Three Cougars named to WCC Preseason Baseball Team

SAN MATEO, Calif. — BYU senior outfielder Cole Gambill, junior righthand pitcher Jack Sterner and sophomore infielder Ozzie Pratt were selected by the West Coast Conference head coaches to the 2023 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team on Tuesday. 

Last season, Gambill hit .272, with six home runs, 29 RBI, 22 walks and 28 runs scored, despite missing 19 games in the middle of the season due to an injury. The 2021 All-WCC performer was honored last season as the WCC Player of the Week on Feb. 28, for his performance in leading BYU to four-straight wins over Ohio State and ASU. He was also selected to the WCC All-Academic Team twice in 2021 and 2022.

Sterner, BYU’s weekend game-one starter last year, was an All-WCC second-team honoree in 2022. The Covid junior led BYU in games started (13), innings pitched (69) and strikeouts (61). He compiled a record of 4-3 with an ERA of 3.26, the best among Cougar starters. He enters the 2023 season with the fifth-best ERA (3.18) of any returning pitcher in the WCC. 

As a true freshman in 2022, Pratt hit .288 on the year and was top five for the Cougars in several offensive categories, including hits (45) and stolen bases (5). Pratt was named the WCC Player of the Week on April 11 and was also selected to the 2022 WCC All-Freshman team. 

In addition to the All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team, the conference announced the 2023 WCC Baseball Preseason Poll. The Cougars were picked to finish third behind Gonzaga, the 2022 WCC regular-season champion and San Diego the 2022 WCC Tournament winner.

The Zags led all voting with 78 points (six first place) in the annual preseason poll followed by the Toreros with 73 (four first place). BYU (62), Portland (58) and LMU (48) rounded out the top five. The next five, in order, included Pepperdine (38), Santa Clara (35), Saint Mary’s (27), San Fransisco (20) and Pacific (11), as selected by a vote of the WCC’s 10 head coaches.

BYU opens the 2023 season with back-to-back series in the state of Louisiana. The opening four-game series is set for Feb. 17-20 versus LA Tech at Pat Patterson Park in Ruston. The Cougars will then travel three-hours south to Lafayette for a four-game series with the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana Lafayette at Russo Park, Feb. 22-25.

The Cougars then return to Utah for a midweek game with crosstown rival UVU at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The Cougars will open the 2023 home schedule with a three-game series against the University of Nebraska at Omaha, March 2-4 at Miller Park.

For the rest of the 2023 baseball season see BYUcougars.com. 

2023 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team — Position Players
Diego Baqueiro, LMU
Jack Costello, San Diego
Cole Gambill, BYU
Jake Holcroft, Portland
Cade McGee, Gonzaga
John Peck, Pepperdine
Savier Pinales, Gonzaga
Ozzie Pratt, BYU
Kevin Sim, San Diego
Grayson Sterling, Gonzaga

2023 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team – Pitchers
Peter Allegro, Portland
Diego Barrera, LMU
Brock Gillis, Portland
Jack Sterner, BYU
Owen Wild, Gonzaga

2023 WCC Baseball Preseason Poll