Tulane Baseball Coach Uhlman Looks at His Team's Strengths and Newbies in 2025 Fall Ball

Today we conclude our two-part interview with Tulane baseball coach Jay Uhlman by looking at the three key aspects of the game, who some of the new guys are, and where he thinks the Green Wave settle into the American Conference rankings. If you missed part one, you can find it here.

Tulane Pitching Moving Up

ON SI Tulane: You lost some outstanding pitching from last year, leaving via the MLB draft. How do you overcome that?

Uhlman: I think every single year is a new opportunity for somebody else to step in and fill those (vacated) roles and that's really what it's all about. I think really more than than any of the three years that I've been here, we're not just handing out innings (to pitchers) to handout innings. These guys need to earn their keep and earn their place. I'm excited about the older group. (It's) an older pitching staff. We've got one four-year guy and everybody else is some form of a grad transfer or a four-year transfer. We feel the influx of pitchers that came in, there is some demonstrated ability there. Beau Sampson went out and pitched in the Cape this year. He was at Oklahoma. Jack Frankel was on the all freshman team for Liberty in (Conference USA). Jack Brafa was at TennesseeTech. He was tremendous where he was. Jude Abbadessa was at U Conn and he has a lot of good stuff, has a lot of pitch ability. We've seen them through scrimmages already. So, you're kind of starting to see in the competitive environment that this looks different than it's looked in years past: not us beating ourselves or those kind of things. They're innately strike throwers and we're starting to see their velocity (increase) through our developmental program. The velocity's ticking up. Some of our returners coming back have seemed to take it a step forward which is good.

Won't See Power Like a Few Years Ago at the Plate

ON SI Tulane: Do you see a resurgence at all of any of that power (at the plate) coming back?

Uhlman: No. We went from a lot of homers, then last year we were in the Top 25 in doubles. We kind of felt that going in throughout the Fall (2024), that was kind of going to be our bread and butter. But I think there's the potential with a couple of the additions (of newcomers) and some guys getting a little bit stronger and our returners (getting ) a little bit more seasoned and experienced. I don't see 90-plus homers again (like in 2024) but I do think there's a distinct possibility of a little bit more uptick in the home runs. I think it's got a chance to be a good offensive club again. I like to steal but we're probably not going to have that type of elite speed, so we'll have to hit a little bit and take our walks. I think that's been a trademark of this team. I think their knowledge of the strike zone's pretty good.

The Green Wave Defense Should be Solid Again

ON SI Tulane: Defense has been a hallmark of wherever you've been. Do you see your club having that as a strength again this year?

Uhlman: I do. That's definitely got a chance to be a strength. Sometimes you're only as good as the tempo and quality of your pitching, because they're the conductors of the orchestra. They're the ones that have the ball. They've got to work fast. They've got to work frequently around the zone so more balls are put in play and the defense tends to function better when the engagement is there. So I think in conjunction with what i feel like has a chance to be more of a strike-throwing group (of pitchers), I feel like that allows a strength of our players to play good defense. (Senior) Kaikea (Harrison) is back (at shortstop) right now. I've shifted (senior infielder James) Agabedis over to second to give him an opportunity there, but I know he can always play third. (Infielder) Nate Johnson's back. (Northwestern transfer Trent) Liolios and (Baylor transfer) Jack Johnson have been pretty good over at first. Matthias (Haas) is back. He can play multiple positions on the corners both in the outfield and the infield . I like our two good, young outfielders in (Tanner) Chun and (Jason) Wachs. And the catching piece...I usually like to have four, but we feel like that's a spot where we probably are the most put together that we've been in my four years (with the three the Wave have now). (Sophomore USC transfer) Johnny Elliott, defensively, he looks like a big leaguer. He can block and catch. He's 6' 4", a big kid, but he moves well, and he's got a hand cannon for an arm. We've got two really good components back there (with Elliott and senior Hugh Pinkney). We don't have to catch a guy 56 or 60 or 70 games. That'll be a nice.

Looking Ahead to American Conference Play

ON SI Tulane: This is an outstanding conference (the American) when it comes to baseball. How are you feeling after two weeks of Fall practice?

Uhlman: I like this team so far. I like every team, every fall, but i will say there are certain little criterias that this group has done better than any of the other four Falls that we've been here. I think this team has a chance to be a neat little team. I don't know how good the other teams are (yet). I think for me the coaching part of (the American Conference) has really picked up. I think the league will be probably the best top to bottom it's been coached in several years. I think it'll be an ultra competitive league. Obviously, I see us at the at the top of the league, in the upper pack. I don't honestly know. We've got such a long way to go and I'm a bad gambler.

The Green Wave wrap up Fall Ball with a tight schedule the two weeks before Thanksgiving.

Sunday, Nov. 16 – Alumni Game – Greer Field at Turchin Stadium
Thursday, Nov. 20 – Fall Ball World Series – Game 1 - Greer Field at Turchin Stadium
Friday, Nov. 21 – Fall Ball World Series – Game 2 - Greer Field at Turchin Stadium
Saturday, Nov. 22 – Fall Ball World Series – Game 3 (if necessary)- Greer Field at Turchin Stadium