UConn Baseball: Mason Feole Named 2019 AAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year

The preseason accolades keep coming in for left-hander Mason Feole, as the junior pitcher was named the 2019 American Athletic Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

Feole had a brilliant 2018, finishing the season with a 2.50 ERA and 120 strikeouts over 100.2 innings pitched. He posted a 9-2 record over his 16 starts and solidified himself as the top pitcher on the staff.

The performance earned him a spot on the 2018 All-American and 2019 Preseason All-American lists from the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper as he readies himself for a crucial junior year.

Well apparently, the coaches of the AAC took notice as well, selecting Feole as the most feared ace in the conference. Feole will undoubtedly have a target on his back in the upcoming season, but this should be familiar territory heading into his third season with the Huskies.

As a freshman, he was named the AAC Rookie Pitcher of the Year. A highly-touted recruit out of high school, Mason’s impact was felt immediately, posting a 3.38 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 82 innings.

He rode this wave of success into the summer, where he pitched for the Wareham Gatemen, a long-standing member of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. Wareham has produced plenty of top talent over the years, with Kyle Schwarber and Barry Zito among the list of notable alumni.

The experience appears to have paid off, as Feole was able to improve in nearly every statistical category during his sophomore year. The season highlights include a complete game against Cincinnati in which he recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts as well as a seven-inning, 11-strikeout win in the American Championship.

It was clear that the Huskies have found their top weapon in the rotation. In fact, Mason Feole was historically great last year, becoming the first UConn pitcher to notch 120 strikeouts since Colin McLaughlin did it in 1979.

UConn is in prime position to compete for a title this year and was voted third in the AAC Preseason Coaches Poll behind former AAC champions ECU (2018) and Houston (2017).

Preseason all-conference shortstop Anthony Prato and reliever Jake Wallace join 2018 Rookie Position Player of the Year Isaac Feldstein to round out a nasty lineup when the season gets underway in less than 7 weeks.