Willie Bloomquist looked right at home in front of the home dugout at Phoenix Municipal Stadium Friday afternoon. The first-year head coach kicked off media day by addressing reporters with the same quiet confidence he displayed throughout his 14 year MLB playing career, previewing his first season at the helm with poise and clarity.
“We’re in a much better place now than we were in the fall,” Bloomquist said. “We had some things we had to learn about each other then, which we expected. We’ve seen a big jump in what these guys are expecting, and we expect good things out of everybody.”
It’s a homecoming for Bloomquist, who starred at Arizona State from 1997-1999 under long time head coach Pat Murphy. A common sentiment among Bloomquist and other former players is the desire to return the program to perennial national championship contention, something that was enjoyed for decades up until Murphy’s departure led to a gradual decline. Arizona State is tied for second all-time with six national championships but hasn’t reached the pinnacle of college baseball since 1981.
“It’s very surreal that I’m back here in this capacity, I love Arizona State, and I’ve always loved this program,” Bloomquist said with a smile. “What it means to put on the Sun Devil uniform, that doesn’t change. I can’t say enough how excited I am to have this opportunity.”
Bloomquist inherits a roster that can be described as one of the more volatile in the country. Offensively, Arizona State can play with anyone. It returns superstar sophomore Ethan Long, who had a dream freshman season in which the local Gilbert native hit .340 and blasted 16 home runs, racking up an incredible 1.121 OPS. Long is set to play third base this season after spending much of 2021 as the designated hitter.
He’s joined by classmate Hunter Haas and redshirt junior Sean McLain in the infield. McLain was one of the best bats in the lineup last season, batting .322 and belting seven bombs. His .386 on-base percentage trailed only Long’s .417 for the team lead.
Haas, one of the top prep shortstops in the 2020 class, will occupy short again after spending last season at third base under the tutelage of star shortstop Drew Swift. He and McLain make up the middle infield and will both be featured in the middle of the Sun Devil lineup.
“The game slows down a lot,” Haas said when comparing preparation between his freshman and sophomore seasons. “Just getting used to things and playing with these guys every day, everyone’s happy to be on the field. We’re working hard and having fun.”
Redshirt sophomore Joe Lampe will return as the starting center fielder, with fellow RS sophomore Kai Murphy set to patrol right field. Bloomquist indicated that the left field job is perhaps the most open at the moment, with the Sun Devils’ outfield depth being a potential weakness. Kade Higgins returns as a utility man, while freshmen Jacob Tobias and Trey Rucker will also be in the mix.
The pitching side of things contains a lot more question marks. The 2021 season was defined by an absurd succession of arm injuries for ASU hurlers, leaving the team’s 2022 stable of arms in limbo. Help is on the way via transfer, with redshirt junior southpaw Adam Tulloch and junior right-hander Kyle Luckham. Last season with West Virginia, Tulloch logged 37 innings while posting a 6.27 ERA. Luckham put up a 5.25 ERA in 82 innings as Fullerton’s No. 2 starter.
“I’m looking at experience; we might not have that Friday Saturday Sunday guys that can go seven or eight innings, so we may have to mix and match,” new pitching coach Sam Peraza said. “Adam Tulloch has experience at West Virginia, and then Kyle Luckham has 40 starts in college baseball. Those are the guys I want to start with, and we’ll mix and match from there.”
Relievers Christian Bodlovich (5.4 ERA in 33 innings pitched) and Will Levine (3.75 ERA in 36 innings pitched) are key returners in the bullpen.
Bloomquist has never been a head coach at any level, but you wouldn’t know it from the way his players and coaching staff speak of him. He’s surrounded himself with a wealth of experience in Peraza, assistant Mike Goff, and volunteer assistant Travis Buck. In their eyes, the first-year skipper is captaining the ship like a savvy veteran.
“I don’t have five hours,” Peraza said when asked to talk about the recent growth of Bloomquist as a head coach. “When it comes to college baseball, I’ve worked for a lot of people, been fortunate enough to work with some really good head coaches, and so far, he’s right up there with all of them.”
The returning players echo that sentiment. Kai Murphy has Arizona State baseball coursing through his veins, and for the first time in his life, will play under one of his father’s former players. He was quick to highlight the wealth of knowledge Bloomquist has brought to the table during fall and early spring practices.
“The biggest thing that he preaches is the warrior’s mentality,” Murphy said. “Obviously in the box but really in every aspect of life. Being a warrior and saying I’m not gonna get beat, no one’s better than me. That chip on your shoulder can carry a team.”
Although they are still three weeks away from the season opener, the 2022 Sun Devils have already adopted a mantra that reflects the aforementioned warrior mentality. Two senior leaders, Conor Davis and pitcher Boyd Vander-Kooi stepped up to the makeshift podium clad in bright yellow shirts reading “TNT.” The simple yet explosive acronym epitomizes what this year’s team will build its identity upon: Takes No Talent. Every team at this level has talent, and if Arizona State can excel and pride itself in the intangible areas that take no talent, they’ll position themselves for success.
“We’ve got a lot of talented guys on the team, but there’s stuff that takes no talent to win a championship,” Vander Kooi said.
Buck elaborated on the origin of the mantra that has made its way into many of the players’ daily lexicon.
“Willie wanted something to make his own, and small things really have a tendency to get overlooked,” he said. “TNT. Talent is good, but it’s only going to take you so far. It’s the small things that players really have to embrace.”
Both of the players who served as TNT’s walking billboard are coming off significant injuries that kept them off the field for the 2021 season. Davis suffered a torn ACL in fall ball over a year ago, while Vander Kooi was one of three ASU pitchers to undergo Tommy John surgery less than a month into the 2021 campaign. Davis is full go and will be starting at first base on opening night. For Vander Kooi, there’s cautious optimism regarding his status for the early part of the season.
“Were hoping (Vender Kooi) is ready for opening day,” Peraza said. “We’re really happy where his arm health is at. It would be really nice if we can get him to open a couple of games and mix and match from there.”
The rehab process isn’t just physical. Vander Kooi discussed the challenge that a full year away from the game presents for someone who has spent his life throwing a baseball.
“You have days where nothing feels good, and you don’t want to do rehab,” he said. “But you gotta do it. If you do it every day, even when you don’t want to, it helps every aspect of your game. Being a spectator and not a player, you see the game in a different way. I helped a lot of the guys out with that just getting a different look on the game.”
Aside from Davis and Vander Kooi, the Sun Devils are as healthy as one would expect a team to be as the calendar turns to February.
A unique medley of youth and experience makes up the cross section of a group that isn’t exactly grabbing headlines as a force to be reckoned with this season. Arizona State did not crack the top 25 in any major preseason poll, primarily due to the volatility of its pitching staff. The noise, or lack thereof, is not something that concerns the men in the locker room, though. After all, it takes no talent to keep one’s focus on the task at hand.
When asked about the identity of the 2022 Sun Devils, Kai Murphy didn’t waste his breath.
“Relentless,” he said.
In just 19 days, we’ll begin to find out a lot more.
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today here and get all the latest Sun Devil news!
