URI enters season with high hopes
KINGSTON — Order was restored last year, and the University of Rhode Island baseball team doesn’t plan to stop there.
The Rams qualified for the Atlantic 10 Tournament last season after a oneyear hiatus, and with a veteran core returning and a strong freshman class joining the fold, they believe they’re capable of reaching greater heights this season.
“To not make it two years ago – that’s not a good year for our program. Last year was better but still not to where we think we can be,” head coach Raphael Cerrato said. “I feel like we’re a much better team this year than we’ve been. The league is going to be good again, so it’s going to be really tough. But I think on paper, with what we have, it’s a team that can compete to win a championship.”
Seven of the nine players in the starting lineup for that final game of the 2019 season will be in uniform Friday when the Rams open the 2020 season, a sign of the team’s experience. They lost a few key pieces to graduation like shortstop Kevin Heiss and pitcher Tyler Wilson, who left as the school’s all-time wins leader, but Wilson missed much of last season with an injury. In that regard, URI’s returning players have already been carrying the load, and they picked up some momentum along the way.
“We had a couple of walk-off wins that the year before they would have lost,” pitcher Justin Cherry said. “I think last year definitely set an example.”
Cherry heads the weekend rotation after a breakout redshirt freshman campaign. He had a 2.93 ERA and led the team with 56 strikeouts. Senior Nick Robinson, coming off an up-and-down year that included some flashes of brilliance, is slated to join Cherry. Senior Vitaly Jangols, banged up the last few years, will be looking to recapture the form of his freshman season, when he had a 2.23 ERA.
Senior Tyler Brosius anchors the bullpen after saving six games last season with a 2.27 ERA. South Kingstown native Bo Brutti is slated for a key role, along with sophomore Jon Morrison, senior Jake Walker and a number of others.
“It’s a pretty deep staff,” Cerrato said. “I think it’s deeper than the 2016 team that won it. We don’t have a Tyler Wilson to go 13-1, but I think the depth is there if we can stay healthy.”
If the offense lives up to its potential, the Rams may not need heroics from their pitching staff. Returning standouts include Xavier Vargas and Austin White, the team’s top two hitters from a year ago. Junior Jackson Coutts led the 2018 team in batting average and tied with Vargas and Ulliana for the home run lead last year. Cumberland native Josh Brodeur, John Cristino, Greg Cavaliere and Max Mircovich are among the other regulars back in the fold. Several more Rams could be poised for a breakout, like former Ponaganset High School star Billy Butler and sophomore outfielder Mark Coley, who was named the Top Pro Prospect in the Futures League last summer. A freshman class that profiles as the best of Cerrato’s tenure will also have an impact.
“Going into a season, it’s the best I’ve felt about an offense in a long time,” Cerrato said.
The freshman class includes Ocean State natives Alex Ramirez of Providence, Addison Kopack of Cumberland and Sean Sposato of Chariho. They join Brutti, Butler, Brodeur and Woonsocket native Kyle Beaulieu to provide the Rams with some local flavor.
“There’s some talent. It’s a small state, but per capita, there are good Division I players. We’ve got a couple of kids committed for the next couple of years who are really good as well,” Cerrato said.