Duke junior right-hander Marcus Stroman was named to Baseball America’s 2012 Preseason All-America First Team while sophomore third baseman Colin Moran was named to the second team.
Stroman was one of four starting pitchers to land on the preseason first team. This is the second preseason selection for Stroman, who was also named to Perfect Game’s Preseason All-America First Team last month.
Baseball America ranked Stroman as the top 2012 MLB Draft prospect in the ACC and the ninth-best junior prospect in the country. John Manuel, Baseball America’s Editor in Chief, picked Stroman as his preseason pitcher of the year. Stroman was also selected as having the best fastball and breaking ball in the ACC. In the publication’s list of the Top 100 prospects, which includes college and high school draft-eligible players, Stroman checked in at number 22.
Stroman, a native of Medford, N.Y. (Patchogue-Medford), served as a starter and reliever for the Blue Devils in 2011, posting a 3-4 record and a team-best 2.80 ERA over eight starts and nine relief appearances. He ranked second in the nation last year with 12.60 strikeouts per nine innings, striking out a team-high 90 batters in 64.1 innings. Stroman, who also had a team-high four saves, held opponents to two or fewer runs in 15 of 17 appearances last season.
Stroman spent the 2011 summer on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, serving as the team’s closer. He went 4-for-4 in save opportunities and did not allow a hit in 8.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Stroman struck out 17 of the 27 batters he faced while issuing just one walk for the U.S. squad.
Duke opens the 2012 season with a three-game series at Texas Feb. 17-19. The Longhorns are ranked No. 13 in Baseball America’s preseason Top 25.
UNC’S Moran was named the Baseball America Freshman of the Year in 2011 after pacing the Tar Heels with a .335 average and tallied a league-high 71 RBI. Moran and the Tar Heels will open the 2012 season Friday when they host Xavier at 3 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
The preseason honor is the fourth for Moran in 2012 as he was also named to the Perfect Game, NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball preseason All-America teams.
Moran paced the Tar Heels a year ago en route to the College World Series, hitting .335 on the year with a league-high 71 RBI to go along with 20 doubles and nine home runs.
Baseball America annually polls major league scouting directors to vote on the team and make their selections based on performance, talent and professional potential.
The Tar Heels will open the 2012 season Friday, Feb. 17 when the Xavier Musketeers come to Chapel Hill for a three-game series.