COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland baseball team was chosen as preseason favorite to win the Big Ten by D1Baseball.com Monday.
Junior RHP Mike Shawaryn was named preseason Pitcher of the Year and the top prospect in the 2016 class. Nick Cieri was No. 11 on that list while Kevin Smith (2) and Justin Morris (7) represented the Terps on the 2017 top prospects list.
Maryland enters the 2016 season after winning a school record 42 games and advancing to its second straight Super Regional. In his fourth year in College Park, head coach John Szefc is the only head coach in school history to lead Maryland to consecutive 40-win seasons and consecutive Super Regional appearances.
A preseason first-team All-American, Shawaryn is already holds the Maryland records for career wins (24), single season wins (13) and single season strikeouts (138). This summer, he became just the second player in Maryland history to play for USA Baseball when he suited up for the Collegiate National Team. He was a first-team All-American and unanimous All-Big Ten selection last season.
Smith was named a freshman All-American last season. The Terps will count on Cieri, fifth-year senior outfielder Anthony Papio and redshirt freshman third baseman Andrew Bechtold to fill out a lineup that could be among the most potent in the Big Ten.
Sophomores Taylor Bloom and Brian Shaffer are expected to anchor the weekend rotation behind Shawaryn while senior Robert Galligan, sophomore Ryan Selmer and junior Tayler Stiles make up a deep group of bullpen arms.
Maryland also welcomes a talented recruiting class that is its highest ranked in history (17. D1Baseball.com). Freshman second baseman Nick Dunn and junior college transfer Madison Nickens are newcomers who are expected to make an immediate impact.
Maryland opens its season at Alabama on Feb. 19. The Terrapins will play Rhode Island in their home opener on Friday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m.
– Terps –
