Iowa Baseball Preview: Outfield
The HawkeyeReport Iowa Baseball season preview continues on with a look at the outfield. For the third straight season there will be a new starter in right field, but the Hawkeyes return plenty of experience with 194 career starts at the other two positions. We take a look at who could win the starting job in right field and the expectations for the entire group.
Left Field – Jr Sam Petersen
It feels like Sam Petersen is ready to take the next step. He was a First Team All-Big Ten selection last year, so some may wonder, what is the next step for him? The answer: contend for Big Ten Player of the Year.
“I think the sky is the limit,” says Rick Heller. “If Sam can stay focused on the next pitch and not let the external noise and clutter mess with him, which I feel confident he will, I think he could have a phenomenal season.”
As a freshman in 2022, Petersen appeared in 49 games with 38 starts, batting .264 with six home runs and 33 RBI’s. Last season, he took over as a full-time starter in the outfield, starting 49 games, but did miss nine games due to a broken finger that required surgery. Despite the injury, Sam slashed .319/.449/.584 with nine doubles, 11 home runs and 47 RBI’s. He also led the team with 20 stolen bases on 22 attempts. Had he started all 60 games, he was on track for 13.5 home runs, 57.6 RBI’s and 24.5 stolen bases. During the summer he won a Cape Cod League championship with the Bourne Braves. In 34 games, he batted .297 with a .418 on-base percentage, as well has 15 stolen bases.
“Sam really wants to win. He plays hard, he’s a quiet guy and goes about his business. He’s really tightened his swing up and I think his swing decisions are going to be better this year than last year. That’s been a process that he’s worked really hard at,” said Heller. “He’s in as good a place right now as any of the guys on the offensive side.”
The one area that needs a little bit of work is the strikeouts. Petersen struck out 49 times last season and had a 23.5% strikeout rate. That was the third-highest amongst the nine players on the team that started at least 40 games last season. We already know the power that Sam possesses and his ability to create havoc on the bases with his speed. If the offseason work on swing decisions leads to getting his strikeout rate into the 16-18% range, he will see improvement in other categories. A season with 15-20 doubles, 15-20 home runs and 65-70 RBI’s is within reach for Sam this season. That would put him in contention for Big Ten Player of the Year.
Centerfield – rSr Kyle Huckstorf
Kyle Huckstorf has delivered a lot of memorable moments through his two years with the Hawkeyes. He has landed at #1 on the Sportscenter Top 10, hit three home runs in a 30-16 win over Indiana and even hit a walk-off grand slam in the season-opener last season. Defensively, Huckstorf is one of the best centerfielders in the country and led all Big Ten centerfielders in defensive runs saved last season. His speed allows him to track down a lot of balls in the gap, while he has a great understanding for when to dive for a ball and when to play it safe. His speed also makes him a threat on the bases, where he has stolen 25 bases on 29 attempts over the last two years. At the plate, he slashed .280/.387/.474 last season, including 13 doubles, five triples and six home runs. Solid numbers, but Kyle has a tendency to be hot and cold. The coaching staff is looking for more consistency from Huckstorf in his senior season.
“It’s just overall consistency. Just not so many peaks and valleys. When he’s on, he’s arguably as tough an out as there is out there. His power plays. For a smaller guy, he has as much power as anybody on our team,” said Heller. “I feel like Kyle came back with the right mindset, that he was going to really focus hard on the mental game, not letting himself get down and really focus hard on staying present and keeping his swing consistent.”
Over the first 22 games last season, Kyle was red hot, batting .341 with ten multi-hit games and a low 13.7% strikeout rate. However, over the last 36 games of the season, he batted .240 with just seven multi-hit games and a 19.1% strikeout rate. From March 28-April 23, Huckstorf batted just .190 with a 22.8% strikeout rate. If he can become a consistent contributor at the plate and not have several weekend long slumps, it would a huge boost for the offense to be able to rely on him night in and night out. Rick Heller is confident that Kyle is set to have his best season yet.
“I think Kyle is primed to have that year, where it is consistent all year. A guy that in the down times, he’s still productive and that’s what the best hitters do. When you’re not going great, you’re still finding ways to drive runs in, finding ways to move runners, finding ways to make productive outs. I think Huck understands that.”
Right Field – Jr Ben Wilmes or Jr Connor Hennings or Sr Andy Nelson
In 2022, Keaton Anthony started 42 games in right field. He moved to DH last season and right field became a carousel of starters. Five different players made at least one start at the spot, including Brayden Frazier (27), Chase Moseley (10) and Brennen Dorighi (1). Those three are all gone from the roster this season and Ben Wilmes (15 starts) is the leading returner.
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Ben Wilmes has appeared at six different positions in two seasons with the Hawkeyes, including catcher, but enters the year looking to be the starter in right field. He made 31 starts in the outfield last season, with 15 coming in right. At the plate, Wilmes slashed .247/.426/.360, including six doubles and three home runs. He has elite level plate discipline that is reflected in his 19.3% walk rate, but sometimes he is a little too selective and that led to a 26.1% strikeout rate. Ben spent the summer playing in the Northwoods League with the Waterloo Bucks, batting .293, including ten doubles, as well as a .487 on-base percentage.
“Ben Wilmes, with the year he had last year and then the added strength that he has put on in the
offseason, the ball is jumping off his bat way better. You already know his ability to get on base and
now doing some damage, I think is going to be a serious possibility,” said Heller. “Ben is going to be a tough guy to beat out.”
Pushing Wilmes for the starting job is College of San Mateo transfer Connor Hennings. After spending his freshman year at Nevada, Hennings transferred to San Mateo and put up solid numbers at the JUCO level. In 40 games, Connor slashed .359/.442/.542, including 13 doubles and three home runs. Bringing him in to the program, the coaching staff felt like there was more power hiding in his 6’3, 215 lb frame. It showed in the fall, where he hit home runs against Mississauga, Indian Hills and in the Black & Gold World Series.
“I’ve know Doug Williams since the early 90’s at San Mateo and everything he said was right on about Connor. His physique, his body, he looks like a major leaguer. Runs a 6.4 60, good arm, but still shows occasional elite power,” said Heller in December. “He’s been super open minded, super coachable and he’s bought into a lot of things that Marty (Sutherland) and Mitch (Boe) have been talking to him with on the hitting side and it’s been paying dividends in the cage.”
The other name to keep an eye out for here is Andy Nelson, who is also in the running for the job at second base. The coaching staff really likes his versatility, being able to play both in the outfield and the infield. As mentioned with the position battle at second base, it comes down to, do you want to choose one guy and stick with him or rotate all three options.
Outlook
The ceiling for this group will be determined by what happens in right field. Sam Petersen looks set to have a huge year, while Kyle Huckstorf is primed to have a season with consistent production. Defensively, those two can cover a lot of ground in the outfield with their speed and will steal outs with their ability to layout for a ball. In right field, there is cautious optimism, or maybe even just normal optimism about all three players being considered for the starting job. Best case scenario, one of them plays well enough that they earn the majority of the starts because that means they beat out two other talented players. Worst case scenario, all three players rotate starts and the production is inconsistent. I think they find a happy medium between those two scenarios.
UP NEXT, we move to the starting rotation, where Brody Brecht and Marcus Morgan look to be one of the best starting duos in the country. We will also take a look at who will start on Sunday and a couple other important names to know.
