In 2015, the Oregon State Beavers Beavers faced the task of replacing both the Pac-12 player of the year, Michael Conforto, pitcher of the year, Jace Fry, and All-American pitcher and undisputed team leader Ben Wetzer from last year’s conference championship team.

Prior to the season, Head Coach Pat Casey talked about how in all of his years coaching, never did he have so many questions marks in the lineup as he did before this season, as he also had to replace Pac-12 RBI leader Dylan Davis, reliever Scott Schultz, and infielders Kavin Keyes and Andy Peterson.

With so many uncertainties in the lineup, the Beavers (14-3) have used a different starting group every game, giving all the young and inexperienced players an opportunity to earn a starting spot.

OSU has thus far struggled to replace the arms it lost. Junior right-hander Andrew Moore, who is coming off a down sophomore year after going 14-2 as a freshman, leads a rotation that has yet to take shape. Fortunately, freshman Drew Rasmussen and junior transfer Travis Eckert have pitched well when given the opportunity to start.

While the pitching is still a work in progress, the offense is off to a great start. The Beavers are led by returning first team Pac-12 outfielder Jeff Hendrix and freshman first baseman KJ Harrison, who have both started the season swinging the bat very well. Harrison has already been named Pac-12 player of the week and was named the Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association.

Winning the Pac-12 title for a third consecutive year will be a test for OSU considering the depth in the conference. But if the pitching rotation settles, and the young players can get up to speed by Pac-12 play, there is enough talent on the roster for the Beavers to make a run at a three-peat.