JT Thomas Named Preseason All-American

TUSCON, Ariz. – Mercer senior catcher JT Thomas was named to the 2018 Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America First Team, as announced by the publication Monday afternoon.

Thomas was one of 17 NCAA Division I players to earn All-America First Team honors. He was the only Southern Conference player to be named to Collegiate Baseball's first, second or third team.

A native of Woodstock, Ga., Thomas made an instant impact with the Bears last season after transferring from Chattahoochee Valley Community College (Ala.). He was a 2017 All-Southern Conference First Team selection and Perfect Game/Rawlings All-American Honorable Mention after leading Mercer in batting average (.357), hits (75), doubles (20), RBIs (62), total bases (131), slugging percentage (.624) and on base percentage (.454).

Thomas and the Bears will open the 2018 season against Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 16 at OrthoGeorgia Park in Macon, Ga.

2018 Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American Teams
First Team
LHP Luke Heimlich (Oregon St.)
LHP Steven Gingery (Texas Tech.)
RHP Brady Singer (Florida)
RHP Sean Hjelle (Kentucky)
LHP/DH Tyler Holton (Florida St.)
Relief Michael Byrne (Florida)
Relief Kenyon Yovan (Oregon)
C JT Thomas (Mercer)
1B Luken Baker (Texas Christian)
2B Nick Madrigal (Oregon St.)
3B Johnny Aiello (Wake Forest)
SS Jeremy Eierman (Missouri St.)
OF Seth Beer (Clemson)
OF Niko Hulsizer (Morehead St.)
OF Griffin Conine (Duke)
DH Logan McRae (Coll. of Charleston)
UT Kevin Milam (St. Mary's, CA)

Second Team
RHP Joey Murray (Kent St.)
LHP Trey Cumbie (Houston)
RHP Jackson Kowar (Florida)
RHP Logan Gilbert (Stetson)
LHP Konnor Pilkington ( Mississippi St.)
RHP Colton Eastman (Cal. St. Fullerton)
RHP Zack Hess (Louisiana St.)
RHP Casey Mize (Auburn)
LHP Nick Sprengel (San Diego)
RHP Jared Janczak (Texas Christian)
LHP Gunner Leger (Louisiana-Lafayette)
RHP Sean Mooney (St. John's)
RHP Patrick Raby (Vanderbilt)
Relief Michael Clark (Cal. Poly)
Relief Nick Sandlin (Southern Mississippi)
Relief Brett Conine (Cal. St. Fullerton)
Relief Jake Fromson (Missouri St.)
Relief Luis Alvarado (Nebraska)
C Mason Fishback ( New Mexico St.)
C Cal Raleigh (Florida St.)
C Chris Williams (Clemson)
1B Kevin Woodall (Coastal Carolina)
1B Nic Ready (Air Force)
2B Braden Shewmake (Texas A&M)
3B Jonathan India (Florida)
SS Tyler Frank (Florida Atlantic)
OF Matt Wallner (Southern Mississippi)
OF Greyson Jenista (Wichita St.)
OF Jake McCarthy (Virginia)
UT John McMillon (Texas Tech.)

Third Team
LHP Kris Bubic (Stanford)
RHP Alex Royalty (N.C. Wilmington)
RHP Jon Olsen (UCLA)
RHP Kyle Bradish (New Mexico St.)
RHP Blaine Knight (Arkansas)
RHP Nolan Kingham (Texas)
LHP Miguel Ausua (Oral Roberts)
Relief Dallas Woolfolk (Mississippi)
Relief Ross Learnard (Purdue)
Relief Jake Roehn (Ohio)
Relief Jake Mulholland (Oregon St.)
Relief Spencer Price (Mississippi St.)
Relief J.T. Newton (Houston Baptist)
Relief Bryce Tucker (Central Florida)
C Joey Bart (Georgia Tech.)
C J.J. Schwarz (Florida)
1B Andrew Vaughn (California)
1B Tristen Gagan (S.E. Missouri St.)
1B Julian Infante (Vanderbilt)
2B Wade Bailey (Georgia Tech.)
2B Lee Solomon (Lipscomb)
2B Braxton Morris (Morehead St.)
3B Taylor Schwaner (Southeastern La.)
3B Sam Fragale (Virginia Tech.)
3B Luke Miller (Indiana)
3B Alec Bohm (Wichita St.)
SS Will Wilson (N.C. State)
SS Nico Hoerner (Stanford)
SS Reid Leonard (Morehead St.)
OF Tristan Pompey (Kentucky)
OF Zach Watson (Louisiana St.)
OF Travis Swaggerty (South Alabama)
OF Steele Walker (Oklahoma)
UT Tom Stoffel (Virginia Tech.)

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Players Mentioned

JT Thomas

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