LONG BEACH — Bryan Peters is done with the motivational speeches.
As the first-year interim head coach for the Long Beach State baseball team and the sixth to step into the role since 1970, Peters is ready for action.
He’ll get his wish when the Dirtbags open the 2024 season with a three-game series against visiting Washington on Friday night at Blair Field.
“We’re past words at this point,” Peters said. “We need to get out on the field and let our play speak for us.”
Peters took over last June following the departure of Eric Valenzuela, who returned to Saint Mary’s for a second stint as its head coach.
Peters was the associate head coach at LBSU for the past four seasons after arriving from Saint Mary’s with Valenzuela.
Peters and Valenzuela helped the Dirtbags go 33-22 last season, including 17-13 in Big West Conference play, and post their second-highest home run total in program history (35).
Peters will need to be patient with Long Beach at the start of this season, as the Dirtbags lost their top two pitchers, the best catcher in the conference and most of their power, namely corner infielder Jonathon Long, who belted 25 home runs in three seasons with Long Beach before he was drafted in the ninth round by the Chicago Cubs last June.
Among the returning players this season is leadoff hitter Nick Marinconz, who started 50 games at shortstop last season and will be looking to improve on his .268 batting average after hitting .309 in 51 games for Cal Poly the season before.
Marinconz is slated to move to second base to make way for freshman Adrian Lopez, the CIF-SS Division 7 player of the year at Ganesha High School in Pomona last season whom Peters calls an “electric shortstop.”
Kyle Ashworth, the all-time hits leader at Foothill High, also returns after posting the third-highest batting average on the team last season (.306).
Ashworth will move to right field after making 50 starts in center last season.
Jack Hammond is also back after starting 39 games at first base and designated hitter. He blasted eight home runs last season, the third-most on the team, and hit .368 over the final 11 games.
Cole Santander also spent time as the DH last season and took advantage of his opportunities, batting .344 with a 1.043 OPS. Over the final seven games, he hit .500 with two home runs and five RBIs.
LBSU will need to fill a void left behind by right-hander Nico Zeglin, the Big West Pitcher of the Year who used up his eligibility. Left-hander Graham Osman turned pro with the Cincinnati Reds after he was selected in the 10th round.
CJ Hood is pegged as the Friday night starter for Long Beach after he transferred from Nebraska, where he made 18 appearances as a true freshman two years ago before sitting out last season.
Myles Patton, Kellan Montgomery, Nathen Morris, Grant Cherry and Nick Wallerstedt also bring experience as spot starters and relief options.
Peters is also excited about David Ladjevic, a highly rated right-hander out of Servite who missed most of his senior season two years ago and all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The most difficult player to replace will be catcher Connor Burns, the two-time Big West Defensive Player of the Year who signed with the Reds after his fifth-round selection.
Long Beach will start the season with UC Santa Barbara transfer John Newman behind the plate.
Newman’s playing time and numbers dipped last season, but he hit .337 as a sophomore in 2022, leading the Big West with a .485 in on-base percentage and finishing third in OPS (1.010).
“We can never have another Connor Burns,” Peters said. “However, we have some good pieces that can fill the gaps together as a unit. Newman brings a spirit and energy that feeds our team. He has experience in this league and has some offensive attributes that blend well with our style.”
Among the newcomers on the mound is freshman right-hander Josh Donegan, a three-time first-team all-league selection at Los Alamitos High who will get an opportunity to start midweek games early in the season.
Owen Geiss was the South Coast League Pitcher of the Year at Capistrano Valley High last season, and fellow right-hander Mike Villani had a 1.52 ERA at Palomar College.