2016 Liberty Baseball Capsule

Head coach: Wilfredo Rivera, first season

2015 record: 21-11 (8-0 Northeast, first)

Returning lettermen (starters): Thirteen (six)

Top players: 1B/P Justin Lutes (Sr.), P Ed O’Bannon (Sr.), LF/P Jacob Klein (Sr.), 2B Omar Ortiz (Sr.), P/IF Zachary Reed (Sr.), OF Jayzen Ramirez (Sr.), OF August Reich (Sr.), P/IF Michael Wong (Jr.), P/3B Jordan Moreno (Jr.), SS Jacob Rogers (Jr.)

Outlook: The Patriots lost their three most productive offensive weapons to graduation in Preston Pavlica (.526, 4 home runs, 36 RBIs), Nick Rush (.489, 6 HR, 25 RBIs) and Jonny Gilleres (.411, 3 HR, 20 RBIs).

But the return of 13 lettermen, including five who pitched last season, will soften that blow.