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VU’s Jeremy Sowers Named to Baseball America Preseason All-America First Team 1/2/2004
VU’s Jeremy Sowers Named to Baseball America Preseason All-America First Team 1-2-04 Junior left-handed pitcher Jeremy Sowers was named to the Baseball America Preseason College All-America First team today selected in association with major league scouting directors. Baseball America asked scouting directors to vote on the team and make their selections based on performance, talent and major league potential. Sowers is one of two SEC players on the first team. A total of nine SEC players were named to the three teams. The complete release and teams from Baseball America are below: All-America Team Strength Lies With Deep Pitching Class DURHAM, N.C.–Defending national champion Rice placed three pitchers on Baseball America’s Preseason College All-America teams, selected in association with major league scouting directors, but Georgia Tech took top honors with five players voted onto the three teams. Once again, Baseball America asked scouting directors to vote on the team and make their selections based on performance, talent and major league potential. In the past, the preseason All-America team has been a predictor both of the first round of the draft and of team success. For example, nine draft-eligible members of the 2003 preseason team were first-round picks in June, and nine of the 14 teams represented advanced to regional play. The Yellow Jackets have the most selections on the All-America teams for the third time in four years; the last year when they did not have the most preseason All-Americans, 2002, the Jackets went to the College World Series. Georgia Tech has three first-team selections, including second baseman Eric Patterson and outfielder Jeremy Slayden, who were second-team preseason picks a year ago. Sophomore Micah Owings also was voted onto the first team in the two-way utility spot. Catcher Mike Nickeas and shortstop Tyler Greene, who joined Owings and Patterson on Team USA last summer, were voted onto the second team. Righthanders Jeff Niemann and Wade Townsend represent Rice on the first team, while righty Philip Humber was named to the second team. Stanford, whom Humber defeated to end the ’03 CWS, placed two players on the first team as well in outfielders Sam Fuld and Danny Putnam, who was named as a DH. Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew, the younger brother of big leaguers J.D. and Tim Drew, is the only repeat member of the first team from last year. The big league feel continues with Patterson (brother of Cubs outfielder Corey), Long Beach State righthander Jered Weaver (younger brother of Dodgers pitcher Jeff), Stanford first baseman John Mayberry Jr. (a second-team choice), and third-team Auburn teammates Tug Hulett (son of Tim) and Sean Gamble (son of Oscar). Like Patterson and Slayden, Vanderbilt lefthander Jeremy Sowers graduated from the second team to the first team this season, while UCLA’s Wes Whisler, a first-team selection a year ago at first base, was voted a second-team utility player this season. As usual, juniors dominate the list of players, with Southern California catcher Jeff Clement joining Owings as the only sophomores on the first team. Greene, Stanford first baseman John Mayberry and Florida State outfielder Eddy Martinez-Esteve are the second-team sophomores, while Miami third baseman Gaby Sanchez, Mississippi utilityman Stephen Head and Baylor righthander Mark McCormick made the third team as sophomores. Notre Dame second baseman Steve Sollmann, a second-team selection, and Florida outfielder Ben Harrison, a third-teamer, are the only seniors selected. 2004 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS As selected by major league scouting directors FIRST TEAM Pos. Player, College (Points) B-T Ht. Wt. Cl. AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB Last Drafted C Jeff Clement, Southern California L-R 6-1 205 So. .298 208 53 62 8 1 21 53 1 Twins ’02 (12) 1BJeff Larish, Arizona State L-R 6-2 180 Jr. .372 234 80 87 18 2 18 95 3 Cubs ’01 (32) 2BEric Patterson, Georgia Tech L-R 5-11 170 Jr. .274 248 56 68 11 4 2 35 35 Rockies ’01 (22) 3BJosh Fields, Oklahoma State R-R 6-2 210 Jr. .358 229 50 82 10 3 12 55 4 Never drafted SSStephen Drew, Florida State L-R 6-1 185 Jr. .327 263 83 86 18 8 11 59 33 Pirates ’01 (11) OFSam Fuld, Stanford L-L 5-10 180 Sr. .321 302 83 97 18 9 4 35 10 Cubs ’03 (24) OFJeremy Slayden, Georgia Tech L-R 6-0 188 Jr. .294 218 44 64 18 4 8 40 2 Padres ’01 (20) OFSeth Smith, Mississippi L-L 6-3 205 Jr. .333 222 42 74 13 2 5 35 6 D’backs ’01 (48) DHDanny Putnam, Stanford (of) L-L 5-10 195 Jr. .348 230 52 80 17 0 16 66 0 Never drafted UT Micah Owings, Georgia Tech R-R 6-4 212 So. .306 209 43 64 11 2 15 42 2 Rockies ’02 (2) Pos. W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO P Jeff Niemann, Rice R-R 6-9 260 Jr. 17 0 1.70 22 1 137 96 35 156 Never drafted P Jeremy Sowers, Vanderbilt L-L 6-1 175 Jr. 7 5 2.50 18 0 115 94 29 123 Reds ’01 (1) P Wade Townsend, Rice R-R 6-4 225 Jr. 11 2 2.20 29 5 119 80 46 164 Never drafted P Justin Verlander, Old Dominion R-R 6-4 180 Jr. 7 6 2.40 15 0 116 94 43 139 Never drafted P Jered Weaver, Long Beach State R-R 6-6 200 Jr. 14 4 1.96 19 0 133 87 20 144 Never drafted UTMicah Owings, Georgia Tech R-R 6-4 212 So. 9 3 3.99 17 0 88 84 21 58 SECOND TEAM PosPlayer, College (Points) B-T Ht. Wt. Cl. AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB Last Drafted C Mike Nickeas, Georgia Tech R-R 6-1 205 Jr. .333 219 41 73 16 0 7 44 1 Never drafted 1BJohn Mayberry, Stanford R-R 6-5 210 So. .299 194 33 58 6 6 4 33 5 Mariners ’02 (1) 2BSteve Sollmann, Notre Dame R-R 5-10 190 Sr. .384 255 67 98 16 5 4 40 38 Athletics ’03 (32) 3BBrad McCann, Clemson R-R 6-2 195 Jr. .347 251 44 87 21 1 9 67 2 Phillies ’02 (22) SSTyler Greene, Georgia Tech R-R 6-2 188 So. .316 228 48 72 8 2 8 43 19 Braves ’02 (2) OFJeff Frazier, Rutgers R-R 6-3 170 Jr. .315 213 56 67 19 0 8 54 7 Never drafted OFJustin Maxwell, Maryland R-R 6-5 215 Jr. .317 189 37 60 12 1 10 43 11 Orioles ’01 (43) OFJonathan Zeringue, Louisiana State R-R 6-2 210 Jr. .339 227 50 77 15 0 13 45 6 White Sox ’01 (3) DHEddy Martinez-Esteve, Fla. State (of) R-R 6-2 200 So. .371 186 41 69 15 1 9 43 2 Mariners ’02 (3) UTWes Whisler, UCLA L-L 6-5 227 Jr. .310 226 44 70 4 1 9 39 1 Cubs ’01 (42) Pos. W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO P Thomas Diamond, New Orleans R-R 6-3 220 Jr. 3 5 3.39 21 5 69 50 42 96 Devil Rays ’01 (38) P Philip Humber, Rice R-R 6-4 210 Jr. 11 3 3.30 18 0 128 102 39 138 Yankees ’01 (29) P Chris Lambert, Boston College R-R 6-0 195 Jr. 8 2 2.71 13 0 80 61 38 88 Never drafted P Justin Orenduff, Va. Commonwealth R-R 6-4 220 Jr. 9 3 2.27 18 0 95 70 26 120 Never drafted P Huston Street, Texas R-R 6-0 179 Jr. 8 1 1.33 39 15 75 48 13 69 Never drafted UT Wes Whisler, UCLA L-L 6-5 227 Jr. 3 7 5.66 15 0 83 96 30 53 THIRD TEAM Pos.Player, College (Points) B-T Ht. Wt. Cl. AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB Last Drafted C Jason Jaramillo, Oklahoma State B-R 6-1 195 Jr. .385 213 44 82 18 1 9 42 0 Phillies ’01 (39) 1BJoey Metropoulos, Southern California R-R 6-1 230 Jr. .321 209 34 67 15 1 11 41 6 Tigers ’01 (16) 2BTug Hulett, Auburn L-R 5-10 175 Jr. .373 249 52 93 25 2 2 39 3 Never drafted 3BGaby Sanchez, Miami (Fla.) R-R 6-2 180 So. .328 244 63 80 21 1 7 56 7 Mariners ’02 (15) SSDustin Pedroia, Arizona Sate R-R 5-9 165 Jr. .404 297 83 120 34 3 4 52 3 Never drafted OFSean Gamble, Auburn L-L 6-1 183 Jr. .300 243 47 73 8 3 3 33 5 Blue Jays ’01 (11) OFBen Harrison, Florida R-R 6-3 190 Sr. .362 224 59 81 16 2 11 61 14 Indians ’03 (4) OFJ.C. Holt, Louisiana State L-R 5-9 172 Jr. .299 224 51 67 11 2 5 36 16 Never drafted DHMichael Griffin, Baylor (3b/of) R-R 5-9 180 Jr. .350 294 55 103 26 8 11 76 2 Never drafted UTStephen Head, Mississippi L-L 6-2 218 So. .337 208 31 70 10 2 6 44 1 Never drafted Pos. W L ERA G SV IP H BB SO P Eric Beattie, Tampa R-R 6-3 175 Jr. 15 3 2.55 20 0 134 124 23 105 Devil Rays ’01 (47) P Matt Durkin, San Jose State R-R 6-4 210 Jr. 7 6 2.60 16 1 100 75 42 110 D’backs ’01 (10) P J.P. Howell, Texas L-L 5-11 165 Jr. 10 2 2.52 21 0 114 97 43 105 Braves ’01 (2) P Mark McCormick, Baylor R-R 6-2 190 So. 6 2 5.32 17 0 64 56 50 66 Orioles ’02 (1) P Steven Register, Auburn R-R 6-1 162 Jr. 3 3 2.94 33 16 52 42 7 61 Never drafted UTStephen Head, Mississippi L-L 6-2 218 So. 4 1 1.40 20 13 58 40 16 43 |
