Yankees Daily

Matt Rice
High School: Science Hill High School
College: Western Kentucky
Height: 6′3
Weight: 195
Position: Catcher
B/T: R/R

Beyond The Diamond: Matt Rice Is Not Irrelevant

It’s probably not fair to call Western Kentucky junior catcher Matt Rice “Mr. Irrelevant” just because he’s the very last pick of a draft. For he’s hardly last in anything he does.

However, when the Yankees made him pick No. 1,525, he was indeed the last guy selected in 2010. But with Matt Rice, there’s more to the guy behind the mask.

He is a vocal leader on the diamond. Rice led the Hilltoppers in hitting at a .369 clip with 10 homers and 65 RBIs. But as one scout told me, Rice “is one of the smartest guys you’ll ever see between the lines.”

No kidding.

Rumors get blown out of proportion; stories get relayed incorrectly. But the bottom line was somehow it got around that Rice was a Rhodes Scholar finalist.

So let Rice set the record straight.

“Ah, no, that got a little blown out of proportion,” Rice said with a laugh. “The president of our university, President Ramsdell, he is very involved in athletics. He wants me the school’s nominee for the Rhodes Scholarship.

“It’s a great honor that one, he thinks that highly of me; and two, he thinks I have an opportunity to be successful because I know that’s a very prestigious honor.”

Rice is a mechanical engineering major and was named second-team academic all-american. Since his childhood, Rice said he’s always been good at problem solving, so when it came time to choose a major and a school, his dad suggested checking out the engineering program at WKU.

“The teachers are amazing and very involved,” Rice said. “We had a project this semester where we had to design an automated recycling system that would sort four different types of items completely autonomously. So we couldn’t touch it except for pushing the on/off switch. It had specific size constraints and had to sort glass, tin, aluminum and plastic. So it’s taken up pretty much all my free time to get that thing working.”

He’s on the perennially on the dean’s list … he thinks.

“I would assume, I have a 4.0. I don’t know how many lists that gets you on,” Rice said. “But I get a lot of e-mails from all sorts of honor societies and stuff.”

Rice says he brings that cerebral nature to the diamond and when he’s back behind the dish.

“I always try to be a student of the game and learn from our coaching staff,” Rice said. “Pitch sequences, how to attack hitters … but there’s always more to learn about the game and things you can improve upon.”

And though Rice was the last pick of the draft, the same aforementioned scout said there was reason for that. Most scouts watching Rice knew of the junior’s classroom prowess. Thus, it had become a forgone conclusion that Rice would not leave school early, instead choosing to finish his degree, and that pushed his draft stock down. Most scouts also think Rice could benefit from one more year of gaining strength, as he is a lanky 6-3, 190 pounds, thin as far as catchers go.

Regardless, Rice is ready for the challenge. He’s got a big bat and a big brain.

“I think it definitely helps to have a greater mental capacity,” Rice said. ”It can only help you be a smarter baseball player.”

2009 (Sophomore): Hit .399 in his sophomore campaign, highlighted by a school-record 31-game hitting streak from March 1 to April 17… Hit .425 during the streak (57-for-134)… Started 60 of WKU’s 62 games, including working behind the plate for most of the final two-thirds of the season and each of the team’s final 23 contests… Hit safely in 56 of 61 games played… Recorded a school-record 101 hits, which was also eight-most in the nation… Reached base at a .450 clip and slugged .597 on the year… Drove in 72 runs, second-most on the team… Knocked 10 round-trippers to go along with 18 doubles… When batting with men on base, advanced at least one runner in 94 out of 145 opportunities (.648)… Recorded 29 multi-hit games, including nine of the three-hit variety… Had 22 multi-RBI games, nine of which he knocked in at least three runs… Had four hits in a game twice in two weeks at the end of March, once against South Alabama on March 15 and once against VCU on March 28… Drove in five runs in a 4-for-4 performance in the March 28 game against VCU… Saved a season-high five-hit performance for the season’s biggest stage, going 5-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored in WKU’s dramatic, come-from-behind 10-9 victory against Ole Miss in the NCAA Regionals… Named a second-team All-South Central Region performer by the American Baseball Coaches Association after the season… Given first-team Academic All-District IV honors by CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine… Named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Third Team.

2008 (Freshman): Made 26 starts, playing in 40 games, both first among freshman for the Toppers… Batted .337 with five doubles, one triple, and five home runs (seventh most on the squad)… Scored 19 times and drove in 27 more runs, slugging .554… Drew 14 walks and struck out just 12 times in 101 at bats, posting a .420 on-base percentage… Fielded .988 in 80 chances… Had a huge two-game series at #5 Ole Miss as the Toppers split a pair of games with the Rebels… Went 4-for-7 with four RBI and two home runs… Caught fire in a three-game stretch against Louisiana-Lafayette and Middle Tennessee, going 7-for-11 with seven RBI and five runs scored… Homered once in all three games… Saved his best game for the biggest stage, going 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and four RBI as WKU blasted New Orleans 17-5 on May 25 to win the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship and earn the program’s third trip to the NCAA Tournament all-time.

Science Hill High School: Lettered three times and was a two-year starter at Science Hill High School… Hit .489 during his senior year, helping lead the Hilltoppers to a school-record 36 wins and a trip to the state semifinals… Named a Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American prior to his senior season… Earned All-State honors in 2007 and was a two-time all-conference and all-region selection.

Personal: Matt Rice is the son of Jim and Leigh Rice… He is majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Alex Brown
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
High School: Amphitheater High School
Height: 6’1
Weight: 165
Position: Infielder/Pitcher
B/T: R/R

Alex Brown was Arizona Baseball Coaches Association 4A 2nd team All-State. Arizona Republic 4A 2nd team All-State. Arizona Daily Star All-Southern Arizona 1st team All-State. Player-of-the-Year 4A II Gila Region. BA .476, 21R, 40H, 22 RBI, 7 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 11 BB, OBP .550, SLG .738

Alex Brown struck out 82 batters with an ERA of 1.57.

Frederick Lewis
L/L LHP
Height: 6’2
Weight: 210lbs
College: Tennessee Wesleyan College

In the 47th round the New York Yankees picked Frederick Lewis from Tennessee Wesleyan. Lewis is a 6-2 left handed pitcher from Gainesville Florida. The junior went 4-5 with a 4.19 ERA in 58 innings. Lewis also helped the Bulldogs by pinch hitting in crucial times. He had 6 hits with one homerun and one double during the season.

Hometown: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
High School: Mayfield
Last College: Kaskaskia College
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 166
Position: Pitcher
B/T: R/R

Article:
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois senior right-hander Nathan Forer was selected by the New York Yankees in the 46th round with the 1,405th overall pick of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday.

Forer becomes the third Saluki taken in this year’s draft, which marks the first time since 1996 that SIU had three players drafted.

The 6-1, 172-pounder from Brampton, Ontario, Canada was a second team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection as a senior in 2010. His 3.28 ERA was the fourth-lowest in the league.

He allowed one or no earned runs in five of his 11 starts on the year and held MVC hitters to a .256 batting average.

Forer only allowed 11 earned runs in 46.1 inning pitched during his seven conference starts and he lasted six or more innings in nine out of his 11 total starts in 2010.

After allowing just one run and six hits over eight innings in a 3-1 win over Bradley on April 3, Forer was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week and MVC/Prairie Farms Scholar-Athlete of the Week. He also garnered ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V first team honors this year.

Forer spent two seasons at Kaskaskia College before going on to post a 4-11 record with a 4.84 ERA in two seasons with the Salukis. He held opposing batters to a .280 average and had 70 strikeouts against 48 walks at SIU. In 128.1 inning pitched, Forer only gave up 69 earned runs.

8th round
Kyle Roller, 1B
East Carolina University

11th round
Zachary Varce, RHS
University of Portland

15th round
Chase Whitley, RHR
Troy University

17th round
Preston Claiborne, RHS
Tulane University

20th round
Michael Ferraro, LF
University of San Diego

22nd round
Trevor Johnson, LHS
College of the Desert

23rd round
Shane Brown, OF
University of Central Florida

24th round
Conor Mullee, RHS
St Peters College

31st round
James Gipson, RHS
Florida Atlantic University

35th round
Williams Oliver, RHS
Palomar College

36th round
Nick McCoy, C
University of San Diego

46th round
Nathan Forer, RHS
S. Illinois University – Carbondale

47th round
Frederick Lewis, LHR
Tennessee Wesleyan College

List from Lohud

Class:Junior
Hometown:Alamagordo, N.M.
High School:Alamagordo
Last College:Frank Philips College
Height:5-11
Weight:170
Position:OF
B/T:R/R

INSIDE THE COACH’S BOX
“Heath is a junior college transfer who we feel can have an immediate impact in our lineup. He has a line-drive type swing that occasionally generates gap power. Defensively, he has a quick first step in the outfield to go along with a good arm.”

AS A JUNIOR IN 2010: Game-By-Game Statistics | 2010 Media Guide Bio
Enjoyed an up and down season in first Division I action after transferring from junior college (Frank Philips College) … Hit .207 in 92 at-bats on the season (23 starts) while moving to pitcher mid-season, where he appeared in 11 games (one start) with a 6.75 ERA and a save … Only allowed 14 hits in 14.2 innings, good for a .275 opponent bating average … Also struck out 12 … Recorded one of the team’s three saves on the season … Impressed in first-career start, going a career-high five innings in the season-finale vs. Michigan (5/22), allowing only five hits and three runs while striking out three. Did not allow a run over his final three frames … Retired the only batter he faced two days prior (5/20) against the Wolverines … Tossed a scoreless inning at Minnesota (5/16) … Struck out a career-high three batters in 1.1 innings vs. Iowa (5/8) … Pitched a career-high two innings, allowing one run vs. Duquesne (4/20) … Picked up first-career save along with an infield single vs. Northwestern (4/11) … Recorded a hit in four straight games, including a pair of hits along with an RBI and run scored in the series finale at Texas State (3/14) … Extended hitting streak to seven games with second straight 2-for-4 performance against Lamar (3/7). Also stole second base of the season … Hit safely in both ends of a doubleheader (3/6), going 2-for-4 with a double against Lamar and 1-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored against Dallas Baptist. Also stole first-career base against the Patriots … Was 2-for-4 with two runs scored vs. McNeese State (3/5) … Had one hit in all three games of the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge … Went 1-for-6 with a single and RBI against Notre Dame (2/28) … Strong game vs. Seton Hall (2/27) with a triple and sacrifice fly. The triple came only two batters into the bottom of the first while the sacrifice fly tied the score in the eighth to force extra innings. Also scored a run … Recorded a hit in his first Penn State game against Cincinnati (2/26).

FRANK PHILLIPS COLLEGE: Standout performer at Frank Phillips College, capped off with First Team NJCAA All-America honors in June … Also named WJCAC All-Conference and received All Region V Honors … Hit .497 with a school-record 16 home runs, 30 doubles, eight triples and 75 RBI in 2009 … Attended the Texas/New Mexico Junior College All-Star Game in the fall of 2008 … Voted Frank Phillips College Newcomer of the Year.

SUMMER LEAGUES: A key part of the Texas Collegiate League’s Coppell Copperhead summer league team in 2009 … Helped lead squad to the season championship behind a team-best 27 RBI … Finished with a .212 batting average, three home runs, three doubles and a triple.

HIGH SCHOOL: Played high school baseball for the Alamogordo (N.M.) Tigers … Was an All-District Infielder both junior and senior years … Additional activities includes calf roping, team roping and fishing.

PERSONAL: Full name is Tyler Heath Johnson … Born on May 20, 1989 in Alamogordo, N.M. … Parents are Carl Johnson and Doug and Donnette Nelson … Brother of Karly Johnson (17) and Meg Nelson (11) … Majoring in landscape contracting with a design option.

ON CHOOSING PENN STATE: “I chose Penn State because of the education I can receive while playing in top of the line facilities, along with the great experience I can receive from the coaching staff.”

JOHNSON’S CAREER PITCHING STATISTICS

CAREER BESTS (PITCHING)
Innings Pitched: 5.0 vs. Michigan (5/22/10)
Hits: 0, three times; last vs. Michigan (5/20/10)
Runs: 0, five times; last vs. Michigan (5/20/10)
Earned Runs: 0, five times; last vs. Michigan (5/20/10)
Walks: 0, five times; last vs. Michigan (5/20/10)
Strikeouts: 3, two times; last vs. Michigan (5/22/10)
Consecutive Scoreless Appearances: 2, two times; last (5/16/10 - 5/20/10)

JOHNSON’S CAREER HITTING STATISTICS

CAREER BESTS (HITTING)
At-Bats: 6, two times; last vs. Notre Dame (2/28/10)
Runs: 2 vs. McNeese State (3/5/10)
Hits: 2, four times; last at Texas State (3/14/10)
RBI: 1, six times; last vs. Pittsburgh (4/13/10)
Doubles: 1, two times; last at Lamar (3/6/10)
Triples: 1 vs. Seton Hall (2/27/10)
Walks: 1, four times; last vs. Kent State (3/31/10)
Hitting Streak: 7 games (2/26/10 - 3/7/10)
Multi-Hit Games: 4

GETTING TO KNOW HEATH
Nickname: Cowboy
Major & Why: Landscape Design. Penn State has a very good program and I have experience in the field.
Favorite Major League Baseball Player: Ian Kinsler
Favorite Penn State Sport Other Than Baseball: Football
Favorite Athlete (Any Sport): LeBron James
Favorite Pro Team: Atlanta Braves
Favorite Sports Broadcaster: Harry Caray
Favorite Musical Artist: Casey Donahew Band
Favorite Movie: The Hangover
Favorite TV Show: SportsCenter
Favorite Website: Facebook
Favorite Food: Lasagna
Hobbies: Calf Roping, and Team Roping
Childhood Idol: My Granddad
Place I’d Like To Visit: Fiji
If I Had $1 Billion, I Would: Buy a decent size ranch and invest the rest
After Penn State, I Would Like To: Either play baseball for a living, or have a job and a family.

#30 Dave Middendorf
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Height: 6-4
Weight: 215
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Class: Junior
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
High School: La Salle

From here..
Middendorf, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, earns his third All-GLVC honor in as many seasons after a dominant 7-1 regular season in which he struck out a team-high 68 batters against just nine walks. Coming off a couple of weeks off, Middendorf was dominant against Kentucky Wesleyan, striking out 10 batters and scattering eight hits in a 13-2 NKU victory. Middendorf was twice named GLVC Pitcher of the Week, first after combining for a 12-0 shutout of Montevallo, then later after striking out a career-high 11 batters in a 9-2 win over Saint Joseph’s.

From here

AT NKU: Enters his third season at NKU…prototypical left-handed pitcher that has a great breaking ball to complement a superb fastball…will serve as the ace in the NKU starting rotation…will challenge for All-GLVC and All-Region honors. 2009: Third-team All-GLVC…made 13 appearances with 12 starts…owned a 3-3 record with a 4.10 ERA…led the team with 72 strikeouts…had a pair of 11-strikeout games, March 21 vs. Saint Joseph’s (W, 7-1) and May 2 against Missouri S&T (W, 8-1). 2008: Made 10 starts in 18 appearances…named to the All-GLVC second team as well as the Daktronics All-North Central Region second team…won GLVC Pitcher of the Week honors twice for each of his complete game shutout victories…pitched a nine-inning, one-hit, 11-strikeout game to help defeat Indianapolis 6-0 (Apr. 13)…hurled a nine-inning, four-hit, five-strikeout performance to defeat Wisconsin-Parkside 7-0 (Apr. 26).

HIGH SCHOOL: A 2007 graduate of La Salle High School…was 5-3 with a 1.70 ERA last year and earned second team All-Greater Catholic League South Division honors as a junior…struck out 47 batters in 45 1/3 innings on the mound during his senior season…coached by Pat O’Connor.

Kyle Hunter
Left-Handed Pitcher
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Bats: R
Throws: L

Hunter Taken On Final Day Of MLB Draft

Kansas State left-handed pitcher Kyle Hunter was selected by the New York Yankees with the 32nd pick of the 43rd round (No. 1315 overall) during the final day of the 2010 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft Wednesday afternoon.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State left-handed pitcher Kyle Hunter was selected by the New York Yankees with the 32nd pick of the 43rd round (No. 1315 overall) during the final day of the 2010 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft Wednesday afternoon.

Hunter and a trio of signees – Johnny Fasola, Levi Schlick and Blake Freeman – pushed K-State’s draft class to six members this season and 17 over the last three years. This year’s class featured four newcomers, the most at Kansas State under head coach Brad Hill.

Hunter, a draft-eligible sophomore, was the third current Wildcat taken in the draft after shortstop Carter Jurica was selected in the third round by San Francisco, while third baseman Adam Muenster was taken in the 29th round by Cincinnati. Another signee, Mason Justice, was selected on Tuesday in the 21st round by Boston.

A product of Galesburg, Ill., Hunter was drafted out of high school in the 33rd round in 2008 by Tampa Bay. He becomes the fourth Wildcat drafted by the Yankees in school history, but just the first since pitcher Jim Haller was taken in the 24th round of the 1989 MLB Draft.

This season, Hunter went 9-2 with a 4.59 ERA. His nine wins were tied for second in school history with five other players. He also started 16 games to tie four other Wildcats for the most in school history. For his efforts, Hunter earned honorable mention accolades from the Big 12 coaches.

Hunter led Kansas State to its first ever home win over a No. 1 team in school history when he limited Texas to just one run on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six innings of work on May 7.

Freshman (2009): Pitched 17 times, including three starts, in his first season in Manhattan… Went 1-2 with one save and an 8.35 ERA… Allowed 30 earned runs on 46 hits with 14 walks and 29 strikeouts in 32.1 innings… Retired 9-of-13 (.682) first batters faced… Did not allow an earned run in his first five appearances, totaling 7.1 innings… Tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in his collegiate debut at Houston, allowing three hits, walking one and striking out three… Tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts against both Niagara and Butler… Allowed three earned runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 4.0 innings in his first collegiate start against UTSA… Tossed 3.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts in a save against Wichita State… Went 4.0 innings against North Dakota, allowing one run on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts en route to his first collegiate win.

Galesburg HS: ettered and started four years for the Silver Streaks under head coach Arnold Gonzalez… Earned a career 23-5 record, including three straight seven-win campaigns as a sophomore, junior and senior… Led team to a regional championship in 2006 as he recorded a school-record low 0.58 ERA… Also holds the school’s record for career wins and career strikeouts… Named all-conference his sophomore through senior seasons and was selected to play for the Chicago White Sox team for the Mariner Cup in Seattle, Wash… Was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Personal: Kyle Julian Hunter was born June 18, 1989, in Richmond, Va… Parents are Les and Julie Hunter… Has one sibling, John… Related to Luke Appling, who was an infielder for the Chicago White Sox from 1930-1950 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964… Appling also had his number retired by the White Sox in 1975… Majoring in sociology/criminology.

Hunter’s Career Statistics

Michael O’Neill
Position: CF
High School: Olentangy Liberty HS (OH)
Throws/Bats R/R
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 175

The Yankees drafted high school outfielder Michael O’Neill, the nephew of Paul O’Neill. He’s got a scholarship offer from the University of Michigan, but the Yankees look at him as a draft-and-follow prospect.

Here’s a good article on him.. By SCOTT HENNEN

From Columbia Basin College
Tym Pearson
Hometown: Springfield, OR
High School: Thurston High School
Position: OF/P
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 210
Academic Goals: Transfer to a Division 1 school
Academic Area of interest: Business
Athletic Goals: Win the NWAACC Championship Tournament
Hobbies: Hiking, being outdoors, fishing, riding quads, rafting, snowboarding, writing
Highlights and Honors: 2006 1st team All-League QB, 2007 1st team All-League QB, MVP League 2007 Athlete of the Year, State Farm Player of the League, All-State honorable mention QB, 2008 MVP League, 1st team All-League QB, All-State QB, MVP State Game Player, Johnny Carpenter nominee, Quest Player of the Week, baseball 2008 2nd team All-State, 1st team All-League Rookie of the Year OF, 2009 All-State OF, 1st team All-League
Greatest Sports Moment: Winning
Favorite Athlete: Deion Sanders
Favorite Movie: The Sandlot

“Newcomer Tym Pearson was drafted in the 35th round last season by the Colorado Rockies. He batted .390 with two home runs and 21 RBIs and stole 22 bases while leading Thurston High (OR) to the Class 5A baseball title. He is rated the 56th-best junior college prospect by Perfect Game”

Center fielder Tym Pearson was selected in the 41st round (1255 overall) by the N.Y. Yankees. Pearson had a .307 average and 14 RBIs this past season with Columbia Basin Community College. from here