DALLAS (NCBWA) – With a cavalcade of the nation’s top NCAA Division I returnees, the 19th annual 2019 NCBWA preseason All-America squads reflect the quality of solid individuals set to start the 161st season of NCAA Division I intercollegiate baseball Feb. 15.
2018 NCAA champ Oregon State brings back four first team standouts for the pre-’19 selections with junior catcher Adley Rutschman (.408 batting average, nine home runs, 83 RBIs) along with sophomore starting pitchers Kevin Abel (8-1 overall, 2.88 earned run average, 108 strikeouts in 81-plus innings pitcher) and senior Bryce Fehmel (10-1, 3.19 ERA, 64 strikeouts) and relief ace junior Jake Mulholland (2-2, 2.20 ERA, 16 saves). Abel had the distinction of earning pitching victories in decisive Games 2 and 3 in the ’18 CWS over Arkansas.
Last year’s runner-up Arkansas also has a pair of first teamers in sophomore shortstop Casey Martin (.345-13-49) and sophomore outfielder Heston Kjerstad (.332-14-58). They joined OSU’s Abel as members of the prestigious 2018 NCBWA postseason Freshman All-America team.
There are 18 different NCAA Division I conferences represented along with 11 conference championships teams and 30 NCAA Regional groups from 2018.
The 2019 representatives have ample power, pitching, fielding, and “intangibles” credentials with such stalwarts as first team designated hitter Spencer Torkelson of Arizona State (the nation’s top returnee in terms of homers with 25 as a Freshman All-America last spring) and utility player Kevin Milam of St. Mary’s with a .302 average, five homers and 29 RBIs at the dish and a 6-4 pitching record, 85 2/3’s innings pitched and 81 strikeouts.
Some other standouts returning from the 2018 NCAA World Series are Florida junior outfielder Will Dalton (19 home runs, 60 RBIs), Mississippi State senior OF Jake Mangum (.356 average, 14 stolen bases), North Carolina junior outfielder Michael Busch (.317-13-63), Texas Tech junior third baseman Josh Jung (.392-12-80, 2018 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year), and Washington senior designated hitter Joe Wainhouse (.306-19-61), among others.
The starting pitchers on the first unit combined for a 41-6 record and three hurlers with ERAs of 2.60 or lower. Junior Andre Pallante (10-1 record) of UC Irvine topped this list with a sterling 1.60 ERA. The three top relievers had a composite 52 saves in 85 total appearances with sophomore Chris Mauloni leading the pack with 20 saves – tops nationally among Division I 2019 returnees.
Previous NCBWA All-America teams from 1996-2018 also have featured the likes of Dick Howser Trophy winners 3B Kris Bryant of San Diego, P Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State, 1B Mark Teixeira of Georgia Tech, RHP Mark Prior of USC, SS-2B Rickie Weeks of Southern U., 3B Alex Gordon of Nebraska, P David Price of Vanderbilt, C Buster Posey of Florida State, C Mike Zunino of Florida, P-1B A.J. Reed of Kentucky, OF Andrew Benintendi of Arkansas, P Brady Singer (2018 Howser Trophy recipient) of Florida, and 1B-P Brendan McKay of Louisville among others.
2019 NCBWA DIVISION I PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Pos. First Team School Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown
C Adley Rutschman Oregon State 6-2 216 Jr. Sherwood, Ore.
1B Andrew Vaughn California 6-0 214 Jr. Santa Rosa, Calif.
2B Chase Strumpf UCLA 6-1 191 Jr. Dana Point, Calif.
3B Josh Jung Texas Tech 6-2 215 Jr. San Antonio, Texas
SS Casey Martin Arkansas 5-11 175 So. Lonoke, Ark.
OF Michael Busch North Carolina 6-0 207 Jr. Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
OF Heston Kjerstad Arkansas 6-3 200 So. Amarillo, Texas
OF Jake Mangum Mississippi State 6-1 179 Sr. Pearl, Miss.
OF Bryant Packard East Carolina 6-3 200 Jr. Greenville, N.C.
DH Spencer Torkelson Arizona State 6-1 205 So. Petaluma, Calif.
UT Kevin Milam St. Mary’s 6-0 200 So. Brentwood, Calif.
SP Kevin Abel Oregon State 6-2 195 So. San Diego, Calif.
SP Kyle Brnovich Elon 6-2 190 Jr. Milton, Ga.
SP Bryce Fehmel Oregon State 6-2 205 Sr. Agoura Hills, Calif.
SP Sean Mooney St. John’s 6-1 185 Jr. Marmora, N.J.
SP Andre Pallante UC Irvine 6-0 203 Jr. San Clemente, Calif.
SP Drew Parrish Florida State 5-11 200 Jr. Rockledge, Fla.
RP Jack Little Stanford 6-4 190 Jr. Las Vegas, Nev.
RP Chris Mauloni Jacksonville 6-1 205 So. Jacksonville, Fla.
RP Jake Mulholland Oregon State 6-2 204 Jr. Snohomish, Wash.
Second Team: C Patrick Bailey, NC State, So.; 1B Logan Wyatt, Louisville, Jr.; 2B Austin Martin, Vanderbilt, So.; SS Bryson Stott, UNLV, Jr.; 3B Nick Quintana, Arizona, Jr.; OF Kevin Strohschein, Tennessee Tech, Sr.; OF Justin Dirden, SE Missouri State, Sr.; OF Matt Wallner, Southern Miss, Jr.; OF Will Dalton, Florida, Jr.; DH Joe Wainhouse, Washington, Sr.; UT Casey Schmitt, San Diego State, So.; SP Mason Feole, UConn, Jr.; SP Patrick Fredrickson, Minnesota, So.; SP Nick Bennett, Louisville, Jr.; SP Hunter Gaddis, Georgia State, Jr.; SP Cody Bradford, Baylor, Jr.; RP Max Meyer, Minnesota, So.; RP Parker Caracci, Ole Miss, r-Jr.; RP Dylan Thomas, Hawaii, r-Jr.; RP Casey Legumina, Gonzaga, Jr.
Third Team: C Shea Langeliers, Baylor, Jr. C Reynaldo Pastrana, Marshall, Sr.; 1B Michael Toglia, UCLA, Jr.; 2B Bryan Arias, UTSA, Sr.; SS Will Holland, Auburn, Jr.; 3B Drew Frederic, Troy, Jr.; OF Gabe Holt, Texas Tech, So.; OF Quin Cotton, Grand Canyon, Jr.; OF Matt Gorski, Indiana, Jr.; DH Brooks Carlson, Samford, So.; UT Kenyon Yovan, Oregon, Jr.; SP Logan Bailey, Louisiana Tech, Sr.; SP Matt Canterino, Rice, Jr.; SP Brendan Beck, Stanford, So.; SP Nick Lodolo, TCU, Jr.; SP Graeme Stinson, Duke, Jr.; RP Matt Cronin, Arkansas, Jr.; RP Layne Looney, Richmond, Sr.; RP Zach Schneider, Florida Atlantic, Sr.; RP Brandon Eisert, Oregon State, Jr.
