Mike Bell has the Pitt baseball program on a new level with respect to two different angles.
One, from the perception within the rest of the ACC.
Two, and most important, within its own walls.
With more than half of his roster turned over into 2023, the expectation of the continued growth into an ACC contender is not fizzled out; it is only strengthened by those who remain.
The first steps were taken as official practices opened this week at the Petersen Sports Complex. Opening Day is three weeks from today, as Pitt begins a three-game series with Maine in Sarasota, Fla.
"Returning 15 guys and bringing in 23 new guys -- the junior college guys, the portal guys, the high school guys -- getting our guys to jell together early on as we go to Florida for the first 15 games will be a key component as well as staying healthy for our guys before we get into a tough ACC schedule," Bell said on Friday at baseball media day at the Petersen Sports Complex in Oakland.
"I think our game has gotten strong, if not the strongest its ever been. When you look at college baseball you have all the rosters, you have high, high-end draft picks, and the competition level is continuing to rise. I'm really excited to see what this season brings and how we grow."
Pitt reached the ACC Tournament semifinal last season, after turning in a 29-22 overall record to tie for the most overall wins since joining the ACC. Its 16 victories within the ACC and six series victories against ACC teams also set new benchmarks.
More, as Bell would say, is expected to come. With so much roster turnover, there is some reconfiguring of a lineup to do, especially while accounting for the losses of catcher Tatem Levins, first baseman Bryce Hulett, middle infielders Jeffrey Wehler and Brock Franks, and outfielder Ron Washington Jr.
"It's always the next man up; it's always a new team," Bell said. "We lose, I believe, 67 percent of our home runs from last year. It was not only Tatem Levins, it was Ron Washington, it was Bryce Hulett, Brock Franks. It was some great names and great players and great teammates that came through here. When I say this, it kind of pushed things over the last couple years for us.
"With that being said, we lose 69 percent of our innings on the mound. Matt Gilbertson's coaching out on the West coast, Billy Corcoran's pitching in the Diamondbacks organization, Baron Stuart's with the Yankees. But we have guys that we brought in, we feel that they are talented, and it's going to provide opportunity for those guys. We like what we see. They just haven't done it on the main stage."
Those are lofty production numbers to replace within each of the lineup and the pitching staff but, as Bell alluded to, many players which played behind or alongside those which are now gone have their shot at stepping up to the plate.
That comes with culture, which Bell has established in his four seasons as head coach and is expected to sustain for the foreseeable future, as Bell in August signed a contract extension through 2027.
"Last year we had a lot of guys banged up, a lot of guys guys coming back and forth through the lineups, pitching rotations, and (the coaches) did a really good job of trying to establish that this is a culture and we want you guys to be a part of this," junior outfielder CJ Funk told me. "This is a really strong atmosphere out here, and we're going in the right direction."
Funk will be joined alongside junior Dom Popa, a Seton-LaSalle product, and graduate student Kyle Hess in the outfield. Funk is the Panthers' returning leader in batting average among qualifiers at .298, while Hess turned in eight home runs, 24 RBIs and a 1.092 OPS in his 100 at-bats. Popa logged a .262 average and a .444 on-base percentage in his 61 at-bats.
"Me, Dom, and Kyle were out there for a long time together, and I think we kind of created this environment in practices," Funk said. "We've been doing everything together for a long time now, and this is our third year with all of us together. Really good friendship, relationship off the field, as well. Everyone brings their own skillset, I think they jell really nicely in the corners and then whoever ends up playing center field, as well. A lot of leadership in the outfield, as well. Everyone's kind of on the same page. We have our communication down pat."
The Panthers' infield is expected to see a shift with three mainstays now gone. Graduate student Sky Duff is expected to man third base again, and senior Jack Anderson, a Mars native, should be a fine fit at first base in replacing Hulett. Each were middle-of-the-order pieces for Bell last season, with Duff finishing fourth on the team in hits with 49 and Anderson moving onto the field after spending last season as a primary designated hitter.
Duff has a strong friendship with Wehler, with the two working with each other over the course of the offseason. Duff hopes to be a beacon for the newcomers to gravitate towards as the season gets going.
"He's somebody that I can learn a lot from, and I'll just try to keep that going with all the new guys coming in," Duff told me. "Make everybody feel welcome, comfortable. But, at the same time, pushing each other. Making sure that we're getting better and everybody's learning how we do things here."
Anderson told me he learned from Hulett on and off the field.
"Bryce, every day, came to the park and just had a good time," Anderson told me. "Even through all the work, he was just consistent with everything he did. In terms of fielding, he was just so smooth in the field. I was just able to pick up all the footwork, all the movements that he did, and try to put that into my game. In hitting, the same thing. I saw how teams were trying to attack him and maybe seeing if I could pick up anything from what they were doing off him."
