Tech Trio Earns Preseason All-Big 12 Baseball Awards

Texas Tech baseball dominated the 2019 preseason All-Big 12 Baseball awards with three of the four individual honors and a conference-leading five selections to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, the league announced Wednesday.

Junior Josh Jung was a unanimous selection as Preseason Player of the Year, sophomore transfer Bryce Bonnin was tabbed Preseason Newcomer of the Year and freshman Max Marusak was named Preseason Freshman of the Year.

The honorees were selected in a vote of the league’s head coaches. Coaches could not vote for their own players.

Additionally, five Red Raiders were placed on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Jung, one of two unanimous selections from around the conference, and senior Cameron Warren claimed two of the five infield slots, sophomore Gabe Holt earned one of the three outfield spots and right handers Caleb Kilian and Caleb Freeman earned two of the six pitcher nods.

This is the latest in a long line of preseason accolades for Jung. The San Antonio, Texas, native has been named to four preseason All-America first teams so far after a phenomenal sophomore campaign in which he led the Big 12 in several offensive categories, including batting (.392 avg.), hits (103) and RBI (80). His hit total finished third nationally while his RBI total ranked fourth in the country.

Bonnin, a transfer from Arkansas, went 1-0 as a freshman in 11 appearances last season. He posted a 4.26 ERA while striking out 16 batters in 19.0 innings of work. The Mont Belvieu, Texas, native was drafted in the 26^th round in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft by the Chicago Cubs coming out of Barbers Hill High School.

Marusak, an outfielder from up the road in Amarillo, Texas, comes to Tech as the No. 1 ranked outfielder in the state of Texas byPerfect Game. A first team 5A All-State selection and district MVP, he hit .439 his senior year with 61 runs scored, five home runs and 54 stolen bases.

The 2018 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Holt has been recognized on two preseason All-America lists heading into 2019. The Bonaire, Georgia, native was Tech’s first unanimous Freshman All-American in 2018 after totaling 94 hits to rank 11th in the country and 70 runs scored to rank No. 10 and lead the Big 12.

Kilian has also been honored on a preseason All-America team, picking up second team accolades byCollegiate Baseball Newspaper. He led the Big 12 in wins last season, finishing 9-3 over 11 starts and 20 appearances on the mound. The junior recorded a 3.24 ERA in 72.1 innings of work, striking out 63 batters and contributing to four of Tech’s five shutouts.

Freeman earns his first preseason award after making 22 appearances in 2018 and finishing in a tie for second on the team with three saves. The Abilene, Texas, native recorded a 5.18 ERA with a 1-0 record in 33.0 innings of work. He compiled a 4.66 ERA in eight league appearances last season.

The Big 12 preseason poll will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 31. Texas Tech opens the season against Oregon on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. from Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

2019 PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 AWARDS

Player of the Year – Josh Jung (Texas Tech)

Pitcher of the Year – Cody Bradford (Baylor)

Newcomer of the Year – Bryce Bonnin (Texas Tech)

Freshman of the Year – Max Marusak (Texas Tech)

PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM

Name, School Pos. Cl. Hometown/Previous School

Shea Langeliers, Baylor* C Jr. Keller, Texas/Keller

Nick Loftin, Baylor INF So. Corpus Christi, Texas/W.B. Ray

Davis Wendzel, Baylor INF Jr. San Clemente, Calif./Jserra Catholic

Brylie Ware, Oklahoma INF Sr. Sedgwick, Kan./Neosho County Community College

Josh Jung, Texas Tech* INF Jr. San Antonio, Texas/MacArthur