Photo by Kavin Mistry
By Jose Garcia (@JoseDGarcia__) — Reporter
Every new season can be met with fresh expectations and optimism. With the 2022 San Jose State baseball season rapidly approaching, these five players are going to spear their competition.
1. Robert Hamchuk – OF
Hamchuk, a homegrown redshirt sophomore, is coming off a stellar 2021 season. Although he only played in 13 out of the 36 games last season, he showed some exceptional promise in his limited playing time.
Hamchuk posted a .313/.411/.396 slash line with a very strong .807 OPS. The 6-foot-1-inch outfielder showed a knack for racking up hits as he tallied 15 in only 13 games, starting in 12.
In addition, the right-handed slugger was top four on his team in batting average, slugging % and on base % for the Spartans. Hamchuk also provided solid defense in the outfield as he had a perfect fielding percentage of 1.000.
Entering the 2022 season, Hamchuk will act as a vital cog in SJSU’s offense and is in prime position to replicate his 2021 campaign.
2. Jack Colette – OF
Colette, a redshirt junior, is looking to recreate his 2021 season and get the 2022 season started on the right foot. Colette was a true ironman last season as he was the only Spartan to play in all 36 games.
The outfielder recorded a .244/.320/.435 slash line with a respectable .755 OPS. He was second on the Spartans in several categories such as hits, doubles, home runs, runs batted in, total bases and SLG %.
The 6-foot lefty truly did it all for the Spartans. One area where Colette could improve is in the strikeout department. He led his team in strikeouts with 49, striking out in 37 % of his at bats. If he’s able to make positive strides in that area, he could take his game to the next level.
Less strikeouts can equate to more walks and thus more run opportunities for SJSU. Nonetheless, the Torrance, Calif. native is primed for an excellent season in 2022.
3. Reece Hernandez – UTIL
“Mr. Utility” Reece Hernandez had a 2021 season that he can build on moving forward. Hernandez had a .250/.431/.288 slash line last season to go with an OPS of .719. Hernandez was an on-base machine as he got on base 43.1 % of the time.
Hernandez demonstrated tremendous patience at the plate as he walked more than he struck out. He walked 27 times and only struck out seven times in his 80 at bats.
The utility man was also second on the team in runs thanks to his phenomenal OB %. The redshirt senior has a golden opportunity to make the 2022 season his.
4. Jonathan Clark – RHP
The Spartans’ workhorse in the 2021 season was none other than right hander Jontathan Clark. He threw the most innings on the team with 44, had the second best walks plus hits per innings pitched at 1.66, as well as posted a .267 batting average against, which was second best on the team.
Clark also showcased that he had the stuff to strike batters out. He led his team with 47Ks, which was 17 more than Trevor Ernt’s 30. Clark’s best game last season came on April 17, against Creighton. He threw six strong innings, only gave up one run on three hits, walked two and punched out 11 Bluejays.
One area of improvement for Clark going into the 2022 season could be with ERA. He boasted a 6.55 ERA as a starter.
If he’s able to bring that number down to below five, he could be poised to have a remarkable 2022 season.
5. Darren Jansen – RHP
Last but not least Darren Jansen, who’s not a stranger to going last. Jansen was in charge of “slamming the door” for the Spartans last year as he recorded two saves.
He also made 14 appearances out of the bullpen which ranked second on the Spartans. The right-hander had hot and cold stretches as he didn’t allow a run in half of his appearances. Jansen will most likely be called upon to handle the closer duties once again.
Much like his stature, standing at 6-foot-5 inches 260 pounds, Jansen stood tall in the eyes of his competitors. The redshirt junior will look to make the 2022 season his best one yet.