925 OPS over that stretch.
• Steven Whitaker hit .476 over an eight-game stretch in mid-May.
• Trevor Davis reached base in 21 straight games during the 2016 season, the longest such streak of any Trojan.
Mark Smartt on Troy's Catchers:
"We've got two experienced catchers in Chase Smartt and Brody Binder and we're developing some others. I think that it will be a strength of our ball club defensively throughout the year."
Catcher Notes:
• Chase Smartt threw out 40.5 percent of potential base stealers last season; additionally, teams only attempted 51 stolen bases against the Trojans all season – the fewest in the Sun Belt by 10 attempts.
• Chase Smartt hit .328 with four extra-base hits and 11 RBIs over the final 11 games of the 2016 season.
• Brody Binder has appeared in 50 games and started 26 in his career at Troy.
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