Texas Tech University Athletics
Gutierrez, Red Raiders Recognized in Collegiate Baseball Preview
January 06, 2015 | Baseball
Gutierrez led the Big 12 as a sophomore with 12 home runs and 58 RBI.
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech junior first baseman Eric Gutierrez has been named the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in its 2015 College Baseball Preview.
The publication also listed the "Top Players to Watch" in the Big 12 as Gutierrez and seven other Red Raiders made the list, including junior outfielder Tyler Neslony, senior infielder Bryant Burleson, senior infielder Tim Proudfoot, sophomore left-handed pitcher Dylan Dusek, sophomore right-handed pitcher Ryan Moseley, senior left-handed pitcher Cameron Smith and senior right-handed pitcher Corey Taylor.
Gutierrez, a preseason first team All-American, led the Big 12 as a sophomore in home runs (12) and RBI (58) while helping lead the Red Raiders to the program's first College World Series. He enters the season with a career.280 batting average with 28 doubles, 19 home runs and 87 RBI during his two seasons as a Red Raider.
Gutierrez was an All-Big 12 first team selection last season and was named second team all-region by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Neslony, an All-Big 12 second team pick last year, became the first Red Raider in school history to lead the Big 12 in batting (.375) while adding 12 doubles, six triples and four home runs with 34 RBI during his sophomore campaign in 2014.
Burleson leads all active Red Raiders in career games played (167) and starts (154) while entering his fourth season at Tech ranked eighth in career doubles (45).
Proudfoot - a three-year starter at shortstop for the Red Raiders - returns after an All-Big 12 first team season a year ago while batting .309 with 19 RBI and fielding .990 (51 putouts, 157 assists, 2 errors).
Dusek went 8-0 during his freshman season and broke the Big 12 freshman record for ERA (1.94) as the Red Raiders went 13-1 during his 14 starts. Dusek became the first left-handed pitcher in school history to receive Freshman All-America honors.
Moseley pitched in several roles last season for the Red Raiders while making 22 appearances and five starts with a 2.84 ERA in 50.2 innings with three saves, 41 strikeouts and 25 walks.
Smith was among team leaders in nearly every pitching category during his debut season at Tech a year ago while going 8-3 with a 2.79 ERA in 25 outings (4 starts) with one save, 67.2 innings, 44 strikeouts and 29 walks. His complete game shutout at No. 3 Miami (Fla.) led Tech to its first NCAA Regional title in school history.
Taylor went 5-3 with a 2.61 ERA as a junior in 2014 while posting two saves, 48.1 innings and 32 strikeouts with eight walks allowed. He posted a 4-0 record with a 2.17 ERA in 15 relief outings.
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.
