Top 50 Players

We have put together of the 50 best college baseball players for the 2009 season. We started with the 50th ranked player and worked our way up to the number 1 ranked player. The rankings are based on what I have seen from these players in person or from many sources around the country. We are currently in the middle of the countdown and this will be updated after every post. These are my projected Top 50 players in the country.

1. Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State)
2. Grant Green (Southern Cal)
3. Alex White (North Carolina)
4. Kyle Gibson (Missouri)
5. Kentrail Davis (Tennessee)
6. Mike Minor (Vanderbilt)
7. Kendal Volz (Baylor)
8. Dustin Ackley (UNC)
9. Ben Tootle (Jacksonville State)
10. A.J. Pollock (Notre Dame)
11. Andrew Oliver (Oklahoma State)
12. Matt den Dekker (Florida)
13. Brett Jackson (Cal)
14. Preston Guilmet (Arizona)
15. Ryan Jackson (Miami FL)
16. Blake Smith (Cal)
17. Josh Fellhauer (Cal-State Fullerton)
18. Ryan Berry (Rice)
19. Jeffrey Inman (Stanford)
20. Ben Paulsen (Clemson)
21. Mike Leake (Arizona State)
22. Eric Pettis (UC-Irvine)
23. Jordan Henry (Ole Miss)
24. Jason Kipnis (Arizona State)
25. Steven Fischback (Cal Poly)
26. D.J. LeMahieu (LSU)
27. Kyle Blair (San Diego)
28. Chris Hernandez (Miami, FL)
29. Christian Colon (Cal-State Fullerton)
30. Hunter Morris (Auburn)
31. Alan Ahmady (Fresno State)
32. Kyle Parker (Clemson)
33. Chris Dominguez (Louisville)
34. Tommy Medica (Santa Clara)
35. Matt Thomson (San Diego)
36. Angelo Songco (Loyola Marymount)
37. Kyle Jensen (St. Mary’s)
38. Brandon Workman (Texas)
39. Joey Wong (Oregon State)
40. Brad Stillings (Kent State)
41. Brad Boxberger (USC)
42. Matt Harvey (UNC)
43. Matt Prokopowicz (Hofstra)
44. Tommy Mendonca (Fresno State)
45. Gavin Brooks (UCLA)
46. Sammy Solis (San Diego)
47. Eric Erickson (Miami, FL)
48. Tony Sanchez (Boston College)
49. Robert Stock (USC)
50. Hiram Burgos (Bethune-Cookman)

Please feel free to comment on a player’s rankings in the comment section on the player’s page.

Tags: 2009 Top Players

About the Author

Brian Foley is the founder and Lead Editor of College Baseball Daily since its inception in 2005. He has covered two CWS, multiple NCAA Baseball Regionals, and other special events across the country. In addition to his duties with College Baseball Daily, he has covered games for Inside Lacrosse and been featured in USA Today, Wall Street Journal among other publications. He can be contacted by email at editor at collegebaseballdaily.com and followed on Twitter @BFoley82.

renelape

I am wondering how to access numbers 1 through 22 on this list of 2009 promising players. I know Nate Lape is on the list but I cannot se where.
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley

I haven’t released the full list yet. I update it on a daily basis Monday-Saturday.
hoosiermama

This is worse than waiting for Christmas day! haha
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley

Why you think I did it this way!!
SBUfan1

No love for the A10?!?!?!
Tarheels13

Stephen Strasburg, and Alex White will be 3 pitchers up there I’m assuming. Kyle Seager Maybe, Scott Woodward..?
squarebush

The link to Jason Kipnis (24) is to Steven Fischback (25)
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley

Corrected squarebush
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com NYDORE

That Sonny Gray isn’t on the list is a disgrace. That said, Bri, are we going to do a Top 20 Freshmen to watch? If so, in addition to Gray and Jason Esposito, I’d suggest a third Commodore in Navery Moore… though he’d be further down on the top 20 while I’d assume Sonny and JSpo would be top 5.
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley

We should be doing a top freshman post in the coming weeks.
hoosiermama

I believe you should check your listing…how do you leave out someone who dominated in the Big Ten, while leading the NCAA in slugging percentage?? I guess this tells me what kind of reseach you really did. I’m outta here…see ya!
http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley

Ok….It is the Big Ten…The quality of pitching in the conference is weak after Michigan.

I saw Phegley in a USA Trials game in Lynn MA and really didn’t impress me against that squad. I had a writer at the game in Newport and he failed to recognize anything special in his game. The USA coaching staff ended up cutting him from the team so I don’t know what to say about that.
xmaster

Brian

I was really surprised to see only one player from LSU on your list. Did you consider Blake Dean? If so, what was your reasoning for not including him? not a pitcher?
- http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley
  
  I like Dean but how much of his numbers were inflated from playing at Alex Box?
  
  I don’t know how he will translate to the next level. He is a player to watch though.
Irish333

Just curious Brian, what is your opinion of Jerry Sullivan rhp for Oral Roberts.
Bezzant16

Also, if you talk about your opinion of Sullivan i’d like to hear what you have to say about CF Nick Freitas from Southern Utah.
- http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley
  
  I posted a CBB Spotlight on Sullivan with some video I took of him at a game from the summer.
  
  http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2009/01/27/cbb-spotlight-jerry-sullivan-oral-roberts/
SUSID

Brian, I think you need to take a look at Jeremy Cruz at Stetson. The A-Sun preseason Player of the Year should be well up on the list by the time this season ends if not much sooner.
HAMMER

Heads up, Brian Dozier of Southern Miss is one of the best shortstops in America. Its unbelievable the balls that he gets to in the holes. Special talent. He’s consistant at that plate. Just a play maker. You should look into it. Ask the old man at Rice. He’s commented on Dozier before.
hottytoddy

How can you have a top 25 list, much less a top 50 list, without Scott Bittle from Ole Miss??? The kid came in from the bullpen to go 7-1 with 8 saves. He pitched a little over 70 innings and recorded 130 punchouts. He led the nation in strikeouts per 9 at 16.5 and was 8th in the nation with a 1.78 ERA. Do you think his decision to stay was a bad one, or do you think Ole Miss’ starting pitching will be so much better that Bittle will not have to be as dominant this year?
- http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley
  
  He was on the list but just missed out of the Top 50
hottytoddy

P.S. I pray to God that you are right about Jordan Henry. Our offense took a huge hit with his poor production early in the season, though it was good to see him pick it up in the end and in the Cape Cod League.
3rdbase08

If you’re mentioning Bittle, the only guy to get recognition from Ole Miss’s coach for having 2 hits off of him would be South Alabama’s Ryan Bohanan. Brian, how do you feel about him? He has a 17 for 18 game streak going with 8 straight now..I suggest you give him a look.
- http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley
  
  Remember this list was done before the season started.
Singledeck

I am very surprised Troy Channing the super hot freshman from SMC is not listed….check out his stats, I believe you will be very impressed….the WCC is.

http://www.boydsworld.com/cgi/hitters.pl?player=channing&style=Contains&submit=Search&team=any
- http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley
  
  That article was written in the preseason.
fivekidz

I been watching baseball now for 22 years and I think you’ve overrated some of the players. After 2 seasons both Patterson & Morris are overrated in the Auburn line-up, but players like Mummey, Sanders, Jones, Hargett and catcher Tony Caldwell are having sensational seasons. Check out the HR’s, RBI’s and slugging % as well as OB%. Auburn just beat Georgia 4-2 and the Tigers aren’t even listed in the top 30 Nations best teams. Something’s wrong with this picture or politics are really in play here. And don’t try to steal on Caldwell. The kid has a cannon and has 17 throw outs with a 2.4 time. Someone needs to wake up and take a look at the Auburn Tigers. Can’t wait to see them beat the Gators. They’re ranked in the top 25 but barely won against UCF who got beat by some no name team 26-1. Give me a break fellas. How about opening your eyes and give credit where credit is due?
- http://thecollegebaseballblog.com Brian Foley
  
  Again, this list was written heading into the season. I can’t stress that enough.
fivekidz

auburntigers.com “you’ll be pleasantly surprised”
nok

Take a look at OU catcher JT Wise. He’s earned a spot on this list.
sportsfan

As the season progresses, pitchers become more and more pertinent to a teams success. Starters set the tone for the game, but credit must be given to relievers. This season one in standout reliever has emerged to take on a key role for the Diamond Heels, and that player is Brian Moran. This season alone, the 6’3 junior Moran, who won the game at Charlotte Tuesday, has an unreal 73-to-4 strikeout-to-walk total in 53 2/3 innings for 18.3 Ks for each walk. Carolina’s stalwart out of the bullpen currently leads the ACC in ERA (1.84), opponent batting average (.167) and appearances (29). Over his last 12 outings, Moran is 4-0 with three saves and has allowed jus two runs over 21 innings for a 0.86 ERA over this stretch.
He is a pleasure to watch, and a true inspiration on and off the field.
Pat Muhl

Would love to see you take a look at Caleb Shofner, 3rd base. (Texas A & M). Went out the way he came in (Big 12 Player of the Week -Opening week 2009) them made all regional team at Ft. Worth, although the Aggies did not advance). Back this year as a Junior.
Joeb

is there a reliable list of the top 2012 baseball prospects in the United States?
Mona Berry

Just wait and see…Jorden Merry is the most under rated pitcher of the whole bunch. JMO
http://thecollegebaseballblog DE #10

Deangelo Mack from South Carolina should be in there