THINKING BIG

Under coach Tom Walter, Wake Forest regularly produces top draft prospects but has not won consistently. This year's team is the most talented yet and does not shy away from Omaha expectations.

- PETER FLAHERTY

Tom Walter has had his fair share of high-quality teams and players in his 13-year tenure as Wake Forest coach. Forty-four players have been drafted during his time in Winston-Salem— including first-rounders Ryan Cusick (2021), Jared Shuster (2020) and Will Craig (2016)—with plenty more on the way.

However, one thing has eluded Wake Forest since 1955: an appearance in the College World Series. Armed with his deepest and most talented squad yet, Walter and the 2023 Demon Deacons are in prime position to return to Omaha.

By all accounts, 2022 was a great season for Wake Forest. The team made its first regionals appearance since 2017 and won at least 40 games for the first time since that same year. They led the Atlantic Coast Conference with a .425 on-base percentage and finished second with 561 runs and 122 home runs.

On the other side of the ball, ace righthander Rhett Lowder won the ACC pitcher of the year award. But after getting knocked out by Maryland in the College Park Regional, Wake Forest players had a sour taste in their mouths and the feeling that there was a lot of unfinished business.

Walter is excited about the makeup of this year’s team. “Starting with our talent, we’re super talented in all phases of the game,” Walter said. “Offensively, we really like our lineup, starting pitching, bullpen depth, defense. I think we’ve got talent in all phases of the game.”

Wake Forest has a loaded lineup core of third baseman Brock Wilken, first baseman Nick Kurtz, outfielder Tommy Hawke, do-it-all utilityman Pierce Bennett and veteran corner outfielder Adam Cecere.