Jan. 3, 2011
By Andrew Kitick
Assistant Media Relations Director
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and sophomore right-handed pitcher Matt Price have been ranked among the Top 100 college prospects for the 2011 draft by Baseball America. Both Preseason All-America selections, Bradley is rated the No. 6 best college prospect for this June’s draft with Price rated No. 45 in the nation.
Last month, both Bradley and Price were named to the 2011 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America team by Collegiate Baseball as well as the 2011 NCBWA Preseason All-America team. Bradley was a first-team selection with Price earning second-team honors. The Gamecocks begin the 2011 season on Feb. 18, with a three-game series vs. Santa Clara.
Bradley was the 2010 College World Series Most Outstanding Player and the Gamecocks’ leading hitter this past season with a .368 batting average (89-for-242) with 13 HR and 60 RBI. He also had a .473 on-base percentage and a .587 slugging percentage for the season. Price went 5-1 out of the bullpen last year with a 2.26 ERA as well as 10 saves. He struck out 83 batters in 55.2 innings, finishing with an average of 13.41 strikeouts per nine innings, a school record at Carolina.
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South Carolina is the defending national champion in college baseball after winning the title at the 2010 College World Series. South Carolina has nine College World Series appearances including four in the last nine years under head coach Ray Tanner. Under Tanner’s leadership South Carolina owns the fourth highest win total in the last 11 years in the nation with a 522-217 record. South Carolina is one of eight schools to appear in the NCAA Regional every season in the last 11 years including eight NCAA Super Regional appearances in that span, one of only six schools to accomplish the feat.
Carolina owns more overall wins than any SEC team in the last 11 years and more conference wins than any SEC team in the last 11 years with a 200-129 conference record. South Carolina is the only SEC school to record 40 or more wins each season from 2000-present and the only SEC school to reach the NCAA Regional every season in the last 11 years. The Gamecocks also have the most NCAA Super Regional appearances of the 12 SEC schools in the last 11 years.
Head coach Ray Tanner is the second winningest coach in Southeastern Conference history with a .692 winning percentage in 14 seasons at the helm of the Garnet & Black.
