5 things you need to know headed into the 2018 Cowboy Baseball season

We’re 4 days away from my favorite time of year... baseball season.

Live look at me right now impatiently waiting:

While you wait for the Cowboys’ trip down to San Marcos to take on Texas State this weekend, here are five things you need to know about this 2018 Cowboy Baseball team.

1. The young ones:

The Cowboys have three breakout stars from 2017 coming back this year in Cade Cabiness, Cameron Dobbs and Ryan Cash. The trio of sophomores contributed a combined 72 runs, 100 hits and 39 RBIs. Cash and Dobbs were in the starting line ups in a few games last season and didn’t disappoint. Cash came in clutch hitting before big-hitter in 2017, Garret McCain. Cabiness hit two home runs last year and Dobbs had a homer of his own. After a good year in 2017, one can only hope these guys step up this year again.

2. Loss of leadership:

The Cowboys will be without a lot of their leadership from last season in 2018, losing Garrett McCain, Garrett Benge, Ryan Sluder, Dustin Williams, Trey Cobb and Tyler Buffett. These guys will be missed. Benge, McCain, Sluder and Williams were just over 41 percent of the Cowboys’ total hits last year. They also totaled just over 42 percent of the Cowboys’ run total. Let’s hope they can find a way to get those runs out of someone else. On the pitching front the Cowboys lose Cobb and Buffet who both contributed to a lot of clutch performances for the Cowboys.

3. Colin Simpson:

The junior catcher was a home run machine last season. Simpson hit it out of the ballpark an insane 11 times in 2017. This guy will for sure make The Gap Band fire off in Allie. P Reynolds this upcoming season. Simpson was a guy that could step up to the plate and drive one out to Duck St. It’s a truly beautiful sight. Simpson hit some runs that put the Cowboys in a position to win the Big 12 Tournament.

And in case you needed video evidence that the guy can rake:

4. Big 12 Preseason Polls

The Cowboys didn’t get a whole lot of love in the Big 12 Preseason Poll. The Cowboys were picked sixth by Big 12 coaches behind Texas Tech, TCU, Texas, Oklahoma and West Virgina. They share the spot with Kansas. While I think this is definitely a transition year for the Cowboys I expect them to finish in more like a fourth place spot. I think they have some secret weapons in their three sophomores and could surprise some people.

5. Jensen Elliot and Parker Scott:

Jensen Elliott earned an All-American spot after going 9-3 in 17 starts in 2016. Elliott missed the 2017 season after having Tommy John surgery. Elliott is hoping to return late this season but the verdict is still out. Southpaw Parker Scott also went under the knife during the 2017 season for Tommy John surgery and won’t pitch this season. Scott played high school ball for a Flower Mound High School team that went to the state in 2014 and had a .72 ERA his senior year in 2016. Scott was a big recruit and the Cowboys will be excited to get him on the mound. It just can’t happen this year.

THE WAIT IS ALMOST OVER BASEBALL FANS!