Miami Hurricanes ranked 24th nationally in early look at 2021 college baseball season
Baseball America, in a very early look at the 2021 college season, has the Miami Hurricanes ranked 24th in the nation.
Miami’s top two rivals are both ranked in the top 10: No. 1 Florida and No. 9 Florida State.
The Canes recently lost their entire weekend rotation of Brian Van Belle, Chris McMahon and Slade Cecconi to pro baseball. The pros also got starting shortstop Freddy Zamora and pitcher Tyler Keysor, who was a valuable spot starter. Second baseman Luis Tuero also bolted, to a junior college.
But BA raves about Miami’s recruiting class that includes highly ranked pitchers Victor Mederos, Alejandro Rosario and Carlos Rodriguez, who could form the 2021 weekend rotation.
Other top recruits include defensive-minded catcher Carlos Perez; outfielder CJ Kayfus and a potential superstar in shortstop Yohandy Morales.
The 2021 starting lineup figures to be stellar with star catcher Adrian Del Castillo, power-hitting first baseman Alex Toral, Anthony Vilar likely at second base, Morales at short, Ray Gil at third and an outfield that includes Jordan Lala, Gabe Rivera and Tony Jenkins. DH candidates would include JP Gates and Jared Thomas.
By the way, Miami’s recruiting class is ranked No. 7 in the nation. It is the second consecutive year that the Canes have the top recruiting class in the ACC.
BOSTON SIGNS STU STAR
St. Thomas University right-hander Merfy Andrew, who recently signed with the Boston Red Sox as an undrafted free agent, went 3-0 with a 3.55 ERA in five starts as a junior this past season. He struck out 42 in 25 1/3 innings, walking 18 and allowing no homers and just a .149 batting average.
Andrew’s fastball ranges from 95 to 98 mph, according to STU coach Jorge Perez. His changeup and slider are also impressive, and Andrew’s last STU appearance was a complete-game, 13-strikeout performance.
“He has a tremendous arm,” Perez said of Andrew, a 22-year-old native of the Dominican Republic. “We just helped him clean up some of his mechanics, kept him from rushing his delivery.”
Perez said Andrew could have earned a signing bonus of at least $100,000 had this year’s MLB Draft gone 40 rounds as usual. But, because it was shortened to five rounds, Andrew went undrafted and signed for just $20,000. That’s the allowed by MLB this year for undrafted free agents.
Andrew, who has a 3.8 grade-point average, will also have the rest of his education paid for by the Red Sox.
“Signing was a hard decision,” Andrew said. “If I played another college season, I could have exploded. But my heart said it was now or never.”
Andrew said he grew up poor in the Dominican. His mom would save all year so she could buy him one pair of sneakers at Christmas.
When he was 18, he nearly signed with the Minnesota Twins for $80,000. But when that deal fell through, he came to the U.S. After leaving a community college in Iowa due to the frigid winters, he enrolled at ASA in Miami and then landed at STU.
He missed his first start this season when he accidentally cut a finger on his pitching hand while cleaning a knife.
Finally, though, he has his pro organization, and his career can take off.
“(Red Sox scout Willie Romay) told me, ‘My organization wants to sign you so bad’,” said Andrew, who had stopped playing baseball after Iowa. “I’m grateful to my coaches at STU who have loved me like their own son and have taught me so much.”
