Sept. 21, 2011
Auburn's freshman and junior college recruiting class has been ranked No. 23 in the country by Collegiate Baseball newspaper in its annual evaluation of NCAA Division I baseball classes.
"Our entire staff worked extremely hard in the evaluation and recruiting process for this class," Auburn assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Scott Foxhall said. "Each member of this recruiting class had a very accomplished high school or junior college career and we are excited about their future as Auburn Tigers. We believe that these student-athletes will have a positive and immediate impact on Auburn baseball as we continue to compete for SEC championships and trips to Omaha."
Auburn is bringing 17 newcomers (12 from high school, five from junior college) into the fold for the 2012 season, four of which were named a Player of the Year in their state (Daniel Koger, Craig Shirley, Ryan Tella and Chase Williamson) and four of which were drafted in this past summer's MLB Draft (Colton Davis, Rocky McCord, Kent Rollins and Tella). The class has seven position players, five pitchers and five two-way players in the group.
The rankings are based on players who enroll at school each fall. Athletes who initially signed with a school and then signed a pro contract after being drafted do not count in the overall evaluation.
Auburn begins its fall team practices on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 3pm.
Cameron Blinka, 6-0/200, RHP, JR, R/R, Alvin CC/Rosenburg, Texas
- 2011 TX/NM JUCO All-Star
- 2010 First Team All-Region 14 Relief Pitcher
- 2010 Scholar-Athlete Award
- Had a 2.93 ERA and seven saves in 39 innings at Alvin CC with 40 strike outs
Justin Camp, 6-2/230, RHP, FR, R/R, Austin HS/Decatur, Ala.
- 2010 Team USA Trials invitee
- Perfect Game/Rawlings All-American
- USSSA All-American
- 2010 AHSAA North-South All-Star
- Decatur Daily All-Area
- Was 6-0 with a 0.62 ERA in 41 innings as a senior, striking out 65
- Had a 3.13 ERA with 107 strike outs in 60 innings as a junior
- Threw three no-hitters in his high school career
Trey Cochran-Gill, 5-10/175, RHP/OF, FR, R/R, Tallassee HS, Tallassee, Ala.
- 2010 & 2011 First Team All-State
- 2010 AHSAA North-South All-Star
- 2010 East-West All-Star
- 2009 First Team All-State (OF)
- Was 6-3 with a 1.50 ERA in 61 innings as a senior, striking out 92 and walking 15 ... Also hit .352 with three home runs and 33 RBI
- Was 6-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 52 innings as a junior, striking out 67 ... Also hit .400 with seven home runs and 46 RBI
- Played football and was a 2009 First Team All-State defensive back, Montgomery Advertiser All-Metro and Auburn-Opelika News All-Area
Tanner Cimo, 5-8/170, IF, FR, L/R, Auburn HS/Auburn, Ala.
- 2011 Louisville Slugger Pre-Season All-American
- 2011 AHSAA North-South All-Star
- 2010 & 2011 First Team All-Conference
- 2009 All-State
- Hit .383 with 79 doubles, 16 home runs and 105 RBIs, stealing 65 bases during his high school career
- Three year starter that made just five errors in his high school career
- Team won 6A State Championship in 2009 and 2010
Garrett Cooper, 6-6/210, 1B/RHP, JR, R/R, El Camino CC/Manhattan Beach, Calif.
- 2010 SoCal All-Star Game
- 2010 All-SouthCoast Conference (1B)
- Hit .378 with four home runs and 38 RBIs in junior college
- Had a 1.000 fielding percentage at first base
- Under Armour All-American
- Hit .397 with four home runs and 25 RBIs as a senior in high school
J.D. Crowe, Jr., 6-0/195, C, FR, L/R, Oak Mountain HS/Birmingham, Ala.
- 2011 All-Birmingham Metro Team
- 2011 First Team All-Conference
- Played in the 2010 Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field
- Hit .379 with a .556 on base percentage as a senior, going 35-for-36 in stolen bases
- Hit .421 for StrikeZone summer team
Colton Davis, 6-3, 185, OF, FR, R/R, Lake Wales HS/Lake Wales, Fla.
- 50th-round pick of the Houston Astros in the 2011 MLB Draft
- 2011 Florida State All-Star Game
- 2010 & 2011 First Team All-County
- 2010 & 2011 First Team All-Conference
- Hit .439 with a .577 on base percentage as a senior (15 walks, 10 HBP), going 34-for-36 in stolen bases and scoring 43 runs
- Hit .350 with a .509 on base percentage as a junior, going 33-for-35 in stolen bases and scoring 42 runs
Daniel Glevenyak, 6-1, 185, IF, SO, R/R, Palm Beach CC/Palm Beach, Fla.
- 2011 All-Conference
- 201 Team Defensive Player of the Year
- Hit .322 with 10 doubles and 31 RBIs at Palm Beach CC
Daniel Koger, 6-6, 170, LHP, FR, L/L, Huntsville HS/Owens Cross Roads, Ala.
- 2011 Mr. Baseball for the state of Alabama
- 2011 First Team All-State/Super All-State LHP
- 2009-2011 Huntsville All-City pitcher
- Perfect Game All-American
- Was 27-10 with five saves in 236 innings in his high school career, striking out 318 and putting together a 2.13 ERA
- Went 11-3 with a 1.61 ERA and two saves in 87 innings as a senior, striking out 138
- Won four national championships with the East Cobb Astros (2008-2010)
- Winning pitcher in the 6A State Championship game
Rocky McCord, 6-2, 175, RHP, FR, R/R, Spanish Fort HS/Mobile, Ala.
- 39th-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 2011 MLB Draft
- 2011 First Team All-State/Super All-State Utility
- 2010 All-State, All-County and All-Conference
- 2010 & 2011 All Mobile Press Register Team
- Was 10-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 72 innings as a senior, striking out 88 ... Also hit .408 with eight home runs and 50 RBIs
- Was 10-2 with a 2.05 ERA in 68 innings as a junior, striking out 77 ... Also hit .425 with five home runs
Kody Ortman, 6-4, 205, C, JR, R/R, NW Shoals CC/Huntsville, Ala.
- 2011 All-Conference catcher
- Hit .352 with nine home runs and 48 RBIs as a sophomore
Kent Rollins, 6-0, 175, IF, FR, R/R, S. Gwinnett HS/Snellville, Ga.
- 48th-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2011 MLB Draft
- 2011 All-State shortstop
- 2011 First Team All-Gwinnett County
- 2011 Preseason All-State shortstop
- Hit .453 with nine home runs, 25 RBIs and 30 runs as a senior with a .543 on base percentage and a .922 slugging percentage
Craig Shirley, 6-4, 225, IF/RHP, FR, R/R, Northview HS/Dothan, Ala.
- 2011 First Team All-State first baseman
- 2010 Louisville Slugger All-American
- 2010 Dothan Eagle Player of the Year
- 2010 6A All-State infielder
- 2010 Max Preps Junior All-American
- Hit .350 with 10 hoime runs and 38 RBIs as s senior
- Hit .477 with 18 home runs, 72 RBIs and 48 runs scored as s junior, leading Alabama 6A high schools in home runs
Caleb Smith, 6-4, 205, RHP, FR, R/R, Regents School/Austin, Texas
- 2011 TX TAPPS All-State pitcher
- Went 6-5 with a 1.53 ERA in 65 innings as a senior, striking out 98
Jarred Smith, 5-10, 180, IF/RHP, FR, L/R, Lake Wales HS/Lake Wales, Fla.
- 2011 Florida Diamond Club participant
- Top Prospect at Baseball Factory national tryout
- Under Armour Preseason All-American
- Was 6-1 with a 1.71 ERA in 41 innings during his high school career, striking out 61 while only walking nine
- Hit .443 with two home runs and a .541 on base percentage as a senior, driving in 35 RBIs
- Hit .427 with three home runs and 30 RBIs as a junior
Ryan Tella, 6-0, 175, OF, SO, L/L, Ohlone College/Freemont, Calif.
- 34th-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 2011 MLB Draft
- 2011 ABCA/Rawlings Player of the Year for the Pacific Association Division (All junior colleges in California, Oregon and Washington)
- 2011 California JUCO Player of the Year
- First Team California JUCO All-State outfielder
- Hit .430 with three home runs, a .700 slugging percentage and a .498 on base percentage at Ohlone, going 27-for-29 in stolen bases
Chase Williamson, 6-2, 190, RHP/IF, FR, R/R, UMS-Wright HS/Saraland, Ala.
- Alabama 4A Player of the Year
- 2010 & 2011 First Team All-State
- 2010 & 2011 AHSAA North-South All-Star
- Was 10-6 with a 2.13 ERA in 85 innings as a senior, striking out 91 and walking 27 ... Also hit .480 with five home runs and a .570 on base percentage, driving in 42 RBIs
- Was 12-1 with a 1.99 ERA in 81 innings as a junior, striking out 98 and walking 19 ... Also hit .491 with eight home runs and a .586 on base percentage, driving in 35 RBIs
- Also played football and was a 2009 Mobile Press-Register First Team and won the 2008 4A state championship
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