Dec. 20, 2011

Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America Team

TUCSON, Ariz.-- Stanford Baseball added to its preseason resume on Tuesday when Collegiate Baseball named righthander Mark Appel to its first team and infielder Kenny Diekroeger to its second team.

Third baseman Stephen Piscotty was named a first team preseason All-American by the National's Collegiate Baseball Writers earlier this month.

All three preseason All-Americans hail from the Bay Area, Diekroeger prepped at Menlo School in Woodside, while East Bay natives, Appel and Piscotty, played at Monte Vista and Amador Valley High.

Appel as the team's No. 1 starter a year ago was 6-7 with a 3.02 ERA over 110.1 innings. He is projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 June Draft. Also a potential first round pick, Diekroeger hit .293 with 31 runs and 31 RBIs as the team's shortstop. As a freshman third baseman he hit a team-best .356 and carries a .324 career average into the season.

On Monday, Collegiate Baseball rated Stanford No. 3 nationally in its preseason poll. Stanford opens the season February 17-19 with Vanderbilt. Texas and Rice are also on the pre-conference home schedule in February and March. Tickets are available at 1-800-STANFORD.

Other Pac-12 members of Collegiate Baseball's preseason team include: Deven Marrero (1st team, Arizona State), Brady Rodgers (2nd, ASU), Tony Renda (2nd, Cal), Kurt Heyer (3rd, Arizona), Adam Plutko (3rd, UCLA), Tony Bryant (3rd, Oregon State), Shaun Cooper (3rd, Utah).