Oregon Ducks feature plenty of pitching depth; still working to define roles ahead of season-opener

With the Oregon Ducks set to kick off the 2024 season this week, Mark Wasikowski’s squad is stocked with intriguing pitching talent. But it remains unclear how, exactly, UO’s rotation is going to take shape throughout the spring.

The next several weeks should provide plenty of clarity in that regard.

Oregon, which made an unlikely run to the NCAA Super Regionals last June after winning the Pac-12 Tournament, will open the year this Friday against Oklahoma in Arlington, Tex., at 1 p.m. PT. The Ducks’ lack of proven pitching depth last year ultimately proved to be their Achilles heel as they ran out of reliable arms in a season-ending loss to Oral Roberts in Eugene.

While it’s unclear whether Oregon has a true frontline starter at this point, Wasikowski and first-year pitching coach Blake Hawksworth have unquestionably assembled a stable of arms that is deeper than last year’s.

“I don’t know if our starting pitching is absolute lock-down starting pitching,” Wasikowski said on Monday. “But they’re good. I didn’t know that Robby Ahlstrom was gonna be a lock-down starting pitcher. I really had my doubts. I know back in 2012 we were really wondering if Alex Keudell — he didn’t look like a starting horse. Then he wins Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year.”

“So, I like the options.”

Oregon returns a cluster of second-year pitchers who were thrust into high-pressure roles last season due to several significant injuries to frontline starters. The Ducks lost their Friday and Saturday starters — Jace Stoffal and Isaac Ayon — to injury last spring.

In their absence, freshmen Grayson Grinsell, Turner Spoljaric, Matthew Grabmann, Leo Uelmen, Jackson Pace, and Dylan McShane all logged big innings during the postseason.

All of those players will once again be in the mix this season, but the group will be bolstered by several key veteran additions.

Kevin Seitter, a senior right-hander who posted a 3.58 ERA in 88 innings at Quinnipiac last season, transferred into UO during the offseason and is in contention to be the Ducks’ Friday starter.

“He’s been consistent,” Wasikowski said of Seitter. “He’s a consistent pitcher. He’s around the zone.”

RJ Gordon, who was a weekend starter for Oregon in 2022 before missing 2023 due to injury, is fully healthy once again.

Senior right-hander Logan Mercado fluctuated between the starting rotation and the bullpen last year and is going to be a key figure for the Ducks — although it remains unclear what his role will be.

“He’s been really effective with everything that he’s been doing,” Wasikowski said of Mercado. “He’s been one of our better guys, so I’m sure we’ll see quite a bit of him.”

Grinsell, a preseason all-conference selection, stepped up as Oregon’s de-facto ace last postseason and might be the most likely of the Ducks’ freshmen to serve as an impact starter this spring.

“Seitter’s a good option. RJ Gordon has pitched really well. There’s probably about four or five other guys who have pitched very, very well,” Wasikowski said. “By frontline absolute dominant starter that’s going to go strike out — like a (Trevor Bauer or Garrett Cole) at UCLA, those guys were dominant, dominant arms. Or even at Arizona when they had Preston Guilmet pretty much winning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year every single week and striking out somewhere between 12-16 guys a weekend — do we have that? Time will tell. I’m not sure. I hope we do. And it’s exciting.

“Because the Seitters and the Gordons who are competing and have been competing for starting spots, they throw the ball over the plate and they’re competitive. It’s been nice to see.”

Oregon was hopeful that Ayon, who was selected in the 20th round of the MLB Draft by the Washington National last summer before opting to return to school, would lock down the Friday night starter role. But he will be sidelined for the second consecutive full season due to an elbow injury.

While the Ducks may ultimately lack a true “ace” at the front of the rotation, the sheer depth of their bullpen could be a major strength.

In addition to the aforementioned pitchers, senior righty Austin Anderson is back and was named a preseason second-team All-American by the NWBCA. Last season, he posted a 0.66 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings while holding opposing batters to a .111 batting average.

Incoming transfers Brock Moore (Menlo College) and Michael Freund (Upmqua Community College) have also generated buzz during fall ball and winter scrimmages.

“I mean, there’s there’s a lot of guys in that back end that could jump into those slots,” Wasikowski said of Oregon’s pitching depth. “That will be a strength of the ballclub. We’re going to be able to shorten some games. And so having a lead after five innings, six innings, I really like our chances with the options we have down there in the backend.”