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Indiana baseball begins the Jeff Mercer era and 2019 season in Memphis this weekend with a three-game series against the Tigers. All games can be viewed via live stream. First pitch times for each game are as follows:

• Game 1: Friday, 5 p.m. ET - LIVE STREAM LINK

• Game 2: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET - LIVE STREAM LINK

• Game 3: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET - LIVE STREAM LINK

Here are four storylines to watch ahead of IU's season-opening series:

Last year's Friday ace, Jonathan Stiever, turned pro after his junior season and was chosen in the fifth round of last summer's MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. Last year's Sunday starter, Tim Herrin, also declared for the draft after his junior season and was chosen in the 29th round by the Cleveland Indians.

This weekend, Saturday starter Pauly Milto shifts into the Friday starter role after posting an 8-2 record and 2.03 ERA while starting in 13 of his 14 appearances.

Mercer will put JUCO transfer and newcomer Tanner Gordon in the Saturday starter role. Gordon owned a 2.06 ERA his sophomore year, struck out 104 batters in 70.0 innings pitched and only allowed 16 earned runs in his final season at John A. Logan College.

“Having not recruited (Gordon), I came in with a pretty open mind regarding what he could do in the preseason," Mercer said Wednesday. "Kind of the chatter about him was really good.

“But just from the fall to the spring, I’ve seen the development of his sinker, the growth of a change-up, to where he’s very dangerous against left-handed hitters, while he wasn’t so much in the fall, with more of spike-curveball. So just his growth and the pitch-manipulation, his ability to throw to both sides. His ability to hold in the run game and ability to pitch out of the stretch.

“He’s really gotten a lot stronger. He’s really invested into his lifestyle, his diet and conditioning and weight-lifted. So we’ll hopefully be able to see him hold the velocity longer, hold onto his stuff longer. He’s done a really nice job. He’s thrown a lot of college games – not Division I level, but being an ace, being a guy who has pitched college innings, being an adult, goes a long way. Very, very confident, very excited about him."

Sophomore Tommy Sommer will get the Sunday start. He posted a 2-1 record and 3.07 era while starting in three of his 13 appearances last year. He also threw 29 strikeouts in 28.1 innings.

“He’s grown a lot. I saw him in high school, obviously, and he had good stuff. Very ‘projectable,'" Mercer said. "But his ability to hold the run-game is very mature. He’s an adult. His growth, both physically and being able to really manipulate the pitch in the role, has been really good, so you feel real confident about him being able to go out and throw on the weekend, at a young age, as a sophomore."

This isn't a question posed due to uncertainty, but rather the tough choice Mercer faces due to the number of options he has.

Senior infielder Logan Kaletha excelled in the role in 2018, his first season with the program, hitting .261 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. Junior shortstop Jeremy Houston, whom Mercer touted as one of the most improved offensive players on the team, could potentially get a shot after tallying 23 RBI and seven extra base hits as a sophomore. Sophomore second baseman Justin Walker and junior first baseman Matt Gorski are in the mix as well.

"There's a couple guys you could see in that position," Mercer said. "Kaletha. You could even see a guy like Matt Gorski. You could even see Justin Walker, potentially.

"I really like Jeremy Houston. We put Jeremy Houston there a bit in the fall games and I think Jeremy's growth offensively has been one of the more interesting storylines that we've had. That guy has worked really hard. He's a different offensive player. You could see him potentially, at some point, sliding into that role."

While Mercer recognizes the lineup will likely change throughout the year, he's also aware of the wealth of choices he has.

"I do know that normally what starts the season isn't what ends the first weekend, let alone halfway through. But we are fortunate to have some different options there," Mercer said.

There's no question Indiana was just that under former coach Chris Lemonis. Out of 300 Division I teams, the Hoosiers came in 71st with 72 total stolen bases. Still, they showed a lack of discipline at times and it proved costly in some of their postseason games.

Mercer, on the other hand, coached Wright State to eighth nationally with 110 stolen bases. There's plenty of speed on this IU roster and at his disposal to take advantage of such an approach.

Out of 35 players on this spring's roster, 20 are underclassmen. For many, it will be a trial by fire of sorts, as Mercer expects several to play this season.

"It will have a tremendous impact, from the standpoint of those guys are gonna have to play. You look at making sure you put those guys in good situations to hopefully have success early, be able to get their confidence and then go play," Mercer said. "The derivative of confidence is your work, and your talent, right? If you don't work, it's very easy to have low self confidence. Those young guys are great workers, and they're very talented. Any time you have that combination, regardless of your age, it gives you a great advantage to start with. So we'll rely on those guys heavily, we'll put them in great situations, and you have full confidence that those guys will go out and compete, and give us a chance to win ball games."

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