Orange Beach, AL -- The 2008 PRO-DAY Baseball High School All-American team has been released. The first team consists of 13 players with one player being named at each position along with five pitchers, according to Jeff Gross, president of PRO-DAY Baseball.
The first team is as follows, David Bowen a junior from South Pontotoc High (Randolph, MS) catcher; Brandon Arnold, a senior attending Pine Bluff High (PIne Bluff, AR) at first base; Caleb Astin, a senior from Prattville High (Prattville, AL) second base; Junior Neil Hudson of Excel High (Excel, AL) at shortstop; and from Zephyrhills High (Zephyrillis, FL) third baseman, junior, Austin Adams.
The outfield is made up of Brian Moss, senior, from Eagles Landing Christian Academy (Stockbridge, GA), Gardner Richey, senior at Tupelo High (Baldwyn, MS) and Drew Burks a junior at Cabot High (Cabot, AR).
The pitchers are Senior Derek Self of Caverna High (Cave City, KY), Junior Paul Baggett of Central High (Jay, FL), Junior Cat Kendrick of Northgate High (Sharpsburg, GA), Senior Glenn Harbin of McGill-Toolen High (Bay Minette, AL) and Sophomore Logan Gray of Mt. Juliet High (Lebanon, TN).
"These are some very talented young men who were selected to this All-American team that will have an immediate impact at a college next fall," said Gross. "Several of these players will also have a bright future ahead for themselves in professional baseball.
The Honorable Team includes Frank Adelman (Montgomery Bell Academy/Nashville, TN), Brett Armour (Lakeview Academy/Cornelia, GA), Cooper Boydstun (Habersham Central High/Turnerville,GA), Ethan Bright (South Panola High/Batesville, MS), Nathan Conner (Lafayette High/Oxford, MS), Nicholas Cox (Watson Chapel High/Pine Bluff, AR), Blake Crabtree (Barren County High/Austin, KY), Caleb Ficken (Buckhorn High/Huntsville, AL), Carter Hahn (Ronald Reagan High/San Antonio, TX), Robbie Jernigan (Pine Forest High/Pensacola, FL) and Branden Kelly (Prattville High/Prattville, AL).
The remaining roster is Codie Martin (Hamburg High/Hamburg, AR), Joshua Martin (Enterprise High/Enterprise, AL), Garrett McHenry (Hackleburg High/Hodges, AL), Andrew McNeal (Hernando High/Brooksville, FL), John Caleb Mitchell (Russellville High/Russellville, AL), Jordan Moore (Calhoun City High/Calhoun City, MS), Michael Newby (Watson Chapel High/Pine Bluff, AR), Christopher Posada (Midland High/Midland, TX), Logan Runyan (Wakulla High/Tallahassee, FL), Adam Russell (Briarwood Christian Academy/Birmingham, AL), Lex Rutledge (Tupelo High/Tupelo, MS), Evan Sharp (Cannon County High/Woodbury, TN), Brandon Showmar (Central High/Little Rock, AR) and Chris Stratton (Tupelo High/ Belden, MS).
Several professional scouts evalutated over thousands of players this past year for PRO-DAY Baseball and said this class is one the best talented class to come out in years. Bill Eanhart, a scout with the Arizona Diamondbacks and a forty year veteran of evalutating talent said, " I have had the pleasure to witness many of these players at several PRO-DAY events last year. Let me tell you these guys can play and many of them will see that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
"I saw many undergraduates hit in the low 90's and that is remarkable for anyone, especially 10th and 11th graders," said Earnhart. "These young men are getting great exposure by attending a showcase and making it easy on people who do what I do. I like following PRO-DAY around every chance I get, because you never know when you might just find the next Nolan Ryan."
The 2008 PRO-DAY Baseball schedule is completed and to be considered for the 2009 All-American team, players need to attend a showcase in your area The players selected for this All-American team participated in one of the PRO-DAY National Showcases or State Showcases in 2007. For more information on PRO-DAY Baseball or to catch one of its' 2008 dates in your area, please visit www.prodaybaseball.com or call (251) 980-2300.