Michigan baseball ‘pumped’ to open the 2025 season in Puerto Rico vs. No. 2 Virginia

Ann Arbor – Michigan baseball coach, Tracy Smith, will read early on how his team is measured against higher competition.

The Wolverines will open their 2025 season internationally in Puerto Rico, playing four games in four days. The 1 PM of Friday begins against No. 2 Virginia.

“I think it’s incredible in two cubes for me,” Smith said about the opening of the season in a unique place against a better classified team. “It is the piece of competition. You always want to find out what your quite early deficiencies are. We are going to do that because we have very good teams that we are playing there. But, too, I’ve never been there. I am sure I echo some of the other types that I think it is really good that baseball will take us to a place that I have not been. I am excited about that personally, but also for the boys. “

Smith’s Squad will also face Rice, Villanova and Stetson, a NCAA tournament team in 2024, during the opening Puerto Rico Challenge.

“I am excited,” said second year pitcher Dylan Vigue. “It will be kind and warm there. I don’t think there is a better way to start it versus Virginia. I am pumped for that. I think making a game game and get on the map. I don’t think we have enough respect at the national level. “

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Vigue will begin the first match against the Cavaliers, who arrived at the World Series College last year. The 3 -foot 3 -inch right had a difficult first year season in 2024, ending with an effectiveness of 7.90 and 44 walks in 54 2/3 tickets. But Smith has seen a more refined pitcher since the end of last year.

Vigue dominated the CAPE COP League, a better collegiate summer league, and has sought part of an ace during the autumn ball and the preseason.

“He is a new child this year,” said Smith about Vigue, who was recently appointed prospect number 2 in the Big Ten for the 2025 mlb draft. “The problem last year was that he had tremendous things, but did not launch enough strikes and would do it (he made a mistake), and he could never enter again. He is now much more mature mentally, and I think only his time in the end in the end in Summer gave him a lot of confidence. “

Michigan lost the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season and finished fourth in the Big Ten in Smith’s second year to the helm. This year it is predicted that fifth at the expanded conference at the preseason survey will end. Before the Wolverines in the survey are, in order, Oregon, Nebraska, Indiana and UCLA.

The Wolverines have 22 new players in the list, including 11 transfers, but Smith believes that they have improved their depth of their first two years in Ann Arbor. It is projected that five transfers will be in the alignment of the opening day: the gardener Robert Hamchuk (San José State The Matt Spear receiver (San Jose State).

They join a group of returns that include the preseason All-American Mitch Voit, a pitcher and picture player, and the pitcher All-Big Ten Kurt Barr.

Smith said the depth of the team was on display when he took a trip to the Dominican Republic in November and played seven games in four days against the MLB Academy teams, the Clubs of the Dominican Winter League and the military baseball squads.

The team finished 5-2 and did not release its first four pitchers.

“I feel really good, not only about me, but as the team in total,” Vigue said. “I think we have the boys and the depth this year to really do some damage, especially from the launch side. Last year, obviously we rely a lot on one or two types, and this year we have eight to 10 types to which we can really go at any time. “