CL Selects TU Baseball as Preseason Favorites, Dutkowski as Player to Watch

CL Baseball Preseason Poll | TU Honors Page

JACKSON, Mich. – The ninth-ranked Taylor baseball team is picked to finish first in the 2024 Crossroads League regular season, as announced by the CL from its preseason poll on Tuesday. No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan is tabbed to be the league's runner-up.

The Trojans were Crossroads League Regular Season Champions a season ago before they went on to a win a pair of games in the NAIA World Series, including a historic 23-7 win over then-No. 3-ranked Georgia Gwinnett.

Returning six All-Crossroads League players from 2023, expectations are high that TU can repeat, or even improve upon, its 30-6 conference record from the 2023 season.

Headlining the all-league returners from Taylor is pitcher Matt Dutkowski, who is tabbed as the Trojans' player to watch in the CL preseason poll. Dutkowski, a senior, led Taylor's staff in innings pitched (81.1), strikeouts (85) and complete games (2) while holding opposing hitters to a .219 batting average in 2023. He also tied for the team lead with seven wins to his pitching record en route to earning a First-Team All-Crossroads League nod. 

No. 9 TU is gearing up to commence its season on Thursday, Jan. 25 in Surprise, Ariz., where it will play a four-game series against Ottawa University – Arizona. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. eastern time.