August 15, 2013

CBI Names San Diego’s Bryant Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year

RICHMOND, Va. – San Diego junior third baseman Kris Bryant (left), who was the No. 2 overall pick in the Major League Draft after hitting a nation’s best 31 homers, has been named the 2013 Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year by CollegeBaseballInsider.com.

Joining Bryant as CollegeBaseballInsider.com/Louisville Slugger All-Americans are: Louisville Slugger Hitter of the Year D.J. Peterson of New Mexico; Louisville Slugger Pitcher of the Year David Berg of UCLA; and Louisville Slugger Utility Player of the Year Michael Lorenzen of Cal State Fullerton.

Bryant hit .329 with 31 homers, 62 RBI and an .820 slugging percentage, which was tops in the country. He also led the nation with 80 runs, 66 walks and 187 total bases. Bryant’s big bat led the Toreros to a West Coast Conference championship and an NCAA appearance. Earlier this summer, he was honored with the Dick Howser Trophy as well as the Golden Spikes Award.

“Kris is a once-in-a-career player,” San Diego coach Rich Hill said. “He represented the University, the baseball program, himself and his family with the highest standards. What will always stand out for me is Kris’ character.”

Added Phil Stanton, co-founder of CollegeBaseballInsider: “Kris Bryant put together an outstanding season that showcased power and patience as he became one of college baseball’s most feared hitters.”

Peterson, a first-team CBI All-American in 2012, won the Mountain West Conference’s triple crown for the second straight season, hitting .408 with 18 homers and 72 RBI. He was second only to Bryant in slugging (.807) and total bases (176) and led the country with a .520 on-base average in being named the Mountain West Co-Player of the Year for the second straight year. Peterson, a junior chosen 12th by Seattle in the Major League Draft, helped the Lobos to the Fullerton Regional of the NCAA Tournament. He failed to reach base in only one game all season.  

Berg (right), a sophomore, went 7-0 with a 0.92 ERA and an NCAA-record 24 saves for the national champion Bruins. A CBI honorable mention honoree in 2012, Berg had a scoreless-innings streak of 37 innings and finished second in the country in ERA and fourth in WHIP (0.84). Opponents hit .190 off the right-handed sidearmer, who became the first player in NCAA history to appear in 50 or more games in back-to-back seasons.

Lorenzen, a junior center fielder/closer, did a little of everything in helping the Titans to a 51-10 mark. He hit .335 with seven homers, 54 RBI and 12 stolen bases and went 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA and 19 saves. Lorenzen was the 38th overall pick, the second choice of Cincinnati in the Major League Draft.

“Louisville Slugger is proud to honor the incredible athletes that left their mark on the 2013 college baseball season,” said Kyle Schlegel, VP of Marketing for Louisville Slugger. “The feats of the players named for this year’s national awards and All-American teams were a great example of what it looks like when you lift your game to new levels. Congratulations from the Louisville Slugger team on these outstanding accomplishments.”

2013 Louisville Slugger/CollegeBaseballInsider.com All-Americans

First Team

C Stuart Turner, Ole Miss

1B D.J. Peterson, New Mexico

2B Tony Kemp, Vanderbilt

SS Hunter Dozier, Stephen F. Austin

3B Kris Bryant, San Diego

OF Daniel Palka, Georgia Tech (right)

OF Hunter Renfroe, Mississippi State

OF Mike Papi, Virginia

DH Colin Moran, North Carolina

UTIL Michael Lorenzen, Cal State Fullerton

SP Thomas Eshelman, Cal State Fullerton

SP Aaron Nola, LSU

SP Carlos Rodon, NC State

SP Jonathan Gray, Oklahoma

SP Andrew Moore, Oregon State

SP Tyler Beede, Vanderbilt

RP Nick Burdi, Louisville

RP Ross Mitchell, Mississippi State

RP David Berg, UCLA

Second Team

C Kyle Schwarber, Indiana

1B Jimmy Yezzo, Delaware

2B Ross Kivett, Kansas State

SS Alex Bregman, LSU

SS Trea Turner, NC State (right)

3B Eric Jagielo, Notre Dame

OF Danny Collins, Troy

OF Justin Parr, Illinois

OF Mike Tauchman, Bradley

DH Zane Evans, Georgia Tech

DH Matt Oberste, Oklahoma

UTIL Marco Gonzales, Gonzaga

SP Ryne Stanek, Arkansas

SP Justin Garza, Cal State Fullerton

SP Kerry Doane, East Tennessee State

SP Matt Boyd, Oregon State

SP Mark Appel, Stanford

SP Nick Vander Tuig, UCLA

RP Tyler Rogers, Austin Peay

RP Chris Cotton, LSU

RP Jonathan Holder, Mississippi State

Honorable Mention

C Andrew Knapp, California

C Aramis Garcia, FIU

C Mitch Garver, New Mexico

C Joe Jackson, The Citadel

C Tyler Baker, Wichita State

1B Craig Massoni, Austin Peay

1B Ryan Kinsella, Elon

1B Mason Katz, LSU

1B Cody Stubbs, North Carolina

1B Ryan Huck, Western Kentucky

2B Jordan Hankins, Austin Peay (right)

2B L.J. Mazzilli, Connecticut

2B Michael Porcaro, Milwaukee

2B Jason Radwan, St. Bonaventure

2B Michael Bass, UNC Wilmington

SS Chad Prain, Georgia State

SS Austin Fisher, Kansas State

SS Michael Fransoso, Maine

SS Adam Frazier, Mississippi State

SS Aaron Attaway, Western Carolina

3B Brandon Dixon, Arizona

3B Dustin DeMuth, Indiana

3B Chesny Young, Mercer

3B Logan Pierce, Troy

3B Daniel Miles, Tennessee Tech

OF Ben McQuown, Campbell

OF Forrest Allday, Central Arkansas

OF Jeff Keller, Dartmouth

OF Nick Ferdinand, Delaware

OF Jared King, Kansas State

OF Dex Kjerstad, Louisiana-Lafayette

OF Ryan Keele, Omaha

OF Michael Conforto, Oregon State (right)

OF Phillip Ervin, Samford

OF Mike Fish, Siena

OF Alex Kelly, Saint Louis

OF Christian Wolfe, UNC Greensboro

OF Rob Dickinson, VMI

OF Tyler Horan, Virginia Tech

OF Julian Ridings, Western Carolina

DH Kevin Brown, Bryant

DH Jason Kanzler, Buffalo

DH Duncan McAlpine, Dallas Baptist

DH Aaron Judge, Fresno State

DH Chase Raffield, Georgia State

DH Caleb Adams, Louisiana-Lafayette

DH Nick Backlund, Mercer

DH Robert LeCount, New Mexico State

DH Christiaan Durdaller, Samford

DH Zach Stephens, Tennessee Tech

DH Kurt Wertz, Towson

DH Tyler White, Western Carolina

UTIL Drew Reynolds, East Carolina

UTIL Clinton Freeman, ETSU

UTIL Mike Ford, Princeton

UTIL Jacob Mayers, Richmond

UTIL C.K. Irby, Samford

UTIL Jordan Patterson, South Alabama

SP T.J. Renda, Alabama State

SP Joey Wagman, Cal Poly

SP Jeff McKenzie, CSU Bakersfield

SP Chris Razo, Illinois State

SP Dan Savas, Illinois State

SP Aaron Slegers, Indiana

SP Jeff Thompson, Louisville

SP Bryan Radziewski, Miami (Fla.)

SP Nick Petree, Missouri State

SP Bobby Wahl, Ole Miss

SP Alex Gonzalez, Oral Roberts

SP Cole Irvin, Oregon

SP Kyle McGowin, Savannah State

SP Jordan Montgomery, South Carolina

SP Preston Morrison, TCU (right)

SP Sam Street, Texas-Pan American

SP Andrew Morales, UC Irvine

SP Adam Plutko, UCLA

SP Kevin Ziomek, Vanderbilt

SP Harrison Musgrave, West Virginia

SP John Farrell, William & Mary

RP Ryan Thompson, Campbell

RP Jon Fitzsimmons, Canisius

RP Travis Stout, Jacksonville State

RP Chad Girodo, Mississippi State

RP Trent Thornton, North Carolina

RP Trace Dempsey, Ohio State

RP Garrett Cleavinger, Oregon

RP Jimmie Sherfy, Oregon

RP Zech Lemond, Rice

RP Haden Hinkle, San Francisco

RP Tyler Webb, South Carolina

RP Brian Miller, Vanderbilt

RP Kyle Crockett, Virginia

(photos courtesy of school's Media Relations Offices)