UNM Baseball Features Plenty of New Faces
The University of New Mexico baseball team may be tough for fans to recognize in 2019.
Coach Ray Birmingham hopes so.
The Lobos will start fall camp in a few weeks with a new staff of assistant coaches and 29 players who have never appeared in a game for UNM. By way of contrast, there are 17 returning players on the fall roster.
The overhaul amounts to hitting a reset button after the Lobos finished with a disappointing 20-33-1 record last season. It should also make for an interesting fall as players battle for spots on the spring roster. UNM carried 37 players last season.
"I've never had this much turnover in 41 years of coaching," Birmingham said, "but a lot of it needed to happen. We need to get back to playing Lobo baseball and that means energy and competition. Some of that was lacking last year."
It was only New Mexico's second losing season in Birmingham's 11 years as coach. He has since been in rebuilding mode despite the fact his coaching contract expired on June 30. Birmingham has since been working on a month-to-month arrangement as he negotiates an extension – a process he hopes to soon complete.
"We're really close," Birmingham said. "(Athletic director) Eddie Nuñez made me an offer and it's a big step in the right direction. I think we'll have something done soon."
Birmingham said the offer is for three years – the term he is seeking – but he declined to discuss other specifics.
In the meantime, Birmingham and his new assistant coaches (pitching coach Brandon Higelin, recruiting coordinator Jon Coyne and catching coach Nate Causey) are looking forward to seeing what their revamped squad can do.
Not all the faces will be new. UNM has a number of key returnees, including infielders Hayden Schilling, Justin Watari, Jeff Deimling and Connor Mang, outfielders Jared Mang, Derek Marshall and Brayden Merritt, and pitchers Justin Slaten, Cody Dye, Malachi Emond, Drew Gillespie and Nathaniel Garley, to name just a few.
But the large crop of newcomers features some interesting storylines. Here are a handful.
⋄ Albuquerque Academy alum A.J. Bregman was drafted in the 35th round by the Houston Astros in June. The younger brother of Astros infielder Alex Bregman, A.J. spent spent part of the summer in Houston working out with Alex and other professional players but never wavered from his plans to play at UNM.
⋄ Bregman (LHP) is one of five true freshmen from New Mexico on UNM's fall roster. Hunter Boyden (RHP, La Cueva), Tristin Lively (SS/RHP, Las Cruces), Jack Murano (IF, Cleveland) and Cameron Stevenson (SS/OF, Goddard) are the others.
⋄ Juco transfer Ryan Rijo was drafted in the 37th round by the Philadelphia Phillies. A first baseman, Rijo hit .386 with 20 home runs and 59 RBIs in 52 games at New Mexico Junior College last season.
⋄ Rijo is one of four new Lobos who had previously committed to play at Abilene Christian but were released when longtime coach Britt Bonneau resigned after last season. Juco transfers Nico Garza, Reese O'Farrell and Nick Colacecchi are the others.
⋄ Freshmen pitchers Kevin and Kyle Conley are twins. Kevin is a right-hander, while Kyle pitches from the left side.