Troy University Athletics
Baseball Season Preview - Outfield
2/13/2024 8:11:00 AM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. – Troy Baseball opens its highly-anticipated 2024 season on Friday at Riddle-Pace Field as the Trojans welcome in SIU-Edwardsville for a four-game series. One of the key areas for Skylar Meade's Trojans will be his outfield, which is filled with experienced upperclassmen.
Redshirt junior Shane Lewis headlines the outfield.
Lewis, a transfer from Chipola College, transferred to Troy before the 2023 season. The slugging left fielder immediately made an impact, smashing a home run in not only his first at-bat as a Trojan but his first plate appearance at the Division I level.
In his first year in the Wiregrass, the JUCO product earned several accolades:
Redshirt junior Shane Lewis headlines the outfield.
Lewis, a transfer from Chipola College, transferred to Troy before the 2023 season. The slugging left fielder immediately made an impact, smashing a home run in not only his first at-bat as a Trojan but his first plate appearance at the Division I level.
In his first year in the Wiregrass, the JUCO product earned several accolades:
- American Baseball Coaches Association All-Southeast Regional First Team (2023)
- ABCA/Rawlings All-America Third Team (2023)
- Sun Belt Player of the Year (2023)
- Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year (2023)
- All-Sun Belt First Team (2023)
- Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist (2023)
- Sun Belt Player of the Week (Week 3 & 10) (2023)
- Preseason All-Sun Belt Team (2024)
The Vicksburg, Mississippi, native finished his 2023 campaign with a .286 batting average, a program-record 27 home runs, 77 RBIs and a .705 slugging percentage.
Senior Kole Myers returns as Troy's center fielder. Myers is entering his second year as a Trojan after transferring from LSU-Eunice. The 6-foot-1 outfielder is looking to improve off a solid 2023 campaign where he hit at a .297 clip with 74 hits, 41 RBIs and 13 home runs.
"Kole Myers, he's a huge part of us establishing an identity here, and I think he's one of the best leadoff hitters in college baseball," Meade said.
A real multi-tool athlete, Myers brings speed, power, contact and defense. The Jennings, Louisiana, native had a career .986 fielding percentage with 138 putouts.
In right field is a fresh face. Mikey Bello, a junior lefty, transfers to Troy after two seasons at Auburn. Bello had just 16 appearances last season, knocking five hits and three RBIs. Bello earned Auburn Regional All-Team Honors as a true freshman after his 5-for-12 performance. The 6-foot-2 junior appeared in 43 games in 2022 and plated 12 runs with four doubles.
Entering the season, Troy's fourth outfielder is expected to be veteran Kyle Mock. The senior from Orlando, Florida, is entering his fifth season and boasts a career .273 batting average, knocking 121 hits, plating 90 runs and mashing 16 homers throughout his tenure at Troy.
With only four outfielders listed on Meade's roster, he talks about some other players that might rotate out deep:
"Brooks Bryan can and will go into the outfield. Cooper Smith, his future will probably be in the infield, but for now, he will be doing it in the outfield. He's going to be a really good player and leader of this program for multiple years. We will sprinkle Ben Arnett and Parker Sessions into the outfield as well; they are our utility guys, as well as Lance Gardiner."
Senior Kole Myers returns as Troy's center fielder. Myers is entering his second year as a Trojan after transferring from LSU-Eunice. The 6-foot-1 outfielder is looking to improve off a solid 2023 campaign where he hit at a .297 clip with 74 hits, 41 RBIs and 13 home runs.
"Kole Myers, he's a huge part of us establishing an identity here, and I think he's one of the best leadoff hitters in college baseball," Meade said.
A real multi-tool athlete, Myers brings speed, power, contact and defense. The Jennings, Louisiana, native had a career .986 fielding percentage with 138 putouts.
In right field is a fresh face. Mikey Bello, a junior lefty, transfers to Troy after two seasons at Auburn. Bello had just 16 appearances last season, knocking five hits and three RBIs. Bello earned Auburn Regional All-Team Honors as a true freshman after his 5-for-12 performance. The 6-foot-2 junior appeared in 43 games in 2022 and plated 12 runs with four doubles.
Entering the season, Troy's fourth outfielder is expected to be veteran Kyle Mock. The senior from Orlando, Florida, is entering his fifth season and boasts a career .273 batting average, knocking 121 hits, plating 90 runs and mashing 16 homers throughout his tenure at Troy.
With only four outfielders listed on Meade's roster, he talks about some other players that might rotate out deep:
"Brooks Bryan can and will go into the outfield. Cooper Smith, his future will probably be in the infield, but for now, he will be doing it in the outfield. He's going to be a really good player and leader of this program for multiple years. We will sprinkle Ben Arnett and Parker Sessions into the outfield as well; they are our utility guys, as well as Lance Gardiner."
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