The CBB continues our countdown for the 2010 College Baseball season by checking in on the Top 100 Players in the country. We will be providing one player per day until we reach number 1.
We continue the list today with number 33 in our countdown with Arkansas junior RHP/outfielder Brett Eibner. He graduated from The Woodlands High School. During his senior season, he hit .417 with six home runs and 15 RBI while going 5-0 on the mound with a 2.80 ERA including 58 strikeouts. He picked up several honors after his senior season including being named 15-5A first-team all-district outfielder and third-team 5A All-State by the Texas Sports Writers’ Association. He was selected in the 2007 MLB Draft in the fourth round by the Houston Astros but decided to head to Arkansas.
He had a solid freshman season in 2008 which saw him hit .298 with eight homers and a team high 48 RBI. He also saw time on the mound as he made 11 appearances including three starts while going 3-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 24 innings of work. He spent the summer of 2008 in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Wareham Gatemen where he picked up .214 average while hitting four homers and driving in 18 runs.
Eibner appeared in 45 games including 42 games in 2009 as he hit .231 with 12 homers and 34 RBI. He also pitched in 17 games (all starts) with a 5-5 record and a 5.00 ERA. He appeared in 20 games in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Wareham Gatemen where he hit .240 with three homers and seven RBI. He also saw some time on the mound as he went 1-0 in three starts and an ERA of 2.19 before injuries sent him home early from the Cape.
We believe that Eibner will eventually play up to his potential which he showed in high school where he was selected in the fourth round by the Houston Astros.
14 comments
Yet another in a long line of guys who are on this list for anything but their performance at the D-I level to date. No question Eibner has a world of potential and the scouting community loves him…but this is supposed to be a listing of the Top 100 COLLEGE players, and their are at least 100 players in Eibner’s class who have had far superior college career to date (after two seasons) than him. To rank him at #33, with all the names of guys with far superior college careers not even making your list, once again confirms that this is a pro prospect listing and has absolutely nothing to do with actual college performance.
Brian, I’m thrilled you believe Eibner will EVENTUALLY play up to his potential, but that may not be for another 3 years. Who cares that he was a high school all-american and drafted in the 4th round by the Astros? The reality is that after a solid (but not earth-shattering) Freshman campaign, he took a serious nose-dive his Sophomore season– both on the mound and at the plate. What makes you think he’s suddenly going to turn it around in 2010?
Hey Walt.
I challenge you to offer us your list.
It would be fun to do and for everyone to look at and it would also give us some insight into your college baseball knowledge.
And just FYI,
Brian Heere at Kansas BETTER be on any TOP COLLEGE LIST.
Just sayin.
Aman, at least you and others are clear with regards to what you’re basing your lists on. If Brian would, for once, acknowledge the very obvious, and admit that his listing is a pro prospect list and has absolutely nothing to do with actual D-I college performance, I’d drop the issue….but he adamantly refuses to do so.
BTW, I was really surprised to see Chance Ruffin only in the mid-30s in Brian’s rankings. While I can understand one’s logic in ranking Jungmann ahead of Ruffin, if Brian also has Workman ahead of Ruffin on a Top College Players countdown, it would be a total joke. Workman may very well be drafted ahead of Ruffin, but there is absolutely no comparing their 2-year college careers– Ruffin has been far and away the superior and more consistent pitcher.
There is no doubt this kid has all the tools to be an excellent ballplayer. I have watched him play and practice the past couple of years. He is very talented and he knows it, he has that swagger to him. His big problem is upstairs. When he gets it all figured out and starts growing as a ballplayer and a man he will be an unbelievable player.
Another guy who was barely above the Mendoza Line. But he was drafted out of high school! He must be good! Your logic is flawed, as is your list.
My list is not flawed…Just watch what happens during the season.
Um, Brian– you had Eibner in your Top 50 last year as well, and how did that turn out? Again, I have no problem with giving so much emphasis to tools and potential if you were calling this a top prospects listing…but you’re not. A guy, regardless to how much potential he has, who hits just .230 and pitches to a 5.00+ ERA as a Sophomore– both representing significant drop-offs from his Freshman season (and he was uninjured)– does not merit inclusion in a Top 100 countdown of college players…especially when you’re leaving off numerous guys who are proven .315+/.390+/.500+ hitters at the D-I level. And, unfortunately, this listing of yours includes far more of the former (i.e., guys with worlds of potential who the scouts love, but who have yet to demonstrate it in college) than the latter proven players.
Brian. Another swing and miss. Houston draft record the last 5 years has been below AVG. Eibner put up great stats in high school, but D-1 has a way of changeing that, but if you can run into a fast ball every now and than and hit it over the fence, you will get a look at. Take Reynolds from the D-Backs 200 plus k’s but runs into a fast ball every now and than.. 40 plus HR. AVG. 225 Can you win with type of player??? I think not but some scouts think they can and will take a chance on them, the thinking is that the coachs will fix the holes in there swing. So your list is not a top 100 College Players list, but more of a Pro Potential list. No problem with that.
Eibner not only hit just .231, with only 34 runs and 34 RBIs on the season in 2009, but he struck out twice as many times as he walked and fanned once every 2.4 ABs (which has got to be one of the highest strikeout frequencies in all of college baseball last year). Oh, and he stole all of 3 bases in 8 attempts. Yeah, Brian– this is a guy that really merits a preseason Top 100 player ranking…and in the Top 35, no less. NOT!
All I can say is look at Eibner now. This is why he is going in the first round and everyone that made a comment you dont know anything about baseball because all of you are WRONG!!!! Brian you know what your talking about.
Eibner right now is hitting .337 with 18 homers and 61 RBI in a very tough SEC. In hindsight, He should have been higher then this.
So would the .333 average, 22 HRs and 71 RBI in the SEC qualify for living up to potential?
He also was clutch hitting a two out homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie up the Super Regional game on Sunday evening.
He was drafted only 54th overall and I think I would of had him higher on my list if I did it again.
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