Ann Arbor’s Pastime: Michigan Baseball To Start Season on Friday

Michigan Wolverines Baseball News: First Pitch Of 2023 Season To Be Thrown On Friday

On Friday, the long offseason comes to an end for the 2023 Michigan baseball team. The Wolverines, who have seen many massive changes to their roster and coaching staff since last season, have mixed expectations heading into the year. One thing remains true about this year’s Michigan Wolverines: they must come together and play as a unit now more than ever.

A New Era Of Michigan Baseball Is Underway

Erik Bakich: a name that most Michigan Wolverines fans are quite familiar with. From 2013-2022 Bakich took the Wolverines to the NCAA tournament five times, made it to the College World Series once (2019), finished higher than any Michigan baseball team had since 1962 (No. 2), and won two Big Ten titles (2015, 2022). Bakich was an incredible head coach for the Wolverines, though after winning his second and final conference title a season ago, Bakich left the program for the Clemson head coaching job.

At the time, this was a shocking move, and the Wolverines were thrust into a massive coaching search. Not long after, Michigan baseball had its man: Tracy Smith, the former head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils. Smith brings decades of experience, and has already proven himself to be a Big Ten winner during his time with the Indiana Hoosiers.

Smith has served as the head coach of three Division One programs thus far — Michigan baseball is his fourth. During his time in the Big Ten, Smith took the Indiana Hoosiers to three Big Ten titles, a College World Series berth, and back-to-back 40-win seasons from 2006-2014. Smith’s titles make up half of the Hoosiers’ Big Ten tournament titles and their only CWS appearance (2013).

During his most recent stop — a seven-year stint with Arizona State — Smith led the Devils to a 201-155 overall record and four tournament appearances in six full seasons (2020 canceled due to COVID-19). The Tracy Smith era is full of unknowns for the Michigan Wolverines, especially in a season with as much turnover as Michigan has seen lately, though if history is any indication, it should be a good time to be a Michigan baseball fan.

First Pitch To Be Thrown On Friday

On Friday, the Michigan baseball team will start its 2023 campaign in the MLB Desert Invitational with a two-game double-header. At 11:00 AM (MT), the Wolverines will start their season against the Fresno State Bulldogs in game one of the day. Shortly after, at 4:00 PM (MT), the Michigan Wolverines will face their in-state rival, the Michigan State Spartans.

The Michigan Wolverines will also play on Saturday and on Sunday — the Wolverines will face UCSD (San Diego) at 1:00 PM (MT) on Saturday, and GCU (Grand Canyon University) on Sunday at 5:00 PM (MT). Many of these games will likely act as tune-up games before the Michigan baseball team starts its full schedule on Friday, February 24th, on the road at Cal State Fullerton in game one of a three-game series.

Names To Know, Players To Watch

If you are unfamiliar with the 2023 Michigan baseball roster, here are a few players to know heading into this season. All of these players were named to the Big Ten Preseason Watch List.

• Tito Flores (Senior, Outfield)

A season ago, Flores turned heads nationally making the Big Ten All-Tournament team en route to a Michigan baseball Big Ten Championship. Flores hit .276 (batting percentage) with 11 home runs (HR) and 49 runs batted in (RBI).

• Connor O’Halloran (Junior, Pitcher)

Connor O’Halloran, one of Michigan’s best pitchers in recent school history. A season ago, Connor O’Halloran struck out 104 batters — the second-most in the Big Ten and second-most in school history. Now, O’Halloran will likely be the Wolverines’ top pitcher throughout his junior campaign.

• Mitch Voit (Freshman, Infield)

Mitch Voit, the 2022 Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year, will likely be one of the Wolverines’ young stars throughout the 2023 season. Voit was ranked the No. 3 RHP and No. 9 overall player in Wisconsin as a high school prospect — with some depth issues forming before the season, there is plenty of room for Voit to make a splash this year.

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