The University of Mississippi Athletics
Caracci, Dillard Named Preseason All-Americans by D1Baseball
1/21/2019 | Baseball
Caracci Earns Second-Team Nod, Dillard Third Team
SPRING, Texas โ Ole Miss baseball placed its top reliever and its top slugger on the D1Baseball Preseason All-American Teams as Parker Caracci earned a second-team nod and Thomas Dillard landed on the third team.
Caracci was listed as the top reliever on the second team after earning three All-American nods at the conclusion of the 2018 season. He was tabbed a second-team All-American by Baseball America and D1Baseball and was an honorable mention by Perfect Game after a breakout redshirt-sophomore campaign. He was also named second-team All-SEC and was a midseason All-American, in addition to an SEC Pitcher of the Week nod on April 2.
Caracci has now made preseason All-American teams for Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game and D1Baseball.
The junior out of Jackson, Mississippi, was selected in the 37th Round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, but he elected to return to Oxford for 2019. He totaled 10 saves last year, tying him for the seventh-most in a single season in program history. Caracci also amassed 73 strikeouts in 48.0 innings pitched, compared to just 14 walks for a 5.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He allowed just 38 hits and maintained a 2.25 ERA.
The outstanding season earned Caracci a spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team for the summer, where he posted a perfect 0.00 ERA in 9.2 innings of action, compiling a pair of saves and a .094 opposing batting average.
Dillard earned his spot on the preseason All-American squad after a terrific sophomore campaign. Dillard hit .310 and led Ole Miss with 13 home runs in 2018. He scored 67 runs and drove in 59, accounting for more runs than any other player in the SEC.
His 67 runs scored tied Rebel legend David Dellucci for fourth all-time in a single season. The Oxford native also drew 49 walks last year, good for fourth all-time in a single-season.
For his efforts, Dillard was named to the SEC All-Tournament team and was a 2018 College Home Run Derby participant, where the Rebel slugger finished third.
Dillard is one of seven starters returning for an Ole Miss offense that lead the SEC in team batting average at an even .300 a season ago. Ole Miss is the only team in the SEC that will return seven offensive players who started 48 or more games in 2018. He is also one of five returning Rebels who hit eight or more home runs last season.
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