Canham: ‘Looking at what we have back and coming in … I’m excited’

Mitch Canham begins his third season at the OSU helm with high hopes. The Beavers were 5-9 during the COVID-shortened 2019 season and 37-24 last season (Courtesy OSU sports communications)

Updated 9/11/2021 1:30 AM, 9/7/2021 11:25 PM

It can’t be that time already, can it?

Ah, but it is. Oregon State begins fall baseball practice on Thursday, Sept. 9.

Summer has flown by, and the fall portion of the second full season of the Mitch Canham era in Corvallis is around the corner.

The 2022 campaign will be one of redemption for the Beavers, who fashioned a credible 37-24 record (16-14 in Pac-12 action, tied for fifth) and came within whisker of advancing to a Super Regional in 2021.

Oregon State fell 6-5 to Dallas Baptist in its Fort Worth Regional opener, then reeled off three straight elimination-game wins before being ousted 8-5 by the Patriots in the Regional championship game, a contest in which the Beavers led 5-0 in the sixth inning.

“It’s either win (at) Omaha or you don’t feel completely fulfilled,” says Canham, the All-America catcher for OSU’s College World Series champions of 2006 and ’07. “But we learned a lot about ourselves. We saw a lot of fantastic things from guys at every part of the age spectrum. We were encouraged by how the guys finished in the Regionals and came really close to making the Supers, which puts you one step closer to Omaha.”

Oregon State lost its season opener, then ran off a 10-game win streak and looked in good shape to host a Regional through early April, when the Beavers were 20-5 overall, 7-1 in conference play and ranked 21st nationally. Soon slugger Jacob Melton injured a shoulder, though, and the Beavers stumbled to the finish of the regular season, losing eight of their final 11 games.

The Beavers’ 2021 stats were a mixed bag. The pitching staff finished first in the Pac-12 and ninth nationally with a 3.48 ERA and also led league in opponents’ batting average (.215), fewest hits allowed (427) and strikeouts (611), the latter a school single-season record. But OSU hurlers also topped the conference in hit batters (83), combined walks and HBPs (325) and wild pitches (64).

Kevin Abel was poster guy for the staff’s ups and downs, leading the league in opponents’ batting average by a wide margin (.168). The redshirt sophomore was second in strikeouts (109) and eighth in ERA (3.62) but also led in wild pitches (16), hit batters (17) and walks (61).

“That’s never something you like, but we broke the school record in strikeouts, so there was some give and take,” Canham says. “We had a lot of developing arms. Some (HBPs) were (the result of) working with (the pitchers) to get them to pitch inside. Sometimes HBPs are going to happen. It’s also tied into trusting your defense, and we had one of the best fielding teams in the country.”

Indeed, not much fault could be found with a defense that ranked third nationally in fielding with a school-record .982 percentage.

OSU batters hit a collective .280 with 53 homers in 61 games but struck out a Pac-12-high 512 times.

The goals for 2022 include a renewed push to 1) win the Pac-12, 2) gain the league’s automatic entry into the NCAA Tournament by claiming the first Pac-12 post-season tourney title and 3) get to Omaha for the seventh time since 2005.

The coaching staff remains the same, except that undergrad assistant Joey Wong has accepted a job at Seattle University. Former OSU pitcher Jake Postlewait (2001-03) and ex-OSU infielder Richie Mascarenas (2020-21) will fill dual undergrad coaching roles next season. Pitching coach Rich Dorman and assistants Darwin Barney and Ryan Gipson return.

“Our staff gets along great,” Canham says. “We push each other extremely hard. We learned a lot about each other last season in ways that will help us get better. We saw a great brotherhood developed (among the players) in the clubhouse as well. I believe it’s what’s going to spur us into having a very productive fall.”

Oregon State loses plenty of talent off of last season’s roster, including seniors Andy Armstrong (shortstop) and closer Jake Mulholland, who ended as OSU’s career saves leader. Pitchers Abel, Bryant Salgado, Nathan Burns and Chase Watkins signed after being selected in the MLB draft along with letter-of-intent signee Dominic Hambley, a 6-2, 230-pound right-hander from Victoria, B.C., who signed with the Chicago Cubs. First baseman Kyle Froemke (L.A. Dodgers) and catcher Cole Hamilton (Washington) also inked pro contracts.

Senior catcher Troy Claunch (Texas A&M), sophomore pitcher Jack Washburn (Mississippi), sophomore first baseman Cesar Valero Sanchez (Sacramento State) and redshirt freshman infielder Jordan Donahue (Hawaii) have transferred while seniors Ryan Ober — who led OSU with 10 homers and 41 RBIs in 2021 — Joe Casey and Kyler McMahan chose not to return to the Beavers.

Canham has added a number of transfer pitching prospects from the college ranks. Among them:

• Hunter Cope, a 6-11, 260-pound sophomore right-hander who made one relief appearance as a freshman at Arizonain 2020.

• DJ Carpenter, a 6-8, 240-pound sophomore right-hander from Central Arizona JC. Carpenter was 0-0 with 4.35 ERA in 11 relief appearances, with 17 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings last season.

• Ben Ferrer, a 5-11, 195-pound junior right-hander who was 4-2 with a 4.09 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) for South Carolina Upstate last season. Ferrer pitched for the Bend Elks in the West Coast League this summer, going 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA in nine appearances.

• Braden Boisvert, a 6-2, 210-pound junior right-hander from Seward County CC in Liberal, Kan. Boisvert had a 1.22 ERA in eight relief appearances, with 16 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings, for the Corvallis Knights in the WCL this summer.

• Sam Stuhr, a 6-foot, 195-pound sophomore right-hander out of Portland’s Madison High who was 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings for Lower Columbia CC last season. Stuhr pitched four games for the Knights this summer, going 2-0 with a 3.37 ERA.

The Beavers also picked up 5-10, 215-pound infielder TJ Wheeler, a left-handed hitter who batted .399 with 21 homers and 62 RBIs in 54 games with Yavapai (Ariz.) JC last season.

Oregon State’s 2022 pitching staff features a trio of veterans who project to be the weekend starters — 6-6, 215-pound junior right-hander Jake Pfennigs (5-0, 3.24 last season), 6-2, 190-pound sophomore left-hander Cooper Hjerpe (3-6, 4.21) and 6-foot, 225-pound sophomore right-hander Will Frisch (3-0, 2.38). Pfennigs and Hjerpe were regular starters last season while Frisch started six games and finished the season with a .222 opponents’ batting average.

“It’s tremendous to have those three back,” Canham says. “They worked on their bodies and rested their arms this summer. They get along. They push each other. They‘re all really good with the routine and understanding what it takes to pitch in the ‘Pac.’ ”

Two other returnees should contend for mid-week starting roles — 5-9, 170-pound junior right-hander Brock Townsend (2-0, 2.57) and 6-foot, 200-pound senior right-hander Reid Sebby (2-1, 4.91).

“They’ll play the hybrid role,” Canham says. “We can use them as starters or in relief. They’re different type of pitchers, but they both fill up the strike zone and are pretty durable.”

Sixth-year senior Mitchell Verburg returns as the heir apparent to Mulholland to fill the closer spot. The 6-3, 205-pound right-hander from Lake Oswego, who has missed two seasons with elbow issues, was 2-0 with a 2.92 ERA in 19 appearances last season.

“He has done something not a lot of pitchers have — get the 27th out in a Pac-12 game,” Canham says. “Verb is healthy and has been working on a third pitch. He’s a competitor who can handle those big-stage moments.”

The other pitcher who saw significant duty for OSU in 2021 was 6-4, 220 junior right-hander Joey Mundt (2-2, 4.70).

“Joey can come at you for one or two innings,” Canham says. “He’s continuing to develop his slider and sinker.”

Among the returnees who saw little or no action last season are sophomore right-handers AJ Lattery (6-5, 240), Ian Lawson (6-6, 225) Jaren Hunter (6-1, 220) and Kyle Keyes (6-1, 185), sophomore left-hander Justin Thorsteinson (6-2, 220) and redshirt freshman right-hander Ryan Brown (6-1, 200).

Playing for the Ridgefield Raptors, Hunter (4-0, 1.92) was named to the All-WCL first team this summer.

Oregon State also signed three high school pitchers — 6-1, 165-pound left-hander David Case from Pasadena, Calif., 6-4, 215-pound right-hander Jacob Kmatz from Albuquerque, N.M., and 6-1, 200-pound right-hander Victor Quinn of O’Fallon, Mo.

Case, the No. 5-ranked pitcher out of the California prep ranks, appeared in three games for the Bend Elks this summer, sporting a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings.

Kmatz was ranked by one service as one of the nation’s top 200 recruits.

“Jacob can throw three pitches for strikes, and when I saw him (with Bend, for whom he went 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 21 innings this summer) he was topping out at 90 to 94 (mph),” Canham says.

Quinn averaged nearly two strikeouts per inning as a senior.

“His fastball can run to the mid- or upper 90s,” Canham says. “He has some big-time stuff.”

Quinn is also a position player who belted four home runs with eight RBIs in one game last season.

Canham singles out juniors Melton (first base/outfield) and Wade Meckler (outfield) and sophomores Justin Boyd (utility), Garret Forester (first base/outfield) and Kyle Dernedde (middle infield) as position players “who showed some real potential to do big things” during the 2022 campaign.

“I’m very excited about that,” Canham says. “We have a lot of big pieces returning.”

The 6-3, 200-pound Melton is the biggest piece, having hit .404 with six homers, 25 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 32 games before bowing out last season with a shoulder injury. He would have led the Pac-12 in batting average had he had enough at-bats to qualify. Only six other Beavers have ever hit .400 for a season.

“He was a big part of our offense and our defense,” Canham says. “We missed his presence. It pumped everyone else up around him. You could see it in the opponents’ eyes when he walked up to the plate, like, ‘Oh boy, this guy can do a lot of damage.’

“Not having him in the lineup was a big hit to the offense. He’s a special player. We’re looking for him to rebound from the surgery and come back even stronger.”

Meckler, a 5-10, 180-pound junior, hit .303 with a .396 OBP as a corner outfielder for the Beavers last season.

“Wade did a fantastic job for us,” Canham says. “He is beyond competitive. The guy wants to hit. He and Melton live in the (batting) cage. He’s not a big guy, but he is physical.”

Boyd, a 6-foot, 195-pound sophomore, hit .301 with a .395 OBP playing several positions for the Beavers last season. He batted .300 with a .455 OBP in 31 games for the Mankato MoonDogs of the Northwoods League this summer while playing seven positions — everything but pitcher and catcher.

“Justin can do it all,” Canham says. “He’s a real ballplayer.”

 The 6-foot, 210-pound Forrester hit .299 with seven homers and 32 RBIs in 52 games. His .435 OBP ranked 11th in the Pac-12.

Sophomore first baseman/DH Garret Forrester is one of Oregon State’s biggest sticks (Courtesy OSU sports communications)

“Garret had an outstanding freshman season,” Canham says. “He showed himself as a great example of a guy doing the right things to get better. He spent the summer getting after it in the weight room.

I see him playing some first and third next season, and maybe getting some work at catcher.”

The 5-8, 175-pound Dernedde playing sparingly for the Beavers in the regular season but shone in the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a two-double performance in a 10-5 win over McNeese, tying a school single-game post-season record with six RBIs. The Tualatin High grad, who hit .290 with a .476 OBP in 31 at-bats, is a candidate to start at either shortstop or second base this season. He had a poor WCL season this summer with the Portland Pickles, though, hitting  .129 in 24 games.

Tualatin High grad Kyle Dernedde is a candidate to start in the middle infield (Courtesy OSU sports communications)

“ ‘Derny’ plugged away all year in practice and made the most of our midweek scrimmages,” Canham says of Dernedde’s freshman season at OSU. “His preparation never wavered. At the end, we were able to get him in there, and he was ready.”

Juniors Jake Dukart (6-1, 200) and Matthew Gretler (6-foot, 180) return at third base. Dukart hit .268 and Gretler .261 last season. Dukart was the only Beaver to play in the Cape Cod League last summer, batting .224 in 15 games for Falmouth. Wheeler could fit into the picture at third as well.

Claunch, chosen for the 32-player All-Pac-12 team last season, will be difficult to replace at catcher. Gavin Logan (5-10, 190) hit .318 in 22 at-bats as a sophomore last season and had an excellent WCL season in Bend, hitting .307 in 28 games. Incoming freshmen Tanner Smith (Chandler, Ariz.) and Wilson Weber (Barlow High) will also get their opportunities.

Melton and Forrester will likely share first base duties, with Melton also playing some centerfield and Forrester serving as designated hitter at times.

Canham will surely find a spot in the lineup for incoming freshman Travis Bazzana, the Sydney, Australia native who earned WCL Most Valuable Player honors in leading the Knights to the league title this summer. The 6-foot, 195-pound second baseman hit a league-record .429 with 18 stolen bases in 45 games.

“It’s incredible to go into that league and do what he did offensively,” Canham says. “Travis is an extremely competitive guy in anything he does. He goes about his business like a pro. He’ll probably play either short or second for us.”

Another infield candidate is 5-8, 185-pound redshirt freshman Paul Myro, who hit .265 with a .436 ERA for the Walla Walla Sweets in the WCL this summer.

“Every time we saw him we thought, ‘This guy is getting good,’ ” says Canham, who projects Myro at shortstop or third base.

The Beavers recruited two freshman middle infielders, including 6-3, 195-pound shortstop Mason Guerra, the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year out of Westview High last season. He struggled with summer with the WCL Bend Elks, hitting .171 in 16 games.

“He’ll have to adjust to this level,” Canham says, “but he’s a big, strong kid who can do some damage at the plate.”

The other is 5-11, 175-pound Jabin Trosky, a switch-hitter from Carmel, Calif., “with a big time-glove,” Canham says. One service had him as the No. 16-ranked player out of California.

Boyd, Melton and Meckler have the inside track on starting outfield spots, but they’ll get competition from the likes of 6-foot, 200-pound junior Greg Fuchs, who hit .311 in 23 games with Bend this summer; redshirt freshman Thomas Dukart, sophomores Micah McDowell and Brady Kasper and incoming freshman Tyree Reed of Vallejo, Calif.

I ask Canham what his team most needs to improve on next season. His answer is succinct: “Win the free-base war. Confidence in finishing games.”

The Beavers must replace their catcher, Friday-night starter, closer and shortstop of a year ago. How difficult will that be?

“There is always going to be turnover,” he says. “Those guys were big-time players for us, but we have very athletic, competitive players coming back. We saw it at the end of last season.

“Just looking around at what we have back and coming in, I’m excited. I think we’re going to have solid depth at every position. Last year, with our pitching and defense, we felt confident about going a long way in the postseason. It’s the same way this year. We know if all the cylinders are clicking and we play like we can play, we’ll be as good as most teams.”

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