Miami's Ace Griffin Hugus Looks Forward To New Challenges in Super Regional

Originally posted on Miami Hurricanes on SI
By Justice Sandle | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 3:52 PM ET

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To start the college baseball season, there were signs that the Miami Hurricanes baseball team had an ace. Not every team has one, but the Hurricanes found out in week one how great one of their pitchers would be. That would be Cincinnati transfer, Griffin Hugus.

As the Saturday starter, Hugus cruised to a great season in his first year full-time as a pitcher. He was named to the All-ACC second team and finished the regular season fifth in strikeouts in the conference (85). The ACC arguably has two of the best pitchers in the country (Jamie Arnold and Jake Knapp), and Hugus was on the same level as those pitchers.

He transitioned into the Friday starter after a devastating injury to sophomore pitcher Nick Robert, and he has not looked back. In his most recent game against Columbia, he pitched a complete game and only allowed one run against Columbia that kept the Canes in the winning bracket while also saving some arms they needed in the final game of the Hattiesburg regional. Moreover, he did it on Saturday instead of Friday against Alabama.

In an interview with the Palm Beach Post, Hugus highlighted how it didn't bother him that head coach J.D. Arteaga went with freshman sensation AJ Ciscar. He was excited to know that the coaching staff trusted the pitcher's core enough to make the change for a better oppurtinity to succeed in the tournament.

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"Not at all. These coaches have been unbelievable all year with how they've used the pitching staff. ... When they came up to me and told me that they were going with Ciscar, I was more than happy knowing that he would give us a great start, he was going to help us win that game, and I was going to help us secure a spot for Sunday in the winners' bracket. Whatever they needed me to do to win."

Hugus continued.

"I think that's the mentality we've got to keep. (Closer) Brian Walters was a starter at the beginning of the year. He gets moved to the bullpen, and instead of being upset, he embraces it, and now he's a true leader. Every role is just as important as the next one."

Now the star pitcher will prepare for Super Regionals against Louisville. Hugus (6-7, 3.90 ERA, 94 strikeouts in 90 innings) will look to be as useful as he was last weekend and attempt to dominate a hot Cardinals team. Will he go another complete game? He will take it one pitch at a time, but if he gets into his groove, another one could happen.