The CBB continues our countdown to the start of the 2011 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 countdown today at number 97 with Louisville junior outfielder Stewart Ijames. He checks in at 6’1 and 201 pounds as he is from Owensboro Kentucky where he attended Owensboro Catholic. He was a five time letter winner at Owensboro Catholic being named All-State twice, All-Region and All-Area selection three times. He was named the state tournament MVP when the Aces won the 2005 state championship. During his senior season, he hit .542 with ten homers. The Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the 46th round of the 2007 MLB Draft but Stewart decided to head to Louisville to continue his baseball career.
Ijames made an immediate impact on the Cardinals program in 2008 by being named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger. He ended up finishing the season by playing in 54 games (44 starts) 
as he hit .351 with eight homers and 39 RBI.
He missed the entire 2009 season with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing arm which affected his throwing and hitting. He did recover for the summer though as he played with the Thomasville HiToms in the Coastal Plains League. He finished tied for the league lead in homers with 12 as he hit .282 with 37 RBI.
Ijames returned to the Louisville lineup in 2010 as he appeared in all 64 games (63 starts) as he hit .324 with 14 homers and 63 RBI. He also was solid on the basepaths as he stole seven bases in eleven attempts. The New York Yankees selected him in the 2010 MLB Draft during the 29th round. He spent the summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League where he hit .231 with two homers and 12 RBI in 34 games. He decided to not accept the Yankees contract offer thus making him head back to school for his redshirt junior season with the Cardinals.
You may check out the rest of our Top 100 countdown by clicking here.
