2012 Sox Alumnus Pentecost Named A-Sun Player of the Year
May 21, 2014 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Valley Blue Sox News Release
KENNESAW, GA - The accolades keep rolling in for 2012 Blue Sox alumnus Max Pentecost. The top-rated catcher going into this year's draft was named Atlantic Sun Player of the Year at Kennesaw State University, the first Owl so honored.
Pentecost hit an incredible .422 this year on a nation-leading 97 hits, including 21 doubles and eight home runs for a .626 slugging percentage. He also stole 15 bases on 17 attempts, showing unusual speed for a catcher.
Apart from being the top player in the A-Sun conference, Pentecost was also named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, awarded to the top player in college baseball. He is among the favorites to win the award, whose finalists are announced on June 5, with the winner announced on June 14 at the start of the College World Series.
The award is given for "performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life," according to the official release by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, which gives the award.
Pentecost was one of the key players on the 2012 Blue Sox, batting .303 and leading the team with 27 runs scored in 37 games played. His stellar bat got him named the 18th best prospect in the NECBL at the time.
"The league has had a history of top caliber draft picks, with guys like Steven Strasburg and Mark Appel going number one overall after playing in the NECBL, and it's exciting to see Max slated to go so highly after playing here," said Assistant General Manager Wes LaValley.
Following his time in Holyoke, Pentecost went on to earn A-Sun Second Team honors his junior year and then broke out even more in the Cape Cod League, winning the CCBL MVP for the Bourne Braves by hitting .346 with 6 home runs and 29 RBI in 35 games, racking up a .962 OPS.
Every major baseball draft projection has Pentecost going in the top 20 of the draft this summer.
Baseball America's most recent draft preview projects the Los Angeles Angels taking Pentecost with the 15th overall pick. Perfect Game USA has Pentecost going 19th to the Cincinnati Reds.
MLB.com's draft preview has Pentecost at 13th, which puts him in a San Diego Padres uniform. In addition, they quote an unnamed MLB executive, who said that "The best true catcher is probably Pentecost...He's going in the first round for sure...he's a good hitter, a good athlete and he can run. He can throw and he will get better as a receiver. I think it's a solid overall player at a tough position to find."
Pentecost and the Kennesaw State Owls are presently competing in the Atlantic Sun Tournament, where they are the three seed after finishing the regular season 33-21 including 17-9 in conference; the Owls won their tournament opener in extra innings, with Pentecost scoring the winning run after leading off the tenth inning with a triple.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from May 21, 2014
- 2012 Sox Alumnus Pentecost Named A-Sun Player of the Year - Valley Blue Sox
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