Texas Tech seniors Eric Gutierrez and Cory Raley were both named to the Perfect Game Preseason All-Big 12 team Wednesday as part of the publication’s conference preview.
Gutierrez was honored as the conference’s top returning first baseman while Raley was recognized as a utility player. Both seniors were named to the All-Big 12 teams (voted on by conference coaches) following the 2015 season.
Gutierrez returns for his senior year after earning All-Big 12 first team honors each of the past two seasons. The Mission, Texas native hit .315 a year ago to go along with 14 doubles, four home runs and a team-leading 46 RBI. He was also an ABCA All-Midwest second team honoree and a member of the ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove Team.
Gutierrez was ranked 24th earlier this week in Perfect Game’s listing of the top 100 seniors in the country. He was joined by fellow senior Tyler Neslony, who was No. 39 on the list.
Raley, meanwhile, was Texas Tech’s leading hitter in 2015 as he compiled a .350 average in his first year in scarlet and black while adding 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 21 RBI. The successful campaign earned Raley a nod to the All-Big 12 second team.
In addition to releasing its preseason team, Perfect Game also picked the Red Raiders to finish fourth in the conference standings behind league favorite Oklahoma State as well as TCU and Oklahoma. Texas Tech enters the 2016 season ranked 25th nationally in Perfect Game’s preseason top-25 poll.
Perfect Game also ranked four Red Raiders among its top 20 draft-eligible Big 12 prospects for 2016 as Ryan Moseley led the group at No. 10 while Chandler Eden (No. 13), Gutierrez (No. 18) and Neslony (No. 20) rounded out the list.
Moseley was ranked 50th on D1Baseball.com’s listing of the top 300 players in the country that was announced last Friday. He was followed by Eden at No. 122 and Neslony at No. 255.
The Red Raiders open the 2016 season in 23 days as Texas Tech hosts Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Feb. 19 in a 2 p.m. first pitch inside Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. Season tickets are still on sale by contacting the Texas Tech ticket office at 806-742-TECH or by purchasing online.
(Press Release Provided by Texas Tech Athletics Department)
