Photo by: Andrew Shortall
CBU Baseball Picked Third in WAC Preseason Poll, Places Two On Preseason List
2/9/2023 1:40:00 PM | Baseball
ARLINGTON--- The Western Athletic Conference announced its preseason honors ahead of the 2023 baseball season on Thursday afternoon. California Baptist was picked to finish third in the conference, the second straight year the Lancers have been picked to finish third, which is their highest placement since joining the WAC.
The Lancers placed two players on the Preseason All-WAC Team in Mitchel Simon and Drew Necochea. This marks the second time that CBU has had multiple players named to the list. Simon is coming off a terrific season in which he made the All-WAC Second Team. The third baseman led the Lancers in home runs with 15 and was sixth in the conference. He hit .302 and finished with 50 runs, 60 hits and 47 RBI's.
Necochea is one of four pitchers to make the Preseason All-WAC team and is coming off an impressive season on the mound. Necochea logged an 8-3 record last season with a 3.42 ERA. He struck out 36 batters and pitched six shutout innings in the series finale against Seattle U lasst season while allowing just one hit to the Redhawks.
In 2022, CBU finished second in the West Division after an 18-12 conference record and was fourth overall in the WAC.
2023 WAC BASEBALL PRESEASON HONORS
2023 WAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
2023 WAC Preseason Players of the Year: Carlos Contreras, Sr., OF, Sam Houston
Jacob Wilson, Jr., SS, Grand Canyon
2023 WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Daniel Avitia, So., RHP, Grand Canyon
2023 Preseason All-WAC Team
C – Tanner Tweedt, Sr., Abilene Christian
1B – Logan Gallina, Jr., NM State
2B – Kevin Jimenez, Sr., NM State
SS – Bash Randle, Jr., Abilene Christian
SS – Jacob Wilson, Jr., Grand Canyon*
3B – Mitchel Simon, Jr., California Baptist
OF – Carlos Contreras, Sr., Sam Houston*
OF – Brandon Pimentel, Sr., UTRGV
OF – Grayson Tatrow, Sr., Abilene Christian
DH/UTL – Elijah Buries, Jr., Grand Canyon
SP – Daniel Avitia, So., RHP, Grand Canyon
SP – Connor Markl, Jr., LHP, Grand Canyon
SP – Drew Necochea, Sr., RHP, California Baptist
RP – Jack Zalasky, Sr., RHP, Sacramento State
The Lancers placed two players on the Preseason All-WAC Team in Mitchel Simon and Drew Necochea. This marks the second time that CBU has had multiple players named to the list. Simon is coming off a terrific season in which he made the All-WAC Second Team. The third baseman led the Lancers in home runs with 15 and was sixth in the conference. He hit .302 and finished with 50 runs, 60 hits and 47 RBI's.
Necochea is one of four pitchers to make the Preseason All-WAC team and is coming off an impressive season on the mound. Necochea logged an 8-3 record last season with a 3.42 ERA. He struck out 36 batters and pitched six shutout innings in the series finale against Seattle U lasst season while allowing just one hit to the Redhawks.
In 2022, CBU finished second in the West Division after an 18-12 conference record and was fourth overall in the WAC.
2023 WAC BASEBALL PRESEASON HONORS
2023 WAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank | Team (1st-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Grand Canyon (10) | 141 |
| 2. | Sam Houston (3) | 131 |
| 3. | California Baptist | 115 |
| 4. | Abilene Christian | 100 |
| UTRGV | 100 | |
| Sacramento State | 100 | |
| 7. | NM State | 88 |
| 8. | Utah Tech | 54 |
| 9. | UT Arlington | 47 |
| 10. | Tarleton | 40 |
| 11. | Utah Valley | 38 |
| 12. | Seattle U | 36 |
| 13. | Stephen F. Austin | 24 |
2023 WAC Preseason Players of the Year: Carlos Contreras, Sr., OF, Sam Houston
Jacob Wilson, Jr., SS, Grand Canyon
2023 WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Daniel Avitia, So., RHP, Grand Canyon
2023 Preseason All-WAC Team
C – Tanner Tweedt, Sr., Abilene Christian
1B – Logan Gallina, Jr., NM State
2B – Kevin Jimenez, Sr., NM State
SS – Bash Randle, Jr., Abilene Christian
SS – Jacob Wilson, Jr., Grand Canyon*
3B – Mitchel Simon, Jr., California Baptist
OF – Carlos Contreras, Sr., Sam Houston*
OF – Brandon Pimentel, Sr., UTRGV
OF – Grayson Tatrow, Sr., Abilene Christian
DH/UTL – Elijah Buries, Jr., Grand Canyon
SP – Daniel Avitia, So., RHP, Grand Canyon
SP – Connor Markl, Jr., LHP, Grand Canyon
SP – Drew Necochea, Sr., RHP, California Baptist
RP – Jack Zalasky, Sr., RHP, Sacramento State
Players Mentioned
Thursday, February 12
Monday, June 17
Tuesday, June 04
Wednesday, August 17
