Baseball Season Preview: Top Three Wildcards

With Baylor baseball’s season opener against Central Michigan being less than a month away, it's time to start breaking down some of the biggest storylines and questions heading into the 2023 season. 

Today, I’ll break down who I believe are the three biggest wildcards on the team.

It’s expected that fifth-year senior Blake Helton will be the Friday starter throughout the spring. Somewhere around the mid-point of the season, junior Will Rigney will return to the weekend rotation.

But until Rigney returns, that leaves two open spots in the weekend rotation that will likely be decided between Cam Caley, Mason Marriott, Kobe Andrade or McLennan transfer Jared Matheson.

Baylor Athletics

Caley pitched three innings in Friday’s scrimmage and did not allow a hit or ER.

Cam Caley – In last Friday’s intrasquad scrimmage, Caley started the game on the bump for the Green team. In only three innings of work, Caley outdueled Blake Helton and did not allow a hit or an earned run.

Last year in Big 12 play, Caley could never find consistency and recorded an 11.45 ERA in 11 innings pitched. However, the staff has repeatedly praised his growth on the mound throughout the fall and spring. 

If Caley can emerge as an above-average weekend starter in his junior season, I believe the ceiling for this Baylor team will be significantly raised. 

Mason Marriott – Marriott is another pitcher that the staff has praised throughout the fall and spring. 

Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365

Marriott recorded a 5.96 ERA in 25.2 IP last season.

In his freshman season in 2022, you could see glimpses of how talented he was. In high-pressure situations, Marriott secured saves in thrilling victories over both UCLA and LSU. 

However, throwing strikes consistently was an issue that plagued Marriott’s freshman season. The Houston native totaled 26 walks in 25.2 innings pitched. 

If the talented sophomore can put everything together under new pitching coach James Leverton, he’s going to pitch at a high level for the Bears over the next several years.

Kobe Andrade – The junior two-way player from Corpus Christi is heading into the spring, coming off of an up-and-down 2022 season.

When injuries and question marks began to pile up to the weekend rotation last March, Andrade valiantly stepped into the Saturday role and was fantastic for the first month. From March 19 to April 15, Andrade totaled 29.1 IP, 10 ER, 18 H, four BB, a 3.07 ERA and struck out 11. 

Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365

Andrade pitched a 2-run complete game against Kansas on April 15.

In his last three starts of the season against Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas State, Andrade allowed 20 ER, 22 H, eight BB and struck out five in 12 innings pitched.

If Andrade can regain what made him so good throughout the first half of last year’s Big 12 play, he will have a shot to remain a weekend starter throughout the entire 2023 season. 

In Friday’s scrimmage, he also saw some time in center and may be an option in the field. Last season at the plate, Andrade went 1-14 with an RBI and a run scored.