Pack9 Opponent Preview: Stanford

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Tell me about this team

Man, was I bullish on this Stanford team in the preseason. From the ACC opponents preview:

Can this team end the odd two-year skid following three consecutive CWS appearances? The lineup returns all but two of the significant pieces from last year, which is a solid base to build from. Only two transfer position players were brought in and neither played much last year at their prior school, but they offer significant upside. The higher upside is the six-man freshman class of position players, led by OF Brock Ketelsen (.328/.467/.458, 5 2B, 2 HR, 17.5 BB%, 11.4 K%, 35-38 in the WCL last summer). Ketelsen is a two way player, and it’s as a LHP that he’ll likely make his biggest impact this year, potentially even in the starting rotation. That’s because the entire starting rotation is open after last year (one lost to graduation, one to transfer, and one to Tommy John Surgery), but the team returns 13 of the 16 players who toed the rubber for the Cardinal last year (okay, only 12 will be available this year). It’s a deep and talented group that will be supplemented by the 7-man freshman class. This team has major upside if the weekend rotation can be worked out.

That last sentence carried more weight than I realized at the time I wrote it, and it’s exactly what’s kept this Stanford team from truly realizing its potential. The lineup (.284/.387/.493, 94 2B, 72 HR, 12.0 BB%, 19.2 K%, 41-60 SB) has been fine, running as a middle-of-the-road group in ACC play in most areas, but looming extra punchy in conference play in slugging percentage (3rd, .489) thanks to a higher penchant for home runs (T-2nd, 42).

But that pitching… woof.

For the season, the group has 6.18 ERA over 399.1 IP with a 12.5 BB% and 20.7 K%. That ERA balloons to 7.11 in ACC play over 209.0 IP, but walks have really been the key issue to the tune of 133 of them in conference play. Stanford pitchers have also uncorked a league-high 27 wild pitches in ACC games and committed a league-worst 6 balks; that’s a lot of extra bases for the other team.

The rotation has been a revolving door in ACC play, with SR RHP Nick Dugan being the only constant (7 starts in 8 ACC series). It certainly didn’t help losing JR RHP Aidan Keenan (0-3, 6.75 ERA, 18.2 IP, 20.8 BB%, 20.8 K%) after just five starts. Freshman LHP Andrew Shaw has made four “starts” in league play, but those four outings have only spanned 6.1 innings, so they’re using him as an opener and not a true starter, and this isn’t a bullpen set up for a bunch of Johnny Wholestaff games. It doesn’t help to have a defense behind them that’s been one of the league’s worst in conference games at both fielding percentage (15th, .960) and stopping the opposing running game (15th, .900 stolen base percentage).

As for the season itself, it’s been a slog from start to finish. After a 5-4 record to open the season, including a win over Nebraska, the team went on a six-game skid, including being swept at Wake Forest to open ACC play. The Cardinal did play .500 ball in league play over their next four weekends before losing a series to Miami and looking like the season was lost. Then Stanford swept a Top 10 ranked Florida State team at home and suddenly with winnable series remaining against at struggling Notre Dame and California teams sandwiched around a home matchup with a beat up NC State, it looked like Stanford may well make a run at an NCAA Regional at-large bid.

That all came crashing down last weekend when the Fighting Irish swept the Cardinal. It would take a 6-0 finish to the season and a miracle run in the ACC Tournament in Charlotte for this Stanford team to make an NCAA Regional. Most likely, it’s going to need that automatic bid that comes with hoisting that ACC trophy. Unfortunately, this Stanford team just doesn’t have the pitching to make any of that happen.

Pitching Matchups

Friday: LHP Cooper Consiglio(JR) vs LHP Andrew Shaw (FR)

Saturday: TBD vs RHP Toran O’Harran (SR)

Sunday: TBD vs RHP Nick Dugan(SR)

Key Players:

Offense

DH/1B/3B/OF Teddy Tokheim (FR) – .342/.411/.677, 15 2B, 13 HR, 10.6 BB%, 16.7 K%, 0-1 SB. Top 150 recruit from Seattle, the 6’3, 215 lbs righty has been excellent. Hitting .346/.404/.712 in ACC play. He’ll be draft-eligible in 2027 and should fly up draft boards with his hitting abilities. His ceiling will be set by his ability to prove himself in the field.

1B Rintaro Sasaki (SO) – .282/.417/.603, 11 2B, 15 HR, 17.0 BB%, 18.3 K%, 0-1 SB. Most know his story by now, but Sasaki’s father is the head coach at Hanamaki Higashi high school in Japan, the same school that Shohei Ohtani and Yusei Kikuchi attended. Stocky with a 6’1, 270 lbs frame, the expectations for him last year were way too high, and while he put together a solid year (.269/.377/.413, 8 2B, 7 HR, 10.6 BB%, 19.9 K%, 1-2 SB), he’s really tapping into his potential this year.

2B Eric Jeon (rSO) – .333/.448/.571, 6 2B, 8 HR, 15.6 BB%, 11.0 K%, 2-3 SB. Transfer from Columbia University where he was a 2024 2nd Team All-Ivy League selection as freshman, but was injured in the 2025 season opener and missed the remainder of the year. Solid defender who handles the bat extremely well and has a great feel for the strike zone.

CF Cort MacDonald (SR) – .355/.421/.533, 10 2B, 3 HR, 7.8 BB%, 16.3 K%, 2-5 SB. Was a reserve as a freshman on Stanford’s 2023 CWS team, but has been a full-time starter since. Did miss one-third of last year with injury. On a tear lately, going 10-for-24 over his last five games.

Pitching

LHP Andrew Shaw (FR) – 1-0, 3.28 ERA, 24.2 IP, 6.9 BB%, 18.1 K%. A 6’3, 201 lbs freshman southpaw from Woodstock, GA. A bit of an under-the-radar recruit, he’s been fantastic, pitching to a 3.07 ERA in 14.2 IP of ACC play. Has been used as a reliever or opener, even though he’ll get the start Friday night. Hasn’t allowed a run in his last six appearances spanning 6.1 innings.

RHP Toran O’Harran (SR) – 2-1, 1 SV, 4.11 ERA, 30.2 IP, 10.6 BB%, 18.3 K%. A reliever on Stanford’s 2023 CWS team, has just recently moved to a starting role over the last four weekends, slowly building up his pitch count (he’s thrown 59 and 57 pitches, respectively, in his last two starts). Has pitched in the Cape Cod League each of the last two summers, but oddly struggled with control there really bad (18 BB in 9.0 IP).

RHP Nick Dugan(SR) – 1-3, 7.47 ERA, 47.0 IP, 8.7 BB%, 17.5 K%. The senior has 35 career starts under his belt and put together a solid 2025 campaign (6-0, 4.80 ERA, 45.0 IP, 10.7 BB%, 18.9 K%) but has had a rough go of it this year. Started the year as a bit of a workhorse (89+ pitches in four of his first six starts) before hitting a rough patch and rejoining the rotation five weeks ago. Hasn’t thrown more than 67 pitches in an outing since.

RHP Trevor Moore (SR) – 6-2, 3 SV, 3.09 ERA, 35.0 IP, 14.3 BB%, 29.3 K%. No, not one of The Whitest Kids U Know, this Colorado native has been the Cardinal’s best pitcher. Sixteen of 21 outings have been scoreless. A little surprising he went undrafted last year after tearing up the Cape Cod League in 2024 (1-0, 8 SV, 14.1 IP, 28 K).

RHP Cohen Gomez (SO) – 3-1, 1 SV, 6.61 ERA, 31.1 IP, 11.6 BB%, 29.5 K%. The big righty turned a corner midseason and has been pitching much better since. With a 6’3, 225 lbs frame, there’s a lot of upside to like.

LHP Sam Garewal (SR) – 0-2, 7.24 ERA, 27.1 IP, 10.2 BB%, 26.8 K%. The former Northwestern transfer hasn’t been able to regain the form that made him an All-Big Ten Freshman Team selection in 2023 since an injury wiped out his 2024 season. Big 6’5, 243 lbs frame with a mid-90’s fastball. His numbers are skewed by a few really bad outings.

Quick! Fun Facts!

This weekend will finally tilt the all-time series between Stanford and NC State to having more regular season meetings than postseason games. Prior to last year’s series in Raleigh, the Wolfpack and Cardinal had only ever met in NCAA postseason play, with Stanford besting the Pack twice in the 2006 Austin Regional and State topping the Cardinal in Omaha to open the 2021 College World Series.

After having 15 players selected across the 2022 and 2023 MLB Drafts (6 in 2022, 9 in 2023), only two Stanford players have been selected over the last two drafts – one in each year. C Malcolm Moore went in the 1st round (30th overall) to the Rangers in 2024 and INF Trevor Haskins went in the 15th round last year to the Cardinals.

In an age of transfers, Stanford only has five on their roster.

SR Jimmy Nati is from Sydney, Australia, and he absolutely demolished Pack pitching in last year’s series with a double and a pair of home runs. He’s welcome to not do that again.

The Key To A Series Win For State

Work the pitch counts on the Stanford starting pitchers and get into the bullpen early and often.

Prediction

The cross-country trip can be daunting – just ask Florida State – but I like NC State’s chances here, even without Ryan Marohn for another weekend.

Outcome: State takes 2 of 3.