TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State baseball program's 2012 freshman class has been ranked third in the country by Collegiate Baseball, according to the newspaper's annual evaluation of NCAA Division I baseball classes.
The Sun Devils' class features 16 freshmen, including six players who were drafted in last June's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. There are seven pitchers and nine position players that join an ASU team returning 21 players from last year.
"This is the first signing class not restricted by a loss of scholarships and not under NCAA sanctions," associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Ken Knutson said. "We are excited to bring this group of young men into our program and we look forward to them continuing the rich tradition of Sun Devil baseball and the Sun Devil Way."
There are also five local players from the Phoenix Valley, two of whom are Sun Devil baseball legacies. David Graybill's grandfather, Dave Graybill Sr., is one of only seven three-sport letterman in ASU school history after playing baseball, football and basketball during the mid-50s, and his father, Dave Graybill Jr., starred as a pitcher for the baseball team from 1982-84. Emilio Torrez is the younger brother of former Sun Devils Raoul and Riccio Torrez, both of whom starred at ASU before being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays.
ASU trails only Vanderbilt and UCLA in the rankings. Among other Pac-12 rivals, Stanford is No. 5, Arizona 21, Oregon 23, USC 24, California 25 and Oregon State 34.
Arizona State begins fall practice on Oct. 22.
