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Three Wolfpack Sophomores Land on Preseason Watchlist

NC State baseball is right around the corner and the preseason recognition is coming from all over for the Pack.
Tucker Sennett|
Jun 19, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; NC State Wolfpack left fielder Jonny Butler (14) is congratulated by head coach Elliott Avent after hitting a home run against the Stanford Cardinal at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images
Jun 19, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; NC State Wolfpack left fielder Jonny Butler (14) is congratulated by head coach Elliott Avent after hitting a home run against the Stanford Cardinal at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

RALEIGH — While the weather hasn't quite turned to the point where it feels like baseball season, NC State's return to the diamond is coming sooner than many might expect. With head coach Elliott Avent about to embark on his 30th season with the Wolfpack, there is already a stir about the strong group the veteran coach has to work with in the coming year.

Preseason recognition is pouring in for the Wolfpack, with several members of the team landing on various preseason watchlists. Three NC State sophomores landed on Perfect Game's top 100 sophomores list for all of college baseball. Who are the Pack's youngsters worthy of that nod?

Sophomore studs

The trio of talented sophomores starts on the mound, with right-handed pitcher Anderson Nance, who is looking to build on an impressive first campaign under Avent. In his freshman season, the young righty appeared in 18 games, working both out of the bullpen and as a starter. He finished with an 8-2 record and a 3.50 ERA before being named to the ACC All-Freshman team.

Across 54 innings of work, Nance struck out 53 batters. He will be a key part in a pitching staff loaded with talented returners, likely working out of the bullpen. Nance can be a starter when needed, as he threw as many as five scoreless innings in his freshman season.

Nance was joined on the Perfect Game top 100 sophomores list by his fellow All-Freshman ACC teammate, outfielder Ty Head. The outfielder hit .274 and set a new program record for most walks earned by a freshman. Head started all 56 games at center field, one of only two Wolfpack players to start every game at one position.

"So much, actually. Just learning everything for your second year with all of the coaching staff. They taught us a lot," Head said back in October. "Just knowing a year more than last year, you have so much confidence. It's through the roof. I feel like a ten times better player."

The last sophomore to crack the list was one of the Wolfpack's newbies, LSU transfer shortstop and infielder Mikey Ryan. While he played just 16 games with the Tigers as a freshman, Ryan joined a fairly loaded NC State infield and immediately impressed during fall ball. Perfect Game ranked him as the best shortstop prospect in the state of Louisiana coming out of high school.

While Head and Nance are proven commodities, Ryan should have a lot to prove with just three collegiate at-bats on his resumé so far.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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