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 counting down the players day-by-day until we reach number 1.
Number 72 on our Top 100 Countdown is Florida State’s Brandon Leibrandt. The 6’4 left-handed pitcher from Alpharetta, Georgia was a 48th-round draft pick by the Rays in 2011.
Leibrandt made quite an impact during his freshman season at Florida State when he became the first freshman in program history to start an opening game. He continued on in the rotation as the Seminoles’ Friday starter where he posted a record of 8-3 with an ERA of 2.82 in 19-games started. He held opponents to a batting average of .243 with 83 strikeouts on the season.
The success that Leibrandt experienced in 2012 earned him a variety of awards including being named to the Tallahassee All-Regional Team as well as being named a Freshman All-American by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America.
From a scouting perspective, Leibrandt’s upside is fantastic. As a southpaw with a fastball that sits just under 90 mph, an excellent frame and great control, it’s clear to see how he has been so successful in just one season with the Seminoles. One of the most valuable traits that Leibrandt possesses is his maturity on the mound, as he demonstrated the confidence and grace of a seasoned veteran during his freshman campaign. With great intangibles and raw talent, Leibrandt will only continue to improve at Florida State, making him one of the top players to watch for in 2013.
You can check out the rest of our Top 100 by clicking here.
