The Texas Tech outfield has their fair share of question marks surrounding the unit heading into this season. There is a good mixture of experience and youth at the position, and it will be interesting to see who shines when the lights come on and claims their stake in the outfield. Here are the leading candidates as we get set for this weekend's State Farm College Baseball Showdown from Globe Life Field in Arlington.
POSITION PLAYERS - OUTFIELD
DILLON CARTER | CENTER FIELD | SOPHOMORE (3RD YEAR)
Carter made 31 starts in an injury-shortened 2021 season and hit .207 with 15 RBIs in 111 at-bats. He had six multiple RBI games and finished the year with a .318 on-base percentage. The speedy Carter hopes to return to his 2020 form in which he hit .280 with more walks than strikeouts and a .448 on-base percentage.
OWEN WASHBURN | RIGHT FIELD/RHP | FRESHMAN (1ST YEAR)
Washburn is a multi-tool type of player that can hit and pitch but will focus more as a hitter this season. He started and played right field in the scrimmage against the Texas Rangers Fall Instructional team, tallying two hits. He hit .746 with 9 home runs, 73 RBIs, 52 runs scored, and 22 steals last year at Webster High School in Wisconsin. Washburn also had 100 strikeouts with a 1.00 ERA in 42 innings pitched and received Wisconsin Player of the Year Honors. He is the son of former Major League pitcher Jarrod Washburn.
CODY MASTERS | OUTFIELD/DESIGNATED HITTER | SENIOR (5TH YEAR)
Masters returns for year five at Texas Tech. He has appeared in 137 games and made 87 starts over his Red Raider career, with 400 total plate appearances and 15 career home runs. Masters hit .192 a season ago but trailed only Jace Jung with a .591 slugging percentage as 12 of his 15 hits went for extra bases.
COOPER SWANSON | OUTFIELD | SENIOR (5TH YEAR)
Swanson transferred to Texas Tech after spending four years at Florida State. He appeared in 90 games with a .195 batting average and 10 home runs in his Seminole career. He has a knack for getting on base and has 46 walks with a .389 career on base percentage. He led off and played left field for the Red Raiders scrimmage against the Texas Rangers Fall Instructional team.
DALTON PORTER | OUTFIELD | SOPHOMORE (2ND YEAR)
Porter is on year one at Texas Tech after transferring from Texas. He made three starts and played in 17 games last season and hit .263 with one home run and three RBIs in 19 at-bats for the Longhorns. Porter was a four-year letterman at Rouse High School and was rated the 67th overall prospect and the No. 7 outfielder in the state of Texas in 2020.
ZAC VOOLETICH | OUTFIELD/THIRD BASE | JUNIOR (4TH YEAR)
Vooletich transferred to Texas Tech after spending the last two years at Navarro College. He had a .372 batting average with seven home runs, 45 RBIs, 58 runs scored, and 29 stolen bases a season ago. He was named to the NJCAA All-Conference team.
SAM HUNT | OUTFIELD | REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2ND YEAR)
Hunt redshirted for Texas Tech last year and was a 2020 graduate from Marcus High School in Flower Mound. He was the No. 36 outfield prospect in Texas and hit .333 with six RBIs and had an on-base percentage of .415 his senior year.
