May 24, 2011

All-Big 12 Baseball Teams & Awards

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Texas Tech sophomore outfielder Barrett Barnes and freshman utility player David Paiz were named All-Big 12 First Team while juniors Kelby Tomlinson (infielder) and John Neely (relief pitcher) received All-Big 12 Second Team honors, the league office announced Thursday.

Texas Tech had eight players that received recognition as sophomore catcher Bo Altobelli, sophomore infielder Jamodrick McGruder and junior infielder Reid Redman were honorable mention All-Big 12 and right-handed pitcher Trey Masek joined Paiz on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.

Top conference honors were given to Texas A&M's Tyler Naquin (Player of the Year), Texas' Taylor Jungmann (Pitcher of the Year), Oklahoma State's Zach Johnson (Newcomer of the Year) while Texas' Augie Garrido and Texas A&M's Rob Childress were selected Co-Coaches of the Year.

Barnes (Sugarland, Texas) is the first Texas Tech player to be named All-Big 12 (first or second team) in back-to-back seasons since Roger Kieschnick (2006-2008). Barnes ranked among the top players in the Big 12 in several offensive categories while batting .288 (60-for-208) with 46 runs, 15 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 37 RBI, .514 slugging percentage, 39 walks, .412 on-base percentage and with 19-of-21 stolen bases.

Barnes was the 2010 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was an All-Big 12 Second Team pick in his first collegiate season. He becomes just the third player in Texas Tech history to receive Freshman of the Year honors and to be named all-conference during first two seasons at Texas Tech (Josh Bard, 1997-98; Roger Kieschnick, 2006-07).

Paiz (Austin, Texas) is the first Texas Tech freshman to be named All-Big 12 First Team since Kieschnick in 2006. Paiz has served as Tech's Friday-night starter throughout the conference schedule and has started in the outfield or at designated hitter and batted in the middle of Tech's lineup for most of the season.

Paiz enters the Big 12 Championship batting .289 (59-for-204) with 24 runs, 13 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 26 RBI and 21 walks. On the mound, Paiz is 3-4 in 16 appearances (nine starts - seven during Big 12 play) with 50.1 innings pitched, 59 hits allowed and with 34 strikeouts and 17 walks allowed.

Tomlinson (Elgin, Okla.) was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team in his debut season with the Red Raiders. Tomlinson has shined defensively tallying just two errors in conference play while batting .310 (65-for-210) on the season with 41 runs, seven doubles, two triples, one home runs, leads the team with 43 RBI and has 38 walks with 21-of-29 stolen bases. Tomlinson leads Tech with 18 two-out RBI and is second with nine go-ahead RBI. He also leads the team with six game-winning RBI.

Neely (Sugarland, Texas) is one of two relievers in the conference named All-Big 12 Second Team after posting a 9-1 record with seven saves and 2.97 ERA in 29 relief outings this season. He has logged 57.2 innings pitched with 54 strikeouts and 18 walks allowed. Neely leads Tech in wins, ERA, appearances, saves and strikeouts. In addition, Neely has not allowed a home run this season in his 57.2 innings pitched.

Altobelli (Plano, Texas) is batting .333 (42-for-126) with 24 runs scored, seven doubles, one triple and hit one grand slam this season. He has 24 RBI with 16 walks and is 4-of-5 in stolen bases. Altobelli was named honorable mention as a catcher, but has also been Tech's designated hitter and left fielder at times this season. He leads Texas Tech with 15 infield hits and is second on the team with seven bunt base hits.

McGruder (Mesquite, Texas), a 2010 Freshman All-American, has batted .293 (51-for-174) this season in 49 starts, with three doubles, four triples and two home runs with 29 RBI. He is among national leaders with 28-of-34 stolen bases, .470 on-base percentage and with 35 hit-by-pitch. He has also been clutch this season with five game-tying RBI and has 10 infield base hits.

Redman (Midland, Texas) tallied just one error defensively during Big 12 play and is Tech's leading hitter this season with a .326 batting average (63-for-193). He also has 36 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 34 RBI and 20 walks with 6-of-7 stolen bases. He leads Tech with eight bunt base hits.

Paiz and Masek are two of the 13 Big 12 players that were named to the All-Freshman Team.

Masek has been Tech's Saturday starter throughout Big 12 play and is currently 5-3 with a 4.69 ERA in 15 appearances/10 starts this season. He has pitched in 63.1 innings while allowing 63 hits, 29 walks and has 31 strikeouts. Four of his five wins have come in Big 12 play and he is currently riding five consecutive starts pitching in at least five innings.

Paiz was one of four Big 12 freshmen who were unanimous selections for the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.