Season Outlook Middle Infielders Returners No. 10 22 1
Name Jordan Dreiling Ka’iana Eldredge Kevin Kuntz
Newcomers
No. Name 20 Justin Protacio
Class Jr. So. So.
Avg. .284 .268 .350
HR 0 1 0
RBI 14 26 8
OBP .425 .343 .524
Class Fr.
Notes Three-time all-state selection
Kevin Kuntz
• The Jayhawks return young veterans in Jordan Dreiling, Ka’iana Eldredge and Kevin Kuntz, who will play a majority of the time in the middle. • Eldredge showed a lot of promise as a freshman, especially at the end of the season. The Honolulu, Hawaii native batted a team-best .379 over the final 20 games of the season. He will likely see most of his playing time at second base, but Price said he will also play at shortstop and – in a pinch – behind the plate. • Kuntz will be the team’s starting shortstop after playing 31 games at third, short and second last year. He has shown amazing plate discipline, drawing 20 walks in 89 plate appearances last season for a .524 onbase percentage. • Dreiling will see time at both second and short this season. Price calls Dreiling the best utility player he’s had in his time at KU and is impressed with what he brings to the lineup. • Freshman Justin Protacio will also play multiple positions this season. The Pearl City, Hawaii native was a three-time all-state selection and batted .454 with 16 stolen bases in his high school career.
Coach Price on the middle infielders:
“We’re pretty versatile in the middle as all of our guys can play multiple infield positions. We were really pleased with the progress that (Kevin) Kuntz and Ka’iana Eldredge made at the end of last season and we like what Jordan Dreiling can do offensively. You’re probably going to see Kuntz at shortstop and Eldredge at second, short and behind the plate. We also really like what Justin Protacio brings to the team.”
Outfielders Returners No. 15 21 33 9
Name Jordan Brown Jason Brunansky Taylor Hart Tucker Tharp
Newcomers No. 7 14 29 3 17
Name Connor McKay Joe Moroney Brian Poupore Dakota Smith Michael Suiter
Class So. Sr. Sr. So.
Avg. .158 .180 .222 .273
HR 1 2 0 1
Class Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
Notes No. 1 prospect in Colorado Two-time all-league selection Two-time all-state selection 2011 first team all-state 2010 Hawaii Player of Year
Coach Price on the outfielders:
RBI 8 12 0 8
OBP .273 .283 .462 .359
“We lost two big impact guys (Casey Lytle and Jimmy Waters), but I’m excited about the young group we have. It’s the most athletic group of outfielders that we’ve ever had. Michael Suiter will remind a lot of people of (former Jayhawk) John Allman. I feel really good about center field depth-wise with (Connor McKay and Dakota Smith) and Brunansky. Tucker Tharp had the best fall of any of our players. I’m really pleased with his work ethic and commitment to getting better. He’s become a really good player for us.”
• What KU does not have in experience, it makes up for in talent in the outfield, bringing in five highly-touted freshmen. • The Jayhawks return four outfielders, but only Jason Brunansky has started more than 10 games in his KU career. Price says that Brunansky is one of the best defensive outfielders he’s ever coached, but needs to be more consistent at the plate. • Sophomore Tucker Tharp had the best fall of any Jayhawk, batting over .400 in the team’s intrasquad World Series. He will likely open the season as the team’s starter in right field. • Senior Taylor Hart and sophomore Jordan Brown will start the season as backups, but could play themselves into regular time with fast starts. • The Jayhawks boasted a Top 40 recruiting class according Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, mostly due to the promising group of freshmen outfielders. • Michael Suiter, the 2010 Hawaii Gatorade and Louisville Slugger Player of the Year, is the projected starter in left field for KU. Suiter hit .533 during his 2010 season, including a .750 slugging percentage. • Price believes that either Connor McKay or Dakota Smith will open the season as the starting center fielder. • McKay was the No. 1-ranked high school player in the state of Colorado and was a 2010 Under Armour All-American. • Smith, a Leavenworth, Kan., native lettered just two years in baseball, but was named all-state both of those years and batted .500 last season. • Freshmen Joe Moroney and Brian Poupore are also talented players that will see time in the outfield. Moroney is a converted infielder who was a two-time all-league selection. • Poupore hit .380 as a senior with three homers at Notre Dame Prep and was teammates with fellow KU freshman Joe Luvisi.
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