Hoosiers favored in preseason to win Big Ten

IU will have to adjust to the role of the hunted this season, as College Baseball Insider, Perfect Game USA and Baseball America all tabbed the Hoosiers as favorites to win the Big Ten in 2013.

College Baseball Newspaper projected the Hoosiers as preseason favorites Jan. 3. The paper also deemed sophomore Sam Travis as the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year. Last season, he led IU with 74 hits,nine home runs and 50 RBI.

Per IU Baseball News, the Hoosiers return players that accounted for 92 percent of the team’s home runs, 85 percent of doubles and stolen bases and 77 percent of triples.

However, designated hitter Dillon Dooney, a second team All-Big Ten player in 2012, will not return due to personal issues.

The Hoosiers return two-thirds of their weekend rotation, as junior Joey DeNato and sophomore Kyle Hart are penciled in to start Fridays and Saturdays, respectively. The Hoosiers need to find a replacement for since-graduated Chad Martin, however, as the Chicago Cubs selected him in the 10th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft.

B1Gbaseball.com reporter Chris Webb predicted that freshman Will Coursen-Carr will step into the Sunday starter role.

Though senior Jonny Hoffman will not return, the Hoosiers appear to have sufficient depth in their pitching corps to sustain his loss.

The Hoosiers open their season with first pitch scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Big East/Big Ten Challenge in Dunedin, Fla., against the University of Louisville.  

 — Micah McVicker