The Texas Tech baseball team resumed preparations for the 2016 season Friday afternoon with its first team practice inside Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.
The Red Raiders, coming off consecutive 30-win seasons for the first time since 2005-06, have three weeks to prepare before facing Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Feb. 19. Tech begins the season with six games against ranked opponents in its first 13 contests.
Tech head coach Tim Tadlock returns one of the most experienced rosters of his tenure as 19 players return from 2015, including seven position starters and seven pitchers from a year ago. The group is joined by a talented class of 15 newcomers as well as two returning redshirts in Kholeton Sanchez and Garrett Bruce.
The list of returners is highlighted by a six-player senior class that features two-time All-Big 12 first team selection Eric Gutierrez along with outfielders Tyler Neslony, the 2014 Big 12 batting leader, and Cory Raley, an All-Big 12 second team honoree last season after leading the Red Raiders with a .350 average.
Right-handed pitcher Dalton Brown (41 career appearances), outfielder Zach Davis (.280 career hitter in 120 games) and catcher Tyler Floyd (64 career starts) round out Tech’s senior class.
Junior right-handed pitcher Ryan Moseley, meanwhile, anchors Tech’s list of returning pitchers as he has made 17 starts the past two seasons, totaling 115.2 innings during that span with a 3.19 ERA. He is joined by fellow junior Ty Damron, who is 6-2 over his Red Raider career with a 3.84 ERA.
The Red Raiders enter the 2016 season ranked 25th nationally in the preseason poll conducted by Perfect Game. Tech also received votes Thursday in the USA Today coaches’ poll.
(PROVIDED BY TEXAS TECH ATHLETICS)
