TicketsAug. 31, 2006
DURHAM, N.C.---Baseball America, one of the nation's top publications for coverage of college baseball, has tabbed Bearcats John Baird and Josh Harrison as two of the best prospects to compete in summer wooden bat leagues this summer. The Cincinnati duo was tabbed among the top-10 professional prospects after their performances this summer in the Great Lakes Collegiate League.
Baird (Olentangy, Ohio/Birmingham Southern), a member of the Delaware Cows this summer, was ranked as the third-best prospect in the league. Harrison (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton), who spent his summer with the Cincinnati Steam, was picked as top prospect No. 6.
"Anytime you get recognition for your players, its a good thing," UC head coach Brian Cleary said. "It's neat to see those guys in Baseball America, it's well deserved. To be so well represented on this list speaks to the type of players that we have here."
Baird, who will join the Bearcats in 2007 from Birmingham Southern, was one of the top hurlers in the league this summer. The right-hander, Baird posted a 2-0 record and a 0.97 ERA in nine appearances, including seven starts. In 37.0 innings of work, Baird yielded a .150 opponents batting average, while walking 17 and striking out 34.
Harrison, a third team All-BIG EAST choice in the spring, enjoyed a terrific summer in the wooden bat league, being listed among the league leaders in multiple categories. His list of rankings included triples (T1st-2), total bases (4th-50), hits (4th-41), hitting (5th-.347), runs (T6th-21), slugging percentage (T7th-.424), on-base percentage (8th-.428) and stolen bases (T9th-11).