Feb. 19, 2016
By Jack Dougherty, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" The 2016 freshman class makes up 11 of the 32 roster spots for Penn State this season. That's four more than the next largest class and 34 percent of the entire team.
As much as the young roster forecasts a bright future for the program, there will be hardly any transition period for the newly acquired troops. A large majority will not only be expected to see some time and feel out the college game this year, but to contribute to the team's success right from the jump.
Some of that is on the freshmen themselves, but a big part of their ability to step in and add value to the team immediately depends on how well the experienced leaders aid them in their changeover from high school.
"Upperclassman guys like Jack (Anderson) and Jimmy (Haley) here and others, Tyler Kendall and James Coates, have done a great job of bringing those guys into the fold and understanding that," head coach Rob Cooper said. "I've been a part of teams and been at places where the upperclassmen haven't done a good job of that. These guys have done a really good job."
"I've been doing my best to try to help them progress," said junior infielder Jim Haley. "The biggest thing is making the transition from high school to college, not so much baseball, but just the whole school process, so I've tried to mentor them. They've come a long way, and they've all had a pretty good fall, so I'm excited to see what they will do this season."
It's yet to be seen who will emerge as an instant asset to the team and when, but there are a bevy of names that have impressed so far in preseason. Three freshmen ââ'¬" Jordan Bowersox, Conlin Hughes and Connor Klemann ââ'¬" were on Penn State's opening day lineup card on Friday. Get to know some of the freshman class.
Conlin Hughes, Infielder- Hughes is a middle infielder from Holly Springs, N.C. For Holly Springs High School, Hughes achieved all-conference honors in three straight years and capped off his career with a .422 batting average in his senior season.
Hughes made the Central Carolina Scholastic Summer All-Star Game in 2013 and 2014 and played in the 2014 Powerade State Game for North Carolina.
During the Blue and White's recent trip to Cubs, Hughes recorded a single, an RBI and a .455 on-base percentage in seven at-bats.
Austin Riggins, Outfielder- Riggins is a game-changing athlete from Greer, S.C. who can cover a ton of ground in centerfield. He showed his athleticism and speed in Cuba while adding two hits and scoring a run.
With the departure of last season's leading hitter Aaron Novak, there is a hole to be filled in the outfield for PSU. It's been a competitive battle so far in the offseason, but Riggins has a great opportunity to get time even if he doesn't win the starting job.
In high school, Riggins was tabbed an all-region outfielder in 2014 and 2015. He also was named to 2015 USA Today All-State team and was ranked as a top-five outfielder in South Carolina by Perfect Game.
Eric Mock, Pitcher- Mock was a highly rated prospect coming out of Governor Mifflin High School. He was ranked as the No. 3 right-handed pitcher in Pennsylvania by Perfect Game and a top 500 player nationally.
In his final two years in high school, Mock recorded 119 strikeouts in 70 innings pitches. He logged an undefeated record in his senior season and was named County Player of the Year.
Keath Leavitt, Outfielder- Leavitt will bring some much needed power to a lineup that produced just 16 homeruns last season. At St. John's Prep in Manchester, Mass. Leavitt belted 19 homers in four years.
Leavitt received a plethora of honors while in high school, including USA Today All-Massachusetts first team in 2014 and 2015. He batted .423 as a senior.
In Cuba, Leavitt went 2-2 with a run scored in Penn State's game against Matanzas.