College Baseball Daily 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 52 with sophomore Jeremy Baltz from St. John’s. The Vestal, NY native attended the local Vestal High School where he was a four-time New York State scholar-athlete. He earned a total of three letters in baseball while helping the Golden Bears win three straight sectional titles and two conference championships. He was a two-time all-division selection while being named all-conference as a senior. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 45th round in the 2009 MLB Draft but decided to attend St. John’s.
Baltz had one of the best seasons by a freshman in school history leading the team in each of the triple crown categories. He finished with a .396 batting average with 24 homers and 85 RBI. He picked up a myriad of awards for his season including being named 2010 Big East Rookie of the Year, Louisville Slugger Freshman of the Year, 
and NCBWA National Freshman Hitter of the Year. He was named a Freshman All-American by NCBWA, Louisville Slugger, and Baseball America while being named a First Team All-American by Baseball America while being Second Team All-American by ABCA, Louisville Slugger, and NCBWA.
He spent the summer of 2010 in the NECBL with the Keene Swamp Bats. He ended up leading the team with a .301 average while hitting two homers and driving in 15 runs. He was named a 2010 All-Star as he went 0-3 in the game. (Game Recap).
I saw Baltz play in the 2010 NECBL All-Star Game and was impressed with his size and all around skill level. I believe once he gets a chance to hit the weight room and grow into his lanky frame that he will be an even more dangerous hitter then he already is. He has the potential to be the best hitter in the 2012 MLB Draft if he continues to develop like he did during his freshman season.
You can check out the rest of our Top 100 by clicking here.
5 comments
52 for the freshman hitter of the year?this is a better video to understand the type of player the kid is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT9BAerJoTs&feature=related 5th at bat against top 10 ranked Louisville
I still think Baltz needs to prove himself more then one season. An example of this is Sean Gilmartin who was nowhere close to his freshman season. Plus I wasn’t that impressed with his NECBL numbers. As of right now, I have him in my top ten for 2012 if he repeats his season!rnrnBrian FoleyrnSent on the Sprintu00ae Now Network from my BlackBerryu00ae
Umm, that was a crush job….I will see St. John’s at least 4 times and up to six depending on my schedule in the spring. I added the video to the post.
Brian, nnTop 10 for 2012, If Baltz repeats a season like 2010? Are you aware of the new bats the NCAA are going to use starting this year? If he has half the campaign he had last year I would say he would be a strong candidate to projected within the top 2 rounds for the 2012 draft. nnSo hitting .301 and being an All-Star in the NECBL isn’t good enough. It helped get Baltz a full contract in the Cape with Falmouth for Summer 2011. I would say he has got a shot at the Team USA trials as well
The quality of the season I mean. If he continues being one of the top hitters in the country, then we will see. Tons of guys have great freshmen seasons then fade away. rnrnI like Baltz a lot and think he is one of the best hitters I have seen. I also tend to underrate a player like Baltz and we all know about the Anthony Rendon discussion last season.
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