25 May 2011

Collegiate Diamonds by the Numbers: Big West, West Coast, Southern, and Colonial Athletic Association

Here are links to the first two columns:
Introduction and ACC
SEC
Pac10, Big 12, Conference USA, Big East

This post will roll through four different conferences as very few players met this criteria.  In this grouping the Big West and the West Coast failed to notch a player.  I want to remind you that I am using adjusted numbers from College Baseball Splits and not raw numbers.  This post will highlight players who match these criteria in the Southern Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association.

Criteria
Plate Discipline - Walk Rate (>15%) and BB:K ratio (>1.50)
Contact Rate - Batting Average (>.300)
Power - ISO (>.180)

Southern Conference

Rob Kral, C/1B, College of Charleston
342/496/591; 23.4% walk rate, 2.46 BB:K, .249 ISO

Kral has been steady with the bat, but there has been a good deal of questioning about his ability to stay behind the plate.  He will likely have to be pushed to first or DH as a pro.  He was drafted last year in the 16th round by the Reds, but decided to return to up his stock.

Just Missed

Ross Heffley, 2B, Western Carolina
398/471/621; 12.1% walk rate, 1.53 BB:K, .223 ISO

Heffley has three things you look for in a batter: great contact rate, power, and decent plate discipline.  The only thing is the walk rate, but with a near .400 batting average . . . he did not have much opportunity to get a lot of walks.

Colonial Athletic Association


Just Missed



Rob Lind, 2B, Georgia State
323/465/547; 21.0% walk rate, 1.38 BB:K, .224 ISO

Another player who is not very high on many lists.  He pulls in walks and hits home runs, but he also swings and misses a bit too much to be caught by these criteria.

Mark Micowski, LF/CF, Georgia State
349/441/534; 14.1% walk rate, 1.81 BB:K, .185 ISO

Lind's teammate and fellow senior also makes the list.  His ISO is supported mainly by racking up doubles.

Passing Thoughts

The deeper we go into Division I conferences, the more I question how useful the criteria are.  Only Rob Kral made the grade, but the other three are certainly interesting to follow.

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