""

Ohio State baseball opens their season Friday in Florida. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Injuries and errors plagued Ohio State’s infield in 2022, leading to multiple position changes and 36 total team errors.

With a healthy squad and a new season ahead, the Buckeyes will mix old and new faces on the infield by incorporating three transfers, four freshmen and seven key returners in an effort to bounce back on the dirt. 

Catchers 

Ohio State’s catching room is completely new in 2023. The Buckeyes bring in four players to replace graduate Brent Todys, Archer Brookman who signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers and Trey Pancake who transferred to Youngstown State.

The two transfers are graduate backstop Cole Andrews and junior Mason Sawyer.

In four years at Miami (Ohio), Andrews was a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection in 156-career games for the Redhawks. Andrews comes off a season in which he hit .291 with nine home runs, 19 doubles and 53 RBIs  — fifth-most in the conference.

Sawyer is a junior college transfer from Heartland Community College. Last year, he batted .372 with 26 runs batted in, helping the Hawks to an appearance in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II World Series.

Freshmen Matthew Graveline and Alonzo Paul Jr. will add depth behind the plate coming out of high school.

Graveline batted .421 with 21 runs batted in at Centerville High School while Paul led Andrean High School to the Indiana State Championship by reaching base in over 60 percent of his at-bats and stealing 22 bases.

Middle infield

The youngest part of the Ohio State infield is at second base and shortstop. The Buckeyes lost starting shortstop Zach Dezenzo, who leaves behind 38 home runs and 131 RBIs for over 165-career games played, to the MLB Draft.

Sophomore Tyler Pettorini enters the campaign after playing in 34 games, starting 19 at second base, in 2022. Pettorini finished with 24 hits, 14 runs batted in and had a seven-game hitting streak.

Freshman Henry Kaczmar had a stellar career at Walsh Jesuit High School earning two first team All-Ohio selections and helping the Warriors to state semifinal and regional final appearances his junior and senior years.

Kaczmar quickly caught the eye of head coach Bill Mosiello and will slide in as the prime candidate to start at shortstop opening day against UConn Friday.

Mosiello said Kaczmar’s primary focus is improving his defense. 

“Defense is the No. 1 priority,” Mosiello said. “Worry about playing for the team and doing those things to take some pressure off you. We’re lucky to have him.”

Andrew Jones is another highly touted freshman middle infielder from Ohio. A two-way star at Brush High School, Jones drove in 14 runs and stole 18 bases while recording 63 strikeouts on the mound.

Last year, shortstop Josh McAlister was also in a situation like Kaczmar and Jones. As a freshman, McAlister started 11 of his 18 games played at shortstop, reaching base at a .447 clip and making a series of plays at short.

But McAlister said the feeling around this season is much different than during his freshman year. 

“I remember the feeling before the season around this time, and it was completely different,” McAlister said. “There’s a whole new light around our team.”

Junior utilityman Hunter Rosson is versatile on the infield and brings three years of experience from Weatherford College of the JUCO ranks in Texas.

Despite multiple injuries, Rosson hit 14-career home runs and drove in 52-career RBIs for the Coyotes. Last year, he transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington but did not play due to transfer rules.

Corner infielders

Ohio State lost Drew Reckart and Colton Bauer at third base as well as Dezenzo, who played a lot of first base last year due to injury. However, the Buckeyes return four players and 289-career games played, including graduate infielder Marcus Ernst.

Ernst can play anywhere on the diamond and comes off a 2022 season where he played third base, first base, shortstop and left field. A third team All-Big Ten selection last year, Ernst batted .337 in the leadoff spot, setting the tone for the rest of the lineup.

“When you have guys like Kade Kern, Mitchell Okuley and Trey Lipsey behind you, it’s important to get on base for them as well, as it gives them opportunities to drive you in,” Ernst said.

Ernst was at first base last year before opening day when third baseman Nick Erwin suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder and underwent season-ending surgery.

Now, Erwin said he feels 100 percent again and is ready to begin his senior year.

In 90-career games, Erwin has tallied 69 hits and driven in 34 runs all while providing a consistent glove at the hot corner.

When not at third base, Mosiello said Erwin will mix in at shortstop to add depth to the position.

“We’re going to get Nick Erwin behind [Kaczmar] and get him some reps there and make sure he’s prepared to do that for him,” Mosiello said. 

Junior Hank Thomas as well as redshirt juniors Blayne Robinson and Caden Kaiser make up the team’s first basemen.

In 2022, Robinson played six of his 30 games at first base. The Defiance, Ohio, native slugged four home runs and 13 RBIs as the team’s primary designated hitter.

Thomas and Kaiser both have experience at first base and in the outfield. Thomas was the opening day designated hitter last year and played in 22 games while Kaiser played in 16 games and started three.

The opening day starter at first base last season, Ernst said he is excited to build off last year and is ready for the new season.

“We got a lot of key pieces returning,” Ernst said. “Hopefully, we’re going to have more success this year.”