Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Baseball Continues to Receive Preseason Awards
February 03, 2012 | Baseball
Several Red Raiders have been receiving preseason honors
Feb. 3, 2012
College Baseball Daily's Big 12 Preview
CollegeBaseballInsider.com Big 12 Preview
Baseball America's 2012 Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects
2012 Perfect Game Top 500 MLB Draft Prospects
LUBBOCK, Texas - The preseason honors continue coming in for Texas Tech baseball players as several on-line and printed publications have recently announced their preseason all-conference teams and projected prospect lists for the 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft.
The player receiving the bulk of the recognition is junior center fielder Barrett Barnes, who is being projected as a top prospect for the upcoming draft as well as a preseason All-American and All-Big 12 selection.
Earlier today, College Baseball Daily released its Big 12 preview and the publication listed the Red Raiders as the No. 5 ranked team in its "Top 5 Teams" list among conference programs.
CBD named Barnes, junior second baseman Jamodrick McGruder and senior right-handed pitcher/closer John Neely as preseason first team all-conference picks. They named junior designated hitter Scott LeJeune as a preseason second team all-conference pick.
In their superlative categories, College Baseball Daily ranked several Tech players above the rest as Barnes was ranked among the "Top 5 Hitters" in the league and rated as the league's "Top Power Hitter."
McGruder was rated the Big 12's "Best Speed" and returning MLB Draft pick Reid Redman was labeled as the Big 12's "Best Glove" at third base.
Also receiving recognition was junior left-handed pitcher Rusty Shellhorn, who sat out last season due to transferring from Washington State, as he was listed as one of the league's top five "Newcomers to Watch."
CollegeBaseballInsider.com reached out to the league's head coaches for their opinions on some of the Big 12's most impressive players. CBI also tabbed Redman as having the league's "Best Infield Arm" while Barnes was listed as one of the league's top three power threats, and he tied with returning Big 12 Player of the Year Tyler Naquin (Texas A&M) as the "Hitter you Least Want to Face."
For the second straight year CBI rated McGruder as the league's "Best Base Runner" and the website named Red Raiders associate head coach Tim Tadlock as the league's "Assistant Coach Most Ready for a Head Coaching Job."
Baseball America released its 2012 Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects list, including both high school and collegiate players, where Barnes was ranked No. 97. He was the No. 51 collegiate player on the list, the No. 20 overall outfielder and the ninth overall collegiate outfielder.
Perfect Game continued its preseason coverage with its 2012 Top 500 MLB Draft Prospects list, where it included Barnes (No. 109), McGruder (No. 289) and redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Duke von Schamann (No. 389). Also on the list is Texas Tech senior signee right-handed pitcher Matt Withrow (Odessa, Texas/Midland Christian HS).
