Thursday, September 03, 2009

DURHAM, N.C. - FGCU’s Chris Sale was named the top ranked prospect in the Cape Cod League by Baseball America. Baseball America ranked the top 30 prospects for the talent-rich Cape Cod League and the top 10 prospects in 17 other summer college leagues.

Sale won the Cape's pitcher of the year award after tying for the league lead with four victories and topping the Cape with 57 strikeouts and 55 innings. He was also the East Division's MVP at the all-star game, where he required just six pitches to work a perfect inning.

Sale’s stats helped keep the Y-D Red Sox at the top of the pack in team pitching. For the majority of the season, they were ranked first until the Orleans Firebirds edged them out of the top spot right before the playoffs. The Sox finished the season with an impressive 2.79 ERA and 28-15 record.

Josh Smith didn’t spend a lot of time in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, but he made a strong impression.

Smith was named to the Baseball America’s Summer Top Prospects List. The senior right-hander from Margate, Fla., made four appearances for the Sanford River Rats, all starts, and finished with a 3-1 record and 3.42 earned run average. Smith threw 23.2 innings, walked 11 and struck out 24. He scatted 24 hits and allowed 14 runs, nine earned.

The publication ranked Kennesaw State's Jeff Shields as the sixth-top prospect to emerge from the Great Lakes League. In pitching for the Lima Locos, Shields started eight games and earned a 2-2 record. In 38.2 innings, he struck out 40 and sported a 3.03 ERA.