SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – In their final campaigns for the Western Illinois baseball team, Javin Drake and Drue Galassi were named as Summit League Preseason Players to Watch, the league office announced Thursday (Feb. 6).
“Being
honored by the league as players to watch for the 2020 season is an
amazing accolade for Javin (Drake) and Drue (Galassi),” head coach Andy Pascoe said.
“The accomplishments that both have achieved in the past has put them
in this position, but the best part is they both understand that while
it is great to be recognized, there is more work to be done and to
accomplish this year as individuals and as a team. I am excited to see
what these two are going to bring to the field this spring.”
Last season both earned First Team All-Summit selections as the Leathernecks the most single-season wins (22) in 12 years to go alongside the most Summit League victories ever (16).
Javin Drake| Sr. | RHP | Wilton, Iowa
-45th in the nation in strikeouts, set the program’s single-season record at 109
-Has a career 204 punchouts, needs only 34 to become the all-time leader
-2019 team leader in ERA (4.37), wins (7), IP (103), strikeouts (109), games started (16) and complete games (2)
-Named Summit Pitcher of the Week three times last season
Drue Galassi| Sr. | OF | Peoria, Ill.
-2017 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American
– Hit two grand slams in one inning to be named Collegiate Baseball Co-National Player of the Week
-Ninth all-time in career home runs (20) and seventh in RBI (107)
-Team leader in slugging (.527), hits (56), RBI (51), triples (2), and home runs (10)
Along
with the players to watch list being released, the preseason poll was
also announced with Western being picked to finish fifth. Oral Roberts
was selected as the league favorite with three first-place votes
followed by Omaha, the defending champions who received one vote and
South Dakota State with two votes.
Western
Illinois begins the first season under Pascoe at Tennessee for a
three-game series beginning on Friday (Feb. 14) at 3:30 p.m.
2020 Preseason Baseball Poll
1. Oral Roberts 23 (3)
2. Omaha 19 (1)
3. South Dakota State 18 (2)
4. North Dakota State 16
5. Western Illinois 9
6. Purdue Fort Wayne 5
Players to Watch
North Dakota State
Bennett Hostetler, SS
Max Loven, P
Omaha
Parker Smejkal, 1B/OF
Joey Machado, P
Oral Roberts
Adam Oviedo, SS
Kaleb McCullough, P
Purdue Fort Wayne
Garrett Mohler, 3B
Cameron Boyd, P
South Dakota State
Bret Barnett, P
Gus Steiger, SS
Western Illinois
Javin Drake, P
Drue Galassi, OF
