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A designated hitter, first baseman and funky left-hander isn\u2019t 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\u2019s share<\/a> of bullpen innings.\u00a0<\/p>\n The trio has combined for 95 innings of work throughout the season. Whether in relief or starting midweek games<\/a>, they give consistent performances to a pitching staff that has undergone<\/a> tumult<\/a> throughout the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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<\/a> than purely statistics.\u00a0<\/p>\n