The University of Hawaii baseball team faces a good news/oh-my-goodness situation this coming season.

The Rainbow Warriors return three of four starting pitchers, a closer and the entire up-the-middle defense. But they booked a schedule that includes last year’s top-hitting team (Air Force), a road series against the 2017 national runner-up (LSU) and five teams that qualified for the postseason.

With role changes and anything-is-possible circumstances, a lot could happen for the ’Bows during training camp, which opens this week.

STARTING PITCHING

Innings leader Brendan Hornung has graduated, but left-handed Dominic DeMiero (1.31 walks per nine innings) and right-handers Jackson Rees (3-1 on Sundays) and Neil Uskali (6-2 in first 10 starts) are back. Shoulder tenderness and then elbow issues dropped DeMiero’s fastball range from 86-89 mph through mid-year to 80-83. The velocity dip impacted the surprise element of his best pitch, the change-up. But offseason rest and then a long-toss regimen (sideline to scoreboard) helped DeMiero regain his arm strength and velocity by the end of fall training. Rees altered his over-the-top motion and now is hitting 92-93 mph consistently with a three-quarter delivery. His out pitch — the cut fastball — has evolved into a power sinker. Uskali also has improved his arm strength, with his two-seam fastball up to 90 mph, a 3 mph improvement over last year’s max. Cade Smith, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 16th round last year, is a lanky 6 feet 6 with an elastic arm that can hit 91 mph. Smith also has developed a cutter. The ’Bows exhaled loudly when Jeremy Yelland, a power lefty (lively 90-93-mph fastball), went undrafted. Coach Mike Trapasso said Yelland’s accuracy improved after he slowed his tempo. “But the arm is electric,” Trapasso said. Left-hander Kyle Hatton, who pitched for UC Santa Barbara as a freshman two years ago, Matt Richardson and Colin Ashworth are available for starts.

BULLPEN

Dylan Thomas sealed the closer’s job, converting all nine of his save opportunities, and achieved a 0.99 WHIP in his final 16 appearances. Brody Hagel-Pitt is big (6-6, 255) and powerful (91 mph fastball), but often relied on finesse. During fall camp, Hagel-Pitt met with the coaches and came away with this directive: Let it rip. “He took that to heart,” Trapasso said. Hagel-Pitt is in line to replace set-up reliever Casey Ryan, who signed with the Chicago Cubs in the summer. After Patrick Martin suffered a season-ending injury following his fifth appearance, the ’Bows were left with only Matt Estes as a lefty reliever. Kash Koltermann, Hatton and possibly Yelland are left-handed complements. Logan Pouelsen is an intriguing option. He was throwing 94 mph and headed for UCLA when he suffered an elbow injury as a prep senior. Pouelsen, who also can play first and third, is back to reaching 90 mph.

CATCHER

If this were the late 1960s, Kekai Rios would have 1-A prime draft status. He is highly skilled in the three catcher’s tools: receiving, blocking and throwing. He also can hit — .331 as a freshman, .282 last season. Chayce Ka‘aua, who was limited to eight games last year following hernia surgery, has gap power. The ’Bows won five of the first seven games Tyler Murray was in the lineup. David Noworyta played well in summer ball but endured shoulder issues in the early fall.

INFIELD

The development of Tokyo-raised Maaki Yamazaki as a dependable shortstop has set in motion several options. Dustin Demeret (team-high 29 RBIs as freshman in 2017) can move from short to second or third base. In the first scenario, Johnny Weeks can be used at left field, where he played part-time as a freshman in 2015. Demeret, who is viewed as having the strongest arm among the infielders, took a turn at third in the fall. If the season were to start today, Ethan Lopez, who split time between designated hitter and right field last year, would return to the hot corner. Lopez hit .302 as a freshman infielder in 2015, but slumped to .152 last year. “Scouts love (Lopez’s) athleticism,” Trapasso said. “He can really play a good third base.” An early-season knee injury appeared to affect first baseman Eric Ramirez’s hitting last year. Ramirez is now fully healthy and no longer a contact hitter. He will wear prescription glasses instead of contacts this season. Ramirez demonstrated patience (25 walks), but “we want him to be a run-producer,” Trapasso said. “We want him to be more aggressive.” Ramirez is still one of the ’Bows’ top-fielding first baseman the past 15 years. A player to watch is Alex Baeza, who used his redshirt year to add weight and strength. Baeza is a left-handed slugger who might be Ramirez’s successor in 2019.

OUTFIELD

In his first season as a ’Bow after transferring from a junior college, center fielder Dylan Vchulek led the team in hitting (.302) and hits (61). He also stole 12 bases, pieced together a streak of reaching base in 44 consecutive games, and mastered Les Murakami Stadium’s crosswinds. “As we all know, at Murakami Stadium, you can’t be successful without a center fielder who runs down balls,” Trapasso said, “and Dylan can run ’em down.” Adam Fogel, who had a team-high 16 doubles, can play either of the corner positions. If Weeks or Jedd Andrade is in left, then Fogel can play right or first base. Jacob Sniffin, a left-handed hitter with pop, is a factor if he can earn playing time in right. Sniffin is “kind of a wild card right now,” Trapasso said.