INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler head coach
Dave Schrage has had a tough task in replacing key players who graduated from last year's team.
Tyler Houston and
Gehrig Parker both started all 54 games for the Bulldogs in 2018 and were named to All-BIG EAST teams. Coach Schrage plans to use a mix of newcomers and returning players to fill the open positions.
"I'm excited to see who steps up and who leads this team." Schrage said. "I like the fact that this team has some interchangeable parts and we have the most depth we've had since I've been here. That is a big positive for us -- especially from an offensive standpoint -- because now we can match up better against teams."
Harrison Freed is a key piece rejoining the Bulldogs in 2019. Freed started 44 games in left field last season, but is expected to move to right field this year with the departure of
Gehrig Parker. The junior performed extremely well this summer with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League. Freed hit .291 with 12 home runs and 61 RBI's in 63 games, good enough to earn him a Northwoods League All-Star nomination.
In 2018, Freed hit .240 at Butler with 12 doubles, four triples and four home runs in 44 starts.
"
Harrison Freed is a guy who put up okay numbers for us, but then went out last summer and tore it up in Northwoods League." Schrage added. "He is our most improved hitter by far from last year to this year and he showed that in the fall by hitting over .500 with power."
Kyle Smith joins the Bulldogs as a graduate transfer from Mississippi College. Last season with the Choctaws, Smith was an All-Gulf South Conference selection hitting .317 with 26 RBI. He helped lead his team to a Gulf South Championship, the first one in program history. Smith is expected to start right away for the Bulldogs, taking over the center field position for Schrage.
"Kyle is going to take over for us in center field." Schrage said. "Defensively, he can go get the ball. He is really fast out there. We're in a tough situation in replacing
Tyler Houston and
Gehrig Parker from last year, but we see Smith and Freed as two players that are ready to step up."
James Gargano will return to Butler for his sophomore season in 2019. As a freshman, Gargano hit .277, the fifth-highest average on the team, while spending most of his time as a designated hitter. This season, Gargano will make the transition to the outfield to be the team's primary left-fielder.
"Gargano will be right there hitting at the top of our order." Schrage said. "James is probably the most athletic kid in our program. He had great freshman year and an excellent fall season. We've moved him to the outfield so he can take over in left field. He's going to be a big part of our program moving forward."
Robbie McCargar is another newcomer to the Bulldogs. The junior-college transfer is expected to jump into the lineup as the designated hitter. McCargar transferred to Butler from Des Moines Area Community College where he batted .376 with 35 hits in 35 games.
"He's a solid hitter who drives the baseball and will be a contributor right away for us." Schrage explained. "He's a left-handed hitter who is real strong and will make a big impact in the middle of the order."
Schrage also mentioned the depth of this Butler baseball club and how it will help them during busy points in the season. This outfield group has depth of its own in
Jacob Margroff,
Kyle Niemiec,
Malik Wirges and
Nick Ortega.
The most experienced player on the bench will be Margroff, who played in 33 games as a freshman and started 19. Margroff hit .260 in 73 at-bats, scoring 12 runs on the year.
Niemiec is a redshirt-sophomore who played in nine games in 2017, his freshman season. Niemiec sat out the 2018 spring due to injury.
Schrage also has sophomore
Nick Ortega and freshman
Malik Wirges to call upon if need be.
"We've adopted the saying 'leave no doubt' for this team." Schrage said. "We're a confident team, more confident than my last two Butler teams. We lost a lot of kids but we have a lot of players ready to step up and play."
