CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – With just over three weeks to go before the season-opening three-game series against Wagner at Disharoon Park, first-year Virginia baseball coach Chris Pollard said he is pretty close to settling on his starters.

And, not surprisingly, many of the names will be the same ones Pollard was penciling onto his lineup cards last season when he was at Duke.

As many as five former Blue Devils could take the field when the Pollard era begins against the Seahawks on Feb. 13.

“There’s probably eight spots on the field where there’s a favorite to win the job,” Pollard said. “Now, that favorite has to stay healthy. He has to produce. He’s likely got a young guy really pushing him and nipping at his heels, but there’s a favorite at eight spots.”

Practice started for the Cavaliers on Jan. 12 and the team has already held a pair of scrimmages, helping Pollard and his staff get a better handle on the makeup of this year’s roster.

Shortstop Eric Becker and Harrison Didawick, a pair of UVA returners, are likely starters in their positions. The rest of Pollard’s first lineup card could be filled with transfers. 

Around the infield, Duke transfer Sam Harris, with his powerful bat, figures to be the Cavaliers’ opening day first baseman.

Rider transfer second baseman Joe Tiroly is likely to join Becker in the middle of the infield.

Indian River State transfer Jake Weatherspoon, a defensive wizard who led the team in home runs during fall ball, is the expected starter at catcher.

Around the outfield, Didawick returns in left field, with Duke transfer and preseason All-American AJ Gracie in center. Another Duke transfer, Zack Jackson, could get the nod in right field, though starting pitcher Kyle Johnson and freshman Griffin Enis figure to also see time there. 

“This team has everything we need to win a national championship,” Johnson said.

The one spot where Pollard indicated there is still a wide open competition is at third base, where Luke Hanson’s departure for pro ball created a vacancy.

Aiden Harris, a UVA returner, and Duke transfer Noah Murray are the favorites to man the hot corner, though a pair of freshmen – RJ Holmes and Jayden Stroman – are also pushing for time.

“Third base you can mix and match a little bit if guys are being consistent with their defense,” Pollard said. “I think you’ll see a number of different jersey numbers over there early in the season. All four of those guys have something they do really really well.”

Similarly, if the season started today, Pollard said he’s got a good sense of how his pitching staff would be organized.

Johnson would be the team’s Friday night starter, followed by Max Stammel and Henry Zatkowski. All three are Duke transfers and left-handers.

With only six lefties on the pitching staff, stacking three of them in the weekend rotation may not be a sustainable plan for the entire season. 

Johnson, who went 8-5 in 34 appearances over two seasons for Pollard at Duke, could be the key to UVA’s pitching staff.

At Duke last season, Pollard used a closer-by-committee approach, but Tuesday, he said Eastern Michigan transfer Tyler Kapa could command that role for UVA. Kapa has been a starter for most of his college career, which has taken him to five different schools. But Pollard said the movement on Kapa’s pitches as well as his mentality may make him equipped to finish out games.

“I think we have an opportunity this year to have a little more defined closer role,” Pollard said. “Tyler Kapa is really comfortable in that role. He likes that role. His stuff plays really well in that role. Going into opening day that’s a role that suits him really well.”

If Pollard wants to hand Kapa the ball in the ninth inning, he’s planning to entrust the inning or two before the final frame to Western Kentucky transfer Lucas Hartman.

Hartman has a rubber arm, allowing him to pitch over 50 innings in each of the past three seasons. Pollard believes the veteran right-hander is a pitcher he can use multiple times during a weekend series. 

If another right-hander can emerge to take a starting rotation spot during the season, Pollard could move one of his three Duke lefties into the pen to create matchup flexibility.

From 2021-2024, UVA made three trips to the College World Series in Omaha in four seasons. At Duke, in 2023 and 2025, Pollard had the Blue Devils in the Super Regionals, each time finishing a win shy of Omaha. 

Now, his players – new and old – are focused on getting UVA there.

“We’ve got everything we need in this locker room to make a pretty good run at it,” Gracia said. “This is the most talented team I’ve been a part of in college so far. So, I think we’ve got everyone we need to go make a pretty special run.”