Tanner Smith is used to being Oregon’s leadoff hitter. He hit out of the top of the order in nearly all the Ducks’ games last year, and he’s become a consistent force. He posted an OPS of .859 in 2022 and owns an .860 OPS over his four-year career.
This season, things might look a little different. Oregon not only has a stash of talented players, but it also welcomes different styles of play from other countries, which’ll inevitably shift things around in the lineup. The Ducks have two new faces from overseas on their team: Rikuu Nishida from Japan and Sabin Ceballos from Puerto Rico.
The cultures and experiences these players bring has already changed the team’s dynamic, both on the field and in the locker room.
It starts with Nishida, whose game is unlike anything Oregon has seen in recent years. Though Smith is one of Oregon’s best hitters, he doesn’t fit the typical “leadoff hitter” mold; he has more of a doubles-oriented approach and doesn’t possess a ton of speed. Nishida, on the other hand, fits that mold to a tee.
Nishida is what many might describe as an “old school” baseball player. In the modern age, so much emphasis is placed on drawing walks and hitting home runs, with less focus on making contact and stealing bases. Oregon is certainly no exception, with power hitters like Anthony Hall, Kenyon Yovan and Gabe Matthews coming through the program. But Nishida brings a flavor to the top of the order that the Ducks were missing last year.
In recent scrimmages, Oregon has tested a one-two punch of Nishida in the leadoff spot and Smith in the two-hole.
“Game-changing,” Smith said of Nishida. “That guy, just for the 20 intersquad games I’ve had to be able to play with him, it’s awesome to see that kind of game, especially in a Duck uniform. It’s something special. It’s something that’s really rare and something we’ve never had before.”
Listed at 5-foot-6, 160 pounds, Nishida is the shortest and smallest player on the team. When he steps in the batter’s box, he crouches down even lower. He wiggles his bat steadily in the air, then slaps the bat at the ball. He nearly always makes contact. In 79 summer league games, he’s only struck out 33 times compared to 46 walks; that kind of ratio is almost unheard of in today’s game.
“Rikuu’s game is a trip,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “Just the way he plays baseball, slaps the ball all around the field, hard to defend, loves to steal bases, tremendous feel of the game.”
The Ducks did utilize the stolen base last year, tying for the sixth-most stolen bags in school history. But now they’ll have a true speed weapon at the top of the order, one they can rely on to set the table for the power hitters below him.
“Hitting behind [Nishida], you know that teams are going to worry about stealing,” Smith said. “They’re gonna worry about the stolen base factor coming into the game, and he’s gonna do a lot of it. I think that might change how they’re gonna pitch guys that are hitting after him, and him being on base so much, it’s gonna change the game.”
Nishida is expected to fill in as Oregon’s starting second baseman this year. He also brings that energy and peskiness to the field, where he’s the most vocal and active person out there. Though he doesn’t speak a ton of English, he routinely yells out encouraging words of support to whoever’s pitching.
“Whenever he’s finished playing baseball, he will be an unbelievable coach,” Wasikowksi said. “He doesn’t speak English great, and still yet he’s probably one of the best coaches we have, including the coaches on the coaching staff right now. He’s just that type of infectious personality and with that kind of knowledge. It’s really something to be around that kid.”
Then there’s Ceballos, who plays just about anywhere on the field, including catcher. His versatility is admirable in itself, but he also brings a sense of elation and exhilaration to how he plays the game and celebrates his achievements. He’s a big guy at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, but he can still play a smooth left side of the infield.
“Ceballos really does play with a tremendous Latin flare, a lot of excitement,” Wasikowski said. “I can’t jump as high as him on a home run. He wants me to jump and hit his hand, but it’s hard to because he’s a big guy to begin with. He brings an element of fun to the field.”
To have someone who can hit for power, play the infield and catch is incredibly rare, and for that player to bring energy to the field makes him all the more intriguing to watch. Where exactly Ceballos will play is to be determined, but there should be a variety of ways for him to contribute.
Beyond the field, these players have brought a new dynamic to the locker room. Growing up in other countries, they may have been taught the game in different ways, or had contrasting experiences to the rest of the Ducks who learned how to play baseball in the U.S.
“It’s so brand new. We’ve never had a locker room with people from a different country,” Smith said. “And so now, having that kind of diversity in the locker room, it’s so cool… It’s honestly been a blessing.”
Center fielder Colby Shade has noticed this as well, describing how the team has picked up on some of the little nuances Nishida and Ceballos bring from other parts of the world.
“They’re all just so fun to be around, and kind of learn new things from them, even if it’s words here and there, or phrases or different things they do about their cultures,” Shade said. “So it’s really interesting and fun to be around.”
Nishida and Ceballos should help fill out what’s already a strong Oregon lineup. With Nishida hitting leadoff, and Ceballos somewhere in the middle of the order — whether it’s as a DH, catcher, third baseman or even outfielder — the Ducks have an offense full of a variety of playing styles. And, in addition to the two overseas players, the Ducks have three Canadians new to the roster: Owen Diodati, Matthew Grabmann and Turner Spoljaric.
This new-look, new-flavor Oregon team will take the field Friday at 3 p.m. against Xavier in PK Park.
“I think the fans are really gonna like Rikuu. I think they’re gonna really like Sabin,” Wasikowski said. “We’ve got an interesting locker room this year. They’re coming from different parts of the world, and they play like it.”
