NASHVILLE — Kentucky junior right-handed starting pitcher Alex Meyer has been selected second-team All-South Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association, it was announced.
A native of Greensburg, Ind., Meyer was voted as one of the second-team starting pitchers on the ABCA All-South Region team. Vanderbilt’s Sonny Gray (12-3, 1.97 ERA) and Grayson Garvin (13-1, 2.36 ERA) and South Carolina College World Series hero Michael Roth (13-3, 1.02 ERA) made up the first team, while Arkansas righty D.J. Baxendale (10-2, 1.58 ERA) and Florida right-hander Hudson Randall (10-3, 2.29 ERA) joined Meyer on the second team.
The 23rd overall selection in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Meyer became UK’s highest drafted player since Chad Green went No. 8 overall in 1996. Meyer became the fourth UK Player selected in the first round, joining James Paxton (2009) and Joe Blanton (2002).
A native of Greensburg, Ind., Meyer had a breakout season as UK’s Friday-night starter. Meyer led UK in starts (14), wins (seven), ERA (2.94), complete games (four), complete-game shutouts (two), innings pitched (101), strikeouts (110) and opponent batting average (.222).
A 6-foot-9, 220-pounder, Meyer finished 2011 as the league leader in strikeouts, strikeouts looking (48), innings pitched per game (7.21), complete games and complete-game shutouts. He ranked second in the SEC in innings pitched, ninth in ERA, eighth in wins, second in strikeouts per game (9.8) and fifth in opponent average. Meyer’s 110 strikeouts in 2011 mark the ninth most in UK single-season history.
A two-time Southeastern Conferece Pitcher of the Week and a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week in 2011, Meyer finished the year on a staggering pace, totaling six straight quality starts and owning a 4-1 record and a 1.97 ERA in those outings. Meyer owned 10 quality outings in 2011, posting a 6-3 record and a 1.88 ERA in his quality outings. Over his final three starts, Meyer went 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA, including wins over No. 1 Vanderbilt, Georgia and No. 4 Florida.
Meyer faced off with the four SEC division winners, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina and Vanderbilt during 2011 and dominated, posting a 3-1 mark with a 1.36 ERA in those starts, allowing only 19 hits in 33 innings.
