Can the Red Raider bullpen be a strength for the team this spring?

The Texas Tech bullpen features as much depth as any position group on the team. The exact roles each guy will play coming out of the pen is still up in the air for now, but there is no shortage of quality arms. It will be interesting to watch and see who claims their stake for the high-end relief roles to close out games this spring.

Girton played in 18 games last year and made two starts for Texas Tech. He finished the season with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP, and opponents hit only .228 against him. Girton posted 23 strikeouts in 24.2 innings, and he pitched four shutout innings in his first career start against Stephen F. Austin. He figures to carry a prominent role in the Red Raiders bullpen this spring. Girton pitched for the Brewster Whitecaps last summer in the Cape Cod League.

Devine struggled in 2021 with a 12.00 ERA in 17 relief appearances but has looked good in the January intrasquad scrimmages. The Red Raiders are hoping he returns to the form he showed as a freshman in the Covid-shortened 2020 season. Devine was 1-0 with a 1.28 ERA and recorded one save in seven appearances in 2020. He will be another late-inning option again this year.

Bridges tied the team lead with 19 relief appearances a season ago and finished with a 3.97 ERA and had the second lowest WHIP on the team at 1.06. He gave up 12 hits but struck out 11 batters and didn’t allow a walk in 11.1 innings pitched. Bridges recorded one save last year against Oklahoma State.

Sanders made eight appearances last year and pitched 9.1 innings for the Red Raiders. He had 10 strikeouts and recorded a 2.89 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP despite opponents hitting .289 against him. Sanders had the lowest ERA a season ago among the returning pitchers for 2022.

Key appeared in 10 games a season ago and made one start. He finished the year 2-0 with a 5.52 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He allowed 15 hits and struck out 17 batters with six walks on the season. Key had a season high five strikeouts against Texas State and opponents hit a combined .263 against him.

Clark is a transfer from Youngstown State who spent most of his career as a weekend starter. He is a veteran lefthander and a strike-thrower who will work out of the bullpen this spring. Clark recorded the final outs in the scrimmage against the Texas Rangers Fall Instructional team.

Blessie transferred from Midland College in 2021 after spending the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Nebraska. He was 6-2 with a 4.83 ERA and struck out 70 batters in 50 innings of work. Blessie was a high school teammate of Ty Coleman at Midland Lee High School, where he played under former Red Raider catcher Brian Roper (1986-89). His father, Brian Blessie, is the former head coach at Odessa College.

Crowley transferred to Texas Tech after spending the last three seasons at Fordham University. He made 10 starts in 12 appearances last year and was 3-4 with a 5.98 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. Crowley struck out 53 batters in 43.2 innings pitched and opponents hit just .235 against him.

Hitt pitched 4.2 innings in five relief appearances in 2021. He was 0-1 on the year and finished with a 5.79 ERA and a 2.57 WHIP. Hitt allowed 10 hits in his limited work and had two strikeouts. He was a First Team All-State pitcher and had a 0.21 ERA his senior year at Concordia Lutheran High School.

LeJeune-DeAcutis pitched 3.2 innings in four relief appearances for Texas Tech a season ago. He posted a 4.91 ERA and had 4 strikeouts in his limited work. LeJeune-DeAcutis was the top ranked left-hander and the No. 6 overall pitcher coming out of ThunderRidge High School in Colorado.

Beckel made five relief appearances a season ago. He had a 16.20 ERA and a 3.30 WHIP and finished with six strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched. Beckel pitched an inning of relief in the Super Regional against Stanford. He struck out three batters but also allowed three earned runs in his one inning of relief.

TYLER HAMILTON | RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER | SOPHOMORE (3RD YEAR)

Hamilton made only two relief appearances a season ago and finished with a 6.75 ERA and a 3.00 WHIP with one strikeout in 1.1 innings pitched. He was the No. 91 overall prospect in the state of Texas in 2019. Hamilton had a 1.51 ERA with 66 strikeouts as a senior at Parish Episcopal High School.

Abel pitched 59 innings and had a 2.25 ERA with 113 strikeouts at Kerrville Tivy High School last season. He received First Team All-District honors as a pitcher and outfielder. Abel also received honorable mention All-State honors as an outfielder. He was the No. 27 left-handed pitching prospect in the state of Texas in 2021.

Hartis pitched the last two years at Grayson Junior College after committing to Dallas Baptist out of high school. He pitched 36 innings last season and was 2-4 with a 5.25 ERA. Hartis struck out 59 batters and walked 24 in 58.1 innings pitched over the last two years.

Lopez pitched at Weatherford Junior College the last two years before transferring to Texas Tech. He made 19 appearances last year and finished with five saves. Lopez was 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA and recorded 54 strikeouts in 45.2 innings pitched a season ago.

Whitefield was the 36th overall prospect in the state of Texas for 2021 and the No. 6 left-handed pitcher. His fastball topped out at 93 MPH on the radar his senior season which put him in the 98th percentile for pitchers in the class of 2021.

Robinson was a four-year starter at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Virginia. He received first team All-Conference honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior. Robinson was the Conference Player of the Year last season and finished with a 1.49 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched.

Lysik was a graduate of St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale, NJ. He finished his senior season with a 2.14 ERA with 42 strikeouts and allowed only 19 hits in 46.1 innings pitched. Lysik played summer ball with the Complete Game Colonials in Allendale, NJ.