FROM PRESS RELEASE
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Navy finished atop the 2021 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll when the League office announced honors. Army West Point senior third baseman Anthony Giachin and Lehigh junior right-handed starting pitcher Mason Black claimed preseason player and pitcher of the year honors, respectively.
The Midshipmen collected 49 points and nine first-place votes to top the preseason poll. Navy has made the Patriot League Championship Series in four of the last five seasons. Defending League champion Army West Point received 39 points and one first-place vote. Lehigh finished close behind in third place with 37 points and two first-place votes. Holy Cross picked up 27 points to finish fourth, while Bucknell and Lafayette tied for fifth with 14 points in the preseason poll.
Giachin, a two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection at third base, highlights a 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League squad that features five returning 2019 all-League selections, including four first-teamers. Holy Cross right-handed starting pitcher Liam Dvorak, Lafayette junior shortstop Justin Johnson and Navy senior right-handed relief pitcher Trey Braithwaite join Giachin as previous first-team selections. Navy junior first baseman Zach Stevens was a second-team honoree in 2019.
Navy placed a League-high five student-athletes on the preseason team, with Braithwaite, Stevens, senior right-handed starting pitcher Charlie Connolly sophomore catcher Alex Smith and junior catcher Christian Policelli. Giachin led three Black Knights on the preseason team with senior second baseman Tim Simoes and senior outfielder Andre Walden. Holy Cross had two recipients with Dvorak and senior outfielder David Kale. Bucknell junior outfielder Chris Cannizzaro, Lafayette’s Johnson and Lehigh’s Black were all recognized as preseason all-League team members.
Voting for the Patriot League baseball preseason poll, all-League team and major awards were conducted by League head coaches and sports information directors. Neither group was permitted to vote for their team or student-athletes.
2021 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Player of the Year
Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, Sr., 3B, Livingston, N.J./Newark Academy
Career Stats: .303 BA (155-512), 8 HR, 105 RBI, 90 R, 36 2B, 4 3B, .436 SLG, .386 OBP
*Giachin is a two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection at third base (2018, ’19), and was the 2018 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and League tournament MVP.
*In 2019, Giachin led the Patriot League in RBIs (67), doubles (25) total bases (119) and finished second in hits (74) and runs scored (50).
*He is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree (2019, ’20).
2021 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Mason Black, Lehigh, Jr., RHP, Archbald, Pa./Valley View
Career Stats: 4-2, 4.09 ERA, 14 G, 9 GS, 1 CG, 55.0 IP, 57 K, 20 BB, .236 OPP BA,
*Black went 1-2 with a 3.68 ERA in four starts (22.0 IP) while striking out 29 batters and walking eight during a shortened 2020 season. He was 3-0 in 10 appearances, including five starts, spanning 33.0 innings in 2019.
*The right-hander was named a 2021 Preseason All-America Third Team honoree by Baseball America and is listed as the No. 53 prospect in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 2021 Draft Prospects.
*The Archbald, Pa. native was named the South Florida Collegiate Baseball League’s Pitcher of the Year posting a 3-0 record with a 0.64 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 28 innings in 2020.
2021 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Navy (9 first-place votes), 49 points
2. Army West Point (1), 39
3. Lehigh (2), 37
4. Holy Cross, 27
T5. Bucknell, 14
T5. Lafayette, 14
2021 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Major Awards
Player of the Year: Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, Sr., 3B
Pitcher of the Year: Mason Black, Lehigh, Jr., RHP
2021 Patriot League Preseason All-League Team
SP: Liam Dvorak, Holy Cross, Sr.
SP: Mason Black, Lehigh, Jr.
SP: Charlie Connolly, Navy Sr.
RP: Trey Braithwaite, Navy, Sr.
C: Alex Smith, Navy, So.
1B: Zach Stevens, Navy, Jr.
2B: Tim Simoes, Army West Point, Sr.
SS: Justin Johnson, Lafayette, Jr.
3B: Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, Sr.
OF: Andre Walden, Army West Point, Sr.
OF: Chris Cannizzaro, Bucknell, Jr.
OF: David Kale, Holy Cross, Sr.
AT-LARGE: Christian Policelli, Navy, Jr.
