Though the Michigan baseball team’s energy is focused intently on the Big Ten Tournament, several Wolverines’ regular-season accomplishments received conference honors.
Leading the conference, Michigan holds the most All-Big Ten First Team selections with three, Headlining the team are sophomore utility player Mitch Voit, graduate outfielder Stephen Hrustich and fifth-year left-hander Jacob Denner.
Playing all over the diamond, including on the mound, Voit has been an integral part of the Wolverines’ success. At the plate, Voit recorded a .280 batting average and 11 home runs through the regular season, registering numerous clutch hits. This includes two pinch-hit home runs to take a late lead. Though shut down on the mound for the latter half of the season, Voit holds a 5-3 record, including a notable 96-pitch complete game against UCLA.
After transferring from Northwestern, Hrustich established himself as an all-around hitter, leading Michigan in home runs and second in batting average. More than just a threat with his bat, Hrustich’s plate discipline is a hallmark of his game, second in the Big Ten with 50 walks.
(Hrustich has) hit some balls really, really well,” Michigan coach Tracy Smith said April 28. “… He’s a very disciplined hitter. I think that’s what makes him such a good hitter, because he can beat you in multiple ways. He can beat you with the home run, … he gets on base and he’ll take the walk. He’ll get that two out walk and then it’ll lead to a run. So very mature player given us mature at bats
On the mound, Denner has done it all for the Wolverines. Whether he’s called upon as a starter or out of the bullpen, Denner always takes the ball with confidence. Oftentimes called upon in a jam, Denner’s reliability has been his main calling card. In 76.0 innings and a whopping 26 appearances, Denner holds a 3.91 ERA and 1.26 WHIP through the regular season.
“He’s very effective,” Smith said May 11. “He’s a good pitcher. But he just doesn’t get rattled. And no matter what the situation is, he still stays dialed in and makes pitches.”
Alongside them, several other Wolverines earned Big Ten honors. In his first season as a starter, sophomore right-hander Kurt Barr earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Third Team. In 79.1 innings of work, Barr held an impressive 3.52 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP through the regular season, establishing himself as Michigan’s ace. Behind him, graduate second baseman Mack Timbrook also earned Third Team honors. In his first and only season in Ann Arbor, Timbrook hit for a .302 batting average and .399 on-base percentage through the regular season, becoming one of Smith’s most trusted batters.
Joining his teammates on the awards list is freshman designated hitter Collin Priest, earning All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors. After starting the season out of the lineup, Priest became a mainstay after displaying his abilities at the plate. Since cracking the batting order, he has been a true cleanup hitter, smashing a freshman-record 12 home runs in just 138 at-bats through the regular season. Additionally, he holds a .283 batting average and a .438 on-base percentage.
And finally, representing Michigan as the Wolverines’ Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner is senior infielder Dylan Stanton. Though not a daily starter for Michigan, Stanton’s impact has been felt. As a versatile threat, he’s slotted into many positions across the field while coming up timely at the plate.
With seven Wolverines recognized with conference honors, they pose themselves as a formidable threat in the conference. But Michigan is still searching for its ultimate honor: a Big Ten championship.