THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran baseball will feature a strong returning core but also a promising group of talented newcomers for the upcoming 2020 season as they look to recapture a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title and return to the NCAA Tournament.

The Kingsmen return 21 players from last year's squad and will feature 13 newcomers who will look to contribute and immediately make an impact.

"The seniors' main job will be taking care of our clubhouse," said Head Coach Marty Slimak. "We'll look for them to help our freshmen and sophomores, and also help continue our traditions that we have established here at Cal Lutheran."

Looking to anchor the outfield will be seniors Ryan Probst, Cortez Espinoza and Matt Sciumbato. The trio have all made successful contributions in the outfield during their careers wearing the Purple and Gold. 

Daniel Stauffer and Nick Pico are both senior middle infielders who look to provide leadership in the middle of the diamond. Returning at third base will be former All-SCIAC Second Team selection Ryne Yamashiro. 

Chris Spohr will provide depth and experience behind the plate in his senior season as he looks to partner well with senior pitchers Christian Slattery, Troy Frazier and Ellis Stevens.

The junior class contains a mix of transfers and returners that will likely play an important role for the Kingsmen. First Team All-SCIAC honorees Daniel Parr and Tanner Wright had outstanding 2019 campaigns and hope to remain as dominant as they were a season ago. Also bursting onto the scene will be power-hitting first baseman Zach Bullard as he prepares to make his presence felt in the middle of the order for CLU. Nick Rhoades will act as a utility player for the Kingsmen, mainly featuring at first base and in the outfield.

The 2021 class features multiple arms who will contribute in the starting rotation as well as the bullpen. Zach Hardman is coming off a great season as a reliever while right-handed hurlers Mason Snodgrass and Clay Rickerman hope to build upon their promising sophomore seasons.

Transfers Michael Teobaldi and Tyler Hazlett are coming off solid fall seasons and are set to earn some playing time in 2020.

The sophomore infielders give Cal Lutheran a great deal of depth as Alexander Briggs, Harrison Dunkel and Gordon Richardson are very versatile and can play nearly every position in the infield. 

Sean Blandino received a respectable amount of playing time during his freshman season and will look to provide even more depth in the outfield positions. Jalen Parks stepped into a starting catcher role in the latter half of his freshman year and will accompany potential battery mattes Alexander Rivas, Dominic Lozano and Ben VavRosky to round out the sophomore class with some lively arms in the rotation.

"I see a lot of the [freshmen] getting significant playing time," Slimak said. "They're going to get some starts. I think they will make big contributions right away. We have some standouts not only in the field, but also on the mound."

Kyle Reuser, Austin Carrillo, Joseph Scalzo, Sam Cooper and Ben Wangrin are all freshmen who have turned heads in the team's preseason activities thus far. The five position players will all compete for starting spots in their first year with the team.

Two first-year arms also join the pitching staff as left-hander Nathan Chapman looks likely to throw some significant innings for the Kingsmen while righty Michael Effatian is also set to make an impact on the bump.

Cal Lutheran hopes to return to the top of their conference and get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017. The last time the Kingsmen featured in postseason play, they ended the season as National Champions.

CLU begins their season with an exhibition matchup against CETYS Mexico on Feb. 1 at 11 a.m.  

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Release by Jeff Rebello, Assistant Sports Information Director