Feb. 3, 2014
By Taylor Wright | UTAMavs.com
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington senior Matt Shortall and junior Zach Thompson were chosen to the Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference team by Perfect Game. The Mavericks were picked to finish sixth in their first season in the league.
Shortall led the Western Athletic Conference regular-season champion Mavericks in several offensive categories last season. He hit .362, good for third in the WAC, and had 54 RBI. Shortall led the team with eight home runs. According to Perfect Game's Kendall Rogers, Shortall earned the preseason honor due to the veteran experience and consistent play he brings to the 2014 squad.
Thompson, a right-handed starting pitcher, got the all-conference nod due to his mid-90s fastball. Thompson went 6-5 last season in 17 appearances (12 starts) with a 5.33 ERA. Thompson was also named the top prospect in the Sun Belt by Rogers, who predicts Thompson will be taken in rounds 4-6 of the 2014 MLB Draft.
Jess Amedee, a junior right-handed pitcher from Fort Collins, Colo., was also named to the prospect list with a draft prediction of rounds 10- 15.
PERFECT GAME PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Overall/conference won-loss records from 2013 indicated
* Projected conference automatic bid
No. | Team | W | L | W | L |
1 | La.-Lafayette* | 19 | 11 | 43 | 20 |
2 | Troy | 20 | 10 | 42 | 20 |
3 | Texas State | 16 | 11 | 29 | 29 |
4 | South Alabama | 20 | 10 | 43 | 20 |
5 | Georgia State | 14 | 13 | 35 | 21 |
6 | UT Arlington | 18 | 9 | 31 | 27 |
7 | Arkansas State | 12 | 18 | 28 | 31 |
8 | Western Kentucky | 16 | 14 | 28 | 29 |
9 | Arkansas-Little Rock | 13 | 17 | 28 | 28 |
10 | Louisiana-Monroe | 7 | 23 | 18 | 36 |
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Pos. | Name | Class | School | Stats/Notes |
C | Michael Strentz | Jr. | La.-Lafayette | .311-7-45, good hitter, solid defensively, too |
1B | Chase Compton | Sr. | La.-Lafayette | .265-5-32, major upside, should take step forward |
2B | Jace Conrad | Jr. | La.-Lafayette | .286-4-36, very fluid defensively |
3B | Tyler Girouard | Jr. | La.-Lafayette | .360-7-41, good pop in his bat, consistent |
SS | Blake Trahan | So. | La.-Lafayette | .319-4-38, good hitter, very fluid defender |
OF | Matt Shortall | Sr. | UT Arlington | .362-8-54, veteran experience, very consistent |
OF | Caleb Adams | Jr. | La.-Lafayette | .339-16-55, big-time power, consistent hitter |
OF | Seth Harrison | Jr. | La.-Lafayette | .338-9-45, good power, lots of extra-base hits |
DH | Chad Prain | Sr. | Georgia State | .394-4-48, great hitter, very consistent career |
UT | Matt Rose | So. | Georgia State | .283-4-32, 2.55 ERA, 35.1, 30K/17BB |
SP | Austin Robichaux | Jr. | La.-Lafayette | 3.05, 109.1, 88K/22BB, FB up to 94, loose arm |
SP | Shane McCain | Sr. | Troy | 3.48, 98.1, 105K/18BB, plus command |
SP | Zach Thompson | Jr. | UT Arlington | 5.33, 81 IP, 33K/26BB, mid-90s FB |
RP | Ian Tompkins | Jr. | W. Kentucky | 2.29, 35.1 IP, 59K/26BB, .143 OPP BA |
Player of the year: Blake Trahan, ss, Louisiana-Lafayette
Pitcher of the year: Austin Robichaux, rhp, Louisiana-Lafayette
Top freshman: Reagan Bazar, rhp, Louisiana-Lafayette
Top newcomer: Carson Baranik, rhp, Louisiana-Lafayette
PROSPECT WATCH (Projected round drafted)
2014-Top 15
1 Zach Thompson, rhp, UT Arlington (Rounds 4-6)
2 Austin Robichaux, rhp, Louisiana-Lafayette (4-8)
3 Carson Baranik, rhp, Louisiana-Lafayette (6-10)
4 Michael Strentz, c, Louisiana-Lafayette (6-10)
5 Bradley Wallace, rhp, Arkansas State (8-12)
6 Jo-El Bennett, of, Troy (8-12)
7 Jess Amedee, rhp/3b, UT Arlington (10-15)
8 Greg Milhorn, rhp, Louisiana-Lafayette (10-15)
9 Alex Hermeling, rhp, Louisiana-Monroe (10-15)
10 Ian Tompkins, lhp, Western Kentucky (12-18)
11 Caden Bailey, 2b/ss, Georgia State (12-18)
12 Austen Williams, rhp, Texas State (12-18)
13 Trevin Hall, of/1b, Troy (15-20)
14 Chase Compton, 1b, Louisiana-Lafayette (15-20)
15 Garrett Mattlage, 2b/ss, Texas State (15-25)
2015-Top 5
1 Blake Trahan, ss, Louisiana-Lafayette (Rounds 2-3)
2 Matt Rose, 3b/rhp, Georgia State (6-10)
3 Lucas Humpal, rhp, Texas State (8-12)
4 Josh Leone, rhp, Louisiana-Monroe (8-15)
5 Nick Thurman, c, Louisiana-Lafayette (10-15)
2016-Top 3
1 Reagan Bazar, rhp, Louisiana-Lafayette (Rounds 2-3)
2 Lee Gibson, ss, Troy (4-8)
3 Jesse Nelson, rhp, Troy (6-10)
