Following a somewhat underwhelming season and just two years removed from a Big Ten title, the Illinois baseball team will look to rekindle some old magic with new faces next season.
With an Illini team that was full of veteran talent throughout the lineup, a roster overhaul was expected to take place. In a season that saw them finish 30-24 overall and 14-16 in conference, a fresh influx of new and youthful talent may do wonders for the team.
Missing out on the type of talent that Illinois will be losing this summer is not easy by any means. Losing valuable bats in Drake Westcott and Vytas Valincius will likely hinder the offensive production that the program has thrived on recently.
Not having the defensive reliability of the likes of Coltin Quagliano and Jacob Schroeder will likely see the Illini dip in terms of their defensive efficiency and fielding percentage, which was already 4th worst in the conference this past year.
However, this may not be all doom and gloom for the team's winning aspirations going forward. An injection of fresh transfers and new recruits could lead to a revamped offense and stronger defense.
Hammering the transfer portal by snagging as much talent as possible out of it could provide some proper fixes to those losses. And the Illini have already had their fair share of transfer portal success as of late.
Spotting experienced players to specifically plug those defensive holes that were seen last year or reignite the fire in the embers of an explosive offense would provide a base of stability within the roster.
Likewise, relying on new recruits and younger players to provide a jolt to the team could not only help the success next season but also build towards sustained future winning. In the era of the transfer portal, player development can get lost, even though it can be the lifeblood for programs.
With the loss of all this veteran talent, this opens spots for some of the younger players to take the reins and really mold their game and skills through meaningful playing time. Being able to coach impressionable players to fix the needs of the team goes a long way in working towards the program the coaching staff wants to see.
While losing program staples is hard, the future of Illinois Baseball couldn't be brighter than it seems as of now. Bringing in transfers and coaching up the youth could bring an exciting new era for the team.