As opening day nears for the University of Evansville baseball team, we'll be looking at some of the storylines heading into the 2016 season, which will begin on Friday, Feb. 19 at South Alabama.

EVANSVILLE – As the University of Evansville conducted its preseason baseball media day on Monday, Josh Jyawook's name was called early and often to step in front of a camera or microphone, and it was for good reason as the senior will undoubtedly play a primary role for Purple Aces this season.
 
"I really feel like Josh has what it takes to be a polished centerfielder for us this season," UE head coach Wes Carroll said. "Obviously, he had a great season last year, and he's going to have a lot of confidence going into this season. He's a talented senior for us, and we're expecting a big year out of him."
 
The confidence that Carroll shows in Jyawook is echoed by many of the coaches throughout the Missouri Valley Conference, as the Hoffman Estates, Ill., native was named to the preseason all-conference squad earlier this month. Offensively, the numbers speak for themselves. Jyawook ranked among the Valley leaders with a .445 on-base percentage, ending the year with a .314 batting average, 14 doubles and 32 runs batted in.
 
However, he, along with the rest of the Aces line-up, are going to be depended on even more this year with the loss of Kevin Kaczmarski to the Major League draft. An All-American a year ago, Kaczmarski had a truly eye-popping season for the Aces, hitting .465 with a .543 on-base mark. Nearly 40% of his 86 hits on the year went for extra bases.
 

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POSITIONAL PREVIEW: Outfield
 
While Jyawook has grabbed the early season plaudits in the Aces outfield, it's an area where Carroll expects to see some of the best competitions for playing time.
 
"I think Josh has centerfield pretty well locked up, and Shain Showers will likely be out in left, but right field is wide open right now," Carroll revealed. "I think it'll come down to Korbin Williams, Matt Jones or Nate Reeder."
 
Showers, who was a middle infielder for the entirety of the 2015 campaign, will be looking to build upon a season that saw him hit .239 over 44 starts. He finished the season with four home runs, which ranked third on the team, to go along with a pair of triples and four doubles. Of the returning players, only Jyawook and Jonathan Ramon boast of more extra-base hits.
 
Meanwhile, Williams, a sophomore out of Newburgh, also saw significant playing time a year ago, starting 27 games and playing in 12 more. He ended the season with .174 average, five doubles and three homers.
 
While Williams will bring that college experience with him into the competition, freshmen Matt Jones and Nate Reeder enter the season with plenty of momentum after stellar prep careers.
 
"I think Korbin is probably our best overall athlete, but both Matt Jones and Nate Reeder are really going to be clipping at his heels," Carroll said. "Nate is a scrappy hitter and an instinctive outfielder. He's a natural out there, and he has a great arm. Matt has come in as well and showcased a legitimate Division I bat. Both of those freshmen had a fantastic fall for us, and they're going to get a large number of at-bats, whether it's in the outfield or in the designated hitter spot."
 
Reeder, a native of Shawnee, Kan., is a former all-state honoree in the Sunflower State. Following an impressive junior campaign, he hit .373 as a senior to lead his Mission Northwest High School squad to a runner-up finish at the state tournament. Jones, however, joins UE from the international ranks after helping his club team to victories in the 2013 Mickey Mantle World Series and 2015 BCS Finals.
 

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Aces Host Media Day at the Armory
 
With less than pleasant weather outside, the UE baseball team welcomed all three Evansville television stations as well as representatives from the Evansville Courier & Press and UE's own WUEV 91.5, which is the radio home of Aces Baseball, to media day at the Armory. Check out some of the photos from the day's event below.
 
 
  

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