We have covered the catchers. We have covered the shortstops. We are staying up the middle with a look at some of the top second basemen in the game as we look at some of the top college baseball players across the country in our countdown to the start of the 2011 season.

1. Zack MacPhee – Arizona State

MacPhee had a good freshman season at ASU, but he was great as a sophomore in 2010. The switch-hitting second baseman was named the Pac 10 Player of the Year and also earned unanimous First Team All-American recognition after batting .389 with nine home runs, 64 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases to help the Sun Devils reach the College World Series under first-year head coach Tim Esmay.  MacPhee also broke a nearly 40 year-old school record with 14 triples. His 1.150 OPS, helped by his .664 slugging percentage, were both team-highs. MacPhee combines with sophomore shortstop Deven Marrero to give ASU one of the youngest, fastest and best middle infield combos in the nation this season.

2. Ryan Wright – Louisville

After earning Freshman All-American honors in 2009, Wright stepped-up his game for the Cardinals in 2010. He  hit .366 with 16 home runs, 17 doubles and a team-best 80 RBIs for a Louisville team that was ranked from start to finish last season. The Ft. Wayne, IN native also scored 61 runs with 19 stolen bases and a 1.051 OPS. He committed just three errors for a stellar .989 fielding percentage. Wright’s torrid pace didn’t end when Louisville’s season did. He continued his hot hitting by batting a team-high .381 for the USA Collegiate National Team over the summer. He scored 18 runs with 12 RBIs while starting in 17 of 19 games.

3. Kolten Wong – Hawaii

Wong earned WAC Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American honors as Hawaii’s starting centerfielder in 2009, but a move to second base helped his team reach new heights in 2010. Wong batted .357 with seven home runs, 15 doubles, 40 RBIs, and team-highs of 57 runs and 19 stolen bases to help the Warriors reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. Wong was named the WAC Tournament MVP while helping his team to its first WAC Tourney title since 1992. The Hilo, HA native had more success over the summer, when he was named the Cape Cod League MVP after batting .341 for the Orleans Firebirds.

4. Tommy La Stella – Coastal Carolina

The Closter, NJ native played sparingly in 2008 in his only season at St. John’s, but he was a vital member of the Chanticleers in his first season in Conway, SC in 2010. La Stella led the Chants with his .378 batting average, while  posting 14 home runs, 66 RBIs, 63 runs, and 14 doubles. His 1.072 OPS was the second-best among Coastal Carolina batters who combined to hit 111 home runs last season. La Stella also struckout just 15 times with 32 walks in 246 at-bats last season (once every 16.4 ABs), to make him the 29th toughest batter to strikeout in Division I baseball. On top of that, he committed just five errors all season. His .977 fielding percentage is the best by a second baseman in Coastal school history.

5. Dan Paolini – Siena

Now a junior, Paolini has blasted 37 home runs in his first two seasons at Siena. He was named a Freshman All-American and Metro Atlantic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2009 after batting .430 with 11 home runs. His average came down, but his home runs went off the charts last year when he hit .368 with 26 HR and 64 RBIs. His 26 long balls set a new MAAC single-season record and tied for the second-most in Division I baseball in 2010. Paolini’s .816 slugging percentage (6th in the NCAA) helped him to a whopping 1.255 OPS. The 6’0 slugger, who participated in the inaugural TD Ameritrade Home Run Derby last summer, was also stellar in the field. He committed just four errors and finished with a .985 fielding percentage.

6. Kevin Tokarski – Illinois State

Tokarski’s 2009 season ended too soon, but he had a 2010 campaign that he probably didn’t want to to ever end. He played in just four games in 2009 after breaking his wrist, but bounced-back big time last year to set six Illinois State single-season offensive records. Tokarski was named the Missouri Valley Conference Joe Carter Player of the Year after batting .412 with 84 hits, 70 runs, 25 doubles, 33 stolen bases, and 53 walks. His .412 average wasn’t a school record, but it was good for 36th in the nation, while his .538 on-base percentage ranked 7th nationally. The Redbird leadoff man also has the ISU career stolen base record with 66.

7. Tyler Rahmatulla – UCLA

Rahmatulla didn’t get to play during UCLA’s runner-up finish at last year’s College World Series, but the Bruins would have never made it to Omaha if not for his clutch hitting. He infamously broke his wrist in the dog pile celebration that followed UCLA’s June 13 Super Regional-clinching win over Cal State Fullerton. A day earlier, Rahmatulla’s two-out 9th inning home run staved-off elimination to help the Bruins to an 11-7 win in 10 innings. It was all part of a season that saw the 5’11 sophomore bat .328 with seven home runs, 45 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, and a team-best 52 runs scored. The All-Pac 10 second baseman looks to again be a vital cog in the UCLA offensive attack in 2011.

8. Anthony Gomez – Vanderbilt

The guy they call “Go-Go” got it done as a freshman in 2010. Gomez earned Freshman All-American status after leading his team as well as all SEC freshmen with a .379 average. He had 30 RBIs with 41 runs, while dropping down a team-best 13 sacrifice bunts as the Commodore’s primary two-hole batter. Gomez also struckout just nine times in 214 at-bats in his first season in the SEC. His first career home run came off LSU All-American closer Matty Ott in the top of the 9th inning in a May 7 game in Baton Rouge. He committed just five errors in the field for Vandy’s Super Regional team.

9. Tyler Hanover – LSU

Hanover  is one of the few remaining everyday players from LSU’s 2009 National Championship team. He batted .321 in 53 starts as a freshman in ’09 and then hit .332 with 16 doubles, 35 RBIs, and 49 runs while starting all 63 LSU games last year. Hanover also batted .526 at the SEC Tournament and drove-in the winning run in the championship game win over Alabama. The 5’6 junior also played solidly in the field, with just six errors and a .979 fielding percentage. Hanover has played in the last two Cape Cod League All-Star Games at Fenway Park for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

10. Keith Werman – Virginia

Werman is another classic two-hole batter. He ranked 31st in the nation with a .414 batting average and also dropped down a team-high 15 sacrifice bunts as a sophomore in 2010. His .414 average was the highest by a Virginia player since 1981 and is the fifth-best in school history. Werman scored 32 runs with 23 RBIs and 10 stolen bases, while sporting a respectable .500 slugging percentage. The momentum for his breakout sophomore campaign began during Virginia’s run to the 2009 College World Series, when the 5’7 freshman hit .442 over the course of UVA’s last 16 games. That included a .600 clip in Omaha. Werman committed just two errors in the field in 2010 for Virginia’s Super Regional team.

11. Danny Muno – Fresno State

Muno is one of those guys who has been around forever. He was Fresno State’s starting shortstop as a freshman when the Bulldogs ran to the CWS National Championship in 2008. He earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors that season. Now a senior, he could end his career with more games than anyone who’s ever worn an FSU uniform. Muno batted .329 with seven home runs, 33 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and scored a team-best 68 runs in 2010. He earned first team All-WAC honors at second base in 2009, but settled for second team last year with Hawaii’s Kolten Wong taking top honors.

Others To Watch…

Ross Heffley – Western Carolina

Riley Henricks – Portland

Matt Jensen – Cal Poly

Ryan Jones – Michigan State

Trevor Knight – James Madison

Kevin Muno – San Diego – The 5th year senior is the older brother of Danny Muno.

Will Muzika – Furman

Michael Ratteree – Rice

As Well As…

Cory Spangenberg – He was named Big South Conference Freshman of the Year in 2010 at VMI after batting .380 with 11 HR, 49 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. However, he is playing at Indian River CC this year and plans transfer to Miami (FL) for the 2012 season.

Dugouthats.com has officially licensed 2010 College World Series memorabilia year round!

From t-shirts and caps to limited edition prints commemorating the last CWS ever played at historic Rosenblatt Stadium. Dugouthats.com also always  hats of your favorite college teams like LSU, Texas, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UCLA, South Carolina, Miami and more.

Just click on any of the red links above or the image on the left to find the best selection of college baseball apparel.

Related

Top 11 Non-Conference Schedules In 2011

Top 11 Catchers To Watch In 2011

Top 11 Shortstops To Watch In 2011

Wong & Ribera Head The List…

Becomes First WAC Player To Take The Honor…

Kolten Wong is the first player from Hawaii or the WAC to be named Cape Cod MVP.

Despite missing the last four games of the regular season due to an injury, Wong was honored with the Pat Sorenti Most Valuable Player Award.

Wong certainly warranted the accolade. He finished third in batting average (.341), second in OBP (.426), fourth in slugging (.452) and tied for second in stolen bases (22).  The second baseman also made just four errors in 145 chances (.972).

He excelled in every facet of the game. His enthusiasm provided a spark for the Firebirds whether he was batting leadoff or third in the order. He also kept fans on the edge of their seats with his daring base-running and his eloquent, but vicious swing.

“He can really hit and he disrupts baseball games when he gets on base,” Orleans field manager Kelly Nicholson said. “He’s going to steal a base, he can hit a home run, he can drive the ball the other way, he can push and he can drag.”

The combination of all those elements made Wong one of the most exciting players to watch this summer. And it almost wasn’t to be. He came to Cape Cod with a decision to make —- to play for his country or for the Firebirds.

“I thought he was the best player in the league,” Y-D field manager Scott Pickler said. “The numbers he put up, the way he played second base and the way he went about his business. He’s a baseball player.”

Nicholson could not have been happier with the way things worked out for his second baseman.

“I’m glad this summer turned out the way it did for him because it was a tough decision,” he said. “It’s going to be fun to follow him and see where he ends up.”

Wong, who has enjoyed two outstanding years at Hawai’i, is poised to make a high appearance in next year’s amateur draft as well on the fields of big league ballparks across the country.

In winning the award, he joins last year’s recipient, Kyle Roller (Bourne, East Carolina) and a host of current major leaguers, including Evan Longoria (Chatham ’05), Carlos Pena (Wareham ’97) and Jason Varitek (Hyannis ’93).  He is also the first player from an East Division team to win the award since Longoria and the first Orleans player since Lance Niekro (Florida Southern) in 1999.

Past Cape League MVPs

2009  Kyle Roller-East Carolina/Bourne

2008  A.J. Pollock-Notre Dame/Falmouth

2007  Conor Gillaspie-Wichita State/Falmuoth

2006  Justin Smoak-South Carolina/Cotuit

2005  Evan Longoria-Long Beach St./Chatham

2004  Daniel Carte-Winthrop/Falmouth

2003  J.C. Holt-LSU/Brewster

2002  Pete Stonard-Alabama/Cotuit

2001  Matt Murton-Georgia Tech/Wareham

2000  Mike Fontenot-LSU/Wareham

(Cape League Release)

Game Set For July 28 At Fenway Park…

The Cape Cod All-Star Game will be played at Boston's historic Fenway Park.

The All-Star game is presented by the leading banks of Cape Cod —- Bank of America, Eastern Bank, TD Bank, Cape Cod Cooperative Bank and Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank.

Scott Pickler of the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox will be the field manager for the East Division, with Harvey Shapiro of the defending champion Bourne Braves piloting the West.

Leading the way for the East are Brewster outfielder Drew Martinez (Memphis) and Orleans second baseman Kolten Wong (Hawai’i), who are currently 1-2 in the league in batting average.

Wong will be joined on the right side of the infield by Chatham first baseman Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt). Anchoring the left side will be two players from second-place Y-D —-  shortstop Joe Panik (St. John’s) and third baseman Tyler Hanover (LSU). This is the second All-Star selection for Hanover, who was a reserve last year.

Martinez will also have a friendly face beside him in the outfield as teammate Cohl Walla (Texas) was named a starter along with Y-D’s Caleb Ramsey (Houston).

The designated hitter is Harwich’s Clint Moore (West Point), with Harwich’s Pratt Maynard (N.C. State) named the starting catcher.

The Mariners also landed two reserve players in utility man Levi Michael (North Carolina) and outfielder Ronnie Richardson (Central Florida). Chatham catcher Joe Pavone (UConn) fills out the roster.

Leading the pitching staff for the East will be Brewster’s Andrew Gagnon (Long Beach State). Gagnon leads the league with five wins and sports a 1.69 ERA through six appearances. He also ranks second with 38 strikeouts. He will be joined by a strong supporting staff that includes teammate and closer Colton Murray (Kansas), Kyle Simon (Arizona) and Marcus Stroman (Duke) of Orleans, Derek Self (Louisville) and Logan Verrett (Baylor) of Chatham, and Adam Morgan (Alabama), Braden Kapteyn (Kentucky) and Matty Ott (LSU) of Harwich.

The Wareham Gatemen lead the West Division All-Stars with five selections, while the Braves had three players named.

Representing Bourne will be starter Grayson Garvin (Vanderbilt), and relievers, RJ Alverez (Florida Atlantic) and Tony Zych (Louisville). Alvarez and Zych have yet to allow an earned run this summer. Garvin is 3-0 in four starts with a 0.79 ERA.

Right-hander Austin Wood (St. Petersburg), who has dominated, going 3-0, with an 0.58 ERA in 31 innings, represents Cotuit. Joining him from the Kettleers is right-handed reliever AJ Achter (Michigan State), who has posted a 1.03 ERA in 10 appearances.

Making the team from the Gatemen are right-hander Max Perlman (Harvard) and lefty Jed Bradley (Georgia Tech). Hyannis’ Tyler Ray (Troy) will make the trip to Fenway, along with Falmouth southpaw Christian Jones (Oregon).

Falmouth’s Andrew Susac (Oregon State) gets the start behind the plate, with Hyannis’ Cam Seitzer (Oklahoma) at first base, Falmouth’s Kevin Medrano (Missouri State) at second, Wareham’s Tyler Bream (Liberty University) at third and Falmouth’s KC Serna (Oregon) manning shortstop.

The starting outfielders are Cotuit’s Chad Wright (Kentucky), Wareham’s  Zach Wilson (Arizona State) and Hyannis’ John Ruettiger (Arizona State).

The designated hitter will be Cotuit’s Jordan Leyland (UC Irvine).

The reserves are Wareham catcher Tony Caldwell (Auburn), utility infielder Casey McElroy (Auburn) and Bourne outfielder Scott Woodward (Coastal Carolina).

General admission tickets for the game, priced at $10, are still available and can be purchased on the Cape League website at www.capecodbaseball.org, or at any of the 10 ballparks.

(Cape Cod Release)

39 Players Invited – 22 Will Make Final Roster…

USA Baseball Collegiate Team 2010 Schedule

Six 2009 Semifinalists On 2010 List

USA Baseball announced Thursday its preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List, marking the organization’s first step toward identifying the top amateur baseball player in the country. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, the Golden Spikes Award will be presented in 2010 for the 33rd time.

The Watch List features 50 of the nation’s top amateur talents, and it will be a “rolling” list to ensure that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the Golden Spikes Award, to be presented live on Tuesday, July 13, at the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in Anaheim, Calif.

Headlining the 2010 Watch List are six athletes who were among the 30 semifinalists for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award. Those players are Daniel Bibona (LHP, Sr., UC Irvine), Bryce Brentz (OF/RHP, Jr., Middle Tennessee), Deck McGuire (RHP, Jr., Georgia Tech), Addison Reed (RHP, Jr., San Diego State), Anthony Rendon (3B, So., Rice) and Alex Wimmers (RHP, Jr., Ohio State).

“We’re very pleased to announce the 50 members of the preseason Watch List for the 2010 Golden Spikes Award,” said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. “The level of amateur baseball talent in our country continues to rise each year, and there is no greater evidence of this than seeing six 2009 semifinalists named to the 2010 Watch List.”

The list of 50 names also features Bryce Harper of the College of Southern Nevada, a junior. The freshman catcher is the only junior-college player named to the list. Alex Fernandez, as a sophomore pitcher for Miami Dade Community College (now Miami Dade College) in 1990, stands as the only junior-college player to ever win the Golden Spikes Award.

LSU leads all schools with four players named to the Watch List. Texas is second with three, and Alabama, Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, Coastal Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, University of Miami, Rice and Virginia have two apiece.

The SEC tops all conferences with 15 Watch List players. Other leading conferences include the ACC with 10 athletes, the Big 12 with five, and the Big West and Conference USA with three each. Juniors dominate the list with 35 players named. Sophomores are next with nine players, there are five seniors, and Harper is the lone freshman.

On Tuesday, June 1, USA Baseball officials will cut the list of players to 30 names. The final list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of select professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches, select members of the media, former USA Baseball sports information directors, and current USA Baseball staff — about 150 voters in total.

All voters will be asked to choose five players from the list of 30 names. Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2010. June 1 will also mark the day when college baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player for the Golden Spikes Award on goldenspikesaward.com. On Tuesday, June 8, USA Baseball will announce the five finalists, and voting for a winner will commence that same day.

The 2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented nationally July 13 on an award show via live telecast from Anaheim on goldenspikesaward.com, USABaseball.com and MLB.com in conjunction with All-Star FanFest.

Past winners of the Golden Spikes Award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004), Tim Lincecum (2006), David Price (2007), Buster Posey (2008) and last year’s winner, Stephen Strasburg.

2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Important Dates

Thursday, Feb. 18 – 50-player Watch List released, shaped by USA Baseball officials, advisors and college SIDs
Tuesday, June 1 – 30 semifinalists announced, selected by USA Baseball officials; semifinalist voting begins; voters select five
Friday, June 4 – Deadline to vote for finalists, 5:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, June 8 – Five finalists announced; finalist voting begins; voters to select one
Friday, June 18 – Deadline to vote for winner, 5:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, July 13 – Golden Spikes Award presentation live at All-Star FanFest in Anaheim

Complete 2010 preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List:

Name, School, Position, Class (in order of name)

Chad Bettis, Texas Tech, RHP, Junior
Daniel Bibona, UC Irvine, LHP, Senior
Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee, OF/RHP, Junior
Michael Choice, Texas-Arlington, OF, Junior
Gerrit Cole, UCLA, RHP, Sophomore
Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton, SS, Junior
Zack Cox, 3B/RHP, Arkansas, Sophomore
Todd Cunningham, OF, Junior
Blake Dean, LSU, Jacksonville State, 1B/OF, Senior
Sam Dyson, South Carolina, RHP, Junior
Brett Eibner, Arkansas, RHP/OF, Junior
Micah Gibbs, LSU, C, Junior
Sean Gilmartin, Florida State, LHP, Sophomore
Yasmani Grandal, University of Miami, C, Junior
Sonny Gray, Vanderbilt, RHP, Sophomore
Justin Grimm, Georgia, RHP, Junior
Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia, 2B/3B, Junior
Rick Hague, Rice, SS, Junior
Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada, C/3B/OF, Freshman
Cody Hawn, Tennessee, 1B, Junior
Chris Hernandez, University of Miami, LHP, Junior
Tyler Holt, Florida State, OF, Junior
Danny Hultzen, Virginia, LHP/1B, Sophomore
Kevin Jacob, Georgia Tech, RHP, Junior
Taylor Jungmann, Texas, RHP, Sophomore
Leon Landry, LSU, OF, Junior
Deck McGuire, Georgia Tech, RHP, Junior
Hunter Morris, Auburn, 1B/OF, Junior
Jarrett Parker, Virginia, OF, Junior
Drew Pomeranz, Mississippi, LHP, Junior
Anthony Ranaudo, LSU, RHP, Junior
Addison Reed, San Diego State, RHP, Junior
Anthony Rendon, Rice, 3B, Sophomore
Daniel Renken, Cal State Fullerton, RHP, Junior
Kyle Roller, East Carolina, 1B, Senior
Cameron Rupp, C, Junior, Texas
Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast, LHP, Junior
Jake Smith, Alabama, 3B/RHP, Senior
Josh Spence, Arizona State, LHP, Senior
Tony Thompson, Kansas, 3B, Junior
Preston Tucker, Florida, 1B, Sophomore
Kolbrin Vitek, Ball State, 3B/RHP, Junior
Austin Wates, Virginia Tech, OF, Junior
Cody Wheeler, Coastal Carolina, LHP, Junior
Ross Wilson, Alabama, 2B/SS, Junior
Alex Wimmers, Ohio State, RHP, Junior
Mickey Wiswall, Boston College, 3B/1B, Junior
Kolten Wong, Hawaii, 2B, Sophomore
Scott Woodward, Coastal Carolina, 3B, Junior
Brandon Workman, Texas, RHP, Junior

Can Fresno State Continue Recent Dominance?

2009 Regular Season Champ: San Jose State

2009 Tournament Champ: Fresno State beat New Mexico State 5-3

The Western Athletic Conference might never have been stronger from top to bottom as it was in 2009. The season did not end in a WAC team winning the College World Series as it did in 2008 with Fresno State, but for the first time in the conference’s 47-year history each team won at least 25 games. No less than five of the seven teams in the WAC improved from 2008, led by New Mexico State, which won 16 more games in 2009 than the year before.

Fresno State continues to be the national face of the WAC, winning the postseason tournament the last four years. The Bulldogs, the conference’s all-time leader with 32 NCAA appearances, are the only WAC team to advance to a regional tournament the last three years.

Fresno State is ranked (33rd) and New Mexico State and Hawaii have received votes in one (Collegiate Baseball) 2010 pre-season poll.

The WAC returns four freshman All-Americans this season (Fresno State’s Dusty Robinson, Hawaii’s Kolten Wong, Nevada’s Nick Melino and Sacramento State’s Jesse Darrah).

Fresno State

2009 Record: (32-30, 12-12)

Mascot: Bulldogs

Head Coach: Mike Batesole.

Location: Fresno, Calif.

Vitals: .283 BA, 89 HR, 453 R, 44 SB, .964 Fld% . . . 5.61 ERA, 374 SO, 218 BB, 10 SV

WAC Attack: The Bulldogs’ four tournament titles in a row ties a WAC record set by Arizona State (1975-78).

Seeing Double: Pitcher Taylor Garrison (4-3, 4.87 ERA) and catcher Trent Garrison (.219, 12 RBI) are twins. The two 19-year-old sophomores graduated from Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, Calif.

Flair For Dramatics: Jordan Ribera had a day (May 24) in the WAC Tournament last year that he’ll never forget. The infielder hit a two-run homer to break a 7-7 ninth inning tie to beat New Mexico State, 9-7, in the first championship game. In the second championship game that day, Ribera’ two-run, eighth inning homer broke a 3-3 tie, leading the Bulldogs to a 5-3 victory and the WAC crown.

Home Run Champ Missing: Tommy Mendonca, the 2008 College World Series Most Outstanding Player, hit a WAC-best 27 homers last year as a junior

Danny Muno

and set a Fresno State record with 44 career blasts. Mendonca was drafted in the second round by the Texas Rangers and is now playing professional baseball.

Among The Best: Second baseman Danny Muno ranked ninth in the nation last year with a .525 on base percentage, 28th with 74 runs scored and 10th with 25 doubles.  His brother, Kevin Muno, is a junior outfielder at San Diego.  They went head-to-head two years ago at an NCAA Regional when FSU beat SD en-route to winning the 2008 national title.  Dusty Robinson (.319, 45 RBIs, 12 doubles) was a Freshman All-American in 2009.

Decades Of Dominance: The Bulldogs have had 33 consecutive seasons of .500 or better.

Hawaii

2009 record: (32-26, 11-12)

Mascot: Rainbows

Head Coach: Mike Trapasso

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Vitals: .278 BA, 346 R, 64 HR, 38 SB, .975 Fld% . . . 5.74 ERA, 10 SV, 350 SO, 177 BB.

Playing The Big Boys: Hawaii will play a tough non-conference schedule in 2010, taking on the likes of Oregon, Oregon State, USC, Long Beach State, Fullerton, Stanford, and San Diego.

From Los Angeles to Honolulu: Nathaniel Klein, who spent two years (one as a redshirt) in the USC program, debuted for the Rainbows last year and went 3-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 11 games.

Patience Pays Off: Harrison Kuroda, the 2004 Gatorade Hawaii High School Player of the Year, pitched in just nine games over four seasons after graduating from the Mid-Pacific Institute (high school). The 5-foot-9 right-hander, though, pitched in 15 games in 2009 with a 4-1 record for the Rainbows.

Cheering On The Rainbows: Hawaii averaged 2,990 tickets issued each game last year at 4,312-seat Les Murakami Stadium, the most in 12 years at the school. The Rainbows drew over 3,500 for six games in ‘09.

Freshman Flash: Outfielder Kolten Wong was named to five Freshman All-American teams after hitting .341 with 11 homers and 52 RBI last year.

Louisiana Tech

2009 Record: (29-22, 13-11)

Mascot: Bulldogs

Head Coach: Wade Simoneaux

Location: Ruston, La.

Vitals: .323 BA, 438 R, 92 HR, 60 SB, .962 Fld% . . . 7.24 ERA, 8 SV, 353 SO, 259 BB.

Getting The Love At Home: The Bulldogs have had a winning record at J.C. Love Field for 33 of the past 39 seasons. They were 18-6 last season at home.

Following Big Brother?: Outfielder Clint Stubbs (.304, 6 RBI in 79 at-bats), is

Devon Dageford

the brother of Drew Stubbs (University of Texas, 2006) of the Cincinnati Reds. Clint, a senior, played one season at Texas, hitting .250 in 12 games in 2007.

No Call On Draft Day: Devon Dageford was among the national leaders last year as a junior with 23 home runs (9th) and 68 RBI (54th) and also hit .385, slugged a WAC-best .862 and had a school-record 168 total bases but was not drafted last June.

Backstop Back: Senior Drew Thomas, who played 2006-08 with the Bulldogs, is returning this season after missing all of 2009 with an injury. Thomas, who was drafted in the 45th round by Arizona in 2005, hit .212 in 33 at-bats in 2008 as a backup catcher.

Slam Deja Vu: Devon Drageford made Dallas Baptist see double in back-to-back games last March. The outfielder hit a grand slam in a Bulldogs’ victory on March 26 at Love Field and then repeated the act the very next day.

Bulldog Power: Louisiana Tech ranked 13th in the nation last year in slugging at .545.

Nevada

2009 Record: (25-31, 10-13)

Mascot: Wolf Pack

Head Coach: Gary Powers

Location: Reno, Nev.

Vitals: .287 BA, 349 R, 44 HR, 51 SB, .968 Fld% . . . 6.14 ERA, 8 SV, 342 SO, 242 BB.

Alaska Pipeline:  Joe Kohan, the 2008 Gatorade Alaska High School Player of the Year, hit .253 in 87 at-bats last year as a freshman as an infielder.

Football Mentality: Senior shortstop Kevin Rodland (.267, 26 RBI), who played his freshman year in 2007 at Arizona (.170 in 30 games), was the last of four brothers to play quarterback at Snohomish (Wash.) High School.

Baseball Bloodlines: Junior pitcher/ DH Brock Stassi (.262, 18 RBI, 6-5, 6.63 ERA) is the son of Nevada Hall of Famer Jim Stasis (.381 career average in 1982-82). His great uncle Myril Hoag played with the New York Yankees with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Hitting Machine: First baseman Shaun Kort has a career batting average of .349 (229-for-657) in three seasons with 16 HR and 172 RBI. The left-hander has coaxed 93 walks and has struck out just 71 times in his career.

The Power Of Coaching: Head coach Gary Powers, a northern Nevada native (Minden) and former Wolf Pack pitcher (1970-71), is the longest tenured coach in the history of the school. The Wolf Pack has won 30 or more games 15 times in last 21 years under Powers and has been to four NCAA Regionals.

New Mexico State

2009 Record: (44-17, 12-12).

Mascot: Aggies

Head Coach: Rocky Ward

Location: Las Cruces, N.M.

Vitals: .353 BA, 668 R, 151 2Bs, 119 HR, 61 SB, .968 Fld% . . . 6.28 ERA, 15 SV, 446 SO, 247 BB.

Best With The Bat: The Aggies finished first in the nation in 2009 in runs scored per game (11.0), runs scored (668), slugging (.599) and walks (416) and were fourth in average (.353), second in home runs (119) and seventh in doubles (151).

Total  Turnaround: The Aggies’ 44-17 record in 2009 is the school’s first finish over .500 since joining the WAC in 2006. The Aggies were 69-103 from 2006-08.

Help From Dad: Gary Ward, the father of Rocky, won 1,022 games as head coach at Oklahoma State (1978-96) and New Mexico State (2001-02). Gary is in his seventh year as Rocky’s hitting coach at New Mexico State.

Mike Sodders

Leaving Las Cruces: The Aggies will have to replace two outstanding hitters in 2010 with the departure of seniors Bryan Marquez and Richard Stout. Marquez was second in the WAC with a .414 average, led the conference with 83 runs, 171 total bases, 85 RBI and a .795 slugging average and was third in homers with 22. Stout led the league in SB with 23, was third in runs with 73 and hit .346.

Aggie Accolade:  Mike Sodders is one of just three WAC players (along with Fresno State’s Dusty Robinson and Louisiana Tech’s Devon Dageford) named as a preseason All-American.  Sodders, a junior infielder, hit a WAC-best .422 last year with 13 homers and 68 RBI.

Sacramento State

2009 Record: (27-27, 8-14)

Mascot: Hornets

Head Coach: John Smith

Location: Sacramento, Calif.

Vitals: .317 BA, 389 R, 63 HR, 60 SB, .968 Fld% . . . 6.33 ERA, 11 SV, 318 SO, 209 BB.

Captain John Smith: The Hornets coach spent three years in the United States Army Special Forces as a Green Beret before becoming a coach.

Big League Presence: Former San Francisco Giants and California Angels pitcher Jim Barr is in his 16th season as Smith’s pitching coach at Sacramento State.

Helping Out The WAC: Sacramento State is an affiliate member of the Western Athletic Conference in baseball because three full-time WAC schools (Boise State, Idaho, Utah State) do not have a baseball team.

Arms Leader: Jesse Darrah was named a Freshman All-American after going 9-2 with a 5.64 ERA in 2009. He is the first Hornet freshman in history to win nine games and he did not lose a decision after March 7.

The Power Of Versatility:  Josh Powers (.358, 44 RBI) started games at four different positions (3B, SS, C, 2B) and was one of four Hornets to start all 54 games in 2009 and was sixth in nation with 26 doubles.

Help On The Way: The Hornets are expected to get pitchers Jose Ramirez (senior left-hander) and Trevor York (senior right-hander) back this season from injury. Ramirez and York combined to start 27 games in 2008 and just one in 2009.

San Jose State

2009 Record: (41-20, 15-7)

Mascot: Spartans

Head Coach: Sam Piraro

Location: San Jose, Calif.

Vitals: .339 BA, 472 R, 43 HR, 36 SB, .978 Fld% . . . 4.66 ERA, 17 SV, 453 SO, 210 BB.

Pitching And Defense: The Spartans led the WAC in ERA (4.66), strikeouts (453), saves (20) and allowed the fewest hits (546) and unearned runs (27) in 2009. They also led the conference in fielding percentage (.978) and made the fewest errors (51).

Family Affair: Junior 1B Breyon Canez is the cousin of junior outfielder

Danny Stienstra

Kolton Klauer and senior infielder Karson Klauer. All three graduated from San Beinto HS in Hollister, Calif.

Putting Bat On Ball: Junior infielder Danny Stienstra was the sixth toughest hitter to strike out in the nation last year (once every 23.4 at-bats). Stienstra hit .337 with 27 RBI and fanned just eight times (27 walks) in 187 at-bats. Stienstra tied Nevada’s Westley Moss for finishing the season with the most at-bats without hitting a home run.

Young Spartans: San Jose State has just three seniors (Karson Klauer, Corey Valine and Alex Sofranec) on its roster this year.

Top Talent Lost: The Spartans sent seven players to professional baseball off its 2009 team: catcher Anthony Aguilera (Rockies), infielder Kyle Bellows (Indians) and pitchers David Berner (Astros), Max Peterson (A’s), Trevor Gibson (Rockies), Ryan Shopshire (Blue Jays) and Jack Adams (Royals).

Taking One For The Team: Outfielder Jason Martin led the WAC and was third in the nation last year by getting hit with a pitch 25 times. Martin was fifth in WAC with 86 runs scored and 12th in hitting (.376).

2010 WAC Predictions

WAC Player of Year: Devon Dageford – Louisiana Tech

WAC Pitcher of Year: Daniel Simon – New Mexico State

Conference Champion: Fresno State

(By Collegebaseball360.com contributor Joe Santoro)