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Perfect Game’s Preseason College All-Americans: Preseason Picks for NCAA’s Best

January 22, 2013

On December 5, 2012, Baseball Prospectus and Perfect Game announced a partnership to help promote and cover the game at both the amateur and professional levels. As a result of this partnership, Baseball Prospectus subscribers will now get the opportunity to read some of the great premium content being published by Perfect Game for its members. Today, courtesy of Perfect Game, we bring you this special report by Kendall Rogers.
 

It's time for College Baseball Preseason All-America teams to take on a different flavor entering the 2013 campaign.

The last two seasons have featured a familiar theme on All-America teams: Several South Carolina Gamecocks. Former South Carolina starting pitcher Michael Roth and reliever Matt Price seemed to be All-American mainstays, but the two, along with other Gamecocks stars, have moved on to the professional ranks.
 
As we kick off the '13 College Baseball Preview, it begins with an inside look at this year's PG Preseason College All-Americans … and surprising to some, the teams don't include a single South Carolina player.
 
Perhaps things will change by season's end. At any rate, the Preseason All-America teams are loaded with many outstanding players and prospects expected to make a huge impact on the college baseball landscape.
 
Stanford right-handed pitcher Mark Appel is the most decorated All-American. Appel put together an impressive '12 campaign, and it was thought he'd probably sign last summer with the Pittsburgh Pirates as the eighth overall pick in the MLB draft. However, Appel decided to return to Stanford for his senior season with hopes of capturing a national title.
 
Appel isn't alone as a Stanford Preseason All-American. First baseman Brian Ragira, who hit .329 with five homers and 50 RBIs last season, also is a first-teamer with expectations present that he will take a significant step forward this spring. The same goes for outstanding prospect and outfielder Austin Wilson, who finished last season with a .285 average, 10 homers and 54 RBIs.
 
There are many other fantastic players to watch from this group, but specifically two standout in the eyes of coaches and scouts alike:
 
Player to watch: 3B DJ Peterson, New Mexico
 
Throughout the '12 campaign, no single player was brought up to me by coaches more than the ultra-talented UNM third baseman. Peterson blossomed for the Lobos last season, earning the label as the nation's "best hitter" by many coaches from big-time programs. Peterson batted .419 with 21 doubles, three triples, 17 homers and 78 RBIs. He also slugged .734 and had a 33-29 advantage in walks-to-strikeouts. Peterson, potentially a first-round pick in this summer's MLB draft, has a smooth, easy and disciplined swing that generates impressive raw power, while he also has more than adequate defensive skills.
 
Pitcher to watch: LHP Sean Manaea, Indiana State
 
Of all names to remember this spring, this might just be the one. Manaea has increased his stock more than anyone over the past year. He put together a solid spring for the Sycamores, where he went 5-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 105 innings. He also struck out 115 and walked 37, while teams hit him at a .249 clip. But he took his biggest step forward during his summer at the Cape Cod League. Manaea was simply fantastic, earning PG Summer Player of the Year honors for his performances throughout the summer. There, the imposing 6-foot-5, 235-pounder, was consistently 93-96 (98) with a deceptive baseball, while he had a nasty, hard slider, at 80-83 and a developing 79-81 changeup. Though it's still very early in the process, there's a good chance Manaea is the No. 1 pick in June.
 

FIRST TEAM

Position

Name

Class

   Ht

  Wt

  B T

College

Hometown

St

C

Mitchell Garver

Jr.

6-1

200

R R

New Mexico

Albuquerque

NM

1B

Brian Ragira

Jr.

6-2

200

R R

Stanford

Arlington

TX

2B

LJ Mazzilli

Sr.

6-1

190

R R

Connecticut

Greenwich

CT

SS

Trea Turner

So.

6-1

171

R R

N.C. State

Lake Worth

FL

3B

DJ Peterson

Jr.

6-1

205

R R

New Mexico

Gilbert

AZ

OF

Michael Conforto

So.

6-1

205

L R

Oregon State

Woodinville

WA

OF

Austin Wilson

Jr.

6-5

245

R R

Stanford

Los Angeles

CA

OF

Phillip Ervin

Jr.

5-11

190

R R

Samford

Leroy

AL

DH

Kris Bryant

Jr.

6-5

205

R R

San Diego

Las Vegas

NV

UT

Marco Gonzales  

Jr.

6-1

185

L L

Gonzaga

Fort Collins

CO

SP

Mark Appel             

 Sr. 

6-5

215

R R

Stanford            

Houston

TX

SP

Ryne Stanek

Jr.

6-4

190

R R

Arkansas

Overland Park

KS

SP

Sean Manaea

Jr.

6-5

235

R L

Indiana State

Wanatah

IN

SP

Carlos Rodon

So.

6-3

234

L L

N.C. State

Holly Springs

NC

RP

Colby Suggs

Jr.

6-0

250

R R

Arkansas

Sulphur Springs

TX

RP

Corey Knebel

Jr.

6-3

195

R R

Texas

Georgetown

TX

SECOND TEAM

Position

Name                    

Class

   Ht

  Wt

  B T

College

Hometown      

St

C

Ty Ross

Jr.

6-2

207

R R

LSU

Naples             

FL

1B

Conrad Gregor

Jr.

6-3

215

L R

Vanderbilt

Carmel

IN

2B

JaCoby Jones

Jr.

6-3

205

R R

LSU

Richton    

MS

SS

Adam Frazier

Jr.

5-11

174

L R

Mississippi St.

Bishop

GA

3B

Colin Moran

Jr.

6-3

209

L R

North Carolina

Rye

NY

OF

Aaron Judge

Jr.

6-7

255

R R

Fresno State

Linden

CA

OF

Derek Fisher

So.

6-3

210

L R

Virginia

Rexmont

PA

OF

Raph Rhymes

Sr.

6-0

150

R R

LSU

Monroe

LA

DH

Jared King

Jr.

6-1

200

S L

Kansas State

Dublin

OH

UT

Michael Lorenzen

Jr.

6-3

195

R R

Cal St. Fullerton

Anaheim

CA

SP

Adam Plutko

Jr.

6-3

192

R R

UCLA

Glendora

CA

SP

Nick Petree

Jr.

6-1

195

R R

Missouri State

Clinton

MO

SP

Bobby Wahl

Jr.

6-3

200

R R

Mississippi

Springfield

VA

SP

Jonathon Crawford

So.

6-1

205

R R

Florida

Okeechobee

FL

RP

David Berg

So.

6-0

190

R R

UCLA

Covina

CA

RP

Jimmie Sherfy

Jr.

6-0

175

R R

Oregon

Camarillo

CA

 

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Kendall Rogers

 

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BeplerP
1/22
"L.J. Mazzilli UConn, from Greenwich CT"- is that Lee Mazzilli's son?
Reply to BeplerP
NickFaleris
1/22
It is, indeed.
Reply to NickFaleris
jpmile
1/22
Are all the sophomores on the list top prospects for the 2014 draft? I know Rondon is, but anyone else?
Reply to jpmile
NickFaleris
1/22
Crawford, I believe, should be listed as a junior (though he listed is a soph. on the UF roster I have) -- played in 2011 and 2012.

Turner, Conforto, Fisher and Rodon are all high follows for 2014.

Berg is a soft tossing side-armer (low-80s). Not a draft prospect.
Reply to NickFaleris
peterw
1/22
Correction: Mark Appel, a Houston native, was drafted with the 8th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates but did not sign.
Reply to peterw
joechris96
1/23
Fixed. Thanks
Reply to joechris96