The Michigan baseball team may have exited the Big Ten Tournament earlier than it hoped, but at the conclusion of competition, the Wolverines’ impact was not forgotten. Two members of the Michigan squad, junior right-hander Will Rogers and sophomore first baseman Mitch Voit, were named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team alongside ten other recognized athletes.
Rogers and Voit were consistent impact players in the Wolverines dugout for the entirety of the 2024 season. And in the postseason their influence only grew. Voit was included in the starting lineup in all four of Michigan’s postseason games and Rogers found himself in three of the four. The two exemplified the versatility that Smith necessitates in his team and provided leadership both on and off the diamond.
“What I’ve always tried to do personally over my career is assess: did that team, that group of guys, did we as a staff collectively do everything we could?” Wolverines’ coach Tracy Smith said Saturday. “And while we’re not comfortable with the result, I can tell you 100% that that group in that locker room … this was one one of the most rewarding years of my career coaching just to go to work everyday with that group.”
While Voit was first-baseman by trade, he found himself throughout the field in tournament competition. As Smith experimented with personnel matchups, Voit was sometimes utilized in left field to fortify the outfield. Voit filled the position tactfully and made multiple diving catches throughout the week. But he provided the most consistent presence at first base. Michigan’s infield defense has continually been their most dependable defensive unit, and Voit at first was certainly a factor to its success.
But it was at the plate where Voit truly made his presence known.
Compared to other players in the tournament, Voit was tied for second in hits and home runs and third in RBIs. Voit often seemed to strike at just the right moment this past week, serving as the catalyst for multiple Wolverine comebacks. In the round-one matchup versus Iowa, Voit’s walk in the tenth inning gave Michigan the edge it needed to secure the victory. In the demolition of No. 1 seed Illinois, Voit recorded a solo-home run and a triple that propelled the Wolverines to the semifinals.
This trend continued in Michigan’s final game of the tournament. In the bottom of the tenth inning with two-outs, Voit stepped up to the plate and recorded one final solo-home run for the 2024 season. And while his efforts weren’t enough to send the Wolverines to the finals, Voit certainly made his presence known in tournament play.
“(Voit) is a warrior, he’s a dude, he’s a stud,” Smith said March 15. “He’s a guy who goes out there and gives everything he’s got. … That’s what I love about that dude is he just contributes in so many ways. We’re talking about hitting, we’re talking about pitching, but also just the mental toughness. Young guy’s can look and say ‘I want to be like that guy’.”
Rogers was no stranger himself to powerful at-bats. As the season wound down, Rogers’ powerful hits became more consistent and he infused energy at the bottom of the lineup. Beyond batting, Rogers was most well known for his performance behind the dish. As Michigan continued to test its bullpen depth, Rogers provided consistency at catcher for the rotating arms on the mound. But what earned Rogers his spot on the All-Tournament team was actually his own arm.
Rogers threw 8.2 innings and shut down the Fighting Illini’s bats Friday. Previously, Rogers had mostly served as a reliever from the bullpen and had only served as a starter in two prior matchups. Rogers threw strike after strike to retire Illini batters back to the dugout and allowed just three total hits.
“Will Rogers is just kind of an incredible story,” Smith said Friday. “You have a guy go out there and he catches the first two games of the tournament and then goes out and throws a gem. I think that’s pretty remarkable.”
Michigan may have exited the tournament earlier than they would have liked but they didn’t leave quietly thanks to Voit and Rogers. And luckily for the Wolverines it is likely that these two athletes will return to the squad next season, and their impact will only continue to grow.
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