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Jan. 21, 2010

Matt Vanderburg enters his second season at the helm of the West Texas A&M Baseball Program, and expectations are high for a team coming off of a 20-33 overall record in 2009. The Buffs look to mix the experience of four returning position starters with the eagerness of the newcomers for a chance at the NCAA postseason.

"I'm really excited to have my first full year of recruiting under my belt" said Vanderburg "We have a core of starters returning and I'm really excited about the guys we brought in to round out the lineup. We think that the newcomers will mesh well with the returners and hopefully lead to a lot of success this season."

Returning from a year ago are four starters, including infielders Rob Mann and Heath Baker, along with Brad Elders and Tyson Hickman roaming the outfield for the Buffs.

Mann became one of the most feared hitters in the Lone Star Conference as a junior in 2009, as he became the everyday first baseman for the Buffs along with a staple in the middle of the batting order. He led the team in batting average (.419), slugging percentage (.743), hits (75), RBI's (61), doubles (18), total bases (133), walks (29), and home runs (12). For his efforts on the field, Mann was named to the Lone Star Conference First Team along with a spot on the ABCA/Rawlings All-South Central Region First Team.

Baker returns for the Buffs at third base, starting all 53 games with an injured shoulder for most of the 2009 season. Baker hit for a .350 average with 72 hits, 13 doubles, four triples and two homers in 206 at-bats as a junior while stealing two bases. Baker led the Buffs in at-bats (206), runs scored (50), and hit-by-pitch (9).

Elders returns to the outfield for the Buffs after a tremendous sophomore season in which he saw the field in 49 contests. Elders hit for a .373 batting average with 13 doubles, six triples, and five homers in 169 at-bats while stealing fiver bases. Elders led the team in triples (5) while ranking second in total bases (103).

Hickman joins Elders in the outfield for WT as a senior in 2010 after seeing time in 51 contests as a junior. Hickman hit for a .308 batting average with 172 at-bats, 53 hits, 12 doubles, and 19 RBI. He was also a threat on the base paths, leading the team in stolen bases with eight and attempts with 12.

Senior right-hander P.J. Granado returns to the mound for the Buffs in 2010, after becoming a major part of the pitching rotation as a junior in 2009, tallying a team high 64.2 innings while making 17 appearances. He was tied for the team lead in strikeouts (35) and was second in starts (8), appearances (17), and successful pickoff (3).

Also returning for the Buffs is junior infielder Tyler Reagan. He became a go-to guy off of the bench for the Buffs in 2009, appearing in 35 contests while picking up 25 starts. Reagan hit for a .317 batting average with 26 hits, four doubles, one triple and one homer to tally 17 RBI.

Zach Walker and Darik Heider look to bring depth and stability to the WT pitching rotation after strong 2009 campaigns. Walker made ten appearances and started six contests as a true freshman, recording an 11.27 ERA with 32 strikeouts in his 30.1 innings on the hill for a 1-3 overall record. Heider registered a 5.25 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 24 innings of work for a 2-0 record in 10 appearances and two starts for the Buffs as a junior in 2009.

Taking a look at some of the newcomers, right-hander Colin Carter looks to be a key figure in the starting rotation for the Buffs along with fellow newcomer Jonathan Paez. Carter previously played at Grayson College where he led the Viking to the Regional Tournament and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 10th round of the 2005 MLB Draft. Paez comes to WT from nearby Clarendon College, helping the Bulldogs reach the Regional Finals under current WT skipper Matt Vanderburg.

Brent Lewis and Chad Mclin will also be working a lot of innings for the Buffs on the mound in 2010. Lewis, a transfer from LSC rival Tarleton State, registering a 3.89 ERA with a 5-2 record as a closer for the Texans. McLin comes to WT from Temple Junior College, helping the Leopards to a Conference Championship along with an appearance in the Regional Finals.

Cody Wright, a local standout from Tascosa HS in Amarillo, will be fighting for a starting position in the middle infield for the Buffs after leading the Rebels to Regional Semifinals as a senior in 2009. Along with Wright, Adam Delagarza looks to see a lot of time at shortstop after transferring from Sam Houston State.

In the outfield, Chris Valerio and Will Miller will look to fill some rolls for the Buffs in 2010. Valerio, a transfer from New Mexico Junior College, is also a threat on the base-paths this season as he stole 62 bases for the T-Birds in two seasons. Miller comes to WT from Vernon Junior College, where he was an All-Conference performer for the Chaps in the outfield.

Three newcomers should split the time behind the plate for the Buffs in 2010, giving WT an advantage due to the fact the Lone Star Conference plays a four game series setup over a two day period. Elliot Burrow, Garrett Campfield and John Haines will all see significant time behind the dish in their first season at West Texas A&M.

The Buffs open up the season on the road as they travel to Brownwood, Texas on Feb. 6 to face off with Howard Payne. The LSC opener will serve as the home opener at the Dilla Villa as East Central comes to town on Feb. 12 with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.