What You Need to Know:
* Georgia State returns 18 letterwinners and welcomes 17 newcomers as the Panthers look to build on last year's 30-win campaign.
* GSU is led by the Preseason All-Sun Belt trio of catcher Joey Roach, center fielder Ryan Blanton and shortstop Justin Jones.
* Head coach Greg Frady enters his 10th season at the helm as the Panthers opens the 2016 season Friday vs. Western Michigan.
ATLANTA -- Looking to build on a 30-win campaign last spring, the 2016 Georgia State baseball team blends 17 newcomers with 18 returning letterwinners, led by the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference trio of Joey Roach, Ryan Blanton and Justin Jones.
Georgia State (30-27 overall, 15-13 Sun Belt in 2015) opens the 2016 season this weekend with the Atlanta Challenge, hosting Western Michigan (Friday, 4 p.m.), VCU (Saturday, 2 p.m.) and Purdue (Sunday, 1 p.m.) at the GSU Baseball Complex.
With Roach behind the plate, Jones at shortstop and Blanton in center field, GSU will be strong up the middle. The Panthers will also look to those three to power an offense that may rely less on the long ball than last year, when GSU featured 11th-round draft pick Matt Rose and his 16 homers. Roach, Blanton and Jones combined to hit .309 with 14 homers, 89 RBI and 105 runs scored.
Head coach Greg Frady expects sophomore returnees such as first baseman Jack Thompson and outfielder Rhett Harper to provide consistent hitting, along with junior college transfers such as second baseman Will Kilgore, third baseman Jarrett Hood and catcher Brandon Gonzalez, and freshman Nick Gatewood.
Newcomers should also have a major impact on the pitching staff, which posted a school-record 4.14 ERA in 2015 but must replace a 15th-round draft pick (Friday starter Nathan Bates) as well as the program's all-time leaders in saves (Kevin Burgee) and appearances (Jerry Stuckey).
Embarking on his 10th season at the helm, Frady has guided GSU to six 30-win seasons in the last eight years and needs just 11 wins to pass Mike Hurst (293 wins) for Georgia State's career lead in coaching victories.
The Atlanta Challenge is part of a season-opening stretch in which the Panthers will play 19 of the first 21 games at home, with short trips to USC Upstate and Georgia Tech sprinkled in.
Here's a look at the 2016 Panthers by position:
INFIELDERS
Preseason All-Sun Belt shortstop Justin Jones made a huge impact offensively and defensively in his rookie season. After earning his spot at shortstop and at the top of the batting order from Opening Day, he hit .297 with one homer, 28 RBI and 35 runs scored. He also helped the Panthers lead the Sun Belt with 57 double plays turned and was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team by Collegiate Baseball.
Sophomore Jack Thompson moved into the starting lineup at first base late last season and hit safely in 14 of the last 15 games to finish at .296. Transfer Zach Wingate could also see action behind at first base or DH; he hit .305 with three homers and 43 RBI last spring at Birmingham Southern.
A pair of junior college transfers join Jones and Thompson on the infield in second baseman Will Kilgore, who hit .348 as a freshman last spring at Georgia Perimeter, and third baseman Jarrett Hood, who belted 11 homers last season at Walters State.
Senior James Clements is a versatile right-handed bat who has started games at third base, second base and left field in his career.
Promising freshman Darius Sewell could see action at first base, third base or even shortstop. Jones' backups at shortstop are a pair of freshmen in Andy Burnett, who red-shirted last year, and Israel Zackery. Another freshman, Lucas Boudreau, plays behind Kilgore at second base.
CATCHERS
The catching position is strong not only due to the return of two-time All-Sun Belt catcher and Johnny Bench Award semifinalist Joey Roach, but also because of the depth behind Roach with the addition of three newcomers.
One of the top backstops in the nation, Roach hit .302 a year ago with seven homers and 39 RBI while catching nearly every inning, throwing out 35 percent of runnres attempting to steal and handling a pitching staff that set the school record for lowest ERA.
Junior college transfer Brandon Gonzalez is a more-than-capable backup, offensively and defensively, and talented freshman Nick Gatewood is another left-handed power hitter in the mold of Roach.
Birmingham Southern transfer Zach Wingate can also catch, but he is more likely to be used at first base or DH.
DESIGNATED HITTERS
Frady has plenty of options here. From the right side, the most likely candidates are senior Sam Few (2 HR, 18 RBI) or transfer Zach Wingate, while freshman catcher Nick Gatewood offers power potential from the left side.
OUTFIELDERS
All-conference center fielder Ryan Blanton anchors the outfield with excellent defense to go along with his potent left-handed bat. The junior from Lilburn, Ga., was the team's leading hitter last season at .330 with six homers, 22 RBI and 42 runs scored in 44 games before missing the last month with a broken hand.
Four players are likely to see action at the corner outfield positions. Sophomores Rhett Harper and Will Johnson and redshirt freshman Luke Leonard are right-handed hitting options, while junior college transfer Jaylen Woullard is a speedy left-handed hitter.
Veteran right-handed hitter James Clements is another option in left field if he is not needed on the infield.
STARTING PITCHERS
Georgia State enters the season with a weekend rotation of senior right-hander Cole Uvila, junior lefty Devin Vainer and junior righty Bryce Conley. Uvila made nine Sunday starts and seven relief appearance last year and posted a 4.24 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 57 innings. His record was just 1-6 but he lacked run support in several starts.
Vainer and Conley join the rotation from the junior college ranks.
Senior Marc-Andre Habeck (4-5, 5.66) returns as the midweek starter, but veteran lefty Garrett Ford (1-4, 4.47), a senior who has logged more than 150 innings, could also earn a starting role.
RELIEF PITCHERS
Senior left-hander Wayne Wages takes over as the closer after a strong junior season in a setup role, in which he was 4-0 with a 3.77 ERA in a team-leading 26 appearances.
This year's setup man is likely senior righty Alex Hegner, who had a 1.88 ERA in 18 appearances last season.
Senior Garrett Ford is another experienced lefty out of the pen if he is not starting. From the right side, the Panthers have added junior college arms Bryan White and Dillon Swaggerty, along with redshirt freshman Liam Henry and true freshman Chris Mejias.
The bullpen would be much deeper were it not for season-ending arm injuries to right-hander Logan Barnette and lefty Will White, both sophomores.
