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New-look FSU baseball ready for fall ball schedule in second year under Link Jarrett
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- New-look FSU baseball ready for fall ball schedule in second year under Link Jarrett
Two new assistant coaches and a number of transfer portal additions.
The 2024 Florida State baseball team is bound to look different than it did during the 2023 season, the first under head coach Link Jarrett.
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The Seminoles began fall camp in late September and have been practicing and holding team scrimmages. They opened their fall ball schedule with a matchup against Mercer Friday at Dick Howser Stadium .
The new look FSU team won both six-inning games, 14-1 and 7-2, giving fans a first glance at the team.
"We have 26 new players so there's a lot of information to try to present and allow them to grasp," Jarrett said to the local media on Oct. 3. "It's been exciting."
Ty Megahee and Micah Posey are two new assistant coaches, taking the place of two former assistant coaches Rich Wallace ( UCF ) and Chuck Ristano (Navy) taking on new head coaching roles.
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Following Friday's fall game, the Seminoles will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama next Saturday - 1 p.m. Oct. 28 - for a matchup against Alabama.
"I like where we are. It's still very early in the fall." Jarrett said. "Those (exhibitions) will be good tests against really good teams. That's kind of the tail-end of the fall, the back-end of October. This has been enjoyable and there's noticeable talent on the field. It's good."
18 returners for Seminoles baseball
Just eighteen players return from FSU's roster from last season. That includes a number of key returners in outfielders Jaime Ferrer , James Tibbs III and DeAmez Ross, third baseman Cam Smith and pitcher Conner Whittaker .
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"You have some guys that understand that and you hear them helping the new players acclimate to what we're doing so that we're on the same page," Jarrett said. "Last year, it was only the group of coaches that really knew what we were trying to do when we walked out before practice. That's great."
Smith earned a spot All-ACC All-Freshman team after hitting .258 with eight doubles, a team-leading five triples and 12 home runs. He played in the Cape Cod Baseball League - a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts - over the summer.
He said he feels more comfortable heading into year two.
"I feel like there's not as much pressure as there was last year, just because we had new coaching staff and all that and like the whole new team basically," Smith said. "This year, I mean, it's kind of the same thing. But obviously, with all that adversity, we don't have as many eyes on this."
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Newcomers in pitching and hitting
FSU brought in four D-I pitcher transfers: Yoel Tejada Jr. from Florida, Jacob Marlowe and Cam Leiter from UCF and Noah Short from West Virginia .
The Seminoles also added three junior college pitchers: Gavin Adams, Carson Dorsey and Connor Hults.
"To think about the variety of arms and the number of arms we have, that's huge. As the season starts to roll, there are going to be guys that emerge in starting roles and relief roles," Jarrett said.
"The innings are probably acquired by 10 to 12 guys. What roles will those be? I have no idea. Who will it be? I don't know. I do know that we have some good options."
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On offense, Drew Faurot (UCF) and Alex Lodise (UNF), are the two biggest additions, as well as USF first baseman Daniel Cantu. Faurot and Lodise combined for 31 home runs in their freshman seasons. Alabama transfers Jaxson West (catcher) - a former Chiles standout - and Max Williams (outfielder).
"You have a variety of lefties and righties, we've added a little bit of each of those. You've got a switch hitter in the middle that will create some depth with Faurot. You've got a left-handed bat behind the plate, a left-handed bat option at first base." Jarrett said.
"I really like what I see offensively. The offense in the batter's box is noticeably more potent but it's then the finer points of the game that we clearly need to continue to hone and develop."
FSU fall baseball schedule
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FSU vs. Mercer, Friday, Oct. 20, 5 p.m.
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FSU at Alabama; Saturday, Oct. 28, 1 p.m.; Tuscaloosa, Al.
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Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports) .
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU baseball: New-look Seminoles prepping for year 2 of Link Jarrett
