DURHAM, N.C. — Kentucky junior second baseman Chris Bisson has been named third-team preseason All-America by Baseball America, in a voting of MLB scouting directors, the publication announced Friday afternoon.
Bisson, a native of Orleans, Ontario, earned his second preseason All-America honor, also tabbed by Ping Baseball to the third-team. Last season, Bisson was selected by the league coaches’ second-team All-Southeastern Conference at second base and first-team All-SEC by SEbaseball.com.
A 5-foot-11, 185-pound left-handed hitter, Bisson led UK in nearly every category in his first full season as a starter in 2009. He led the club in average (.360), at bats (222), runs (49), hits (80), triples (three), RBI (52), total bases (101), walks (20) and defensive assists (133). He added steals in 13-of-15 attempts, totaling a .414 on-base percentage and a .455 slugging percentage.
Bisson is coming off a break-out summer in the prestigious Cape Cod League, where he led the league in stolen bases and helped pace his Cotuit Kettlers to the league championship series. Bisson totaled a .269 average in the pitching-rich Cape Cod League, stealing 36 bases in just 42 games, becoming just the fourth player in the last 10 years to steal 30 or more bases in the CCL. With 36 steals, Bisson also set a new Kettlers club record.
Baseball America annually polls major league scouting directors to vote on the team and make their selections based on performance, talent and professional potential. In the past, the preseason All-America team has been a predictor both of the first round of the draft and of team success. For example, 11 of the 15 college players drafted in the first round last June appeared on Baseball America’s preseason All-America list—eight of them on the first team. And for the second year in a row, 11 of last year’s preseason All-Americans played for teams that reached the College World Series.
Kentucky opens the 2010 campaign for the second consecutive season at the Caravelle Resort Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C. UK opens Feb. 19 against Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Tech at noon ET. UK plays West Virginia Feb. 20 at 11 a.m., before facing host Coastal Carolina Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. All games will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio).
First Team
Pos. Player, School
C Micah Gibbs, Louisiana State
1B Hunter Morris, Auburn
2B Ross Wilson, Alabama
3B Anthony Rendon, Rice
SS Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton
OF Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee State
OF Todd Cunningham, Jacksonville State
OF Jarrett Parker, Virginia
DH Zack Cox, Arkansas
UT Brett Eibner, Arkansas
SP Deck McGuire, Georgia Tech
SP Drew Pomeranz, Mississippi
SP Anthony Ranaudo, Louisiana State
SP Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast
RP Kevin Jacob, Georgia Tech
UT Brett Eibner, Arkansas
Second Team
Pos. Player, School
C Yasmani Grandal, Miami
1B Andy Wilkins, Arkansas
2B Kolbrin Vitek, Ball State
3B Tony Thompson, Kansas
SS Rick Hague, Rice
OF Gary Brown, Cal State Fullerton
OF Michael Choice, Texas-Arlington
OF Tyler Holt, Florida State
DH Mickey Wiswall, Boston College
UT Danny Hultzen, Virginia
SP Gerrit Cole, UCLA
SP Sonny Gray, Vanderbilt
SP Taylor Jungmann, Texas
SP Alex Wimmers, Ohio State
RP Kevin Rhoderick, Oregon State
UT Danny Hultzen, Virginia
Third Team
Pos. Player, School
C Cameron Rupp, Texas
1B Cody Hawn, Tennessee
2B Chris Bisson, Kentucky
3B Rob Segedin, Tulane
SS B.A. Vollmuth, Southern Mississippi
OF Ryan LaMarre, Michigan
OF Leon Landry, Louisiana State
OF Austin Wates, Virginia Tech
DH Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia
UT Mike McGee, Florida State
SP Jack Armstrong, Vanderbilt
SP Kyle Blair, San Diego
SP Jesse Hahn, Virginia Tech
SP Brandon Workman, Texas
RP Addison Reed, San Diego State
UT Mike McGee, Florida State
