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.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, www.ncbwa.com.
For more information on the NCAA Division I All-America team, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro of West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.