College Baseball Daily continues our countdown to the start of the 2013 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.
Number 89 on our Top 100 Countdown is Nevada’s Braden Shipley. The 6’2 right-handed pitcher/shortstop from Medford, Oregon was tabbed by Perfect Game as the top prospect of the Alaska League over the summer of 2012.
As a freshman in 2011, Shipley had an immediate impact for the Wolf Pack as a two-way player spending the majority of his time as shortstop where he started 44 games, also spending some time on the mound. In 2011, Shipley held a .287 batting average with seven doubles and 19 RBI and was named to the second-team All-WAC as a shortstop.
In his sophomore season, Shipley predominately spent his time on the mound starting 15 games. He posted a record of 9-4 and led the team with a 2.20 ERA. He held opposing batters to a .212 average and had a walk/strikeout ratio of 40/88.
Shipley’s success has earned him a variety of awards including 2012 WAC Pitcher of the Year, 2012 First Team All-WAC, WAC Pitcher of the Week, 2011 Second Team All-WAC and top prospect of the Alaska League by Perfect Game.
Over the summer of 2012, Shipley played in the Alaska League for the Anchorage Bucs posting a 2.76 ERA over 13 games of relief and earning five saves, while allowing only two walks compared to 22 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. As previously mentioned, this success earned him the title of top prospect of the Alaska League in 2012 by Perfect Game.
From a scouting perspective, Shipley has a lot of potential. With solid frame, excellent control and strong velocity, he has an extremely high ceiling as a relief pitcher while also still having great potential for success as a starting pitcher. His fastball has been consistent in the low-mid 90s and his control is only improving with time. This combination allows him to fool even the best hitters, making him one of the Top 100 players to watch for in 2013.
You can check out the rest of our Top 100 by clicking here.
