STANFORD, Calif. – California baseball head coach Mike Neu, junior infielder Darren Baker and redshirt junior outfielder Brandon McIlwain spoke with the media at the annual Bay Area Media Day on Thursday morning at Stanford University.
 
Cal Head Coach Mike Neu
Opening statement…
"Our outlook in a snapshot is that we lost six juniors to the [2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player] Draft last year. We brought two guys today who will be big parts of our [2020] team in Darren [Baker] – who was a 2019 Pac-12 All-Defensive First Team player and who will be a big part of our middle infield – and B-Mac [Brandon McIlwain], who was drafted and decided to come back to school. He started in center field for us and he isn't playing football, so he'll be healthy and will get a full season. We're excited about these two guys.
 
"We'll have to replace a lot of our pitching and our position guys. There's a lot of opportunities. We did get some great experience with going to an NCAA Regional and having a young pitching staff [last year]. We'll be young again on the mound but there's a lot of opportunities for the guys. We're still trying to figure out what the roles are going to be. In general, there's a lot of opportunity and we have a lot of guys who are really excited about getting a chance.
 
"One of the reasons we were so successful last year is we had some guys step up and have big years. That's what we'll need again from these guys, and there are guys who have the potential to do that. We're excited."
 
On what he is taking from last year's run to the NCAA Fayetteville (Ark.) Regional and using toward this year…
"Anytime you have the opportunity to go to a regional and get that experience, especially with a young team, it builds on what your momentum looks like going into the next year. These guys [Baker and McIlwain], being leaders on this team, know what it takes to get to that level.
 
"Obviously, we didn't succeed like we wanted to in that regional. A lot of our guys who will be big parts of the team this year now know what it takes to get there and they know what it's like to be in those situations. The experience is extremely valuable. We want to build on that momentum moving forward."
 
On his outlook for the Pac-12 Conference…
"I don't know. The outlook for our team is similar to a lot of teams in the conference; there's high-level draft guys and big-time performers who are all gone from last year. If you look at one team that returns a lot, especially on offense, it's Arizona State. But, outside of that, it could be an open race more than it has been in recent years.
 
"I think that's exciting. There's a lot of opportunity for everyone. It'll be exciting to see who emerges and a lot of that will have to do with programs that haven't been in that situation before."
 
On which team will have the strongest pitching in the Pac-12 Conference…
"I don't know. When you look at all the [All-Pac-12] first team pitchers from last year that left, they were high-level draft guys. I think it'll be open, but I haven't dug into the conference enough to know. Right now we're focused on what we have and what we're trying to do. As we get into conference play, that'll start to show itself, but as for the outlook now, I honestly don't know."
 
On what he's noticed about Darren Baker after his productive summer in the Cape Cod League…
"Getting the chance to see [Darren] in his third year at Cal and make that development last summer…he started as a freshman and had a lot of talent, but his confidence level has continued to grow. Now, seeing him be a leader and understand the game more is great. He had a huge knowledge of the game coming in, obviously because of what he was able to grow up around and see.
 
"He's developed into one of the best defensive players in the country and he really understands what it takes to be a high-level player, day in, day out. He proved that last summer, which was really cool from my perspective. It's been awesome to see his development; that's what all of these programs in this room are about – development. It's good to see him put in that work and get to where he's at now."
 
On Dusty Baker (Darren Baker's father) being hired as manager of the Houston Astros…
"We're all excited. He's been around [our program] and it's been awesome to see him be around Darren every day. And even he giving our coaching staff availability to him has been amazing. His insight…just having access to that has been awesome. For him to get this chance, we're just really excited for him. It's such a great opportunity and great team [in Houston].
 
"We have a lot of [Oakland Athletics] people from our Cal program, but they'll be battling it out this year. For him to have the chance to get a ring is pretty cool."
 
On who he expects to replace the firepower provided by last year's six MLB Draft selections…
"With Andrew Vaughn, you're talking about maybe the best player in the history of our program and the [2018] Golden Spikes Award winner. You're not going to replace him. We do have two guys at first base who we feel really good about with [sophomore] Grant Holman, who was our designated hitter as a freshman and an incoming freshman, Nathan Martorella, who can really hit. We feel good about that. Again, you're never going to replace a guy like Vaughn, but we feel good about the guys we have in that role. They have the chance to be great players in their own right.
 
"[Former Cal catcher and 2019 first-round pick] Korey Lee's contributions his first two years were solid, but were never at the level of his junior year in 2019. The fact that that happened in our program and that someone can develop at that rate…it's something our guys can aspire to be. They can take their game to that level. For [Lee] to be a first rounder and an All-Pac-12 guy, we're hoping to continue getting guys who can strive for that level. If someone else can step up in that way every year, that's what every team is looking for. We have some guys who will step up – [sophomore catcher] Cole Elvis caught for us on Tuesdays last year and he'll be our starter this year. He has tools and is an extremely hard worker. For him to do what Korey did isn't necessarily fair to [Elvis], but I think he's going to put in every effort."
 
Darren Baker, Infield
On how his time in the Cape Cod League last summer is helping him prepare for the 2020 season…
"The experience against high-level pitching [helped me the most]. Those games could be 10-0 and you're still facing someone's Friday guy. It was about never taking an at-bat off, that's what I focused on the most. [Wareham Gatemen manager Jerry] Weinstein really beat that into me all summer. I'd say that's the biggest reason behind my jump."
 
Brandon McIlwain, Outfield
On being an upperclassman alongside Baker and how much that benefits both of them…
"It's a huge benefit. [Baker and I] have been next to each other in the locker room since the first day we both got here. We've grown a lot together and developed a lot together over the years. Seeing our team's leaders and learning from those guys – especially the last couple years – and going through it together has been really impactful and will help this season."
 
On the difference between fully focusing on baseball this year and being a dual-sport athlete in the past…
"Being able to have the fall [to focus on baseball] was very helpful for me. A lot of what we've talked about here is development and I think we have such a great staff and support system around us. Being able to have another full season playing baseball and being a part of the program speaks to the development that our coaches are able to put forth for us.
 
"The extra at-bats I was able to get and the extra time I was able to spend with the team have really brought everything together. It gave me a semester to get everything together and get ready for the season."
 
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