Rebel Recruiting Class Ranked 14th-Nationally By Baseball America

OXFORD, Miss. The accolades continued to come in for the 2007 Ole Miss Baseball recruiting class on Monday as the latest class of Rebels to set foot on campus was ranked as the 14^th-best class in the nation by Baseball America.

The publication which tracks the sport of baseball across all collegiate divisions and professionally is the second to name Ole Miss’ class as one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. In September, Collegiate Baseball magazine also included the Rebels among the top 25 nationally in recruiting.

It marks the fifth class under Bianco to have been ranked nationally by recruiting services.

Ole Miss is currently in the middle of fall practices as the team prepares for the upcoming season, which will start on February 23, 2008, when the Rebels will host Minnesota in a three-game series at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

Ole Miss saw four players depart after being drafted, including two second-round picks in right-hander Will Kline and All-SEC and All-American shortstop Zack Cozart. Also drafted were left-hander Craig Rodriguez, second baseman Justin Henry from a squad that made the program’s third-straight Super Regional appearance and hosted an NCAA Regional for the fourth-consecutive season.

Ole Miss is one of only two programs in the country to host an NCAA Regional each of the last four seasons and one of only four programs, the only one in the Southeastern Conference, to advance to an NCAA Super Regional each of the last three seasons. Over the last five years, the Rebels have posted more SEC wins than any other program and are the only program to post a winning record in conference play each season since 2002.

The 2007 recruiting class is comprised of 17 fresh faces to the Rebel program, including 11 freshman and six junior college transfers, and continue that tradition of excellence under Bianco as the Rebels signed another balanced class. Arriving in the fall of 2007 are a bevy of hitters, pitchers and solid defensive players covering all positions on the field.

The 2007 recruiting class includes:

Garrett Duff, RHP (Jr. - Richland College) Helped lead his high school to the District Championship and earned All-District honors.

Tim Ferguson, IF (Fr. West Brook HS) Rawlings All-America selection and a First Team All-Region and All-District selection as a senior when he hit .485 for the year.

Jeb Galtney, IF/RHP (Fr. Episcopal HS) Three-year letterwinner under Mike Netzel at Episcopal High School in Houston. Hit .358 with 26 RBI and posted a 6-2 record with one save and a 1.51 ERA.

David Goforth, RHP (Fr. Neshoba Central) First Team All-State and Dandy Dozen selection as a senior also named Team MVP in 2006 and 2007 as well as an All-District selection.

OF Michael Guerrero (Jr. Meridian Community College) Named First-Team All-State, All-Conference and All-Region as he hit .375 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI last year. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 38^th round in 2006.

Yogi Gunther, IF (Fr. Westminster Academy) Louisville Slugger All-American and two-time All-State selection also named Broward County Player of the Year. Brother of former Rebel catcher Barry Gunther.

Kyle Henson. C (Jr. - San Jacinto Junior College) Two-time All-State selection in high school and two-time All-Conference selection at San Jacinto Junior College.

Michael Hubbard, OF (Jr. UA-Fort Smith) Two-time JUCO All-America selection and Conference Player of the Year at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith where he hit 21 home runs as a senior and batted .375 for the year.

Michael Park, RHP (Fr. Memphis University School) Posted a 10-1 record as a junior and was named a pre-season Louisville Slugger All-American as a senior.

LHP Drew Pomeranz (Fr. Collierville HS) Finalist for Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year in 2007 after earning All-State, All-Region and Best of the Preps honors. Louisville Slugger All-America selection in 2006 was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 12^th round in 2007 after posting a 20-6 career record with 11 saves and a 2.21 ERA.

Sean Stuyverson, IF (Jr. Okaloosa-Walton CC) Selected to the Florida JUCO All-Star Game after transferring to O-W CC following a freshman season at Florida State. TPX All-America selection in high school.

RHP Josh Thomason (Fr. Lafayette County) Named NEMCABB Player of the Year as a senior and Second-Team All-State selection after helping lead his high school to the Class 4-A State Championship.

Matt Tracy, LHP/OF (Fr. Christian Brothers College HS) First-Team All-State selection as a senior after helping lead his team to the semi-finals of the state playoffs. Two-time preseason Puma All-America selection.

 

Jeremy Travis, OF (Jr. NE Texas Community College) Named an All-Conference selection at NE Texas Community College after setting several school records at Huntsville High School and being named Team MVP.

Cliff Vaughn, IF (Fr. Memorial HS) All-State selection at first base as a senior and All-America honorable mention selection after leading his team to a district title as a senior. Second in the city of Houston for home runs with 12 on the year.

Tyler Wells, IF (Fr. Vicksburg HS) Named 2007 Athlete of the Year for his high school and team MVP while also collecting Freshman of the Year honors and Best Defensive Player awards twice. Hit .458 as a senior with 40 RBI.

Logan Williams, IF (Fr. South Side Bee Branch HS) Four-time All-State, All-Conference and All-Region selection and was named Arkansas Player of the Year in 2007 after helping lead his team to the state championship.

Ole Miss, which is in the middle of fall practice, will open the 2008 season on February 23, 2008, when the Rebels will host the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a three-game series at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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