A designated hitter, first baseman and funky left-hander isn’t the prototypical combination of bullpen arms for a pitching staff. But for the Michigan baseball team, senior two-way Will Rogers, redshirt junior two-way Max Debiec and graduate left-hander Cade Connolly have accounted for the lion’s share of bullpen innings.
The trio has combined for 95 innings of work throughout the season. Whether in relief or starting midweek games, they give consistent performances to a pitching staff that has undergone tumult throughout the year.
While Debiec and Connolly were transfer additions, Rogers was a dependable force for the Wolverines during much of last season. The highlight of his 2024 campaign was a stellar 8.2 inning win against top-seeded Illinois. While Rogers split time as a catcher and pitcher last season, he has focused solely on designated hitting and pitching this year.
This specialization has paid dividends for Michigan as it is able to turn to Rogers in almost any scenario. Several times throughout the season, Rogers has been placed in the game with bases loaded and will sometimes even start appearances in the middle of an at-bat. And while his 4.37 ERA may not seem eye-popping, an inning-eating hurler is evaluated better on his dependability than purely statistics.
“He’s got a very durable arm,” Wolverines coach Tracy Smith said April 16. “Everytime I ask him ‘Hey, are you good to go today?’ He says ‘I could give you five innings today.’ ”
Similar to Rogers, Debiec has made appearances both at the plate and on the mound. But hitting just .214 on the year compared to his sub-three ERA and sub-1.5 WHIP, his contributions throwing the ball have outshined those hitting it.
“They both did their jobs,” Smith said of Rogers and Debiec April 19 after a loss to Iowa. “They came in and shut them down for two innings. There’s nothing more you can do more than that.”
While Michigan’s offense wasn’t able to muster the production to provide a win against the Hawkeyes, the bullpen did its job. Against one of the top offenses in the conference, Debiec and Rogers kept the game within reach and complimented the starter’s performance.
The lengthy 6-foot-7 righty is certainly an imposing force on the mound. While he isn’t looked to as the Wolverines’ primary closer, Debiec provides essential innings as a middle-relief pitcher. Often called from the bullpen in the middle of an inning, Debiec’s frame makes his delivery difficult for hitters to time up.
Finally, Connolly has been a key addition to the bullpen as one of the few left-handers that Michigan has at its disposal. Connolly is a finesse pitcher and that is reflected in his 1.1 K/9 — the highest of the bullpen trio.
Similar to Rogers, Connolly has been asked to provide starts against midweek non-conference opponents. Spinning six innings of shutout baseball against Toledo, Connolly baffled hitters en route to eight strikeouts. And while shutout performances against non-conference opponents don’t hold the same leverage as late-game bases-loaded appearances, those wins are essential for Michigan maintaining its top-64 RPI ranking.
“The tone was set by Cade,” Smith said April 15 following the win against Toledo. “Throwing strikes, attacking the zone and getting ahead of hitters all day, he was really the key.”
Beyond recording wins, Connolly’s propensity to attack the strike zone was a welcome change from the walks and free bases that hurt the Wolverines early in the season.
While bad outings are bound to happen, these three have provided steady production even in difficult circumstances. And while Michigan’s bullpen trio is far from conventional, their results speak for itself.
