Duke baseball officially announces the renovation plan for Jack Coombs Field

The Blue Devils announced the start of a major renovation project at Jack Coombs Field on Friday.

Jack Coombs Field will look pretty different when Duke baseball fans return to the stadium in 2025.

The Blue Devils announced the start of a major renovation project for the longtime stadium on Friday. According to a release from the program, the changes include larger dugouts, updated bullpens, and different dimensions for the field.

The release also detailed some upgrades for the fans and players as well. The Blue Devils will add lawn seating alongside first base and down the right-field line, and the Duke baseball team will have a new player development lab at their disposal.

“As the energy surrounding our baseball program continues its upward trajectory, it is incredibly exciting to see this venture reach the construction stage,” Duke athletic director Nina Kingย said in the release. “Having the opportunity to enhance both our student-athlete experience from a developmental perspective as well as the gameday environment for our fans with this multi-phase initiative is especially rewarding.”

https://twitter.com/DukeBASE/status/1847273884006940751

Duke finished the 2024 season with 40 wins, defeating the Florida State Seminoles by 12 runs in the ACC Tournament championship game. D1Baseball graded the Blue Devils as one of the top 30 programs in the country earlier this month.

D1Baseball ranks the Blue Devils as a top-30 program in the country

D1Baseball moved the Duke Blue Devils within their top 30 programs this week, the latest step in a meteoric rise.

With each passing year, the Duke baseball team moves closer and closer to the national forefront.

D1Baseball ranked the Blue Devils as the No. 28 program in the country this week, a far cry from being left off the rankings just nine years ago.

“It wasn’t too long ago that Duke was a proverbial punching bag in the ACC,” D1Baseball co-owner Kendall Rogers wrote. “Now, it is routinely one of the league’s best programs.”

Duke hired head coach Chris Pollard for the 2013 season, and the progress has been steady over the 11 years since. After just two 30-win seasons in the 14 years before Pollard’s arrival, the Blue Devils have reached that threshold in nine of their last 10 full seasons.

The growth culminated with a 40-win 2024 season that included Duke’s second ACC Tournament title in four years. Six different members of the team averaged at least .300 at the plate with more than 10 home runs, and closer Charlie Beilenson finished with a 2.01 ERA in 34 appearances.

The Blue Devils climbed up to 82nd in the 2017 D1Baseball rankings, broke into the top 50 as the No. 39 team in 2019, and finished 33rd in the 2022 edition of the rankings.

Duke outfielder Devin Obee set to enter transfer portal

Duke baseball will need to replace a major two-way player after outfielder Devin Obee opted for the transfer portal.

Chris Pollard and his staff will have a new hole to fill on their roster in the coming months.

Senior outfielder Devin Obee opted for the transfer portal and will leave the Duke baseball team after graduating this summer, according to a Tuesday report from D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers.

His name officially began appearing in the transfer portal database that same day.

The loss is significant for Duke from an on- and off-field perspective, as Obee was a leader amongst the team. As a junior, he was a terrific defender with great instincts and provided some significant power with 16 home runs last year alone. He also batted .309 with 11 doubles and two triples, one of two Blue Devils to reach all four of those numbers in 2024.

Duke has seen many departures from the program this past summer due to graduation, the MLB draft, and other transfers out of the program.

Chase Krewson, a terrific freshman expected to have a significant role in the future, opted to transfer to UCF. At the same time, Ben Miller shocked everyone by announcing his return to the Duke program for one more season. Pitchers Jonathan Santucci, Charlie Beilenson, and others were drafted to the professional ranks this summer.

With Obee on the way out, Duke will need contributions from players who played minor roles or weren’t even on the team last year to supplement guys like Miller, AJ Gracia, Kyle Johnson, and Ben Miller as they attempt to defend their ACC Tournament title and break through to Omaha for the first time in 2025.

Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard shares first look at renovations to Jack Coombs Field

Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard shared a photo of Jack Coombs Field undergoing renovations over the weekend, teasing some upgrades.

Jack Coombs Field might be getting some upgrades over the coming months.

Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard shared a photo of the Blue Devils’ stadium over the weekend with renovations clearly being done down the first-base line.

“It’s started,” Pollard wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Big things coming to ‘The Jack’!!!”

Jack Coombs Field has been open since 1931, and with the last round of renovations done in 2011, any changes to The Jack seemed a little overdue. However, this past postseason might have been the last straw for the athletic program.

The Blue Devils remained in the mix for one of the 16 regional hosting seeds all year, and while a lackluster end to the regular season seemed to knock them out of contention, a run to the ACC Tournament title seemed to throw Pollard’s team back to the forefront.

Instead, when the 16 host locations were announced later that day, the Blue Devils were left on the outside looking in. Fans and national analysts felt the decision came partly because of Duke’s resources.

Duke fans will need to wait until 2025 to see the new-look ballpark in person, but it seems like some tweaks are coming this fall.

All-ACC third baseman Ben Miller surprises everyone by returning to Duke baseball team

Duke baseball’s All-ACC third baseman Ben Miller announced on Monday that he will return for the 2025 season.

As we speed towards the start of football season and drool over what could happen fin Cameron Indoor Stadium starting in November, the Duke baseball team just received some major news of its own on Monday.

Ben Miller, a significant part of Duke’s team in 2024, announced on Monday that he would return for one final season with the Duke team.

Miller is no stranger to Durham. He grew up there. Before Duke, Ben played collegiate baseball at Penn, the Ivy League school. He then transferred home to play his fourth year of college baseball.

With one final year of eligibility, Miller decided to play with the Blue Devils for one more season instead of seeking professional opportunities. He started in all 55 games in 2024, leading the team with a .360 batting average. He scored 56 runs from the top of the lineup while tallying 82 hits, including 18 doubles, one triple, and 15 home runs. He drove in 49 runs for an explosive Duke offense.

Last year, he posted 13 two-hit days, six three-hit days, and one four-hit day. In short, he was a firestarter for Chris Pollard and the Duke team. At the end of the season, he was named the All-ACC First Team third baseman and was a big force in the conference tournament as Duke clenched an ACC Tournament title.

Miller’s return can’t be overstated. It gives Duke leadership and instant offense and fills a significant hole in the infield that Duke could’ve struggled to fill.

 

Duke baseball announces Derek Simmons as new assistant coach

Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard announced a new member of his staff on Wednesday, a former Indiana coach set to help the infield.

The Duke baseball coaching staff added another member on Wednesday when the team announced Derek Simmons as an assistant coach.

Simmons, who will coach baserunning and the infield, previously spent five years with the Indiana Hoosiers. He’ll also work as the team recruiting coordinator.

“Derek arrives with an outstanding reputation as a national recruiter,” head coach Chris Pollard said in a release from the team. “He also has deep ties with USA Baseball and has been a catalyst in the recent success of the 15u national team. I have zero doubt that he will have a major impact on the continued success of the Duke Baseball program.”

Simmons, for his part, sounded just as excited to work with Pollard.

“The sustained excellence and success Chris Pollard and his staff have created at Duke is what undoubtedly brought my family and I to Durham,” Simmons said. “Coach Pollard is a man of the highest integrity with great core values and beliefs who has built this program on personal relationships, recruiting, and player development.”

Simmons has also worked at Alabama, Kent State, Kennesaw State, and Central Michigan. He played for the University of Montevallo.

The Blue Devils ended the 2024 season with a 40-20 record. They lost eight of their last 15 regular-season games to slide out of contention for a top-16 seed, but a torrid run through the ACC Tournament gave them some momentum. They swept their way through the bracket in four games, outscoring their opponents 43-15 en route to the title.

Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard reacts to Nick Conte getting drafted

Nick Conte, despite collegiate injuries, heard his name called in the eighth round of the MLB draft, and Chris Pollard couldn’t be happier.

Despite dealing with some injuries that limited his time on the mound in Durham, Nick Conte is headed to the MLB.

The Kansas City Royals picked the right-handed pitcher in the eighth round of the 2024 draft on Monday, making him the third Blue Devil off the board. Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard went to social media to describe how happy he was for his former arm.

“Testament to resilience!” Pollard wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “(Conte) has shown grit and an unrelenting commitment to process. His best baseball is ahead of him. Go be great.”

Conte, who missed the entire 2023 season due to injury, only made 20 appearances during his four years in Durham. He finished 2024 with a career-best 4.50 ERA after spending six innings on the mound, and he struck out eight batters while allowing one extra-base hit. He only coughed up 14 hits over his entire Blue Devils career with only two going for multiple bases.

Conte joined Jonathan Santucci (second round, New York Mets) and Charlie Beilenson (fifth round, Seattle Mariners) as Blue Devils on the draft board.

Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard reacts to Jonathan Santucci getting drafted

After the New York Mets drafted Duke southpaw Jonathan Santucci in the second round, Chris Pollard had some kind things to say about his star.

The New York Mets got a good one in [autotag]Jonathan Santucci[/autotag] on Sunday.

One of the two MLB franchises in the Big Apple snagged the Duke left-hander in the second round of this year’s draft, and Blue Devils coach Chris Pollard couldn’t be happier for the former All-ACC hurler.

Special dude,” Pollard wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Elite combination of physical ability, competitiveness, and work ethic. Elite athlete, but also a grinder. #bluecollar.”

Santucci finished his junior year with a 6-1 record and a 3.41 ERA, striking out 90 batters in 58.0 innings on the hill. He held his opponents to a .188 batting average, and opposing teams managed just a .208 average against him over his entire collegiate career.

His best game from the 2024 season came against Akron in his third start of the year, tossing six innings and allowing a single hit without a run. He struck out 14 batters that night, one of three starts with double-digit strikeouts this year.

Santucci nursed a rib injury during Duke’s run through the ACC Tournament, but the injury isn’t expected to inhibit his first season in the pros after he returned to the mound during the Norman Regional.

Duke closer Charlie Beilenson goes to the Seattle Mariners in fifth round of 2024 MLB draft

Duke’s second draft pick of the 2024 MLB Draft is closer Charlie Beilenson, who’s headed to the West Coast after getting taken in the fifth round.

Duke’s pitching this past season was supposed to be a high mark for the team as it prepared for another year in the ACC, and when it came down to it, the pitching was incredible for the Blue Devils.

One of those pitchers, ace lefty Johnathan Santucci, was taken by the New York Mets in the second round of the 2024 MLB draft. Another one of Duke’s dynamic arms, closer Charlie Beilenson, came off the board next as Duke’s second pick of the draft during the second day of the draft.

Beilenson is headed to the Seattle Mariners after they selected him with the 154th overall pick in the fifth round.

Beilenson was a crucial part of Duke’s team over his time in Durham and has the accolades to prove it. In just 2024 alone, Charlie Beilenson went 7-3 with 12 saves, posting a 2.01 ERA (14 earned runs across 62.2 innings pitched) with 92 strikeouts for Duke. He finished the year as an ABCA/Rawlings, NCBWA, and Perfect Game First Team All-American. He was also an All-ACC First Team Relief Pitcher, one of seven Blue Devils on the all-conference squads.

His durability was displayed in 2023 as he broke the school record for appearances in a single season at 39.

He routinely put out fires or shut the door on opposing teams. His versatility is truly impressive, as he can be a one-inning closer, a multi-inning middle or long reliever, or a set-up man. In short, he’s as versatile a bullpen weapon as a team can wish for, leaving fans and analysts in awe of his skills.

He doesn’t throw hard, but it’s reasonable to believe that under the eyes of major league pitching instruction, he may be able to maximize his potential and add a few more miles to his fastball.

With the way the Mariners develop pitchers as an organization and value pitching (they lead the American League in ERA, WHIP, and average against), it stands to reason they will know exactly what buttons to push to maximize Beilenson’s talent.

Charlie Beilinson and Zac Morris named NCBWA All-Americans

Two of Duke baseball’s best senior contributors earn All-America honors.

While Duke’s season was far from what they wanted it to be, Chris Pollard, his staff, and his players had one heck of a baseball season. They reached new heights in the polls, had a historic offensive season, and won the second ACC Tournament title in program history. Bowing out before making it to Omaha in the NCAA Tournament will sting and inevitably serve as fuel for next year’s squad.

Replicating some of this year’s team’s magic will be difficult, considering the Blue Devils must replace some significant contributors in the offseason.

Two of those contributors are major holes because they were good players, great leaders, and all-American caliber players.

Charlie Beilenson was one of the nation’s best relievers and was named a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association first-team All-American. His 2024 was remarkable. In 2024, he appeared in 34 games on the mound, posting a 7-3 record with a 2.01 ERA. He worked 62.2 innings, allowing 14 earned runs and striking out 92 of the 226 batters he faced. Beilenson held opponents to a .181 average and walked just 18 batters. Earlier this week, he was named a Perfect Game First Team Relief Pitcher and an ABCA/Rawlings First Team Relief Pitcher. If that wasn’t enough, he’s a Stopper of the Year finalist. Whenever Chris Pollard needed outs from the seventh inning onward, Beilenson was available and almost always answered the call. He was as consistent a player as Pollard had all year.

If Beilenson was the most consistent pitcher Pollard could depend on, Zac Morris was the bat his coaches could believe in every time he came to the plate. It shouldn’t be surprising that he was named NCBWA third-team All-American. The former transfer from VMI, Morris, was named the third team’s second baseman. He was an All-ACC First Team second baseman during the 2024 campaign. In his 60 games played, Morris produced a .343 average at the plate, posting a robust OPS of 1.068. He registered 245 at-bats, scoring 69 runs and collecting 84 hits to lead the Blue Devils. Morris added 12 doubles, two triples, a career-high 18 home runs, 59 RBI, and walked 39 times.

He was a walking offensive powerhouse at the top of the Duke lineup. He played a terrific second base in the field, too.

Both players are set to move on to professional endeavors and will look to be drafted in the upcoming 2024 MLB Draft.