JJ Schwarz doesn’t believe in the sophomore slump.
"You know, a lot of people talk about a sophomore slump, but that’s just a myth," he said.
The second-year catcher put together a season for the ages in his freshman campaign, leading the Gators in nearly every offensive category while garnering a plethora of awards, such as the 2015 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Freshman Hitter of the Year.
Now, Schwarz will have to change his approach at the plate, as teams will likely go about facing him differently. The Palm Beach Gardens native said he might have to be more patient or more aggressive early, depending on the pitcher.
But Schwarz isn’t worried.
"The other teams are going to have a lot of information on me — how to get me out and all that stuff," Schwarz said. "But every game’s a new game, so you’ve got to adjust as the season goes on."
While it’s hard to expect Schwarz to improve upon his .332 average, 18 home runs and 73 RBIs in 2015, he’ll have help in the lineup if teams try to pitch around him.
Namely, power-hitting first baseman Peter Alonso will have to carry some of the run-production workload.
Though he missed Florida’s first 30 games last season because of a broken foot, Alonso still hit .301, blasted five homers and knocked in 32 runs.
With a healthy Alonso behind him in the lineup, Schwarz said he doesn’t feel any more pressure than last year.
"There’s a lot of guys on the team who have power potential just like I do," he said.
"We have Pete back and we have a couple freshmen who are going to make a big impact and we have a lot of speed this year, so it’s just a whole new dynamic on the team."
Coach Kevin O’Sullivan knows how important a Schwarz-Alonso combination can be. He said he hopes Alonso stays healthy, because UF will need him for the entire season if it hopes to reach its potential.
"Having Pete right there in the middle of the lineup to give you that power potential with JJ, there’s not a lot of teams on our level that have the luxury to have guys with that kind of power," O’Sullivan said.
As far as his expectations for Schwarz’s sophomore season, O’Sullivan just laughed.
"I expect JJ to hit 25 home runs," he joked. "Obviously JJ had a phenomenal year. I don’t want him to try to put too much out on his plate. I just want him to go out and play."
Contact Patrick Pinak at ppinak@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @Pinakk12.
JJ Schwarz rounds third base during Florida's win against Florida Atlantic in the 2015 NCAA Regionals at McKethan Stadium.
