Practices officially began on Monday, Jan. 15, for BYU's baseball team at the Indoor Practice Facility.
The 13 returning lettermen give BYU Coach Vance Law a nucleus from which to build around as the Cougars prepare for their season opener on Feb. 8 at Sam Houston State to start a three-game series at Huntsville, Texas. Among those leading returnees are slugger Apana Nakayama and pitcher Jesse Craig.
Law indicates this season's outfield may be the speediest he has had in his seven years at the BYU helm. The projected outfield is transfers Collin Fanning and Leon Johnson in left and center fields, respectively, and freshman Stephen Wells.
Johnson has clocked a 6.36 in the 60-yard dash and had 41 of 44 stolen bases at the College of Eastern Arizona, prior to serving a Church mission. Sophomore Kent Walton, who has moved from the outfield to second base, also clocked a 6.36 in the 60-yard dash.
The Cougars had been conducting four-on-one practices last week, but this week marks the beginning of full team practices.