Tech Ranked 9th Preseason by Collegiate Baseball
December 22, 2014 | Baseball
Red Raiders receive their highest preseason national ranking since 1998.
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech baseball program received a No. 9 preseason national ranking by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, the publication announced Monday morning.
Tech receives its first preseason national ranking since 2002 when Collegiate Baseball tabbed the Red Raiders 26th. Tech's No. 9 ranking is its highest preseason ranking since receiving a No. 8 ranking by Baseball America prior to the 1998 season.
The Red Raiders are one of four Big 12 programs ranked among the top 10 in the nation.
The Red Raiders, led by third-year head coach and 2014 National Coach of the Year, Tim Tadlock, return 22 players from last season's team that went 45-21 and advanced to the program's first-ever NCAA College World Series.
Tech returns its entire starting infield, led by preseason All-American first baseman Eric Gutierrez (led Big 12 with 12 HR, 58 RBI) along with three-year starters up the middle with second baseman Bryant Burleson (154 career starts, 45 career doubles) and shortstop Tim Proudfoot (148 career starts, 21st round draft pick - Oakland).
A pair of starters return in the outfield, including Freshman All-American Stephen Smith (.287, 20 RBI, 37 BB) and Tyler Neslony (.375, 4 HR, 34 RBI), who became the first Red Raider in school history to lead the Big 12 in batting as a sophomore.
Texas Tech returns 13 of its 16 pitchers from last season including Freshman All-American left-handed pitcher Dylan Dusek (8-0, 1.94 ERA), senior left-handed pitcher Cameron Smith (8-3, 2.79 ERA), senior right-handed pitcher Dominic Moreno (2.84 ERA, 33rd round draft pick - St. Louis), senior right-handed pitcher Corey Taylor (5-3, 2.61 ERA) and sophomore right-handed pitcher Ryan Moseley (2.84 ERA) to name a few. Overall, Tech returns eight pitchers that started games last season.
Texas Tech will host San Francisco on Opening Day, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13 at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park in Lubbock.
Fans can purchase season tickets online at www.texastech.com/tickets or by phone at (806) 742-TECH.
COLLEGIATE BASEBALL PRESEASON TOP-40 POLL
1. Vanderbilt
2. TCU
3. Virginia
4. LSU
5. Oklahoma State
6. Florida
7. Texas
8. Houston
9. TEXAS TECH
10. UCLA
11. Florida State
12. Louisville
13. Cal Poly
14. Miami (Fla.)
15. Oregon
16. UC Santa Barbara
17. Cal State Fullerton
18. Stanford
19. Arizona State
20. Mississippi State
21. South Carolina
22. Rice
23. Liberty
24. North Carolina
25. College of Charleston
26. Georgia Tech
27. Kennesaw State
28. Clemson
29. St. John's
30. Kent State
31. Ball State
32. Wichita State
33. Tennessee
34. San Diego
35. Loyola Marymount
36. Arkansas
37. Maryland
38. Nebraska
39. UC Irvine
40. Illinois
