2/13/2023 baseball Edit

2023 Rutgers Baseball Roster Preview: Outfielders

Hector Rodriguez • TheKnightReport

Baseball Analyst

Last, but not least in our 2023 Rutgers Baseball position breakdown, The Knight Report takes a look at the outfielders on the roster for the Scarlet Knights this upcoming season.

This group should be a strength for Rutgers this season, although they lost one outfielder in Richie Schiekofer to the Transfer Portal, they do return two key starters, including Golden Spike Award Watch List candidate Ryan Lasko.

Here is the position breakdown for all the Rutgers Scarlet Knights outfielders.

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RYAN LASKO

Junior outfielder Ryan Lasko comes into this season as one of the top position players in the outfield. Lasko is coming off a stellar sophomore season and was named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List.

Lasko is a 6-foot, 190-pounds outfielder out of Jackson Memorial High School in New Jersey. As a freshman, Lasko played in 42 games and started in 40. He was named to the Freshman All-American list after hitting eleven home runs and driving in 30 runs.

During his sophomore season, Lasko had a breakout season and led one of the best offenses in the country. LAsko slashed .349/.431/.643 with 90 hits, 24 doubles, sixteen home runs, 51 RBIs, and 1.075 OPS.

EVAN SLEIGHT

Junior outfielder Evan Sleight is coming off an impressive sophomore season and played well over the summer in the Cape Cod Collegiate Summer League. Sleight will start for the Scarlet Knights as their left field.

Sleight is a 6-foot-1, 215-pounds infielder from the University of Virginia. After not playing at UVA, Sleight transferred to Rutgers and played in 41 games in his first season. As a freshman, Sleight slashed .269/.353/.383 with 40 hits, five doubles, four home runs, and 27 RBIs.

As a sophomore, Sleight had an excellent season as he batted .310 with 66 hits, ten doubles, eight home runs, 48 RBIs, and a .878 OPS. In Cape Cod, Sleight batted .306 with two homers, 13 RBIs, and twelve walks in 33 games.

TREVOR COHEN

Freshman outfielder Trevor Cohen had an excellent senior season and could be a starter for the Scarlet Knights this season. Cohen was one of the top prospects in Rutgers 2023 baseball recruiting class.

Cohen is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound outfielder out of Holy Spirit High School in Brigantine, New Jersey. On Perfect Game, Cohen was the 40th-ranked prospect and eighth-ranked outfielder in New Jersey.

During his senior season, Cohen batted .505 with a 1.022 slugging percentage, nine home runs, and 28 RBIs. Cohen should get lots of playing time this season. He’s a candidate to start in right field for the Scarlet Knights with Schiekofer in Gainesville.

XAVIER MASSEY

Freshman outfielder Xavier Massey is the fourth outfielder on the Scarlet Knights roster. The Garden State native is known for his defense and might see some action as a defensive substitute late in games.

Massey is a 5-foot-9, 190-pounds outfielder out of Audubon High School in New Jersey. On Perfect Game, Massey was the 48th-ranked prospect and the eleventh-ranked outfielder in New Jersey.

During his senior season in high school, Massey batted .345 with 29 hits, eleven doubles, three triples, three home runs, seventeen walks, and 21 stolen bases. Massey will likely be used as a pinch runner or defensive substitute in his first season with the Scarlet Knights.