Arizona State baseball fans have some roster study to do this offseason if they want to be familiar with the 2023 team come opening day in February. And it’s not just the pitching staff that received a makeover this summer.
Of the 45 Arizona State’s roster players, only 13 are returners. Thirty-two new faces, both from a robust transfer class and a 13-man freshman, are spending the fall making themselves comfortable at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. So far, the transition has been remarkably easy.
“Everyone’s been super welcoming; from day one, I’ve felt completely at home here,” San Francisco transfer shortstop Luke Keaschall said. “I’ve spent most of my time here (at the facility), but Tempe has been great. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about these guys and the way we do things here.”
It’s easy to welcome a player like Keaschall. As a sophomore at USF, he batted .305 with a .947 OPS. He also added eight bombs, no easy feat in the often cool and pitcher-friendly marine layer in San Francisco. “The ball definitely flies here a little better,” Keaschall said with a power hitter’s grin. “That I like.”
Not only are the transfers and freshmen being welcomed by the returners, but they’re also bonding with each other as well. Keaschall and fellow transfer infielder Drake Varnado, who makes his way to ASU via Arkansas, have grown close during their first two months on campus. Varnado said that while there is, of course, competition at every spot, he and Keaschall are hoping to serve as ASU’s tandem up the middle. Varnado is a second baseman by trade. His numbers are more modest than Keaschall, which is to be expected when a player transfers away from one of the top programs in the country. He got four hits in just 17 at-bats with the Razorbacks in 2022. He plans to have a much bigger impact with ASU.
“We’re planning on being up the middle this year. We’re up here every morning getting work in,” Varnado remarked of his and Keaschall’s relationship on the field. It’s clear the duo is wired similarly. After each finished their interviews, they re-emerged from the clubhouse with a football. Any chemistry we see on defense from the pair this year might be attributed to their time spent tossing the pigskin in the outfield grass.
Both players looked comfortable throwing the football as if interim head coach Shaun Aguano needed another couple of names to worry about at quarterback this week.
ASU fans who became accustomed to watching Sean McLain perform on the diamond during the last few years can certainly be excited for the same athleticism and swagger that his younger brother Nick will bring this season. Nick is a sophomore transfer from UCLA but hardly played with the Bruins during his freshman campaign due to a significant back injury. He’s healthy now, and he says the transition to Tempe has been smooth thanks to his familiarity with the program and University.
“He (Sean) told me a lot about just what to expect here overall; we’re very competitive, all three of us,” he explained, referencing his eldest brother Matt, a former star at UCLA and first-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2021. “UCLA really wasn’t my style of play. With Sean playing here, obviously, we love the coaching staff, and I just like the looser style of play over here.”
Unlike his older brother, Nick McLain is an outfielder. He explained that working with coaches with big league experience, specifically Travis Buck, has been amazing and also influenced his decision.
Without any collegiate body of work to reference, analyzing incoming freshmen can be an arduous task. Some, however, have undeniable tools that make a player a strong candidate not only for a starting role but one of a key contributor come spring. When it comes to freshman outfielder Isaiah Jackson, don’t take my word for it; take the Houston Astros’. They selected Jackson in the 16th round of this year’s draft, even after he indicated to scouts he intended on enrolling at ASU. Choosing to come to school was the second time Jackson decided to stay loyal to his commitment to ASU. He was recruited by Tracy Smith’s staff but decided to sign with ASU even after the coaching change.
“Once the former coaches left, I was kind of uneasy,” Jackson admitted. “Then, when I heard Bloomy was coming in as an old pro guy, an alumni, I just wanted to talk to him. The first conversation we had, I just loved everything he had to say, and I felt confident in my decision.”
He’s a plus defender in the outfield, and his bat is one that translates at any level. He peppered the home bullpen in right field during his batting practice session on Wednesday afternoon. Home runs will not be a rarity during Jackson’s time with the Sun Devils. Although he’s most comfortable in center field, he’s willing to occupy any of the outfield positions if it means getting and staying on the field to help the team win. His length and ability to cover distance in the outfield is something he says sets him apart.
“My love is to play center field because that’s where I’ve always played, but of course, it’s wherever coach and the team need me I’ll be.”
