Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Baseball season preview: Athleticism shines in MT outfield
2/18/2021 9:43:00 AM | Baseball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — As Middle Tennessee head coach Jim Toman looks toward the 2021 season opener, he foresees having plenty of options he can use in the outfield.
Maybe the toughest part of building his lineup early in the season will be finding which pieces fit where in the three outfield spots. Redshirt junior Nathan Sanders led the team in the shortened 2020 seasons in several hitting categories without committing an error in the field, so he may have center field locked up. There are a lot of different things Toman can do with the alignment, though.
"We have, on paper, probably about 10 outfielders right now," he said. "I figure we can find three who can play defense and hit, but it will be a revolving door. We'll play the guys who produce."
A lot of that depth comes from a large crop of returning players who got some experience in the shortened 2020 season. The Blue Raiders were rolling when they were forced to abandon the season, winning four of their last six and finishing 6-1 at home.
"Last year, we probably brought in the biggest recruiting class ever here. We brought in 25 or 26 players. … We actually had the highest RPI in the state of Tennessee when we had to stop playing, so I thought we were on our way to really having a good season. Almost all of those guys are back," Toman said.
There are also a handful of newcomers being thrown into the mix, including four freshmen and Motlow State Community College transfer Chewy Sanders, a redshirt sophomore. The Smyrna native was a star on both the football and baseball fields for Smyrna High School alongside his brother, fellow Blue Raider outfielder Nathan Sanders.
The newcomers add more athleticism to the group, and Toman is almost giddy about their ability to run the bases and chase down balls in the field.
"We're in a good situation as far as our athleticism," the head coach said. "This fall, believe it or not, we had 17 guys under a 7.0 in the 60. We have a lot more speed and athleticism, and that's a good thing to have."
Nathan Sanders and fellow juniors Greg Bennett and Cole Escher started the most games in the outfield for the Blue Raiders a season ago, but, as Toman has said many times this offseason, he'll mix and match to find the right combination. Consistency will be key to more playing time.
Here are the outfielders on the roster:
Nathan Sanders, R-Jr., OF, Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna High School)
• Started all 17 games, mainly at centerfield, in 2020
• Posted a 1.000 fielding percentage in 2020 with 38 putouts
• Led team in hits (65), runs (13), at-bats (65) and total bases (31) in 2020
• Finished with a .323 BA, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 13 R, .477 SLG%, .371 OB% in 2020
• Transferred last season from Motlow State Community College
Greg Bennett, Jr., OF, Peosta, Iowa
• Played in 12 games with 10 starts in 2020, mainly in left field
• Finished with a .167 BA, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1.000 FLD%, 16 PO in 2020
• Transferred last season from Iowa Western Community College
Chewy Sanders, R-So., OF, Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna High School)
• Finished with a .397 BA, 3 HR, .667 SLG%, .488 OB%, 9 SB in 2020 at Motlow State
• Transferred this season from Motlow State Community College
• Brother is Blue Raider outfielder Nathan Sanders
• Brothers also played together at Smyrna High School and Motlow State
Cole Escher, Jr., OF, Clay County, Florida
• Played in 12 games, all starts, in right field in 2020
• Finished with a .175 BA, 7 R, 6 BB, .327 OB%, .960 FLD% in 2020
• Transferred last season from South Georgia State College
Mark Engel, R-So., OF/INF, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
• Missed first 7 games of 2020 with oblique injury
• Finished with a .069 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 8 starts (mainly in right field) in 2020
• Transferred last season from Florence Darlington Technical College
Luke Vinson, Fr., OF/LHP, Murfreesboro (Oakland High School)
• Played in 8 games in 2020; did not record a hit
• 2019 District 7-AAA Player of the Year at Oakland High School
Jacob Wright, Fr., OF/LHP, Murfreesboro (Blackman High School)
• Brother, DJ, is a junior pitcher and infielder for the Blue Raiders
Kameron Johnson, Fr., OF, Seymour, Tennessee (Heritage High School)
• Three-sport letter winner at Heritage High School
Bryce Symlar, Fr., OF, Columbia, Tennessee (Columbia Central High School)
• Set the Columbia Central High School career steals record
• Was teammates with Blue Raider freshman pitcher Jaden Hamm at Columbia Central
Tyson Mickie, Fr., OF, Brandon, Florida
• Won a Florida state championship in 2018; 16 steals with .333 BA in 2019
• Both parents were Division I college athletes; mother, Nicole, played in WNBA
This is the last part in a series as we get ready for the start of MT's baseball season on Feb. 19. Go to pitchers and catchers and infielders to learn more about the Blue Raiders.
