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 71 with Florida’s Nick Maronde. He is a 6’3 195 pound left-handed pitcher out of Lexington Kentucky where he attended Lexington Catholic High School. As a senior in high school, he had a record of 8-1 with a 0.54 ERA and struck out 129 batters in 77 innings while issuing 21 walks. He was named first-team all-state while also being named Co-Pitcher of the Year on the Lexington Herald-Leader All-City Team. Maronde was ranked No. 19 on Baseball America’s list of 2008 Top 100 High School Prospects, was No. 26 on Rivals.com High 100, checked in at No. 28 on RISE Magazine’s Top 75 High School Baseball Players and ranked No. 43 in the Class of 2008 Final Rankings from Perfect Game. The Oakland A’s ended up selecting him in the 2008 MLB Draft in the 43rd round (1,294th pick) but were not able to sign him as he went to the University of Florida.
During his freshman campaign in 2009, he appeared in 21 games (11 starts) as he went 3-1 with a 4.40 ERA in 61.1 innings. He led the Gators with 59 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .255 batting average.
His sophomore season in 2010 saw him make 22 relief appearances going 2-0 with a save and a 6.15 ERA. Maronde was solid this summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Falmouth Commodores as he went 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA in 10 relief appearances. He was able to hold opponents to a .176 batting average against. Frankie Pilere of Fanhouse.com named him the 103rd pro prospect for the 2011 MLB Draft.
You can check out the rest of our Top 100 by clicking here.
