Aug. 28, 2006

Columbia, S.C. – Fresh off of earning MVP honors in the Cape Cod League earlier in the month, South Carolina first baseman Justin Smoak has added to his accolades from the summer, being named the top prospect out of the CCL in a recent list put together by Baseball America. Smoak, a rising sophomore for the Gamecocks played for the Cotuit Kettleers this summer and was the regular season league leader in home runs with 11 to go along with 27 RBI as well as a .286 batting average.

The native of Goose Creek, S.C. earned freshman All-America honors this past year in his first season at Carolina. Smoak was the only Gamecock player to start all 66 games this past year and batted .303 with 17 HR and 63 RBI.

Smoak was not the only Gamecock on the Cape Cod League Prospect list with sophomore shortstop Reese Havens also recognized. Havens was projected as the 16th best prospect out of the Cape Cod League this summer. Last year, Havens started 65 of 66 games and earned second team All-SEC honors at shortstop while committing just nine errors and fielding a .967 percentage.