1997 Outlook
As California head coach Bob Milano enters his 20th year at the helm of Golden Bear
baseball, he will be ushering in one of the youngest teams in his coaching tenure with
five seniors, five juniors, eight sophomores and 18 freshmen. On paper, the Bears
prospects might look ominous, but the veteran coach is excited about the 1997 campaign.
The Bears, ranked 25th in Baseball America and 30th in Collegiate Baseball in the
preseason polls, might be young, but they are talented as Milano has a mix of returnees
who are proven Pac-10 performers and a large class of physically gifted freshmen.
"I'm very excited about this season because I think people are going to see dramatic
improvement from our first day of practice to when we play Clemson at the end of the
year," said Milano, who will be guiding the USA National Team after the 1997 college
season. "This team has a chance to sneak up on some people. We are going to get better
because not only do we have several young players who have played a lot, but our
newcomers are talented and will be thrown into the action right away. We will be looking
for someone to surface and lead the team. In order for us to be successful, we are going
to have to be scrappy."
Sophomore Brian Oliver, a third team preseason All-American in Collegiate Baseball,
definitely will be a key cog in the Bears attack. The slick-fielding shortstop became
the first freshman in Cal baseball history to earn Freshman All-America honors. Oliver,
who was the Bears starting second baseman in 1996, was a Freshman All-American in both
Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball and was one of the nation's 66 players selected
to try out for the USA Baseball National Trials in Tampa, FL. He was second on the team
in hitting last season, batting .335 with 14 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 32
RBI. Oliver was also 21-for-27 in stolen bases, which was fourth in the Pac-10, and
earned honorable mention all-conference honors.
A large part of Cal's fortunes will ride on the health of sophomore Ryan Drese, a first
team preseason All-American in Baseball America. Drese is ready to return to the form
that saw him develop into one of the nation's top amateur pitchers in 1995, leading Team
USA with a 10 strikeout-effort in an upset victory over Cuba. Last season, the Bears
hard-throwing right-hander threw a near no-hitter (8.0 innings with no hits, no earned
runs, five walks, four strikeouts) against Long Beach State before hurting his arm two
weeks later against Fresno State. Drese is now healthy and should be ready to be a
dominant pitcher by the early part of the season.
Senior Drew Fischer enters his final collegiate season as one of the school's top relief
pitchers as he has 15 career saves, third on Cal's all-time save list. Fischer is coming
off a spectacular summer in the Cape Cod League where he broke the league record for
saves with 13 and was named to the league's all-star team. He will be utilized as a
starter for the Bears this season, featuring his outstanding split-finger fastball.
Speedster Ivan Lewis will be another leader for Cal as the senior star is one of the
nation's most versatile players and leading basestealers. Lewis, who is a two-time
Pac-10 honorable mention selection and has batted over .300 the past two seasons, has
led the conference in stolen bases the last two years and has 96 career stolen bases,
the fifth-best all-time Cal mark. He has also shown a remarkable ability to excel
defensively at several positions, having started at third base as a freshman, second
base as a sophomore and center field as a junior. Lewis will probably move back to
second base for the 1997 season to help shore up the Bears infield.
The Cal coaching staff is expecting big things from sophomore catcher Jason Hill in
1997. Hill has impressed the Bear coaches with his hard work during the off-season and
should be ready to showcase his talents. He missed the first half of the '96 season when
he broke his thumb prior to the first game, but in the second half of the year he gave
people a glimpse of his capabilities. In Hill's first collegiate game, he went 4-for-6
with a double and an RBI Mar. 17 at Arizona, and on Apr. 26 versus Arizona, he was
2-for-4 with two home runs and knocked in the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in
the ninth inning. Hill, who also excels defensively with a strong and accurate arm,
joined Oliver as one of the nation's 66 players selected to try out for the USA Baseball
National Trials.
The Bears might have found a secret weapon in sophomore right-hander Tyler Walker. Last
season, Walker converted from catcher to one of the league's up-and-coming relief
pitchers. He finished the '96 season 2-1 with a save and a 3.58 ERA, but more
importantly, for a power pitcher who throws in the low 90's, he had an impressive 28
strikeouts and only 11 walks in 37.7 innings. This past summer he continued his
development as a closer, going 2-1 with three saves and 3.41 ERA for the Santa Barbara
Foresters, and was named the Top Professional Prospect at the National Baseball Congress
World Series. Walker is the highest rated collegiate baseball player by the Major League
Scouting Bureau.
Junior right-hander Jim Vorhis will no doubt be an integral part of the Cal pitching
staff as he has been one of the Pac-10's most consistent pitchers the last two seasons.
Vorhis has the unique ability to thrive as either a starter or a long reliever and
could, once again, play that role for the Bears. He is not an overpowering pitcher, but
he throws strikes, leading the Pac-10 in fewest walks per nine innings in 1995, and has
a deceptive curveball and change up.
Seniors John Furstenthal and Jim Schmidt are two more returnees who will be counted on
for production in '97. The left-handed hitting Furstenthal is the top candidate for the
first base spot and should be ready for an outstanding senior campaign. He has the
potential to be one of the team's leading average hitters with an excellent eye at the
plate. Schmidt has the inside track to start at third base for the Bears, but is also a
talented fielding second baseman. He has the potential to be a key player for Cal at the
plate with a short, compact left-handed stroke. Schmidt has played well in the last two
fall seasons and showed signs of being a top Division I player last spring.
Six members of Cal's freshman class could have an immediate impact on the Bears
fortunes--pitchers Jon Cuccias, Jon Shirley and Cory Frey, and position players Juan
Hernandez, Curtis Johnson and Kevin Johnson.
Cuccias is a right-handed submariner who could be the team's set-up man for closer Tyler
Walker. Shirley, a right-hander with an outstanding curveball, impressed the Cal
coaching staff in the fall and might be a potential starter in the early season. Frey is
a left-hander who could step in and help the Bears as a middle reliever.
Hernandez is the leading candidate to be Cal's right fielder after an impressive fall
season. He has a great throwing arm, is one of the fastest players on the team and hit a
home run in his first at bat in the fall Blue-Gold World Series. Twin brothers Curtis
and Kevin Johnson are excellent athletes as well. Curtis, who was drafted in the 38th
round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, is competing for the center field spot with his
outstanding arm and speed on the basepaths. Kevin, who was drafted in the 19th round by
the Diamondbacks, has enormous potential and will be battling for playing time in the
Bears infield.
Cal By Position
PITCHING
The 1997 California pitching staff has a chance to be one of the Bears strengths this
season, with several talented arms ready for action, and some other pitchers returning
from injuries who could also booster Cal's prospects.
The Bears again feature one of the top starting pitchers in the nation in sophomore Ryan
Drese. Drese is an aggressive, hard-throwing right-hander who can intimidate hitters
with his fastball, sharp-breaking slider and curveball. He developed into one of the
best pitchers on Team USA in the summer of 1995, going 5-1 and defeating Cuba with a 8.0
inning, four-hit, one-walk and 10-strikeout performance. Last season, Drese was on pace
to match his Team USA exploits, throwing a near no-hitter versus Long Beach State before
hurting his arm against Fresno State.
Senior right-hander Drew Fischer, who has been the Bears ace in the bullpen for the past
two years and one of the Pac-10's best relief pitchers, will be utilized as a starter
this season for Cal. His split-finger fastball has been extremely effective, helping him
tie a school-record with nine saves in 1995 and setting a Cape Cod save record with 13
saves last summer.
A potentially huge impact player for the Bears pitching staff this season will be
sophomore right-hander Tyler Walker. Walker is the ideal closer, throwing in the 90's
with an off-speed pitch to go along with his fastball. He was selected the nation's top
rated professional pitching prospect by the Major League Scouting Bureau.
Freshmen right-handers Jason Ball and Brad Steele are two more potential starters for
Cal. Ball is the Bears top blue-chip pitching recruit out of Los Alamitos High School
and was drafted in the 19th round by the Toronto Blue Jays. He came to Cal with an
injured right shoulder and had surgery in September. Ball began throwing at the end of
fall practice and should be ready by the first half of the spring. Steele is an
outstanding athlete who was a redshirt quarterback on the football team this fall. The
Cal coaching staff feels as soon as he is in baseball shape, Steele could step in and
help the Bears with his strong arm.
Another viable candidate to be a weekend starter is junior right-hander Jim Vorhis.
Vorhis has been a model of consistency for the Bears the past two seasons, and can be
utilized as either a starter or a long reliever. He could be extremely valuable to Cal
with his ability to fit into any role in the pitching rotation.
What could really help the Bears starting pitching staff become dominant is a healthy
Drew Pearce, Reed Goemann and Mark Gardner. Pearce, a hard-throwing senior with an
excellent curveball and change-up, was the Bears top starter in 1994 before suffering a
season-ending arm injury. Goemann is a sophomore who has endured health problems the
past two seasons with a sore elbow and an injured back, but if healthy has the type of
skills to be effective in the Six-Pac. Gardner was Cal's top left-handed junior college
transfer a year ago, but developed tendinitis in his left shoulder and had a
disappointing junior campaign. If healthy, Gardner could also be utilized as a
left-handed closer.
Freshman right-hander Jon Shirley and junior right-hander Ryland Sumner could also step
in and be starters for the Bears. Shirley had a solid fall season and Sumner continues
to develop and played well for the Hawaiian Island Movers this past summer. Sumner could
also prove to be valuable as a middle reliever.
Other potential middle to long relievers for Cal include true freshman left-hander Cory
Frey, junior right-hander Doug Nickle and redshirt freshmen Andy Jensen and Matt Friend.
Frey did a solid job in fall practice and could be a key middle reliever or a possible
set-up man for Walker. Nickle has continued to improve and should get a chance as a
middle reliever after performing well in the last two fall Blue-Gold World Series. Both
Jensen and Friend have shown they could help the Bears as well. Jensen is a hard-thrower
who converted from the outfield to a pitcher last season. Friend has developed as a
submarine pitcher and could be extremely effective against right-handed batters.
Freshman right-hander Jon Cuccias is another Cal submarine pitcher and has an excellent
chance of playing a key role as a first-year player. With an excellent slider, Cuccias
is projected to be the Bears leading candidate to be the set-up man for Walker.
Other pitchers who could help the Bears include junior Andrew Miller and true-freshman
Mike Bennett. Miller will be utilized as left-handed spot reliever and Bennett, who
underwent shoulder surgery during the offseason, is an excellent athlete with a good
fastball, slider and change-up and should be ready by the second half of the season.
CATCHING
Even though the Cal catching corps will be young with a sophomore and three freshmen,
the Bears should be in good hands with the return of sophomore Jason Hill. Hill had
impressive credentials coming out of high school and was drafted in the 19th round by
the Oakland A's in 1995. Last season after recovering from a broken thumb, he showed his
potential with big games against Arizona. Hill has outstanding physical tools with a
strong arm, and has shown signs of being a solid receiver who can hit for both power and
average.
Top freshman football player Pete Destefano will be battling with redshirt-freshman Todd
Johnson as Hill's back-up. Destefano, a safety on the Cal football team who competed
against Navy in the Aloha Bowl, was an outstanding switch-hitting catcher at Archbishop
Mitty High School in San Jose. He was able to practice a few days with the baseball team
during the fall and impressed the coaches with power at the plate and his strong
throwing arm.
Johnson gained experience last year as a freshman and should have the opportunity to see
a considerable amount of playing time this season. He is an excellent receiver and has
the potential to help the Bears at the plate as well.
Redshirt freshman Mike Robertson will provide depth at catcher for Cal, but will see
most of his action as a bullpen catcher this season.
INFIELD
The Bears infield will feature the outstanding fielding of sophomore shortstop Brian
Oliver, a Freshman All-American last year and a third team preseason All-American this
season, and the return of senior Ivan Lewis to second base.
Oliver obviously will be a key to the Bears success with both his bat and glove. He will
be moving full-time to shortstop after excelling at second base last season and
teaming-up with Dan Cey for a strong double-play combo. Lewis, a two-time Pac-10 stolen
base leader, will move back to second base after playing well at center field last
season. In 1995, he was Cal's starting second baseman and helped turn 63 double plays.
Lewis has also seen action at shortstop and third base for the Bears.
First base will be held down by senior John Furstenthal, a talented left-handed hitter
who started 36 games last year and has improved defensively. Left-handed freshman Barry
Schell could also help out at first base, or in the outfield, after showing some power
at the plate in fall practice. Redshirt-freshman Sam Petke is another candidate to see
action at first base.
Besides Oliver and Lewis, other possibilities for the Cal infield include senior Jim
Schmidt, sophomores Dan Garfin and Ryan Robertson, and freshman Kevin Johnson. The
left-handed hitting Schmidt is ready for a strong senior year after starting 44 games at
third base last season. He is also excellent at turning the double play at second base.
Garfin is an impressive fielding third baseman who is improving at the plate. He could
prove to be valuable either as a starter, or a late-inning pinch-hitter or defensive
replacement. Robertson, a second baseman, is a junior college transfer from Diablo
Valley College who has impressed the Cal coaches with his hitting.
Johnson has a chance to help the Bears right away at either third base, or possibly as a
shortstop down the road. An outstanding athlete who can also play the outfield, Johnson
has great speed and a strong throwing arm, and with improvement at the plate, will be
hard to keep out of the Cal line-up.
OUTFIELD
The Bears outfield will be young, with the possibility of two of the three starting
spots filled by true freshmen.
In left field, junior Aaron Gordnier returns and has the inside track for the starting
spot. Gordnier is Cal's most fundamentally sound defensive outfielder and this past
summer hit .364 for the Santa Barbara Foresters semi-pro team. Freshman David Yengoyan
could also see action in left field. Yengoyan is a talented left-handed hitter who can
play right field as well, and could be a valuable designated hitter. Redshirt-freshman
Adam Petke is another athlete who can be utilized in either left or right field, or as a
designated hitter.
Freshman Curtis Johnson was impressive in center field in fall practice and is a leading
candidate to start. Johnson has a strong throwing arm and is considered by the Cal
coaches to be one of the team's best baserunners. Sophomore switch-hitter Preston Sharp,
who has moved from the infield to the outfield, will provide competition for Johnson at
center field. Sharp has played well in the past three fall practices, has an above
average throwing arm and is the best bunter on the team. If need be, senior Ivan Lewis
could also move back from the infield and play center field after starting 41 games at
that position last season.
In right field, the Bear coaches are excited about the prospects of true freshman Juan
Hernandez. Hernandez was impressive in fall practice, is the fastest player on the team,
and possesses a great throwing arm and outstanding bat speed at the plate. Freshman
Barry Schell could also provide depth in right field for Cal.
