A look at the 2016 Wichita State baseball roster

Pitchers

Top returners: SP Sam Tewes (1-2, 2:42 ERA), SP Willie Schwanke (0-2, 3.00), SP Chase Williams (3-4, 5.59), RP John Hayes (6-2, 2.79, 4 saves), RP Reagan Biechler (0-2, 5.33), RP Chandler Sanburn (1-0, 5.48)

New faces: SP Tyler Gibson, SP Connor Lungwitz, RP Zach Lewis

Need to know: Gibson will start Tuesday’s game at Oral Roberts and sophomore lefty Cody Tyler, coming back from elbow surgery, is the first option to join the rotation.

Coaches are impressed with the progress of sophomore Tyler Jones (1-3, 8.31) as a reliever after a tough rookie year in which he was thrown into a starting role because of injuries to Tewes, Schwanke and Tyler. His development should relieve some of the burden on Hayes, an island of reliability in a shaky bullpen in 2015.

The staff is heavy on experienced right-handers, so lefties such as Biechler and newcomer Justin Seiwald need to grab their roles.

Lewis, a junior transfer, is rebuilding his confidence after a disappointing sophomore season at Wabash Valley (Ill.) College. As a freshman, he earned second-team NJCAA All-American honors and went 11-0 with a 1.84 ERA and Pittsburgh drafted him in the 33rd round. He slumped to 2-2 with a 6.23 ERA in 2015 and battled minor injuries.

Quote: “Tyler Jones has been fantastic,” coach Todd Butler said. “He’s really throwing the ball extremely hard, good slider and a good changeup. He’s a strike-thrower.”

Catchers

Top returners: Gunnar Troutwine (.298 batting average, 3 home runs, .404 on-base percentage), Taylor Sanagorski (.154, 2 HR)

New faces: Josh Whisler, Noah Croft

Need to know: Troutwine, a sophomore, is the unquestioned starter and should hit in the middle of the order. Sanagorski, a switch-hitter, played in 31 games and started nine as a freshman. Whisler, also a switch-hitter, hit .384 with 10 home runs and 16 doubles last season at Fort Scott Community College.

Quote: “Defensively, (Troutwine’s) really come a long way,” assistant coach Brian Walker said. “He’s really trying to learn the position and learn the nuances of it, as far as running a staff, learning how to communicate. When he speaks now, it carries authority and he’s backing it up with his defensive play.”

Infielders

Top returners: 2B Tanner Kirk (.248, 13 2B, 2 HR) 3B Chase Rader (.239, 9 2B, 4 HR), 1B Ryan Tinkham (.333, 10 HR, 19 2B), SS Trey Vickers (.252, 15 walks)

New faces: 1B-3B Alex Bohm, SS Luke Ritter, 1B-3B Greyson Jenista

Need to know: The starters are back from last season. Rader is recovered from an inner-ear infection that hampered his vision and balance last season. Vickers no longer wears a back brace to protect a stress fracture. Tinkham is stronger and better-equipped to deal with the grind. Rader’s offense is crucial to replacing the punch provided by OF Sam Hilliard (.335, 8 HR, 51 RBIs), who signed with Colorado after being drafted in the 15th round.

Senior lefty Zach Reding (.196, 1 HR) was hampered by a shoulder injury last season. He and Bohm, a freshman, could platoon at DH. Ritter, a freshman, impressed coaches with his maturity and confidence in fall practices. Jenista, a lefty, is another freshman with the potential to DH or give a veteran a day off at first base.

Quote: “You don’t really know what to expect until you play a full season and at the end you’re tired,” Tinkham said. “Over the off-season, I think I put my body into better position to make it through a long season.”

Outfielders

Top returners: CF Mikel Mucha (.313, 9 2B, 1 HR), OF Keenan Eaton (.289, 3 2B)

New faces: Travis Young, Bret Fehr, Josh DeBacker, Dayton Dugas

Need to know: Mucha, a senior, is the best defender and joins Kirk as the lone players who played for former coach Gene Stephenson. Mucha started 108 games in four seasons, which includes injury-shortened 2014. His experience is crucial with WSU replacing Hilliard and Daniel Kihle (.301, 21 steals), who was picked in the 18th round by Minnesota.

Eaton, who started eight games in the outfield last season, improved his speed and agility over the off-season and will start in left field. Dugas, a freshman, was drafted in the 25th round by Detroit. He will start the opener in right field and is expected to add power to the lineup. Young, Fehr and DeBacker redshirted last season. Young and Fehr are are among the team’s fastest runners. Fehr, Mucha and DeBacker hit left-handed. to give Butler options for matchups and pinch-hitting.

Butler will play several outfield combinations opening weekend to give his redshirt freshmen chances to show what they can do.

Quote: “Dugas is a very good outfielder, surprisingly good for a big man,” Butler said. “He runs so well. Travis Young has stepped up since we’ve come back from Christmas and really caught my eye.”

Paul Suellentrop

This story was originally published February 18, 2016 at 3:06 PM with the headline "A look at the 2016 Wichita State baseball roster."