College Baseball Daily continues our countdown to the start of the 2012 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 3 with Arizona State junior shortstop Deven Marrero. The Davie, Florida native attended American Heritage High School where he was a two time captain. He was also named All-State and All-County in 2008, when American Heritage won both the Florida State title and the National title. He ended up being drafted in the 17th round (509th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds during the 2009 MLB Draft. He decided to turn down the Reds offer to head to Tempe, Arizona to play for the Arizona State Sun Devils.
As a freshman in 2010, he appeared in 42 games (37 starts) mostly at shortstop and DH. Deven ended up hitting .397 with sixhomers and 42 RBI. He was also good on the basepaths stealing eleven bases in 12 attempts. He picked up several honors including being named First Team Freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball and Second Team honors from the NCBWA while also being named Honorable Mention All-Pac-10. At the College World Series, Marrero was the only Sun Devil to show a sign of life at the plate, going 4 for 8 over the two losses, including a double and an RBI against eventual champ South Carolina.
He played the summer of 2010 in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Cotuit Kettleers. He finished with a team high .306 batting average with a homer and seven RBI in 29 games as he helped lead the Kettleers to the CCBL title.
As a junior, he hit .315 batting average with two homers and 20 RBI while playing in 54 games. He scored 33 times and also stole 10 bases while hitting 14 doubles and three triples. He earned Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors and First Team All-Pac-10.
He spent the summer with the 2011 USA Collegiate National Team playing in 14 games hitting .322 with seven RBI. He also played in 12 games in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Cotuit Kettleers hitting .326 with five RBI.
You can check out the rest of our Top 100 by clicking here.