High Expectations for College of Southern Nevada in 2010; Coyotes Tabbed No. 1 in NJCAA / Perfect Game USA DI Preseason Poll

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Coyotes of College of Southern Nevada enter the 2010 NJCAA Division I baseball season ranked No. 1, according to the preseason rankings released today (Jan. 29) by the NJCAA and Perfect Game USA. The last time CSN entered a season with the No. 1 ranking was back in 2004 following the Coyotes' 2003 national title.

San Jacinto College - North (Texas), Chipola College (Fla.), 2009 national champion Howard College (Texas) and Spartanburg Methodist College (S.C.) round out the top five.
In all, eight of the 10 teams that participated at the 2009 NJCAA DI JUCO World Series appear in the preseason Top 25.

The 2010 preseason NJCAA DI baseball poll and district predictions were compiled based on information submitted by teams to the NJCAA and Perfect Game USA, which is the world's largest independent baseball scouting service. Perfect Game USA is also one of the only online publications that covers two-year college baseball.

In addition to the NJCAA / Perfect Game USA DI Preseason Top 25, Perfect Game USA has also assembled a JUCO Preseason Top 50 - which ranks teams from all NJCAA divisions as well as non-NJCAA member colleges (Calif. & NWAACC).

Below are team capsules written by Allan Simpson of Perfect Game USA. Capsules of all teams in the JUCO Preseason Top 50 will be available online at www.pgcrosschecker.com. Also available on the Perfect Game USA website are lists of the top professional prospects in two-year college baseball...the Top 10 JUCO pro prospects are listed further below.

#1 College of Southern Nevada (2009 record: 35-20)

Sports Illustrated coverboy Bryce Harper makes this a must-see team for scouts, but the Coyotes are hardly a one-man operation. They have a potential dominating pitching staff with Georgia-bound RHP Joe Robinson (6-2, 1.99), sophomore LHP Chasen Shreve (7-0, 3.31), sophomore RHP Donn Roach (Arizona transfer) and sophomore LHP Bryan Harper (Bryce's older brother and a Cal State Northridge transfer) as starters, and fireballing sophomore RHP Tyler Hanks (0-3, 5.40) as the closer. The staff is so deep and so talented that last year's top winner and strikeout leader, sophomore RHP Gabe Weidenaar (8-3, 2.79), has been relegated to a filler role. Hanks' fastball can touch 97 mph, Robinson's 95, Roach's 94. Sophomore 1B-OF Marvin Campbell (.324-5-45 with wood), the team's RBI leader in 2009, and sophomore OF Trevor Kirk (.363-0-27, 28 SB), the team's top hitter, provide plenty of support in the Coyotes batting order for the immensely-gifted Harper, who makes the historic transition this spring from high-school sophomore to junior-college freshman--with the eyes of the scouting world watching his every move.

#2 San Jacinto College - North, Texas (2009 record: 45-11)

The Gators gave it a gallant run at last year's Junior College World Series before eventually getting knocked out by in-state rival Howard (and its improbable 63-1 record). The seventh national championship in the school's rich baseball history is clearly in San Jac's grasp as it has a formidable four-man rotation of sophomore RHP Tommy Collier (13-1, 2.47), freshman LHP Miguel Pena (fifth-round pick of Washington Nationals), Oklahoma-bound sophomore RHP Clay Schrader (Texas-San Antonio transfer) and sophomore LHP David Rollins (8-3, 4.35), all top pro prospects. There's plenty of offensive support with the return of sophomore 1B-OF Deric Hawkins (.402-22-66), the top returning home run hitter in the NJCAA Division I ranks, and sophomore SS Ryan Burnaman (.368-13-64), an Oklahoma State recruit. OF Randall Thorpe, a highly-regarded Texas A&M transfer, is the team's top newcomer. With 10 players, San Jac has more players on PG Crosschecker's pre-season listing of the nation's top 200 junior-college prospects.

#3 Chipola College, Fla. (2009 record: 32-18)

No junior-college team has ever been the recipient of two high-profile unsigned draft picks quite like Chipola, which scored a major coup when OF Levon Washington, Tampa Bay's first-round pick in the 2009 draft, and LHP Jake Elipoulos, Toronto's second-rounder, elected to play at the junior-college level this spring. Both will play prominent roles for Indians, the 2007 Junior College World Series champs, but may be just another piece to the puzzle as freshman 1B Cody Martin and freshman 3B Michael Revell, and holdover OF Joey Rapp (.356-10-34) were also prominent drafts last June. Sophomore 2B Andy Fermin (.331-6-33) and sophomore SS Blake Newalu (.320-0-13) provide a veteran presence up the middle, and there is experience in a brand-new starting staff as projected No. 1 starter and Elon recruit C.J. Reifenhauser is a JC transfer, No. 3 starter Garrett Baker pitched at Western Carolina a year ago and No. 4 Brian Ellington at Florida State. Eliopoulos, a Canadian like ex-Chipola lefty Adam Loewen (the highest unsigned draft pick ever to enroll in junior college), becomes the fourth man in the rotation. At 93 mph, Ellington is the hardest thrower of the quartet. Washington, who takes over in center field, should be a considerable force on both offense and defense with his 6.2-second speed.

#4 Howard College, Texas (2009 record: 63-1)*
*Defending NJCAA Champions

The likelihood of Howard duplicating its 2009 dream season (63-1 record, national championship, record 59-game winning streak) is slim, particularly since the Hawks return only one regular, OF Joey Leftridge (.396-6-58, 33 SB) and two arms, Oklahoma-bound RHP Burch Smith (4-0, 3.05) and Oklahoma State-bound RHP Blake Barnes (9-1, 3.27). Though Smith, who becomes the No. 1 starter, has been clocked at 95 mph, he's not even the hardest thrower on the Howard pitching staff as freshman RHP Damien Magnifico, a fifth-round pick of the New York Mets a year ago, has touched 97. Magnifico moves into the rotation behind Smith, and the possibility exists that both pitchers could be drafted in the first 2-3 rounds in June. Though there is a lot of turnover on the Howard roster as almost every 2009 Hawks player either signed or transferred to a major Division I school, the cupboard will hardly be bare as several prominent transfers, like ex-Dallas Baptist sophomore Marcellous Biggins, slides in at second, and a number of intriguing freshmen, like OF Nathan Burns, a member of the Howard football team who didn't play a year ago, will be counted on to sustain the Howard dynasty.

#5 Spartanburg Methodist College, S.C. (2009 record: 55-9)

The Pioneers breezed into the 2009 Junior College World Series with a gaudy 54-7 record, only to fall far short of an elusive national title. The player most responsible for their success was OF-LHP Marty Gantt, one of the nation's best two-way players who hit a robust .410-21-70 with 13 stolen bases, and also went 8-2, 1.85. The remarkable aspect of Gantt's accomplishment is he was born without a fully-formed right hand and is still unable to grip a bat normally. Gantt, a College of Charleston recruit, will be the pivotal player for the Pioneers again this season, but he'll have an able supporting cast. Georgia Southern-bound RHP Josh Adams (4-0, 1.67), the team's best pro prospect, will anchor a rotation that includes Gantt and sophomore RHP John Long, a transfer from Liberty. Two highly-regarded freshmen, 3B Tyler Jackson and OF Travis Burnside, should play pivotal roles on offense alongside Gantt, though two other sophomores, 2B Travis Weatherford (.360-11-57, 19 SB) and OF O.B. Johnson (.364-1-25), will be counted on extensively. 

#6 Central Arizona College (2009 record: 51-13)

The departure to the four-year college ranks of Jimmy Patterson, Kevin Gelinas and Randy Yard, who went a combined 28-3 a year ago, has left a gaping hole in the Vaqueros rotation, though pitching should again be a team strength. Red-shirt LHP Chris Joyce, a UC Santa Barbara transfer, is a former 10th-rounder and steps in as the ace, while sophomore LHP Brian Carr (Missouri) and freshman RHP Nick Carrillo (Gonzaga) are other four-year transfers of note, and freshmen RHPs Josh Dahl and Gabe Gutierrez are two significant recruits from the Arizona prep ranks. The only holdover of note among the everyday talent is sophomore OF Markus Bradley (.420-0-40, 22 SB), an Arizona State recruit. Red-shirt freshman SS Sam Lind, a second Missouri transfer, should play a key role in the field and at the plate, and freshman OF Keenan Walker, a Utah high-school product drafted in the 16th round last year by the Chicago Cubs, has loads of natural raw ability.

#7 Walters State Community College, Tenn. (2009 record: 42-17)

The Senators, 2006 Junior College World Series champions, were rudely bounced out of post-season play in the Tennessee state tournament a year ago, and face a significant rebuilding job after losing numerous prime-time prospects to the draft and graduation. The team's four winningest pitchers departed, leaving the No. 1 starter's job to sophomore RHP Will Scott (0-1, 4.07), who was winless in 2009 but is a two-time Atlanta Braves draft pick (26th round last year) and pumped his fastball up to 93 mph in the fall. Sophomore RHPs Cullen Park (4-2, 3.13) and Kyle Deese (a Clemson transfer) also move into the rotation, but the key arm on the staff--and possibly the key player on the roster--may be freshman closer Chris Costantino. A Boston Red Sox draft pick last June from a Rhode Island high school, Costantino was clocked at 93 in the fall, and he'll also hold down a regular job at third base on a team that lost five players with double-digit home runs. He'll get plenty of offensive support from sophomore OF Dylan Pratt, who red-shirted in 2009 at Tennessee after hitting .373 with 23 homers as a freshman for the Senators in 2008. Also on board are freshman 1B Corey Davis, a 13th-round pick in the 2009 draft; sophomore SS Garrett Koster, a transfer from Winthrop; and sophomore OF Sam Munson (.308-5-31). 

#8 Wabash Valley College, Ill. (2009 record: 42-17)

There's unusual strength this year in the Illinois junior-college ranks, both at the Division I and II levels. Wabash Valley not only has the best team, but the state's best prospect in freshman OF Mel Rojas Jr., a product of the Dominican Republic who sat out last spring before starring in summer-league competition. The multi-tooled Rojas adds to a strong returning cast, led by Western Kentucky-bound 3B Michael Mosby (.364-15-72), sophomore C Jacob Rhodes (.403-9-51) and Morehead State-bound LHP Ryan Rogers (6-1, 3.13). Three Division I transfers add to the mix.

#9 Western Nevada College (2009 record: 48-14)

Western Nevada thoroughly upstaged its higher-profile neighbor to the south a year ago, winning 15 more games overall than Southern Nevada while also handily winning the Scenic West Conference. The Wildcats may be every bit as strong this spring, but may be hard-pressed to keep pace with vastly-improved CSN. Western Nevada typically taps heavily into Pacific Northwest talent and imported two University of Oregon castoffs--sophomore RHP Riley Bevill and DH Colby Sokol--along with ex-Washington State 1B Eric Mauper to supplement a lineup that returns sophomore RHPs Kramer Champlin (8-1, 1.95), an Arizona State recruit, Jordan Lewis (12-2, 1.99) and David Carroll (8-1, 1.95), though an elbow issue could significantly impact Lewis' season. Freshman closer Dyllon Nurenburg, who was clocked at 94 mph in the fall, could play a significantly greater role if Lewis can't answer the bell. 

#10 Pitt Community College, N.C. (2009 record: 36-8)

Outside of Junior College World Series champion Howard College and its improbable 63-1 record, no NJCAA Division I team lost as few games as Pitt in 2009. Still, it wasn't enough to land the Bulldogs an elusive spot in the national final. Pitt appears to be every bit as strong as a year ago as it returns its top three starters--Old Dominion-bound LHP Gary Ward (5-2, 1.99), Campbell-bound RHP Robbie Penny (5-2, 4.03) and RHP Justin Nygard (7-1, 4.74)--and welcomes back its best pro prospect, closer Pete Levitt, who missed the 2009 season with injury. The Bulldogs also return their two most productive offensive players, North Carolina State-bound OF Brett Williams (.429-14-43, 12 SB), who led the team in average, homers and stolen bases, and Appalachian State-bound 1B Trey Holmes (.344-4-47), the RBI leader.

2010 Division I District Predictions
(2009 Record)   

Western District (NJCAA Regions 1, 9, 18)
1. Southern Nevada (35-20;) 2. Central Arizona (51-13); 3. Yavapai (47-12)

Southwest District (NJCAA Region 5)
1. Howard (63-1); 2. Temple (44-16); 3. Weatherford (23-20)         

South Central District (NJCAA Regions 2, 16, 23) 
1. Jefferson (34-25); 2. Connors State (43-14); 3. Seminole State (40-20)    

Central District (NJCAA Region 6)
1. Cowley County (48-15); 2. Johnson County (43-14); 3. Seward County (37-22)      

Northern District (NJCAA Regions 4, 11, 24)
1. Wabash Valley (41-16); 2. Iowa Western (39-24); 3. Triton (29-21)         

East Central District (NJCAA Regions 7, 17)
1. Walters State (46-11); 2. Middle Georgia (44-20); 3. Georgia Perimeter (42-16)

Eastern District (NJCAA Regions 10, 15, 20)
1. Spartanburg Methodist (55-9); 2. Pitt (36-8); 3. USC Sumter (52-11)        

Southeastern District (NJCAA Region 22)
1. Chattahoochee Valley (39-19); 2. Faulkner St. (38-21); 3. Shelton St. (44-19)

Gulf District (NJCAA Region 8)
1. Chipola (27-18-1); 2. St. Petersburg (31-23); 3. Miami-Dade (37-10)        

Southern District (NJCAA Region 14)
1. San Jacinto (45-11); 2. Texarkana (40-15); 3. Navarro (35-19)    

Top 10 JUCO Professional Prospects from Perfect Game USA
Visit www.pgcrosschecker.com for the complete Top 200 JUO Prospect List.

RANK	PLAYER	POS.	YR	B-T	HT	WT	JUNIOR COLLEGE	LAST DRAFTED	COMMITMENT
1	Bryce Harper	C/RHP	Fr.	L-R	6-3	205	Southern Nevada	Never drafted
2	LeVon Washington	OF/2B	Fr.	L-R	5-11	170	Chipola	Rays '09 (1)
3	Austin Wood	RHP	So.	R-R	6-4	220	St. Petersburg	Astros '08 (36)	Southern California
4	Burch Smith	RHP	So.	R-R	6-5	195	Howard	Indians '09 (49)	Oklahoma
5	Tony Dischler	RHP	So.	R-R	6-4	200	LSU-Eunice (NJCAA DII)	Never drafted	Louisiana-Lafayette
6	Jake Eliopoulos	LHP	Fr.	L-L	6-4	185	Chipola	Blue Jays '09 (2)
7	Damien Magnifico	RHP	Fr.	B-R	6-1	190	Howard	Mets '09 (5)
8	Joe Robinson	RHP	So.	R-R	6-2	190	Southern Nevada	Never drafted	Georgia
9	DeMarcus Tidwell	OF	So.	R-R	6-3	190	Yavapai	Never drafted
10	Tyler Hanks	RHP	So.	R-R	6-2	190	Southern Nevada	Never drafted	Oklahoma State

ABOUT THE NJCAA / PERFECT GAME USA DIVISOIN I RANKINGS

Starting with the 2010 season, Perfect Game USA and the NJCAA will combine efforts for the Division I baseball rankings. Beginning with the first week of March, each NJCAA Region Director will submit, in rank order with overall records, the top teams in their region for poll consideration. The region rankings will then be handed over to the staff at Perfect Game USA where they will formulate a Top 25 (PG will honor the region rank order submitted by NJCAA Region Directors).

The NJCAA and Perfect Game USA will release eight Division I baseball rankings on a bi-weekly basis at the beginning of the season and then weekly rankings the last three weeks of the season based on the following schedule: March 3, March 17, March 31, April 14, April 28, May 12, May 19 and May 26. The final poll date is determined by the start of the DI Championship.

The NJCAA / Perfect Game USA Division I Top 25 will be released each poll date on the both the NJCAA (www.njcaa.org) ande USA USA (www.pgcrosschecker.com) websites. 

Records sited in poll are from 2009 season.