2021 Michigan Wolverines baseball team


The 2021 Michigan Wolverines baseball team represented the University of Michigan in the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Wolverines, led by head coach Erik Bakich in his ninth season, are a member of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Wilpon Baseball Complex in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

2021 Michigan Wolverines baseball
NCAA tournament, South Bend Regional
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record27–19 (27–17 Big Ten)
Head coach
Assistant coachNick Schnabel (9th season)
Pitching coachSteve Merriman (1st season)
Home stadiumWilpon Baseball Complex
Seasons
← 2020
2022 →
2021 Big Ten Conference baseball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 19 Nebraska  ‍‍‍y 31 12   .721 34 14   .708
No. 24 Maryland  ‍‍‍y 28 16   .636 30 18   .625
Michigan  ‍‍‍y 27 17   .614 27 19   .587
Indiana  ‍‍‍ 26 18   .591 26 18   .591
Iowa  ‍‍‍ 26 18   .591 26 18   .591
Ohio State  ‍‍‍ 22 20   .524 22 20   .524
Illinois  ‍‍‍ 22 22   .500 22 22   .500
Rutgers  ‍‍‍ 21 23   .477 21 23   .477
Penn State  ‍‍‍ 18 24   .429 18 24   .429
Northwestern  ‍‍‍ 15 21   .417 15 21   .417
Michigan State  ‍‍‍ 17 27   .386 17 27   .386
Purdue  ‍‍‍ 16 26   .381 16 26   .381
Minnesota  ‍‍‍ 6 31   .162 6 31   .162
† – Conference champion
y – Invited to the NCAA tournament
As of June 7, 2021[1][2]
Rankings from D1Baseball

Previous season

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The Wolverines finished the 2020 season 8–7 overall, in a season shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]

Preseason

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On November 6, 2020, former Michigan pitching coach Chris Fetter was named pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB).[4]

On January 29, 2021, Steve Merriman was named pitching coach and Brandon Inge was named volunteer assistant coach for the Wolverines.[5]

Michigan was ranked No. 20 by Baseball America and No. 18 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in the preseason polls, the only Big Ten Conference team named in each poll.[6][7] Redshirt sophomore Steven Hajjar was named to the Preseason All-America Third Team.[8] On March 4, the Big Ten Coaches voted Michigan as the preseason favorite to win the conference.[9]

Roster

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2021 Michigan Wolverines baseball team
Players Coaches
# Pos. Name B/T Height Weight Year Previous school Home town
0 INF Dan Blomgren R/R 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Jr Craig Milton, Wisconsin
2 INF Benjamin Sems L/R 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Sr Westminster Christian Chesterfield, Missouri
3 INF Ted Burton R/R 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) So Edison Huntington Beach, California
4 INF Brandon Lawrence S/R 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Fr Dunn Santa Ynez, California
5 OF Christian Bullock L/L 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Sr Morgan Park Chicago, Illinois
6 RHP Danny Zimmerman R/R 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 225 lb (102 kg) RS Jr Redondo Union Redondo Beach, California
7 OF Jake Marti S/R 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) So Normal West Bloomington, Illinois
8 INF Jimmy Obertop R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 220 lb (100 kg) So Westminster Christian Academy St. Louis, Missouri
9 INF Dylan Stanton R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) RS Fr Gull Lake Richland, Michigan
10 INF Cam Hart R/R 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Armada Armada, Michigan
12 INF Riley Bertram S/R 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Jr Zionsville Zionsville, Indiana
13 C Griffin Mazur R/R 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Sr Moorpark Moorpark, California
14 C Christian Molfetta L/L 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 190 lb (86 kg) RS Sr Junípero Serra Laguna Beach, California
15 INF Clark Elliott L/R 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) So Barrington Barrington, Illinois
17 RHP Will Proctor R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Jr Mira Costa Manhattan Beach, California
18 C Jordan Rodgers R/R 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 175 lb (79 kg) RS So Simeon Career Academy Chicago, Illinois
19 LHP Logan Wood L/L 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Fr OLSM Prep Macomb, Michigan
20 RHP Willie Weiss R/R 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Westview Portland, Oregon
21 LHP Ben Dragani L/L 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) RS Jr Catholic Memorial Brookfield, Wisconsin
22 INF Tito Flores R/R 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 185 lb (84 kg) So Brother Rice Detroit, Michigan
24 INF Matt Frey L/R 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Franklin Regional Murrysville, Pennsylvania
25 RHP Isaiah Paige R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Jr Damien Diamond Bar, California
26 OF Joey Velazquez L/L 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So St. Francis DeSales Lewis Center, Ohio
27 LHP Steve Hajjar R/L 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Central Catholic Andover, Massachusetts
28 RHP Keaton Carratini R/R 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr La Costa Canyon Encinitas, California
29 RHP Blake Beers R/R 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Sr Loyola Manhattan Beach, California
30 LHP Jack White L/L 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Jr Athens Academy Bethesda, Maryland
32 RHP Joe Pace R/R 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Sr Notre Dame Valley Village, California
34 RHP Ahmad Harajli R/R 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Fr IMG Academy Dearborn, Michigan
35 LHP Walker Cleveland L/L 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 145 lb (66 kg) Jr North Gwinnett Suwanee, Georgia
36 INF Trevor Kilinski L/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Fr Zeeland West Zeeland, Michigan
37 RHP Chase Allen R/R 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Fr Regis Jesuit Littleton, Colorado
39 LHP Cononr O'Halloran R/L 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Fr St. Martin Mississauga, Ontario
40 LHP Angelo Smith L/L 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Sr Richards Thornton, Illinois
43 OF Patrick Mastrian R/R 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Fr Bishop Chatard Indianapolis, Indiana
45 INF Logan Pollack L/R 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Sr Notre Dame Academy Los Angeles, California
47 LHP Jacob Denner L/L 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Bergen Catholic Closter, New Jersey
48 RHP Noah Rennard R/R 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 220 lb (100 kg) So Maria Carrillo Santa Rosa, California
49 OF Ian Kennedy R/R 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Fr Whitefield Academy Douglasville, Georgia
51 RHP Carlos Anziani R/R 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Fr James Monroe Bronx, New York
51 INF Jack Van Remortel R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 220 lb (100 kg) So Carmel Carmel, Indiana
54 RHP Ryan Zimmer R/R 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Fr St. Clair High School St. Clair, Michigan
55 RHP Cameron Weston R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg) So Canon-McMillan Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Head coach

Erik Bakich

Assistant coach(es)

Nick Schnabel

Pitching coach(es)

Steve Merriman


Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Current redshirt

Roster
Last update: January 27, 2021

Schedule

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2021 Michigan Wolverines baseball game log
Regular season (27–17)
Postseason (0–2)
  •   Win
  •   Loss
  •   Postponement
  • Bold: Wolverines team member
  • Reference:[11]

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314151617Final
Coaches'RVRV*RV24192323т2423RVRVRVRVRVRV
Baseball America2020212220192424242323
Collegiate Baseball^181818191310161718172222232326RV
NCBWA34RVRVRV25212323242228RVRV26RVRV
D1Baseball22182525252324

^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season.
NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
* A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.

Awards and honors

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Major League Baseball Draft

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The following Wolverines were selected in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft:[13][14]

List of Drafted Players
Name 2021 Class Pos. Team Overall
Steven Hajjar RS Sophomore RHP Minnesota Twins 61st
Benjamin Sems Fifth year SS Colorado Rockies 440th
Blake Beers Senior RHP Oakland Athletics 578th

References

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  1. ^ "Big Ten Conference standings". BigTen.org. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "Big Ten Conference standings". d1baseball.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  3. ^ "Big Ten, Michigan Cancel Remainder of Winter and Spring Sports Seasons". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. March 11, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Svoboda, Kurt (November 6, 2020). "Fetter Named Detroit Tigers Pitching Coach". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  5. ^ Svoboda, Kurt (January 29, 2021). "Merriman Rejoins U-M Baseball as Pitching Coach; Inge Named Volunteer Assistant". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  6. ^ "2021 College Top 25". baseballamerica.com. Baseball America. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  7. ^ "Collegiate Baseball Div. I Poll - Pre-season". baseballnews.com. Collegiate Baseball. December 21, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  8. ^ "2021 D1Baseball Third-Team Preseason All-Americans". D1Baseball.com. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  9. ^ "Michigan Tabbed Big Ten Baseball Favorite". Big Ten Conference. Big Ten Conference. March 4, 2021. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  10. ^ Svoboda, Kurt (April 28, 2021). "Games vs. Northwestern Canceled; Michigan to Play Four Against Illinois". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  11. ^ "2021 Baseball Schedule". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  12. ^ Svoboda, Kurt (May 30, 2021). "Burton, Hajjar Highlight Eight Wolverines to Earn All-Big Ten Honors". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  13. ^ Svoboda, Kurt (July 12, 2021). "Hajjar Selected by Minnesota Twins in Second Round of MLB Draft". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  14. ^ Svoboda, Kurt (July 13, 2021). "Sems, Beers Selected on Final Day of MLB Draft". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 13, 2021.