FSU's offense can get rolling if DJ Stewart has a big weekend. (Ross Obley)

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2015 Conference Previews: ACC

PODCAST: Fitt and Rogers Preview the ACC

ACC Projected Standings

Bold indicates projected regional team, Top 25 ranking in parentheses, and records are from 2014. Teams are listed in order of projected finish.

Atlantic Conference Overall (11) Louisville (American) 50-17 (21) Florida State 21-9 43-15 Clemson 15-14 36-23 N.C. State 13-17 32-23 Boston College 10-20 22-33 Wake Forest 15-15 30-26 Notre Dame 9-21 22-31 Coastal Conference Overall (3) Virginia 22-8 44-13 (6) North Carolina 15-15 34-25 (15) Miami 24-6 41-17 Georgia Tech 14-16 36-25 Duke 16-14 33-25 Pittsburgh 11-19 22-20 Virginia Tech 9-21 21-31

Projected Regional Teams (7): Virginia, North Carolina, Louisville, Miami, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech

Player of the Year: D.J. Stewart, of, Florida State

Pitcher of the Year: Nathan Kirby, lhp, Virginia

Freshman of the Year: Carl Chester, of, Miami

NOTEBOOK

• For in-depth reports on Virginia, North Carolina, Louisville, Miami and Florida State, read our Top 25 Breakdowns.

OMAHA SLEEPER

• Clemson underachieved with a talented roster in 2014, sneaking into the NCAA tournament as one of the final teams in the field and going 0-2 in the Nashville Regional. The Tigers haven’t won a regional since their 2010 trip to Omaha, so this is an important season for coach Jack Leggett’s program. Clemson has the talent to make a deep postseason run if its sophomores and juniors progress as hoped. The Tigers should be outstanding defensively up the middle, with a premium defensive catcher (Chris Okey), an athletic playmaker at second base (Eli White), a rangy shortstop whose arm should benefit from offseason surgery (Tyler Krieger) and a speedy, instinctive, aggressive center fielder (Tyler Slaton). Sophomores Okey, White and 3B Weston Wilson all look poised to take major steps forward offensively after adding strength, and Wilson reminds the coaching staff of former Tiger and first-round pick Richie Shaffer. Clemson also expects key contributions from 1B Andrew Cox and smooth-swinging DH Reed Rohlman. The centerpiece of the lineup is RF Steven Duggar, who is growing into power and posted a strong summer in the Cape Cod League. LF Chase Pinder, the brother of former Virginia Tech star Chad Pinder, is a gamer with a knack for producing hard line drives to all fields, and he could hit the ground running. On the mound, Clemson should have a reliable pair of lefties atop the rotation in Matthew Crownover and Zack Erwin, who both feature advanced feel for three pitches. RHPs Jake Long and Clate Schmidt will battle for the No. 3 starter spot; both have plenty of arm strength and are working to improve their command and consistency. RHPs Drew Moyer, Clay Bates and Patrick Andrews (back from Tommy John surgery) give the Tigers a trio of power arms to anchor the bullpen.

OTHER PROJECTED REGIONAL TEAM

• Georgia Tech’s super regional drought is even longer than Clemson’s—the Yellow Jackets haven’t won a regional since 2006. That’s a significant dry spell for a program that brings in quality talent year after year. The Jackets endured an up-and-down 2014 season and got hot at the right time, winning the ACC tournament to punch their ticket to regionals. The maturation of last year’s deep freshman class in the second half of season was an encouraging development heading into 2015. Two of those sophomores form a stellar left side of the infield, as SS Connor Justus boasts quick hands, outstanding range and instincts, while Brandon Gold has a rifle arm and good range at the hot corner. Another sophomore, Arden Pabst, is a physical catcher with an accurate arm, and the Jackets need all three to take steps forward at the plate. This group of Yellow Jackets is not as powerful as usual, but Gold and Matt Gonzalez bring strength to the gaps, while Sr. DH A.J. Murray (fresh off a Cape Cod League star turn) and heralded freshman 1B Kel Johnson bring serious home run power potential. CF Daniel Spingola will make the offense go thanks to his plus speed and mature offensive approach. Georgia Tech should be very good offensively and defensively, but its pitching staff is a major question mark. The weekend rotation could feature three lefties in Jonathan King (who missed most of 2014 due to injury), wily soft-tosser Devin Stanton and fellow command-and-control specialist Ben Parr. The biggest hole to fill is in the bullpen, where Sam Clay and Dusty Isaacs are gone.

KEEP AN EYE ON

• Despite finishing with a winning record in ACC play (16-14), Duke missed out on regionals because of an RPI in the 80s, extending an NCAA tournament drought that dates back to 1961. The Blue Devils should remain competitive in 2015 thanks in large part to a weekend rotation that could be one of the conference’s best. RHP Michael Matuella missed the summer and fall with a back injury, but still heads into the spring as one of the front-runners to be drafted No. 1 overall thanks to a 94-98 fastball, an above-average downer curve, a quality slider and changeup. Veteran RHP Andrew Istler is very experienced and competitive, and he should give Duke a chance every Saturday thanks to his command of an 88-92 sinker and hard slider. Sophomore RHP Bailey Clark made a big jump in the fall and looks ready to assume the Sunday starter job thanks to his improved feel for an 89-92 fastball, good cutter and changeup. Touted freshman LHP Chris McGrath will push Clark for a weekend job thanks to his polish and aggressiveness, and another freshman, Mitch Stallings, could anchor an unproven bullpen. The staff won’t be as deep after LHP Trent Swart (last year’s ACC ERA leader) and RHP James Marvel had Tommy John surgery. Junior SS Kenny Koplove, a slick defender with a strong arm, worked on pitching in the fall and could factor into the bullpen thanks to his 89-94 fastball with serious life from a low slot and his swing-and-miss slider. Another veteran, C Mike Rosenfeld, will help get the most out of the pitching staff and keep opposing running games in check. But this will be a young lineup that needs hulking freshman slugger Justin Bellinger to make an instant impact. Expect a breakout year from redshirt sophomore RF Jalen Phillips, who tantalized scouts with his power/speed combination in fall ball. If Duke’s young position players mature quickly, the Blue Devils have a real shot to snap their 54-year postseason drought.

• A new era begins at N.C. State, where first-round picks Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner are gone, and expectations have dampened accordingly. Last year the Wolfpack was ranked in the top 10 in most preseason rankings and failed to make the NCAA tournament. The 2015 Wolfpack is projected to miss out on regionals once again, giving this club a chance to sneak up on the rest of the ACC. A few key holdovers from N.C. State’s 2013 run to Omaha remain in Raleigh, including athletic Jake Fincher (a defensive whiz in center field), gritty 2B Logan Ratledge (.274/.367/.375, 5 HR, 10 SB) and LHP Brad Stone (4-2, 3.02 in 41.2 IP). Stone struggled as a sophomore after playing a key role down the stretch as a freshman in 2013, and the ’Pack needs him to emerge as a Friday ace this year. Sophomore RHP Cory Wilder looks ready to assume a weekend role after pitching sparingly last year as a freshman, and transfer Curt Britt (who left South Carolina to be closer to his Laurinburg, N.C., home after his father passed away last spring) could join them in the weekend rotation. He showed 89-92 heat and a good 78-81 breaking ball in the fall. Another newcomer, 3B Joe Dunand (the nephew of Alex Rodriguez), showed exceptional hands and a strong, accurate arm at the hot corner this fall, prompting the Wolfpack to move 2014 freshman All-American Andrew Knizner from third to first. Knizner is also working on catching, and if he takes to it he could become a first-round pick in 2016, because he is a natural born hitter with emerging power potential. Ratledge’s new double-play partner will be juco transfer Ryne Willard, a good defensive shortstop with a strong arm who faces the tall order of replacing the electrifying Turner. But for the Wolfpack to return to regionals, it will need much more production out of two of last year’s key newcomers, outfielders Preston Palmeiro and Bubby Riley. Look for the sweet-swinging Palmeiro to post a breakout sophomore year.

THE REST OF THE PACK

• Boston College has yet to post a winning season in head coach Mike Gambino’s four years at the helm, but the Eagles showed signs of progress in the second half last year, winning a road series at N.C. State and sweeping Maryland, then nearly playing spoiler to Clemson’s at-large hopes in the final weekend. Gambino added former Rhode Island head coach Jim Foster to his staff in the offseason, and the pair was encouraged by the team’s development in the fall. One of Gambino’s goals was to build an elite defensive infield, and that’s just what he’s done with this team, which features a marquee defensive second baseman in Blake Butera, a steady shortstop in Johnny Adams and an above-average third baseman in Joe Cronin, who played short a year ago. The Eagles also have a quality backstop with a slightly above-average arm in Nick Sciortino, but the first base, center field and left field jobs are still uncertain. The team’s best player will man right field: Chris Shaw hit .329/.393/.502 with six homers and 18 doubles last year as a sophomore, then proved to be one of the best power bats in the Cape Cod League. He has a chance to lead the ACC in home runs as a junior and could be drafted in the top two or three rounds. BC also has more pitching depth than it has in recent years. The rotation features a trio of righthanders who can all reach at least 92 mph in John Gorman, Mike King and Jeff Burke. Gambino thought King showed signs in the fall of becoming a bona fide front-line ace, with good life on his fastball, a quality changeup and a tighter, harder breaking ball. Burke was banged up in the fall but is capable of running his sinker up to 93 mph and flashes an average slider, though he needs to become more consistent. The real X-factor for BC is RHP Justin Dunn, who showed 94-96 mph heat every time out in the fall, reminding Gambino of his former star at Virginia Tech, Jesse Hahn. Dunn also has good feel for his breaking ball and should form a quality one-two bullpen punch with groundball machine Bobby Skogsbergh.

• Wake Forest’s coaching staff believes this year’s group of position players might be the most talented of the Tom Walter era, but the pitching staff lacks depth, so all of the key arms must stay healthy in order for the Demon Deacons to make their first regional since 2007. The middle of the order should be formidable, with 2B Nate Mondou and powerful DH Will Craig forming a nice lefty-righty power duo. The rest of the lineup is unproven but has plenty of ability. CF Joey Rodriguez is trimmer and faster than he was a year ago, and the Deacons will count on him to set the tone atop the lineup—which means he’ll need to cut down his strikeout rate. Fellow upperclassmen Kevin Jordan and Luke Czajkowski are “tools guys” that have yet to perform in their collegiate careers, but Wake is encouraged that both are ready for breakouts. C Ben Breazeale has solid catch-and-throw skills and should bring lefthanded pop to the middle of the order. The Deacs will count upon a freshman at shortstop in Drew Freedman, whose defense should be ACC-ready but whose bat is something of a question mark. On the mound, RHPs Aaron Fossas and Craig will take over two weekend starter spots thanks to their feel for pitching and competitiveness. The breakout star of the fall was RHP Chris Farish, who showed much more electric stuff than he did a year ago, when he redshirted.

• Notre Dame expects to be strong on the mound, with a deep staff that includes 20 pitchers. Senior RHP Scott Kerrigan (3-1, 1.87), the Friday starter, thrives on his ability to work downhill and locate his high-80s to low-90s fastball, and he mixes in a curve that can be an out pitch. Another upperclassman, Jr. LHP Michael Hearne (5-6, 2.51), will likely pitch on Saturdays; his plus changeup and excellent ability to locate makes his low to mid-80s fastball play up. So. RHP Ryan Smoyer, a four-pitch guy with command of an 88-91 fastball, had a strong summer in the Northwoods League and made significant strides with his breaking stuff, making him a breakout candidate in the rotation. The Irish are also excited about their collection of freshman arms, led by RHP Peter Solomon, a high-profile recruit who sits at 90-92 and has a pair of out-pitches in his slider and curveball. Two other freshman righties, Brad Bass and Brandon Bielak, can both reach 92 or slightly better and should help anchor the bullpen right away. The offense is more of a question mark, but the coaches are excited about the improvement of sophomores like C Ryan Lidge (a switch-hitter with gap power and a plus arm behind the plate) and 3B Kyle Fiala (an above-average defender with emerging pop). The roster also features two sons of soon-to-be Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, So. 2B Cavan and Sr. OF Conor. Cavan was a blue-chip recruit who took his lumps as a freshman and must take a big step forward as a sophomore for Notre Dame to make noise in the ACC this year. He does have good strike-zone discipline and a nice gap-to-gap stroke from the left side, and he plays solid defense at second base.

• Pittsburgh was an anemic offensive club a year ago, hitting just .237 (281st in the nation) and scoring just 4.7 runs per game (182nd). No Panther hit better than .272 last year, and Pitt lost its top two hitters and three of its top four. So if there’s any hope for a turnaround, it must start with seniors Eric Hess (.262/.360/.317) and Boo Vazquez (.246/.312/.400, 6 HR) who are both capable of increasing their production. Junior-college transfer Alex Kowalczyk brings additional physicality and a strong arm behind the plate, while 6-foot-5 CF/LHP Aaron Schnurbusch is another JC transfer slated to play a key role. Schnurbush could hit cleanup and serve as a weekend starter on the mound. The coaching staff is optimistic about the speed and power potential of this unit, but there are plenty of question marks in a lineup filled with new faces, including a freshman shortstop in Charles Leblanc, who has experience on the international stage with the Canadian junior national team.

• Virginia Tech struggled to a last-place finish a year ago thanks to a pitching staff that ranked 235th nationally with a 5.17 ERA and a meager offense that produced just 12 home runs. The Hokies also must replace their best player (catcher Mark Zagunis) and No. 1 starter (Brad Markey). But most of the other key players are back, and Virginia Tech will hope the added year of experience is beneficial for them. The Hokies expect their defense to be strong up the middle thanks to the return of 2B Alex Perez, SS Ricky Surum and CF Saige Jenco. Jenco (.323/.362/.449, 20 SB) is a fleet-footed sophomore who will be the engine that makes the Hokies go from the top of the order. The focus of the offense is Sr. 1B Brendon Hayden (.302/.407/.497), who accounted for seven of the team’s 12 long balls last year. The third-leading hitter among Virginia Tech’s returning players, two-way talent Sean Keselica, will focus on pitching this year, and the Hokies expect that specialization to help him thrive atop the rotation. Meanwhile Perez will assume more of a dual role—he just started pitching last year and threw 5.2 innings, but he showed signs in the fall of becoming a legitimate starting pitcher option, and he could open the season in a midweek role on the mound.

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