Alabama baseball has got off to a solid 14-3 start thus far, but there is still room for improvement before the 10-week gauntlet of SEC play begins next week.
“I mean, this thing’s ever evolving. If you want to go through my notes, I have plenty of notes and things we have to get better at,” head coach Rob Vaughn said postgame Sunday.
To compete in SEC play, the Crimson Tide will need more consistency on the mound, better situational hitting and cleaner defense as the margin for error shrinks against some of the nation’s best competition.
The defense has to be better if the Crimson Tide wants to be successful in SEC play and return to a regional for a fourth consecutive year, as they are currently 12th in the SEC and 189th in the nation in fielding percentage (.960) and have 17 errors thus far.
Particularly, star shortstop Justin Lebron, who is widely considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the nation but already has six errors on the season, Vaughn seems far from concerned.
“That dude’s unbelievable,” Vaughn said. “Now, these plays that he’s kind of had some struggles with are pretty routine. But sometimes, he’s made some plays that there’s nobody else in the country that makes too.”
While the starting pitching has been elite for the Crimson Tide so far, the bullpen must improve as well. They currently have a 4.48 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in nonconference play. Losing North Florida transfer Kaden Humphrey to Tommy John surgery is a massive blow, as many expected him to be the Crimson Tide closer this year.
With Humphrey out for the remainder of the season, the Crimson Tide will have to rely heavily on closer Hagan Banks, who has struggled a bit with a 7.20 ERA, South Carolina transfer Ashton Crowther and Matthew Heiberger.
The starting rotation has been dominant, led by Friday starter Tyler Fay, who has a 4.57 ERA and 26 strikeouts across 21.2 innings pitched, but has been a little unlucky, according to his SIERA of 2.47.
Saturday starter Zane Adams has a 3.48 ERA over 20.2 innings, with 23 strikeouts. Freshman Myles Upchurch has been anchoring the Crimson Tide’s Sunday role with an ERA of 1.93 with 31 strikeouts across 18.2 innings pitched.
Lebron will also need to continue to be the Crimson Tide’s best hitter in SEC play this season. Last year, he hit 12 home runs in nonconference play before hitting just six in the final 39 games. Lebron ended up hitting .252 with an .820 OPS in SEC play, which is still very good for most college baseball players but below Lebron’s standards.
However, it wasn’t just Lebron who took a step back in SEC play last year. Catcher Brady Neal, who has been one of the Crimson Tide’s best hitters this season, hit just .215 with a .661 OPS. SEC play was also not too kind to center fielder Bryce Fowler, who entered SEC play hitting well over .300 before hitting .252 with a .706 OPS in conference play.
If the Crimson Tide wants to be successful in SEC play, it will need production from some of the newcomers, such as South Alabama transfer second baseman Brennan Holt, Southern Illinois transfer catcher John Lemm and Purdue Fort Wayne transfer left fielder Justin Osterhouse.
Lemm and Osterhouse have done nothing but produce at the plate in their collegiate careers, but they have never experienced the grind of SEC play. Holt did get a little taste of SEC play in 2022 at LSU, but it was just four at-bats.
The Crimson Tide will also need to get healthy, as they have been missing three key outfielders: Coleman Mizell, Northern Kentucky transfer Logen Devenport, and Oklahoma transfer Sam Christiansen. Getting Mizell and Christiansen back will be key as they both bring SEC experience. Christiansen hit .251, with six home runs, 31 RBIs and a .921 OPS with the Sooners.
All these questions will be answered on Friday when the Crimson Tide heads to Lexington to take on No. 21-ranked Kentucky, with first pitch slated for 5:30 p.m. CT on SECN+.
“This is the best in the country for 30 straight games, and it doesn’t get any better than that,” Vaughn said.
