Baseball Season Preview: Infield depth key in 2019

This is the second of a four-part series previewing the 2019 Bryant University baseball team. BryantBulldogs.com will previewed the Bulldog catchers on Monday and will preview the outfield on Wednesday and the pitching staff on Thursday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Anchored by a pair of upperclassmen that have appeared in a combined 228 career games, the Bryant University baseball team will feature an experienced and well-balanced infield in 2019.

Senior Tyler Panno (Rivervale, N.J.) returns to the hot corner, while junior Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) is back for his third season as the Black and Gold's starting first baseman. The duo have combined for 16 home runs and over 140 RBI in their careers.

"It's an important part of our defense to have two guys that have a ton of experience and that are very good fielders," head coach Steve Owens said. "In some ways, Tyler Panno and Chris Wright's consistency with their at-bats are one of the key elements of how good we can be this year."

A year after serving as Bryant's everyday left fielder, Panno returned to the hot corner in 2018 and provided the Bulldogs with solid defense and offensive pop. He posted a .925 fielding percentage at the hot corner and posted career-highs in average (.269), hits (53), doubles (12), home runs (6), runs scored (26) and stolen bases (6). After getting just 20 at-bats as a true freshman in 2016, Panno has collected 34 extra-base hits over the last two seasons combined, with four of his seven career home runs coming against Arkansas, Auburn and Arizona.

"Tyler can run well and is a good defender," Owens said. "We need him to drive runs in, cut his strikeouts down and have quality AB after quality AB. He has the ability to hit with power and if he gets locked in that could be a big part of what he does."

Wright started all but four games at first base for the Black and Gold in 2018 and put together a very consistent offensive season. He earned All-NEC and All-New England honors after hitting .313 with five home runs, a career-high 36 RBI and 32 runs scored. Wright also continued to be a tough out, walking more than he struck out and finishing with a .405 OBP. After making just three relief appearances last year, Wright is expected to see more time on the mound this year after an electric performance in the Cape Cod League last summer.

"Chris doesn't strikeout, walks a lot and has a high OBP," Owens said. "He's in a much better place consistency-wise than he has been in the past. He's also strong and can hit for power."

The Bulldogs are also excited to have redshirt sophomore Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) back in the lineup. Bryant's everyday shortstop as a true freshman in 2017, Titus missed all but two games last season with an injury. Titus is healthy and ready to pick up where he left off when he hit eight home runs and drove in 42 runs on his way to Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-American honors in 2017.

"The return of Jimmy will help our lineup tremendously because he's one of the better hitters we've ever had in the program," Owens said. "He's mature, has a great approach and he's going to be sandwiched around Ryan Ward which should be an interesting duo to try and pitch through. He's also played enough to have a good feel on how to run the defense and be the leader of the infield."

Junior Bryan Hart (Franklin, Mass.) will also be a big part of Bryant's infield in his third season in the Black and Gold. Hart has started games at all four infield positions during his career and played some his best baseball down the stretch in 2018. He homered in three-straight games in the final two weeks of the season, including in the NEC Tournament opener against Mount St. Mary's. Hart finished with five home runs, 12 RBI, 21 runs scored and four stolen bases.

Defensively, Hart fielded 110 chances and posted a .955 fielding percentage. Of his five errors, three came at second and he committed one each at first and short.

"Bryan's a versatile guy that has power, speed and size and will help us at second and third this year," Owens said.

Bryant will also benefit from having a great deal of competition and depth this spring. Sophomore Nick Viscariello (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshmen Jake Gustin (Peabody, Mass.), Brian Nicolas (Langhorne, Pa.) and Matt Woods (Warwick, R.I.) will all battle for time. Viscariello played in 14 games last spring and has turned himself into a very good option for the Black and Gold off the bench, while Gustin, Nicolas and Woods all enjoyed outstanding prep careers.

Gustin has already earned preseason recognition from D1Baseball.com, Baseball America and Perfect Game. All three outlets have listed Gustin as their projected NEC Rookie of the Year. The accolades come after Gustin hit .529 with six doubles, four triples and three home runs as a senior at Peabody Veteran Memorial.

Nicolas hit .467 with two home runs, 10 RBI, 21 runs scored and posted a .556 OBP as a senior in high school. He then went on to earn top hitter honors at the 2018 AAABA National Tournament All-American.

Woods gives the Bulldogs a bit more local talent as he joins the Black and Gold after a standout career at Pilgrim High School. He was a three-time all-state selection and a 2018 Perfect Game/Rawlings Second Team Preseason All-American. Woods went on to hit .406 with five doubles and six triples, earning Central Rhode Island Player of the Year honors last spring.

"Visco has gotten a lot better, doesn't strikeout and has played very good defense so far this year," Owens said. "Woods is a very athletic kid that will take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves to help us on the field. Brian is a very good second baseman that can turn a double play and will be ready to play when called upon. And Jake is a physical player that can play both short and second at a high level and has improved offensively over the course of the offseason."

Bryant opens the 2019 season with a three-game series at Abilene Christian beginning on Friday, Feb. 15.

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