Four HBCU Baseball Teammates Selected on Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s Watch List 

Four Benedict College baseball players were named to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s Blue-Chip NCAA Division II “Players to Watch” List for the 2021 season. The list of top players was prepared by the American Baseball Coaches Association’s NCAA Division II All America Committee for the DII South Region.

Benedict College selections to the watch list included outfielder and speedster Brandon O’Connor, infielder Chris Harper, utility playing flame thrower Murrell Martin and newcomer to watch outfielder Ryan Chesney.

During the shortened 2020 season due to Covid-19, Bradon O’Connor hit .439 with 13 runs, 18 hits, 6 doubles, 11 runs batted in. He also swiped 25 of 28 bases in 11 games last season. O’Connor, a two-time Black College Nines HBCU Baseball All-Elite Team member, has the potential to steal 100 bases this season.

 

 

 

Chris Harper has the ability to be the best all-around position player in the SIAC this season. During the abbreviated 2020 season, Harper batted .235 with 15 runs scored, 3 doubles, 3 home runs and 19 runs batted in. One of the most versatile players in NCAA DII baseball, Harper can play any position in the infield, a terrific hitter with consistency at the plate with power and has speed on the bases.

 

 

Murrell Martin 6′-2″, 240 lbs top utility player played every position on the field plus has a 94-95 mph fastball with plus movement along with a superb slider and changeup. He fills up the strike zone with pitches across every square inch of the strike zone. Martin graduated this past June, but was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA because of the pandemic disease that ended the 2020 season. Martin is high on Major league Baseball draft board.

 

Ryan Chesney is a redshirt freshman outfielder from New Jersey. He has power, great instincts in centerfield, can hit a ton and has the ability to win the batting title in the conference. Has a chance to compete at an extremely high level. Offensively, he show flashes of being dynamic and can hit in many ways. Will fit nicely in coach Young’s grand scheme of things a combination of speed and power offensively.

 

Benedict College accumulated a 6-5 record last season and returns six position starters and five quality pitchers. In addition, the Tigers landed a quality recruiting class of 15 newcomers with four redshirt freshman. They have a deep, talented group. As far as pitching, the Tigers return all three left handed starters in Christian Moore, Jorge Baez, Jacob Lagos, and RHP Murrell Martin. The Tigers added some extremely talented freshmen and have a good bullpen with some left handed options out of the bullpen.

This team can play all three phases of baseball very well. But what separates this team from maybe some others is that they have a lot of intangibles and a lot of experience returning for the 2021 season. They will go station to station in a heart beat.

Head coach Selwyn Young stated about his players being selected to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s Watch List. “All four are quality young men. It’s an honor for the program to have these kids that play and work hard. They are just good kids that are growing up to be men.”

South Region:
Players To Watch
OF Brandon O’Connor, Benedict
INF Chris Harper, Benedict
UT Murrell Martin, Benedict
RHP Logan Workman, Lee
3B Alan Smith, Lee
1B Ryan Beamish, Lee
RHP Hunter Riggins, Delta State
OF Chad Ragland, Delta State
2B Jake Barlow, Delta State
OF Ken Scott, Mississippi College
1B Caleb Reese, Mississippi College
RHP Jackson Bridges, Mississippi College
C Antonio Fernandez, Christian Brothers
OF Larry Hubbard, Christian Brothers
INF Jaime Soto, Christian Brothers
1B Dan Oberst, West Georgia
RHP Jack Rasmussen, West Georgia
RHP Sawyer Steele, West Georgia
RHP Chandler Ingram, Montevallo
OF Asa Awbrey, Montevallo
UT Ben Teel, Montevallo
RHP Andrew Dazchowski, Rollins
OF Cameron Meehan, Rollins
INF Adams Torres, Rollins,
LF Josh Bozoian, Union
C Ryan Lee, Union
RHP Walker Adkisson, Union
1B Jacob Teter, Florida Southern
LHP Thomas Spinelli, Florida Southern
RHP JJ Niekro, Florida Southern
LF Nick Derr, Tampa
2B Der Ehrhard, Tampa
RHP Brydon Nelson, Tampa
OF Brandon Seltzer, Palm Beach Atlantic
INF Sebastian Salado, Palm Beach

Newcomers to Watch
OF Ryan Chesney, Benedict