What Micah McDowell, Trent Caraway returning from injury means for Oregon State baseball

Through the first 48 games of the season, Oregon State’s lineup has consistently been one of the most explosive in the country.

The Beavers rank 10th nationally in slugging percentage, 11th in home runs, and 17th in runs scored. All three of those marks lead the Pac-12.

And yet, for much of the spring, OSU's lineup has been nowhere near fully healthy.

Four of the program’s key everyday players — outfielder Micah McDowell, infielder Trent Caraway, catcher Wilson Weber, and outfielder Brady Kasper — have missed at least 20 games while battling injuries. Weber dealt with a strained oblique in February and March before promptly returning to the lineup in April and tearing the cover off the ball. He finished the month with a .351 batting average and 10 extra base hits in 54 at bats.

Kasper has also bounced back from a knee injury he suffered in early March and reclaimed his spot in the middle of the Beavers’ batting order. During Monday’s road win over Gonzaga, he went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBI.

"It's nice to have a little bit of that depth and nice to have guys wanting to get in there," Oregon State coach Mitch Canham said. "So, excited to see as guys continue to get back."

As OSU hits the stretch run of the season, McDowell and Caraway could each also make a profound impact.

The significance of Micah McDowell’s return

When the season began, McDowell, a preseason first-team all-conference selection, was expected to slot into the No. 2 spot of Oregon State’s lineup and provide some much-needed protection for star leadoff man Travis Bazzana.

The senior center fielder got off to a strong start and is slashing .405/.495/.679 on the year. But he’s been battling an oblique injury that kept him sidelined from March 24 to April 19, and continued to hinder him through the rest of April.

If last week was any indicator, though, McDowell is starting to return to form.

He started all three of Oregon State’s games against Washington State over the weekend and went 5-for-11 with two doubles and two RBI. Although he started the first two games at designated hitter, he played center field during Sunday’s finale.

“It was great,” McDowell said of returning to the field. “Being on the (injured list) for a bit, trying to come back (against California on April 19) and then tweaking it a little bit — it hurt more emotionally than physically. But just getting back out there and getting to be with the guys is awesome.”

Oregon State’s coaching staff opted to rest McDowell for the midweek game at Gonzaga as a precaution, even though McDowell indicated he felt fine and was OK to play.

“I’m feeling great, honestly,” McDowell said on Wednesday. “Every day it’s getting a little bit better and better. The more swings I take, honestly, the looser it gets. I’m in a really good spot right now compared to a couple weeks ago.”

Statistically, McDowell is Oregon State’s second-best hitter — behind Bazzana — by a wide margin. When at his best, he is a true five-tool player who can make an impact at the plate, in the outfield, and on the base paths.

But stats don’t quite quantify what he provides for the Beavers on a day to day basis.

“He brings calm and composure,” Caraway said. “He’s just a vet. Very consistent. He gets out there, gets the job done, never really complains. He just does his thing and that’s like something you really need. He’s a guy who sets the table for everyone — especially with him and (Bazzana) in the lineup. That’s a lot of hitting, a lot of ability to get on base, (that can) impact the game. And that’s something he does really well.”

Trent Caraway nearing return

Star freshman Caraway took hold of the Beavers’ everyday third base job early in the year and performed like one of the best hitters in the league throughout February and March.

But he suffered a broken finger on a bunt attempt during a March 16 game at Utah and has been sidelined ever since.

Caraway was cleared by OSU’s medical staff to begin hitting and throwing again last week and is optimistic he’ll be able to contribute during Oregon State’s final series of the regular season at Arizona, which begins May 16.

“I would say Arizona is definitely the goal,” Caraway said on Wednesday. “I should be ready by then. If not, (the Pac-12 Tournament) for sure.”

Caraway has been going through soft toss drills and playing catch this week while slowly easing his way back into baseball activities. At this point, gripping a bat isn’t an issue for him.

“The main thing, honestly, is just throwing — flicking it off my finger,” Caraway said. “I can kind of rip it, so it’s just getting that back and being comfortable with that.”

Caraway, a highly-touted prospect from Dana Point, California, said this has been the longest injury layoff he has ever dealt with. Throughout his recovery process, he aimed to turn a negative into a positive by improving off-field aspects of his game.

“I’ve honestly never really had time off from baseball,” Caraway said. “So (I’ve been) just taking advantage of the time off — getting in the gym more, focusing on my nutrition, sprinting more, getting faster, quicker, stronger. I would say that’s one advantage I do have.

“You go full (spring season), then summer ball. You don’t really get any breaks, especially if you’re playing a lot. So I’ve just been taking advantage of this time to prepare myself for the (postseason) run.”

Mason Guerra, Elijah Hainline, and Jabin Trosky have all seen time at third base in Caraway's absence. Lately, Trosky has been getting the majority of the playing time at the hot corner.

“We’ve been on the road, so I wanna see where he’s at today and how that’s progressing,” Canham said of Caraway on Wednesday. “But the big thing is that you’re getting your mobility back and making sure your body can handle it. I would love (Caraway returning against Arizona). That would be fun, at some point on that trip. But these next few days are going to give us a better indicator of where he’s at, how he’s able to throw the baseball, making sure that we’re not ramping up too much and putting anything at risk.”

How to watch Oregon State baseball vs. UCLA

Oregon State returns to Goss Stadium for a three-game series with UCLA (16-29, 6-18). The Bruins sit in last in the Pac-12. Friday's opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will air on Pac-12 Networks.

Jarrid Denney covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at JDenney@salem.gannett.com or on X @jarrid_denney

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Injury update, how to watch Oregon State baseball vs. UCLA