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College  | Story | 1/5/2022

Preseason Collegiate All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
Craig Cozart


Perfect Game is back with college preview coverage for the 2022 baseball season. We start our coverage with the 2022 Preseason All-Americans and will have content throughout the next two months which include Top 25 rankings, conference previews, as well as lists of the top players by year in college. Teams ranked 26-40 will release on Thursday, Jan. 4 while the Preseason Top 25 will release on Friday, Jan. 5.



The Perfect Game/Rawlings Preseason All-American teams are listed below, broken down into three separate teams along with breakdowns of the members of the first team. The players listed below were selected based on a combination of factors including statistics from 2021, prospect status, 2022 expectations, and ranking relative to their draft status.

Jace Jung of Texas Tech was named Preseason Player of the Year while Florida State’s Parker Messick was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Jung had a monster 2021 campaign that culminated with the Big 12 Player of the Year award and he’s one of the most dangerous bats in college baseball. Messick took home ACC Pitcher of the Year honors for the Seminoles as he should lead a talented Florida State pitching staff.

* denotes picks for Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively

First-Team Hitters

Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
C Daniel Susac Arizona SO .335 .392 .591 48 81 24 1 12 65 0
1B Dominic Keegan Vanderbilt SR .345 .427 .638 56 80 17 3 15 57 0
2B Jace Jung* Texas Tech JR .337 .462 .697 55 70 10 1 21 67 4
3B Austin Knight Charlotte SR .342 .398 .615 59 80 29 1 11 63 13
SS Brooks Lee Cal Poly JR .342 .384 .626 48 76 27 3 10 57 3
OF Gavin Cross Virginia Tech JR .345 .415 .621 48 70 13 5 11 35 9
OF Chase DeLauter James Madison JR .386 .508 .723 26 39 12 2 6 21 7
OF Brock Jones Stanford JR .311 .453 .646 56 64 13 1 18 62 14
DH Jacob Berry Louisiana State SO .352 .439 .676 54 87 19 5 17 70 2
UT Paul Skenes Air Force SO .410 .486 .697 49 77 21 0 11 43 0


First-Team Pitchers

Pos. Name School Class ERA W-L CG SV IP H SO BB OBA
SP Justin Campbell Oklahoma State JR 2.57 7-2 1 0 84 66 102 27 .214
SP Parker Messick* Florida State JR 3.10 8-2 0 0 90 81 126 23 .234
SP Cam Schlittler Northeastern JR 1.88 8-1 0 0 76.2 58 85 20 .209
SP Andrew Taylor Central Michigan JR 1.81 11-4 5 0 94.1 64 125 24 .189
SP Carson Whisenhunt East Carolina JR 3.77 6-2 0 0 62 50 79 22 .220
RP Landon Sims Mississippi State JR 1.44 5-0 0 13 56.1 29 100 15 .149
RP Carson Palmquist Miami JR 2.22 1-1 0 14 44.2 22 75 8 .143
UT Paul Skenes Air Force SO 2.70 1-1 0 11 26.2 20 30 9 .208


Catcher
Daniel Susac, Arizona

Catcher is going to be one of the most competitive positions when it comes to awards this year, but giving Susac the edge here is the combination of his offensive production as a true freshman as well as his current status as the top-ranked catcher from a draft perspective. Susac is a unique profile behind the plate being 6-foot-5, but he offers significant power from both sides of the plate. He crushed 24 doubles for the best offense in the country a year ago and Susac will likely be the anchor for what should be another very good offense.
 
First Base
Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt
 
Keegan split time last year at first and designated hitter but should be making his way back to his natural home behind the dish in 2022. Keegan was the best hitter for a team that came within one game of a title last year as his offensive consistency was key for the Commodores. Keegan controls the strike zone very well and has both doubles and home run power as well as the assumed mantle as one of the leaders of the team moving forward. The bat plays wherever he suits up and his role will be critical for a young Vanderbilt team.
 
Second Base
Jace Jung, Texas Tech

The presumed Golden Spikes favorite, and PG’s Preseason Player of the Year, Jung had an arguable case for the award last year thanks to a sterling statistical line. Jung smashed 21 home runs while slugging close to .700 and is largely viewed as one of the safer college bats at the top of this draft class. You’re talking about a prospect who could have a plus hit tool with plus power as he can drive balls out of the park to all fields and though he’ll have a second base or third base future the bat is going to play anywhere.
 
Third Base
Austin Knight, Charlotte

Knight was a doubles machine for the 49ers a year ago as he led the entire country with 29, which was two more than Brooks Lee. Knight has an excellent blend of athleticism along with strong hitting tools and has performed excellently in his college career. This will be his fourth year in school so he’s immediately one of the better seniors in the class. Charlotte has the potential to be a dangerous team and Knight will likely be the one leading the charge from an offensive standpoint this spring.
 
Shortstop
Brooks Lee, Cal Poly

A bona fide No. 1 overall pick contender, Lee was the second-ranked collegiate prospect on our most recent draft list and it’s because he does everything exceptionally well. He’s a true plus hitter from both sides of the plate and knocked in 27 doubles last year while slugging over .600. There’s absolutely double-digit home run potential but his extra-base hits are going to be very high this spring. He’s also as sure-handed as they come at shortstop with plus hands and IQ at the position as he looks to be in store for a monster year.
 
Outfield
Gavin Cross, Virginia Tech

Cross led the ACC in hitting a year ago and parlayed what was a breakout season, both for himself and for the Hokies in general, into a hot streak during his time with Team USA over the summer. He checks a ton of boxes, as he’s big with a left-handed power stick along with underrated athleticism and run tools. His center field future is a bit more unsettled when compared to the other collegiate center fielders but he’s a prospect who would profile really well in right field thanks to his arm and emerging raw power.
 
Outfield
Chase DeLauter, James Madison

DeLauter burst onto the scene this summer at the Cape Cod League where he showed he is a surefire first round talent and a contender for the first overall pick. DeLauter only played 26 games last year due to James Madison’s limited schedule, but his rate stats over a full campaign would put him right in contention with the rest of the first team. He can run, throw defend, hit for both average and power and even throw some innings of relief if need be; he’s a very complete college player.
 
Outfield
Brock Jones, Stanford

Jones was the heart and soul of the resurgent Cardinal offense that took them back to Omaha in 2021. A former two-sport standout at Stanford, Jones now focuses exclusively on baseball while still bringing that toughness and athleticism of the gridiron to the diamond. He’s one of the best athletes in the country with true center field chops as he blends power and speed really well with 18 home runs and 14 stolen bases. Jones is dynamic and one of the more intriguing prospects in the country.
 
Designated Hitter
Jacob Berry, Louisiana State

Arguably the biggest transfer in the country, Berry followed Head Coach Jay Johnson to Baton Rouge where he’ll follow up one of the best freshman campaigns in recent memory. Berry bolsters an already-loaded offense as his switch-hit bat is one of the most potent and versatile in the country. Berry should be suiting up at third base this year after spending a majority of time as the designated hitter, but a .676 slugging percentage with 17 home runs and 19 doubles is nothing to scoff at. With another year of those stats, this time in the SEC, he’ll be a firm No. 1 pick contender.
 
Utility
Paul Skenes, Air Force

A true freshman in 2021, Skenes immediately became the highest-touted two-way player in the country, finishing the year with a batting average over .400 and featuring a fastball that works into the upper-90s at times. Skenes is a strong hitter and has a good bit of raw power as he launched 11 home runs, and though the stats were sterling from an offensive standpoint, most evaluators view Skenes as an arm long term. He racked up 11 saves on the back end of the bullpen last year with 30 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings as Skenes is certainly one of the more fun prospects in the country.
 
Starting Pitcher
Justin Campbell, Oklahoma State

Campbell had a breakout campaign for the Cowboys as a two-way prospect who’s going to have a big role on the mound moving forward. Campbell stands tall on the bump at 6-foot-7 and features a full pitch mix, including a low-90s heater that he can run into the mid-90s at will. He missed a ton of bats and has all the elements of a projected starter moving forward. His ability to throw strikes, command the strike zone, and have a full pitch mix make him a prospect who could continue to see his stock soar.
 
Starting Pitcher
Parker Messick, Florida State

Our projected and Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Messick took home ACC Pitcher of the Year honors as a true sophomore and you’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger competitor on this list. Messick attacks hitters and pounds the strike zone with his low-90s heater while his plus changeup is one of the best in the class. He’s got a full pitch mix along with the experience of the next two years and we’re clearly anticipating a huge 2022 campaign for Messick. With 126 strikeouts to 23 walks in 90 innings, there’s clear bat-missing qualities here that should propel Messick to a big season.
 
Starting Pitcher
Cam Schlittler, Northeastern

Schlittler is a huge right-hander with a 6-foot-6 frame and really started to take off toward the end of the spring and into the summer. He had a minuscule ERA of 1.88 on the season with a mid-90s heater and strong secondaries. Schlittler was excellent in the Regional in terms of stuff, highlighted by solid strikes and a promising slider. He’ll form a talented duo with teammate Sebastian Keane this spring but the strength of Schlittler’s 2021 campaign along with expectations heading into this spring make him a significant name to watch.
 
Starting Pitcher
Andrew Taylor, Central Michigan

The lowest ERA of the first-team starting pitchers belongs to Taylor, who enjoyed a breakout for the upstart Chippewas that captured the MAC title. Taylor is a long and lean right-hander who had an ERA of 1.81 and finished with close to 100 innings with five complete games. He’s the ultimate strike thrower who competes and can turn over lineups multiple times. Taylor is a strong draft prospect too, with a low-90s heater and a full pitch mix that he utilizes well to work through lineups in creative ways.

Starting Pitcher
Carson Whisenhunt, East Carolina

Following Gavin Williams’ first-round selection, Carson Whisenhunt ascends to be the ace of the Pirates and he’s certainly got great stuff to back that up. Whisenhunt is a southpaw who can work into the mid-90s along with a good slider and a filthy changeup that is easily plus and is likely the best cambio in the country. He struck out 79 hitters in 62 innings a year ago and his stats will likely continue to improve as he’s in line for many more innings this spring as the ace of a team that has Omaha ambitions.
 
Relief Pitcher
Landon Sims, Mississippi State

Sims was a bit overshadowed a year ago by eventual Golden Spikes winner Kevin Kopps as unhittable SEC super relievers. He’ll make the jump to the rotation this spring as the defending champion Bulldogs lose the entirety of their starting rotation, but there’s no reason to believe that Sims will be any different. He struck out an absurd 100 hitters in 56 1/3 innings, which is a major workload for someone out of the bullpen. Sims features an unhittable combination of a mid-90s fastball and wipeout slider as the strikeouts are sure to come very often this spring.
 
Relief Pitcher
Carson Palmquist, Miami

Similar to Sims, Palmquist is expected to make the jump to the starting rotation this spring in Coral Gables and man the rubber on Friday nights. Palmquist has drawn numerous Chris Sale comparisons thanks to his funky mechanics and low slot release. He works in the low-90s with very good angle and a low release height while he has a wipeout slider and more than usable changeup. He tossed close to 50 innings so there’s some workload experience there already and he certainly has the stuff to be a Friday night ACC ace and potential first round pick.

Second-Team Hitters

Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
C Kevin Parada Georgia Tech SO .318 .379 .550 42 70 20 2 9 42 1
1B Tre' Morgan Louisiana State SO .357 .441 .526 64 89 16 4 6 42 15
2B Carter Trice Old Dominion SO .355 .426 .632 57 83 17 3 14 54 8
3B Tyler Locklear VCU JR .345 .515 .686 69 67 12 3 16 66 8
SS Zach Neto Campbell JR .405 .488 .746 50 70 17 3 12 58 12
OF Dylan Beavers California JR .303 .401 .630 44 64 11 2 18 49 10
OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. Vanderbilt SO .336 .451 .414 60 82 8 4 1 38 47
OF Dylan Crews Louisiana State SO .362 .453 .663 64 89 16 2 18 42 12
DH Ivan Melendez Texas SR .319 .438 .603 38 65 13 3 13 51 1
UT Gabriel Hughes Gonzaga JR .247 .291 .425 13 18 4 0 3 12 0


Second-Team Pitchers

Pos. Name School Class ERA W-L CG SV IP H SO BB OBA
SP Hunter Barco Florida JR 4.01 10-3 0 0 83 77 94 26 .239
SP Jace Kaminska Wichita State SO 2.32 8-1 2 0 62 51 51 19 .225
SP Pete Hansen Texas JR 1.88 9-1 0 0 91 66 80 23 .201
SP Sam Highfill North Carolina State JR 3.66 9-2 0 0 93.1 77 84 26 .224
SP Blade Tidwell Tennessee SO 3.74 10-3 0 0 98.2 84 90 34 .234
RP Devereaux Harrison Long Beach State JR 1.57 3-1 0 10 34.1 22 42 12 .175
RP Marcus Johnson Duke JR 3.05 5-3 0 7 56 40 59 12 .196
UT Gabriel Hughes Gonzaga JR 3.23 4-3 0 0 61.1 48 67 30 .211


Third-Team Hitters

Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
C Logan Tanner Mississippi State JR .287 .382 .525 45 70 13 0 15 53 0
1B Nolan Schanuel Florida Atlantic SO .343 .444 .576 54 68 11 1 11 56 6
2B Robert Moore Arkansas JR .284 .347 .560 49 62 12 3 14 63 2
3B Brock Wilken Wake Forest SO .279 .365 .617 41 51 11 0 17 44 0
SS Jacob Gonzalez Ole Miss SO .355 .443 .561 73 93 16 1 12 55 2
OF Jud Fabian Florida SR .249 .364 .560 51 56 10 0 20 46 6
OF Jace Grady Dallas Baptist JR .337 .417 .534 46 60 17 3 4 40 15
OF Jared McKenzie Baylor JR .383 .453 .626 62 82 14 4 10 44 3
DH Tim Elko Ole Miss SR .325 .444 .675 41 52 8 0 16 55 0
UT Ethan Long Arizona State SO .340 .417 .704 42 55 11 0 16 54 0


Third-Team Pitchers

Pos. Name School Class ERA W-L CG SV IP H SO BB OBA
SP John Michael Bertrand Notre Dame GR 3.21 8-2 3 0 92.2 82 68 22 .234
SP Cooper Hjerpe Oregon State JR 4.21 3-6 0 0 77 63 98 27 .223
SP Bryce Hubbart Florida State JR 3.80 6-5 0 0 71 54 94 29 .208
SP Austin Krob TCU SR 3.81 8-1 0 0 85 80 96 37 .252
SP Peyton Pallette Arkansas JR 4.02 1-2 0 1 56 51 67 20 .237
RP Jacob King UC Irvine JR 1.98 3-1 0 8 41 32 45 10 .224
RP Nick Maldonado Vanderbilt JR 2.31 1-2 0 9 50.2 32 59 7 .173
UT Ethan Long Arizona State SO 0.00 0-0 0 4 6.2 3 4 3 .130

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