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Miami baseball begins 2020 season ranked in top five

By Alan Rubenstein

CORAL GABLES, FL - April 21: Jeb Bargfeldt #19 of the Miami Hurricanes throws the ball against the Florida State Seminoles during fourth inning action on April 21, 2017 at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Hurricanes 6-3. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
CORAL GABLES, FL - April 21: Jeb Bargfeldt #19 of the Miami Hurricanes throws the ball against the Florida State Seminoles during fourth inning action on April 21, 2017 at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Hurricanes 6-3. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
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The Miami baseball team enters the 2020 season as a consensus top-five team nationally. Miami was 41-20 in 2019 and was the Starkville Regional runner-up to host Mississippi State.

The Miami baseball team enters the 2020 season with high hopes after finishing 41-20 in 2019. The Hurricanes were the runner-up in the Starkville Regional in 2019 to host Mississippi State. Miami was back in the NCAA Tournament last season after missing the postseason in 2017 and 2018.

The Miami baseball team returns a powerful lineup in 2020. The Hurricanes offense will be led by catcher Adrian DelCastillo. Playing multiple positions as a freshman in 2019, Del Castillo hit .331 with 78 hits, 12 home runs and 72 RBI and struck out only 24 times in 236 at-bats.

First baseman Alex Toral gives Miami pop in the middle of their lineup. As a sophomore Toral hit .293 with 24 home runs and 67 RBIs. Third baseman Raymond Gil is the third anchor in the middle of the Miami lineup. As a sophomore in 2019, Gil hit .318 with 13 HRs and 44 RBIs.

The 2020 Miami baseball team will not be all about their lineup. The Hurricanes should have one of the deepest weekend rotations in college baseball. Redshirt senior Brian Van Bell, junior Chris McMahon and sophomore Slade Cecconi would be the Friday night starter on most teams.

Van Belle was 10-2 with a 3.30 ERA in 95.1 innings in 2019, McMahon went 3-2, 3.73 in 60.1 innings and Cecconi was 5-4, 4.16 in 80.0 innings. Junior Daniel Federman is the likely closer after sharing that role with Greg Veliz in 2019. Federman was 3-5 with a 3.51 ERA and seven saves 48.2 innings in 2019.

Senior Tyler Keysor will give Miami experience as a likely weekday starter. Keysor was 6-1, 3.78 in 47.2 innings in 2019. While the focus will be on the Hurricanes powerful lineup in 2020, Miami has a deep pitching staff that should allow them to make a run towards Omaha and the College World Series this spring.

dark. Next. Miami baseball begins 2020 with 11 straight home game

The goal for the Miami baseball team is a trip in June to Omaha. Miami has not reached the College World Series since 2016. With five preseason All-Americans and the prohibitive favorite to win the ACC Coastal, Miami should wind up hosting a regional with enough balance to challenge for a trip to Omaha.

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