Tech players continue play into summer

The baseball players have been keeping busy during the summer, playing in various summer leagues to prepare for the upcoming season at Tech.

Tech recently lost its associate head coach (and pitching coach) Bobby Moranda. Moranda was hired by Western Carolina to be their head coach. The coach spent the last six seasons with the Jackets, helping Tech to two berths into the College World Series and three ACC titles. Tech finished in the top 10 in rankings four times with Moranda as an assistant.

The pitching coach has had 12 of his players go in the top five rounds of the MLB drafts during his time in the ACC.

Though the coaching-staff lost one of its long time coaches, it also added a former player to the group. Former Tech catcher Bryan Prince joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach.

During the 2007 season, Prince served the same position at Indiana. He was a volunteer coach at Tech in 2006.

With a record-tying 10 players being drafted in June, some former Tech players are beginning the road to playing with their new teams.

Notable alum Matt Wieters has yet to sign a contract with his pro team. The first-team All-American catcher was drafted fifth in the draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He is represented by agent Scott Boras, famous for demanding large contracts for his clients. Until Wieters, the Orioles had never dealt with any Boras clients.

The deadline to sign a contract for all the draft picks is August 15th and it seems as though Wieters will not sign a contract until fairly close to that date. It is common for draft picks to earn slightly more than the pick after them and slightly less than the draft pick preceding them, and the Orioles may be waiting to see the money other first rounders receive before offering Wieters a contract.

Current Tech players are playing in various summer leagues across the nation during their break from school. Six of Tech's players are playing in the Cape Cod League this summer. Chris Hicks, pitching for the Wareham Gatemen, has performed well in his role as a closer. He has just a .63 ERA and has saved six games. Pitcher Eddie Burns has also found success with his team, compiling a 3-0 record with a 1.69 ERA. He has given up just six earned runs in 32 innings pitched.

Nine of the Jackets are playing in the Northwood League, with four playing for the Duluth Huskies. Zach Von Tersch has been a solid addition to the pitching staff for the Huskies, having just a 1.89 ERA and a 5-2 record. The rising sophomore has given up 11 earned runs through 52 and 1/3 innings pitched. His teammate Chris House has also been a consistent contributor to the Huskies' offense, hitting .258 with a .359 slugging average.

Five other players are spread out through the Texas Collegiate League and the Valley Baseball League.

The three players in the Texas Collegiate League are all playing for the Colleyville Lonestars. Charlie Blackmon is hitting .375 with 48 at bats for the Lonestars.

Jason Garofalo and Will Hirsch are currently in the Valley League, both playing for the Covington Lumberjacks. Pitcher Hirsch has a 2.93 ERA in 27 and 2/3 innings pitched.

The summer leagues continue into the middle of August, but most end shortly before the regular school year begins.