To a man, members of Appalachian State University's baseball program throw out one word when first asked to describe the Mountaineers' 2016 club: young.

However, terms like “extremely talented,” “hungry” and “excited to get started” are quick to follow, which gives Black and Gold fans a reason to be optimistic about this season's squad.

After the departure of nine seniors and four MLB Draft picks (including underclassmen Jaylin Davis and Dillon Dobson) from last year's roster, the Mountaineers feature just two seniors in 2016 — relief pitcher Caleb McCann and infielder Grayson Atwood. Conversely, there are 13 freshmen and nine sophomores on the 33-man squad.

However, fourth-year head coach Billy Jones sees a lot in his young student-athletes and thinks that as many as 10 newcomers could challenge to be a part of Appalachian's starting lineup or pitching rotation this spring.

Most notably, Appalachian State enters the season with a weekend pitching rotation comprised of three true freshmen – left-hander Bobby Hampton, right-hander Seth Hardin and left-hander Colin Schmid. The mid-week starter's role will also be filled by a true freshman, right-hander Breydan Gorham.

Offensively, Schmid, redshirt freshman Henry Davis and junior-college transfer Matt Vernon are all expected to be in the starting lineup when the Mountaineers open the season on Friday at No. 23 Coastal Carolina. True freshmen Jason Curtis, Will Herman, Tanner Mann-Fix, Beau Myers and Zach Santoro will also be in the mix for everyday roles.

Appalachian State returns five members of last year's starting lineup, highlighted by sophomore first baseman Conner Leonard, who led the Mountaineers' returners with a .272 batting average, 40 hits, 17 runs scored, nine doubles, four home runs and 29 RBI as a true freshman last season. App State will also be buoyed by the return of outfielder Tyler Stroup, who excelled as Appalachian's leadoff hitter as a true freshman in 2014 but missed nearly all of last season due to a hip injury.

A key for the Mountaineers in 2016 will be to avoid the injuries that plagued them throughout last season's 17-36 campaign. App State has already suffered one big loss in junior outfielder/right-handed pitcher Matt Brill, who will miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer but the rest of the expected key contributors enter 2016 with a clean bill of health.

STARTING PITCHING
As noted above, Appalachian State will roll out a starting pitching rotation comprised entirely of true freshmen in 2016 — left-hander Bobby Hampton, right-hander Seth Hardin and left-hander Colin Schmid on the weekend and right-hander Breydan Gorham in the mid-week.

Should the Mountaineers need additional starting pitching, there is a slew of experienced options. Sophomores Travis Holden (RHP) and Reed Howell (RHP) were in the starting rotation last year and juniors Sean Mason (RHP) and Dallas DeVrieze (LHP) also have experience as starters.

RELIEF PITCHING
In the bullpen, Howell, Mason, DeVrieze, right-handed senior Caleb McCann and left-handed sophomore Tristan Helms are the most likely candidates to be middle/long relievers.

Late in the ballgame, App State will turn to a steady diet of hard-throwing righties — Holden, sophomore Luke Watts and freshman side-armers Stephen Schoch and Matt Schaeffer — as a bridge to junior Brian Bauk, who has won the role as closer.

INFIELDERS
Appalachian State returns three of five starters in the infield from 2015 — sophomore first baseman Conner Leonard, senior third baseball Grayson Atwood (who was the Mountaineers' primary DH last season) and sophomore catcher Chandler Seagle.

The Mountaineers' all new double-play combination is expected to be comprised of junior transfer Matt Vernon (who began his college career at NC State) at second base and redshirt freshman Henry Davis at shortstop.

Others expected to be in the mix in the infield include true freshman Jason Curtis (who can play 2B, 3B, SS and OF), true freshman Will Herman (another versatile infielder that can man 2B, 3B and SS), junior first baseman Parker Henderson and perhaps even McCann, an accomplished high-school position player that has impressed at third base during the offseason. Gorham is a slick-fielding infielder than will see time as a late-inning defensive replacement.

OUTFIELDERS
In reality, Appalachian State returns three starters in the outfield — 2015 starters Bauk and sophomore Drake Zupcic in center and right field, respectively, and junior Tyler Stroup in left. Stroup was a key cog of the Mountaineers' lineup as a true freshman in 2014 but missed all but nine games last season due to injury.

While Bauk and Stroup are almost certain to be in the lineup on Opening Day, true freshmen Beau Myers and Tanner Mann-Fix are battling with Zupcic for the starting assignment in right. Mann-Fix will also likely see time in center field when the coaching staff gives two-way player Bauk a day off from his duties in the field. True freshman Zach Santoro will push for playing time as well.

DESIGNATED HITTER
Schmid is penciled in as the Mountaineers' primary designated hitter while Henderson leads a slew of players that can also fill the role when needed.

OPENING WEEKEND
Appalachian State begins the 2016 campaign at the ultra-competitive Caravelle Resort Tournament in Conway and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The season opener is set for Friday at 4 p.m. when the Mountaineers face tournament host and future Sun Belt Conference foe Coastal Carolina at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway.

Ranked No. 23 in Baseball America's preseason top 25 poll, CCU went 39-21 last season and was an NCAA Regional participant.

The meeting is only the second all-time between the Mountaineers and Chanticleers. CCU beat App State, 12-5, in the 2002 season opener in Conway.

The road gets even tougher for Appalachian on Saturday at 4 p.m. when it squares off against defending national champion Virginia at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach.

Ranked No. 4 in Baseball America's preseason poll, UVA went 44-24 last season and won its first-ever national title with a two-games-to-one victory over Vanderbilt in the College World Series' three-game championship matchup.

In the only other meeting between the Mountaineers and Cavaliers, App State picked up one of the biggest victories in program history when it beat No. 15 Virginia, 6-5, in the 2012 NCAA Regional at UVA's Davenport Field. Appalachian would go on to fall just one game short of advancing to the Super Regional round.

Appalachian State closes the weekend with a 4 p.m. Sunday matchup versus Old Dominion at Pelicans Ballpark.

ODU, which was picked to finish fifth in Conference USA in 2016, returns 18 letterwinners from last season's 27-29 team.

The Mountaineers are 0-4 all-time against the Monarchs but the clubs have not met since 2001, when ODU picked up an 8-3 victory in Wilmington, N.C.