Black College Nines’ Announces 2017 HBCU Pre-Season Elite

2017 HBCU Preseason Baseball Polls and Team Previews

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Fifty-two Historically Black College and University (HBCU) baseball playershave been named to the 2017 Black College Nines’ Elite Pre-Season baseball teams. First and second team selections were made in both the Large School Division (made up of NCAA Division I schools) and Small School Division (made up of those in the NCAA Divisions II and III schools as well as NAIA schools).

Selections were made based upon research and statistical information provided by coaching staffs and sports information directors.

The 2017 HBCU Pre-Season Elite Team:

Large School Division (DI)

First Team:

1B Jesus Santana (Jackson State University)
2B Eriq White (Alabama State University)
3B Daniel Barnett (Grambling State University)
SS Cornelius Copeland (Jackson State University)
OF Carlos Ocasio (Alabama State University)
OF Olajida Oloruntimilehin (Texas Southern University)
OF Carlos Ortiz (North Carolina Central University)
C Adan Ordonez (North Carolina A&T University)
P Miguel Yrigoyen (Jackson State University)
P Tyler Howe (Alabama State University)
P Jonathan Mauricio (Norfolk State University)
RP Alex Mauricio (Norfolk State University)
DH Brian Davis (Florida A&M University)

Second Team:

1B Danny Rodriguez (Bethune-Cookman University)
2B Wallace Rios (Alcorn State University)
3B Ray Hernandez (Alabama State University)
SS Troy Lewis (Southern University)
OF Yamil Pagan (Alabama State University)
OF Austin Bentley (Delaware State University)
OF Willis McDaniel (Florida A&M University)
C Jacky Miles, Jr. (Florida A&M University)
P Issac O’Bear (Grambling State University)
P Devin Sweet (North Carolina Central University)
P Tyler Norris (Bethune Cookman University)
RP Michael Parmentier (Norfolk State University)
DH Conrad Kovalcik (North Carolina Central University)

Small School Division (DII/DIII/NAIA)

First Team:

1B Carlos Andrade (Jarvis Christian College)
2B Randy Norris (Winston Salem State University)
3B Rashad Bivens (Claflin University)
SS Reginald Rogers (Claflin University)
OF Miguel Beltre (Edward Waters College)
OF Josh McDaniel (Stillman College)
OF David White, Jr. (Benedict College)
C Michael McNamara (Winston Salem State University)
P Tyler Hall (West Virginia State University)
P Evan Krenz (Paine College)
P Emmanuel Pantaleon (Wiley College)
RP Richard Edwards (Edward Waters College)
DH Jose Duran (Selma University)

Second Team:

1B Jalen Luter (Tuskegee University)
2B Jordan Pontious (Edward Waters College)
3B Fentress Henderson (Paine College)
SS Ricky Caruajal (Paine College)
OF Lyndale Mosley (Claflin University)
OF DeAndre McGuire (Jarvis Christian College)
OF Darione Adkison (Miles College)
C Oswaldo Palacios (Wiley College)
P Marquis Johnson (St. Augustine’s University)
P Austin Pate (Miles College)
P Frederick Belz (Edward Waters College)
RP Jordan Johnson (Clark Atlanta University)
DH Payton Durham (Bluefield State College)

For a link to the 2016 final individual statistics for each member of the 2017 pre-season Elite team, click here.

CREDIT: MICHAEL COKER, BLACK COLLEGE NINE'S, COLLEGE BASEBALL FOUNDATION