Tag: Rutgers baseball

Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer was named First Team All-American

Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer was named First Team All-American, becoming the first Scarlet Knight to receive this honor since 2007.

Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer was named First Team All-American by Perfect Game. Kuroda-Grauer is the first Scarlet Knight since Todd Frazier in 2007 to receive First Team All-American honors.

Also, the Rutgers shortstop received his second All-American honor when he received Third Team All-American honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) earlier this week.

Kuroda-Grauer had a stellar season for the Scarlet Knights, becoming the first player in program history to receive Big Ten Player of the Year honors. Also, Kuroda-Grauer is the first Scarlet Knight to receive a major award (Player/Pitcher/Freshman of the Year) from the Big Ten since joining the conference in 2014 (baseball’s first season in the Big Ten came in 2015).

Kuroda-Grauer has been a staple in the Rutgers lineup this season, starting all 53 games at shortstop for Rutgers. He led the country in hits (95) and hits per game (1.79), registering a .428 batting average.

Throughout the season, Kuroda-Grauer had 29 multi-hit games, 10 three-hit games, 45 RBIs, five home runs, and logged five consecutive games with three-plus hits. The 2024 USA Baseball Golden Spike Award Semifinalist ranked third in the country in batting average and stolen bases (24).

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Kuroda-Grauer was named a 2024 Brooks Wallace Award Finalist, honoring the nation’s top shortstop.

 

Rutgers baseball adds pitcher Justin Herbstman in the transfer portal

Rutgers baseball added left-handed pitcher Justin Herbstman to their 2025 roster after playing one season with Virginia Tech.

After one season with Virginia Tech, left-handed pitcher Justin Herbstman is set join Rutgers baseball out of the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound pitcher didn’t see any action for the Hokies this past season but comes to Rutgers with big upside. While attending Old Bridge High School, Herbstman set the school record with 18 strikeouts in one game as a junior.

During his junior season of high school, Herbstram logged a 1.30 ERA throughout 48.1 innings pitched. He recorded 88 strikeouts, 15 walks, 32 hits, and nine earned runs, finishing the season with a 5-4 record.

He adds depth to the Rutgers pitching staff next season, offering a hard-throwing fastball to opposing batters. He also has a changeup and curveball to his resume.

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The lefty-pitcher can overpower batters with his 89 MPH fastball, making hitters look foolish with his 74-79 MPH off-speed pitches.

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According to Perfect Game, Herbstman was ranked No. 136 in 2023 among left-pitchers in the nation. Also, he was the No. 3 ranked lefty pitcher in New Jersey, ranking No. 38 among pitchers in his recruiting class.

 

Rutgers baseball adds Connor Grotyohann from transfer portal

Connor Grotyohann joins Rutgers baseball out of the transfer portal.

Rutgers baseball continued to improve its roster on Friday with the addition of former two-way threat Connor Grotyohann. The former URI infielder entered the transfer portal a few weeks ago following a sophomore season in which he showed improvement at the plate and on the mound. He will be looking to build on his success in the Big Ten.

The signing of Grotyohann is significant for Rutgers.

In 37 games last year, Grotyohann posted a .293 batting average and hit six home runs. He also drove in a career-high 18 runs and drew six walks. Due to his impact at the plate the talented sophomore got more playing time and raised his average by nearly 70 points after hitting .226 as a freshman.

As he made an impact at the plate, Grotyohann also showed improvement on the mound. After posting a 9.49 ERA during the 2023 campaign, he finished last season with a 7.71 ERA. While he struggled with control, the New Jersey native held opponents to a .221 batting average. If he can limit his walks, then his ERA should continue to drop.

I would like to announce I have committed to Rutgers University! Thank you to URI for all the great memories and amazing friends I’ve made. Can’t wait to get to work! pic.twitter.com/UfmNjqU9BN

— Connor Grotyohann (@cgrotyohann66) June 7, 2024

 

Although Grotyohann’s role is still to be determined, he has shown that he can play around the diamond. That should help him get in the lineup on a Rutgers team looking for explosive pieces.

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After finishing the 2024 campaign season with a 28-25 record, Rutgers has higher expectations. Over the last few years, they have been one of the better teams in the Big Ten, and they are hoping that Grotyohann can help that trend continue following the best season of his college career.

Rutgers baseball hires former William & Mary head coach as new pitching coach

Mike McCrae is the new pitching coach at Rutgers.

On Thursday night, Rutgers baseball’s search for a new pitching coach came to an end.

According to D1baseball’s Kendall Rogers, former William & Mary head coach Mike McRae will become the new pitching coach. After three seasons with the Tribe, McRae will now call Piscataway home.

While McRae’s most recent experience is as a head coach, he was the pitching coach at VCU for four seasons. During his tenure, the Rams’ pitching staff became one of the most dominant in the A-10. In three of his four seasons, they posted a sub-4.00 ERA. In 2018 and 2019, the Rams held opponents to a below .235 batting average.

After finishing the 2023 campaign with a 28-25 record, Rutgers will turn to McRae to fix their pitching staff. The Scarlet Knights struggled on the mound, posting a 5.61 ERA. They also were unable to limit hard contact, allowing 48 home runs and 80 doubles. Only one pitcher in, Justin Sinibaldi, posted an ERA under 4.00.

SCOOP: Former William & Mary head coach Mike McRae will become the new pitching coach for @RutgersBaseball, @d1baseball has learned. McRae had three solid seasons as the head man for the Tribe. Before that, was a successful PC at VCU. That’s a really nice hire for #Rutgers.

— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 6, 2024

Although McRae has his work cut out for him, he has a track record of success. That will be key for a Rutgers team that was carried by their offense. If McRae can mirror his success from VCU, then Rutgers pitching should experience a needed turnaround.

Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer is a 2024 Brooks Wallace Award Finalist

Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer is among the five finalists for the 2024 Brooks Wallace Award as the top shortstop in the country.

The Brooks Wallace Award announced their five finalists for this season, with Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer being among the final five.

The award honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation on June 19. The announcement marks the second time in the last three years that a Rutgers player has been named a finalist for the award.

The five finalists for the 2024 Brooks Wallace Award are Austin Peay junior Jon Jon Gazdar, Ball State senior Michael Hallquist, Rutgers junior Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Mississippi State sophomore David Mershon, and Virginia junior Griff O’Ferrall.

In May, the Rutgers shortstop received a major award when he was named the 2024 Big Ten Player of the Year, and is the first player in program history to receive Big Ten Player of the Year honors.

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Kuroda-Grauer put together an outstanding season for the Scarlet Knight, starting all 53 games at shortstop for Rutgers. He led the country in hits (95) and hits per game (1.79), registering a .428 batting average.

The 2024 USA Baseball Golden Spike Award Semifinalist ranked third in the country in batting average and stolen bases (24). Throughout the season, Kuroda-Grauer had 29 multi-hit games, 10 three-hit games, and logged five consecutive games with three-plus hits.

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Former Rutgers pitcher Dale Stanavich promoted to the Miami Marlins’ Double-A organization

Former Rutgers pitcher Dale Stanvwich was promoted to the Miami Marlins’ Double-A Organization, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

On Thursday, former Rutgers baseball pitcher Dale Stanawich was promoted to the Miami Marlins’ Double-A organization, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

After being drafted by the Marlins with the No. 232 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Stanavich has been outstanding with the Marlins’ High-A Organization, the Beloit Sky Carp throughout the 2024 season.

While playing with the Beloit Sky Carp, the former All-Big Ten First Team honoree appeared in 14 games, recording a 4.15 ERA. Stanavich logged 17.1 innings pitched, allowing 18 hits and eight earned runs. He produced 24 strikeouts and six walks.

In his first appearance with the Blue Wahoos, Stanavich recorded 1.1 innings pitched, logging three strikeouts, two walks, and one hit.

In three seasons in the minor league, the former ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region First Team honoree has a 5-11 record as a relief pitcher, producing 83 strikeouts, 32 walks, and three saves.

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He has logged a 5.13 ERA and has appeared in 49 games. Stanavich has allowed 58 hits, three home runs, and 34 earned runs throughout his 59.2 innings pitched.

 

 

Rutgers baseball lands Montclair State transfer portal pitcher Michael Timberlake

Rutgers baseball lands Michael Timberlake in the transfer portal.

Michael Timberlake has committed to Rutgers baseball on Thursday out of the transfer portal. The right-handed pitcher was a standout at Montclair State the past two seasons.

The 6-foot-7 pitcher brings a lot of upside to Rutgers as one of the top pitchers at the Division III level this past spring. The Red Hawks went 26-13 this past season.

In 51 innings pitcher as a sophomore this past season, Timberlake gave up 14 earned runs on his way to going 7-3. He has a fastball that tops out at 93 miles per hour.

In 2023, he served as a starting pitcher and a deliver for Montclair State. He was an ABCA Third Team All-Region selection as a freshman.

Timberlake is from New Jersey, having played his high school baseball for Timberlake.

 

Rutgers finished the season 28-25 and with a 6-14 record in the Big Ten. They did not qualify for the Big Ten Tournament.

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This is a good, solid pick-up for head coach Steve Owens to add an arm that immediately bolsters the talent and depth of his pitching staff.

Rutgers baseball adds Jersey’s top prospect Charles Batista

Rutgers landed two-way prospect Charles Batista in the class of 2024.

Last week, Rutgers baseball added two-way prospect Charles Batista to their 2025 roster.

It is another big get for Rutgers as they add another in-state target.

Batista is a 6-foot-5, 215-pound right-handed pitcher and outfielder from Weehawken, New Jersey. He played his high school ball at The Hun High School (Princeton, New Jersey) where he recorded impressive stats this past season.

Batista logged a .433 batting average throughout his 67 at-bats, registering 29 hits, 34 RBIs, six home runs, and seven stolen bases in 23 games this past season.

The future Scarlet Knight produced a 6-0 record on the mound, logging a 0.21 ERA while striking out 35 batters and allowing 12 hits and one earned run throughout his 33 innings pitched.

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According to Perfect Game, Batista is a hard-throwing pitcher with a fastball velocity of 92 mph. He pairs his fastball with a two-plane slider in the low 80s. Outside his fastball and slider, Batista throws a changeup and curveball that averages 78 mph.

He is ranked a 9.5 prospect, which puts him between being a top-10 round selection in the MLB draft (9.0) and an elite high school baseball prospect (10).

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At the plate, Batista offers an average exit velocity of 88.2 mph with a maximum velocity of 96.3 mph. According to Prep Baseball, he has a bat speed of 79.1 mph and a hand speed of 23.6 mph.

Rutgers is getting a versatile player with solid speed on the bases, recording a 7.17 in the 60-yard dash.
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Rutgers Josh Kuroda-Grauer is a 2024 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist

Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer was named a 2024 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist, representing the top shortstops in college baseball.

Rutgers baseball Josh Kuroda-Grauer is on pace for another major honor when he was named a 2024 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist.

The award honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. It is the second straight year that Kuroda-Grauer has been a semifinalist for the award.

The 29 semifinalists for the 2024 award are the top shortstops in the country, representing a wide array of players from both Power Five and mid-major schools who are putting up incredible numbers.

The award honors shortstops who logged outstanding defense and recorded high production at the plate.

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On Tuesday, Rutgers shortstop received a major award when he was named the 2024 Big Ten Player of the Year. He is the first player in program history to receive Big Ten Player of the Year honors and is the first conference player of the year since Patrick Kivlehan was named Big East Player of the Year in 2012.

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Kuroda-Grauer put together a fantastic season for the Scarlet Knight, starting all 53 games at shortstop for Rutgers. He led the country in hits (95) and hits per game (1.79), registering a .428 batting average.

The 2024 USA Baseball Golden Spike Award Semifinalist ranked third in the country in batting average and stolen bases (24). Throughout the season, Kuroda-Grauer had 29 multi-hit games, 10 three-hit games, and logged five consecutive games with three-plus hits.

 

 

Rutgers baseball – pitching coach Brendan Monaghan announces his resignation

Rutgers baseball made a change to the coaching staff on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Rutgers baseball announced that Brendan Monaghan is stepping down from the Scarlet Knights’ coaching staff.

Monaghan had served as the pitching coach/recruiting coordinator for Rutgers over the past five seasons.

Collegiately, Monaghan was a standout at St. John’s. After his college career, he was in the Baltimore Orioles organization for three seasons.

Rutgers baseball, a disappointing 28-25 on the season, had a 5.61 E.R.A., the fourth-lowest in the Big Ten.

Per a release by Rutgers, “A national search for his replacement is underway.”

It was a down year for Rutgers as they went 6-18 in the Big Ten and had the second-worst record in conference play.

In a statement about the departure of Monaghan, Rutgers head coach Steve Owens thanked his assistant for his impact at Rutgers.

“Brendan has been a tremendous asset to our players and program throughout his entire tenure.” head coach Steve Owens said.

“I appreciate all that he has accomplished professionally and admire the character and consistency that he brought to our staff and baseball family. I wish him and his family the very best in their next steps.”

 

Prior to his time at Rutgers, Monaghan was on staff for three years under Owens at Bryant. He then followed Owens to Rutgers.