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Aiva Arquette (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)
With the help of 64Analytics.com, Baseball America is back to highlight 10 college players who produced standout data in Week 9. Here are five hitters and pitchers who caught our attention this past week.
Hitters
Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Arquette continued his excellent draft season last week, going 9-for-18 with four home runs and 11 RBIs across four games to help the Beavers to another perfect week and the No. 9 ranking in the latest Top 25. The Oregon State shortstop posted a .500 batting average, .591 OBP and 1.278 slugging percentage, leading to a .780 wOBA and 224 wRC+. Arquette’s blend of power, strong feel for contact, and natural athleticism has propelled him up draft boards, with some evaluators now viewing him as the top college shortstop prospect in this year’s class. His ability to impact the ball and control the zone has made him one of the most dynamic players in the country.
Damian Garcia, 1B/OF, Texas Southern
Though he hasn’t had to do it in the spotlight of Power 4 competition, Sierra Vista (Ariz.) Cochise College transfer Damian Garcia has been every bit as effective as any player in the country who made the leap to Division I this offseason. The Texas Southern first baseman and outfielder is hitting .363 on the season with nine home runs, eight doubles, three triples, and 41 RBIs. Last week, Garcia added to his totals by going 8-for-13 with five home runs and nine RBIs across three games. He produced a .615 batting average, .688 OBP and 1.846 slugging percentage, leading to a .978 wOBA, 281 wRC+ and nation-leading 10.02 wRCE, according to 64Analytics. His impact bat continues to shine.
Cameron Nickens, OF, Austin Peay
Nickens has quietly pieced together one of the most explosive seasons in the country, and last week only added fuel to his breakout. The Austin Peay left fielder went 13-for-21 over four games, homering three times, driving in six runs and turning in the third-best weekly wRCE behind Garcia and Arquette. On the year, Nickens is batting .429 with 14 home runs, 16 doubles and 50 RBIs—all career highs—and his consistent thump in the middle of the order has been a driving force behind Austin Peay’s push toward an NCAA Tournament berth. Few hitters nationally have been able to match his combination of contact, damage and durability. He ranks fourth in the country on the year in wRCE.
Nick Rodriguez, 2B, Missouri State
Rodriguez made his presence felt in a big way last week when he launched five home runs and drove in 11 runs over a six-game stretch for Missouri State. The second baseman’s power surge fueled a 1.154 slugging percentage and helped him post a .648 wOBA, further cementing himself as one of the most dangerous bats in the Missouri Valley Conference. Rodriguez has shown an impressive ability to both impact the baseball and carry an offense for stretches, something Missouri State will continue to lean on as it pushes deeper into conference play with its sights set on the postseason.
Gavin Gallaher, 3B, North Carolina
North Carolina’s climb to No. 5 in the national rankings has been fueled by an offensive eruption, and Gallaher has been right in the middle of it. Over the Tar Heels’ four Week 9 games, Gallaher went 9-for-15 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. The sophomore third baseman put together a .600/.647/1.400 line last week and posted an .839 wOBA, helping to set the tone for a North Carolina offense that’s earned three run-rule wins in its last five games. Gallaher’s emergence has given the Tar Heels another major weapon as they barrel toward postseason play.
Pitchers
Jack Ohman, RHP, Yale
Ohman continues to put together one of the most remarkable freshman seasons in the country. The righthander fired a complete-game shutout last week, scattering five hits with no walks and six strikeouts over nine innings to lower his ERA to a staggering 0.19 across 47.1 innings this season. With 55 strikeouts against just 11 walks, Ohman has separated himself not just as Yale’s ace, but as the clear standout arm in the Ivy League. His 36th-ranked wRAE on the year and latest outing only add to a growing résumé that’s quickly turning heads well beyond the conference.
Harrison Bodendorf, LHP, Oklahoma State
Bodendorf turned in one of the most impressive individual outings of the season Friday night against No. 22 Arizona. He needed 125 pitches to complete 10 innings and gave up just three hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out 10 in a throwback performance rarely seen in power-conference play. Since transferring from Hawaii, Bodendorf has adjusted seamlessly to the Big 12, posting a 3.14 ERA with 63 strikeouts and just 17 walks across 51.2 innings. He’s been especially dominant over his last two starts, allowing just one earned run in 17 innings while racking up 22 strikeouts against five walks.
Armed with a changeup and slider that have both produced whiff rates north of 50%, Bodendorf showcased his full arsenal in this latest effort, underscoring why he’s quickly become one of the most valuable arms in the conference.
Trey Beard, LHP, Florida Atlantic
Beard has steadily gained national attention this spring, and his latest outing only added to his growing profile. The FAU lefthander punched out 11 over seven innings last week against Memphis, allowing just three hits, one earned run and two walks. For the season, Beard is surging toward American Athletic Conference pitcher of the year honors, boasting a 2.92 ERA with 85 strikeouts against 24 walks over 52.1 innings. His ability to pair swing-and-miss stuff with improving command has turned him into one of the premier arms on the AAC circuit. Beard is generating 44% whiff and 31% chase rates through nine appearances in his sophomore year.
Carson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas
Wiggins didn’t need long to leave a lasting impression last week. The Arkansas righthander struck out five over three scoreless innings without issuing a walk, showcasing the kind of overpowering arsenal that few pitchers in the country can match. Wiggins’ fastball was the headline, as he unleashed the pitch 22 times, with 10 clocked at 100 mph or higher and two reaching an eye-popping 102. Only a freshman, Wiggins’ raw velocity out of the bullpen gives the Razorbacks a true weapon in late-game situations. He’s rising name to track among the hardest throwers in college baseball.
Jack Anker, RHP, Fresno State
Anker has battled inconsistency for much of the season, carrying an ERA that’s hovered near 6.00, but there was no doubt he found his rhythm last week. The Fresno State junior turned in a masterpiece, striking out 16 batters over eight scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and one walk. He posted an 18.0 K/9, a 0.38 WHIP and a dominant 17.14 wRAE, numbers that rank among the most impressive single-week performances of the year. If Anker can bottle this version of himself down the stretch, he could become a major difference-maker for the Bulldogs, who are currently leading the charge to win the Mountain West.
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