Baseball America NEC Preview | Preseason Prospectus

Staten Island, NY – With the start of the 2014 college baseball season just around the corner, four Wagner student-athletes have earned preseason plaudits from renowned college baseball publications Baseball America, Perfect Game and College Sports Madness.

Senior Chris Smith (Tampa, FL / Ellsworth CC (IA) was named by Perfect Game as the Northeast Conference's (NEC) fifth-best pro prospect for the 2014 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft and predicted to be taken between the 20th and 30th round. A year ago, Smith earned All-NEC Second Team accolades after posting a team-best .436 OBP with 17 stolen bases, 11 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 32 RBI.

Perfect Game Write-Up:
"Also keep an eye on outfielder Chris Smith, who is an athletic outfielder with a plus arm. He ran a 6.4 60-yard-dash last summer."

Smith, Junior Nick Dini (Monroe Township) and sophomore Ben Ruta (West Windsor, NJ / West-Windsor Plainsboro South) were each recognized by College Sports Madness as part of their projected All-Conference teams. Dini was tabbed to repeat on the First Team as a catcher along with Smith while Ruta was selected to be a Second Team selection in the infield.

Last season, Dini was the Seahawks' top power threat with a team-high 14 doubles, four home runs and 46 RBI while also posting a an impressive .364 OBP. Behind the plate, Dini helped cultivate on the youngest pitching staffs in the league while throwing out 29.4 percent (10-of-34) of runners on the bases.

Ruta had an impressive rookie campaign in 2013, pacing the Green & White in quality at-bats while recording a .409 OBP, including a team-best .442 during league play, with 18 runs, 17 RBI and 13 walks.

Rounding out the Wagner players highlighted is freshman Nolan Long (Waterford, CT / South Kent School), who was tabbed as the NEC's No. 2 pro prospect and as the league's projected Rookie of the Year by Baseball America.

Baseball America Write-Up:
"At 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, Long also plays forward for the Seahawks' basketball team, but his low-90s fastball, downhill angle and projectable frame could make him a top-10-rounds baseball prospect as an eligible sophomore in 2015."

Long, who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2012, was also projected by Perfect Game as the NEC's No. 2 pro prospect for the 2015 MLB Draft and slated to go between the 12th-18th round.

Perfect Game Write-Up:
"Meanwhile, keep a very close eye on intriguing freshman Nolan Long, who was up to 92 during the fall and will join the baseball team once Wagner's basketball season is over."

Starting with reigning World Series Champion Andrew Bailey in 2006, the Seahawks have had nine former student-athlete sign contracts with Major League organizations, including four draft picks. Last season, Ian Miller was selected by the Seattle in the 14th Round of the 2013 MLB Draft and was recently named as the fasted runner in the Mariners' draft class.

Wagner will begin the season on Friday, February 21 at Elon with first pitch slated for 2:00 pm.

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