BASEBALL: 2024 Pitching Preview

Less than two weeks from opening day on February 16th, let’s take a look at NC State’s crop of pitchers for the 2024 season.

Note: This was written before word circulated that Matt Willadsen is injured.

The Veterans

Logan Whitaker, Sam Highfill, and Matt Willadsen have combined to throw for 595.2 innings for NC State in their career, and they are back for more. Those three combined to start 37 games last year, but they are going to have competition to start again this year. For years, Elliott Avent has thrown his best starter on Saturday, and it’s easy to pencil Willadsen in there. That’s now a major hole to fill.

Whitaker appears headed to the back of the bullpen after two years as the Friday night starter, while Highfill looks to bounce back from his 4.83 ERA last year. His role fluctuated last year, but State needs him healthy and pitching well before they commit to a role for him.

Dom Fritton threw 62.2 innings with 75 strikeouts and a 3.59 ERA. He started the year in the rotation before finishing as the closer, but did not pitch in the regional, likely due to health concerns.

As a draft-eligible sophomore, Fritton is currently the best pitching prospect on the roster due to his fastball traits and ability to miss bats. D1Baseball ranks him as the 16th best prospect in the ACC for the upcoming draft. Fritton is the odds-on favorite to start on opening day and go into ACC play as the Friday night starter.

The Newcomers

A lot of this year’s hype is based on the upside of the young pitchers. Chance Mako, Ryan Marohn, Jacob Dudan, and Jaxon Lucas are the biggest names who turned down money to come to NC State, and they project as real prospects in future drafts.

You can never have too many arms as injuries will undoubtedly pop up, so State has to get these guys innings early and often. If State wants to compete for an ACC title and make it to Omaha, multiple of these guys are going to have to be key cogs.

Transfers Shane Van Dam and Hollis Fanning are easy to pencil into crucial roles. Van Dam threw 29.1 innings last year at DIII SUNY Cortland. He has major upside with his fastball velocity and physical projectability, and he is listed as the 6th best prospect in the ACC in the 2025 draft, according to D1Baseball.

Fanning comes to Raleigh from Tennessee where he never carved out a major role, albeit on a loaded staff. In 14.1 innings, he struck out 24 hitters and had a 1.26 ERA. Baseball America and D1Baseball projected Van Dam as a starter after a lot of Fall buzz that he would close, while Fanning seems ticketed for a late innings role -- possibly at closer if Van Dam starts.

The Returnees

Carson Kelly threw the most innings of any returning pitcher with 24. Andrew Shaffner threw 21 and PJ Labriola threw 20.2. John Miralia, Win Scott, Jacob Halford, and Derrick Smith all had minimal roles last year and returned.

Last year in conference play, six pitchers threw more than 20 innings and nobody else threw more than 7.2. It remains to be seen how big of a role will be available to this group, but there will be some opportunities throughout the year.

Building the Staff

Fritton and Willadsen were locks to start on Friday and Saturday, at least to begin the year. Without Willadsen, the competition opens up to include Marohn, Whitaker and Highfill. Whitaker seems like the perfect Sunday guy in the ACC, as he is reliable and durable. That would be my move, and even if he begins in the bullpen, he could end up starting down the road.

If Van Dam is pushing towards his ceiling, he’s going to be one of the best pitchers in the conference, so he’d be a no-brainer. Highfill has 28 career starts, so he’s in the mix if healthy, too. Then you have the freshmen. Marohn and Mako are the highest profile, but State has thrown some curveballs in the rotation before (Fritton last year) that paid off, so a surprise could be on the table. For now, let’s project Van Dam and Highfill to fill in around Fritton.

Friday: Van Dam

Saturday: Fritton

Sunday: Highfill

Midweek: Marohn

Closer: Whitaker