TIFTON — Winter still has two more months to go and spring will last even longer, but Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College sends its boys of summer to the baseball field this week.

The 2019 baseball season begins as a whirlwind. Eight days separate the first day of practice — Thursday — and the initial scrimmage at Albany State on the 18th. There will be another scrimmage at Valdosta State Jan. 23 before the Jan. 25’s season-opening doubleheader versus St. Johns River State College of Florida.

ABAC likely has few complaints about the fast start, though.

The Stallions shocked the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association last year, winning its championship in easy fashion after entering as the fourth seed. That has brought more visibility to the program and to head coach Brandon Reeder.

“I don’t think anybody takes us for granted,” said Reeder, adding his team has a “bigger target on our back.”

ABAC will have just over a month of preparation before traveling to West Georgia Tech on March 2, which will be its first conference game. The Stallions play their home conference opener March 5 against Georgia Highlands.

Fall practices were good for Reeder, but the Stallions enter the 2019 campaign down a few men. Shortstop Alex VanDerStok injured his shoulder during the fall. Freshman pitcher Brandon Dumas tore his ACL this month. Reliever Rudy Amaya is out for approximately six weeks with elbow soreness.

Amaya, the GCAA’s first team closer, will be hard to replace, said Reeder. VanDerStok led them in hits and average in 2018.

No matter the setbacks, Reeder assures: “We’re still going to hit.”

Austin Hittinger, Matthew Cuthrell, Matt White and Salik Williams return. Hittinger was a .345 hitter last year, with 10 home runs. White hit .329 and socked a team-leading 18 doubles. Williams was a major asset at the end of the year, hitting .523 over the Stallions’ final six games. Fifteen of Cuthrell’s 55 games were multi-hit.

One aspect of offense will likely be a bit different, though.

“We won’t be the same home run-hitting team,” said Reeder. Joel Ellis, whose 15 led in that department, was a sophomore in 2018. He’s since moved on to Young Harris.

Newcomers Ben Tuten and Austin Walls join Cuthrell in the infield. Outfielders include Hittinger, White, Williams and Adel native Gunner George. Cole Melancon returns as the most experienced catcher.

Amaya is out for now, but ABAC still has many good candidates for mound duty. Reeder highlighted Cade Davenport, Bryson Smeltzer and Brett Potts, the latter he described as “lights out” during the fall.

While Reeder has had his standouts, no one, he said, is guaranteed a position.

There is “still a lot of competition for starting,” he said.

The Stallions had a few transfers into the program, one being very familiar to locals. Patrick Reed returns to his hometown after signing with Gordon State in 2017. He will pitch at ABAC and is said to have a good breaking ball.

“He had a really good fall,” said Reeder. “He’s worked so hard.”

During the offseason, ABAC built not just a roster, but around it. New dugouts will be in use this season. They are definitely sturdy, having withstood Hurricane Michael in October. Reeder said future projects will involve an upgrade to the bathrooms.