ASU baseball names All-Decade Team
Petey Paramore, Catcher, 2006-2008 Preston "Petey" Paramore came to ASU as a highly-touted catching prospect and did not disappoint during his three-year Sun Devil career, hitting .354 in his career. Paramore started 174 of his 177 career games, totaling 216 hits and 38 doubles and drove in 139 runs during his time in Maroon and Gold. He helped lead ASU to back-to-back Pac-10 championships in 2007 and 2008 and a berth in the 2007 College World Series, earned three straight First Team All-Pac-10 selections, twice was named First Team Academic All-Pac-10 and earned Second Team Academic All-American honors in 2008.
Tuffy Gosewisch, Catcher, 2002-2005 Tuffy Gosewisch was a four-year star for the Sun Devils in the mid-2000's. Playing in 215 games, starting 182 at catcher, Gosewisch was the model of consistency and left ASU with a .320 career batting average, 203 hits and 166 runs batted in. A three-time All-Pac-10 honorable mention, Gosewisch established himself as the Sun Devil backstop and team leader for the 2005 team that finished third at the College World Series.
Jeff Larish, Infield/Outfield, 2002-2005 During his four years in Tempe, Jeff Larish blossomed into one of the most prolific power hitters in the long history of Arizona State baseball. Playing in 223 games, including 221 starts, Larish blasted 51 career round-trippers, second most in school history. He was a .333 career hitter, totaling 283 hits, including 57 doubles and the second most walks (200) in ASU history. He was a First Team All-American in 2003 and twice earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors. Larish may be best remembered for his performance against Nebraska in the 2005 College World Series, when he bashed three home runs, tying a CWS record and earning All-College World Series honors.
Eric Sogard, Infield, 2005-07 One of the most underrated players in school history, Sogard played sparingly as a freshman in 2005, but recorded a big RBI double in the Super Regionals against Cal State Fullerton that helped spark a College World Series run. The hit would be a preview of the next two seasons, as Sogard became an offensive force and a defensive star. He would hit .371 in his ASU career, including the 2007 season that saw him hit .400 and collect 100 hits, including 20 home runs. He was twice named a Second Team All-American, was twice a First Team All-Pac-10 selection and in 2007 was the first Sun Devil to ever win the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Dustin Pedroia, Infield, 2002-2004 He came in as a lightly regarded, too-small for the big time middle infielder, but left as one of the most successful and decorated players in ASU baseball history. Dustin Pedroia ended his Sun Devil career with a .384 batting average, including the 2003 season that saw him hit .404 with 120 hits and 34 doubles, a school record. He totaled 298 hits in his career, starting all 185 games. A two-time First Team All-American, Pedroia also was a First Team Freshman All-American and a three-time First Team All-Pac-10 choice. He was the Co-Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2003, and the National Defensive Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball in 2003 and 2004. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and earned American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2007 on a World Series winning team and followed that with the 2008 American League Most Valuable Player Award.
Brett Wallace, Infield, 2006-2008 In 2006, Brett Wallace finished as ASU’s leading hitter with a .371 average – and that was his down year. The next two seasons, Wallace put together a two year run of dominance that may never be topped, ending with a .398 average, the second highest in school history. He hit .404 in 2007 and .410 in 2008, only the second Sun Devil to hit over .400 in back-to-back seasons. He collected 261 hits in his 173 games, including 45 home runs, tying him with Barry Bonds for fourth on the school’s all-time list. He became the first player in the history of the Pac-10 Conference to win the Triple Crown in consecutive years, was a consensus First Team All-American in both 2007 and 2008, was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year in each of those seasons. He led ASU to Pac-10 championships in 2007 and 2008 and the College World Series in 2007.
Dennis Wyrick, Infield/Catcher, 2000-2003 Over his four-year career Dennis Wyrick was a versatile jack-of-all-trades, playing shortstop, second base and catcher while putting up solid offensive numbers. A career .338 hitter, Wyrick played in 188 games as a Sun Devil, amassing 196 hits and 101 RBI. He was a member of the 2000 team that shared the Pac-10 title and was a honorable mention All-Pac-10 choice in 2001 as well as a Third Team Freshman All-American in 2000.
Jeremy West, Infield/Designated Hitter, 2001-2003 Jeremy West was one of the top hitters of the decade, finishing with a .353 career batting average in 168 games during his three-year career. He blasted 36 home runs and drove in 176 runs, both placing him in the Top 10 in school history at the time. He totaled 194 hits and scored 155 runs in his career, earning First Team All-American honors in 2003, was a First Team All-Pac-10 selection in 2002, an honorable mention All-Pac-10 pick in 2003 and also earned Freshman All-American honors in 2001.
Andrew Romine, Infield, 2005-2007 Perhaps no Sun Devil fought through as much adversity as Andrew Romine did during his three seasons at Arizona State. After a stellar freshman season in 2005 that ended with a third place finish at the College World Series, Romine was diagnosed with a blood clot in his shoulder that cost him more than half of his sophomore season. Despite the setback, Romine returned at the end of 2006 and starred in 2007, finishing his ASU career with a .304 average and sterling defensive record. A second generation Sun Devil, Romine played in 144 career games, collecting 146 hits and swiping 40 bases. He was a two-time honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection who twice went to the College World Series and won the Pac-10 title in 2007.
Steve Garrabrants, Infield, 2001-2003 Steve Garrabrants holds a career average of .324 in 161 games at ASU. He collected 180 hits and drove in 115 runs, while stealing 55 bases and scoring 142 times. Garrabrants was a honorable mention Freshman All-American in 2001, a Second Team All-American in 2003 and earned both honorable mention and First Team All-Pac-10 honors. Garrabrants was a honorable mention Freshman All-American in 2001, a Second Team All-American in 2003 and earned both honorable mention and First Team All-Pac-10 honors. He was a ninth round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft.
Brooks Conrad, Infield, 1999-2001 A scrappy, hard-nosed middle infielder, Brooks Conrad put together three consistent seasons at ASU. In 162 career games, Conrad hit .313, totaling 168 hits with 35 doubles. He also drove in 130 runs and stole 34 bases, helping lead ASU to a share of the 2000 Pac-10 title. A two-time First Team All-Pac-10 performer, Conrad was a eighth round pick of the Houston Astros in the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his Major League debut in 2008 with the Oakland Athletics.
Travis Buck, Outfield, 2003-2005 One of the most consistent players to ever suit up for Arizona State, Travis Buck was nothing short of spectacular during his three seasons in Tempe. A career .362 hitter in 192 games, Buck rapped out 205 hits and drove in 147 runs in his Sun Devil career. A five-tool player, Buck scored 205 runs , doubled 53 times and drew 104 walks while stealing 52 bases. He helped lead the 2005 squad to a third place finish at the College World Series thanks to his .382 average and 110 hits. He was named to the All-College World Series team that year, just one of the many accolades he collected while at ASU. An All-American in 2005, Buck was a 2003 First Team Freshman All-American and twice was named First Team All-Pac-10. Buck was also a First Team Academic All-Pac-10 pick in 2005. When he left Arizona State, Buck was in the Top 10 for career hits and runs scored by a Sun Devil. He was five times named a Pac-10 Player of the Week, a school record for position players. He was a first round pick of the Oakland Athletics in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft and made his big league debut for Oakland in 2007.
Andre Ethier, Outfield, 2002-2003 Though he only played two seasons for ASU, Andre Ethier made the most of his two years. In 116 games, Ethier hit .371, drove in 118 runs and homered 14 times, earning First Team All-Pac-10 honors both years. An honorable mention All-American in 2003, Ethier hit .377 with 98 hits and 10 homers.
Jason Kipnis, Outfield, 2008-2009 In two short years at ASU, Jason Kipnis left his mark on Sun Devil baseball, taking over the starting centerfield spot from the day he arrived on campus as a transfer from Kentucky. He hit .378 in his two seasons, earning Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year honors in 2008 and Pac-10 Player of the Year honors in 2009. He bashed 30 homers in his two seasons, recorded a .996 fielding percentage and stole 51 bases. His .688 career slugging percentage is good for third best in school history. He was a Second Team All-American in 2008 and a unanimous First Team All-American in 2009, earning First Team All-Pac-10 honors both years. He also was an honorable mention Academic All-Pac-10 pick in 2009.
Colin Curtis, Outfield, 2004-2006 Colin Curtis started all 182 possible games in his three-year career, batting .328 with 226 hits, 40 doubles and 135 runs batted in. He also stole 50 bases and walked 118 times, scoring 149 runs. Curtis helped lead the Sun Devils to the College World Series in 2005, earning All-College World Series Team honors. Curtis was a First Team All-Pac-10 pick in 2006 and a two-time All-Pac-10 honorable mention and won the Gene Autry Courage Award in 2006.
Ike Davis, Infield/Outfield/Pitcher, 2006-2008 Ike Davis burst onto the scene during his rookie season in 2006, becoming the first freshman to ever lead the Pac-10 in RBI during the regular season. Davis drove in 65 that year, an ASU freshman record, along with 202 in his career. He hit .353 in his career, totaling 244 hits, 33 homers and 69 doubles. The 69 doubles is the fifth most in school history. He won the Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year award in 2006 as well as First Team Freshman All-American honors. He was a three-time First Team All-Pac-10 selection and earned Third Team All-American honors during his sophomore season before becoming a unanimous First Team All-American during his junior year. Davis also pitched for the Sun Devils, first as the Friday night starter and then as the Sun Devils closer, totaling a 7-5 mark with four saves and 78 strikeouts in his career. Davis won the On Deck Circle Most Valuable Player Award in 2008. He was a part of two Pac-10 Championship teams and went to the College World Series in 2007.
Mitch Jones, Outfield, 1999-2000 Although Mitch Jones technically only played one season in the decade of the 2000’s, it’s hard to argue with his numbers in that year. Jones toppled ASU’s 22 year old home run record in 2000, hitting 27 homers to set the school record and eclipse the 25 home runs Bob Horner hit in 1978. Jones hit 38 home runs in his two seasons in Tempe, batting .348 and driving in 131 runs. During that 2000 season, Jones hit .357 with 92 RBI, collecting 89 hits. He was a unanimous First Team All-American and First Team All-Pac-10 choice, and his home run record is still intact.
Casey Myers, Catcher, 1998-2001 A bona fide superstar on the diamond, Casey Myers was also a star in the classroom. A second-generation Sun Devil, Myers was a four-year starter at ASU who finished his stellar career with a .384 batting average in 219 games. He totaled 313 hits, third most in school history, and hit 39 home runs,. Myers drove in 275 runs, the second most in school history, and also scored 198 times, 10th most at ASU. A three-time All-American, twice a First Teamer, and a Freshman All-American, Myers was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year in both 2000 and 2001, becoming the first Sun Devil to ever win the award twice and the third player in Pac-10 history to win in back-to-back years. Myers also filled his trophy case with academic awards – three times named First Team Academic All-Pac-10, three times named an Academic All-American and was the Academic All-American of the Year in 2000 and 2001. He also won the Pac-10 Medal in 2001. He helped lead ASU to the championship game of the 1998 College World Series and was a member of the Co-Pac-10 Champions in 2000.
Mike Leake, Pitcher/Utility, 2007-2009 Mike Leake, one of the most dominant Sun Devil pitchers ever, pitched in 63 games, making 47 starts and earning a 40-6 mark with two saves. He totaled 390.1 innings with an ERA of 2.91 and struck out 360 hitters. He is one of only two players in school history to record 10 or more wins in three straight seasons and his 40 career wins is tied for third most in school. After winning 24 games in two seasons, Leake saved his best for his final season, going 16-1 in 2009, leading the nation in victories. His 1.71 ERA and 162 strikeouts led the Pac-10. Leake was named the ABCA National Player of the Year in 2009. He was an All-American all three seasons for the Sun Devils, including unanimous First Team honors in 2009, First Team Freshman All-American honors in 2007, was named First Team All-Pac-10 in each of his three seasons and became the first player in Pac-10 history to win back-to-back Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year awards. He was twice named First Team Academic All-Pac-10 and was named the Academic All-American of the Year in 2009. He led Arizona State to a Pac-10 Championship in all three of his seasons, one of only two players to win three Pac-10 titles, and pitched in two World Series.
Jason Urquidez, Pitcher, 2004-2005 Jason Urquidez made the most out of two seasons at ASU, compiling 22 wins and a trip to the College World Series in 2005. Urquidez pitched in 48 games as a Sun Devil, starting 34. In his debut season in Tempe, he won 12 games, then followed that with 10 wins in 2005. Urquidez threw 219 innings in Maroon and Gold, holding an ERA of 3.70 and striking out 192 batters. He was also a clutch performer, compiling a 3-0 record in NCAA Tournament play. He earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors in 2004 and honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in 2005.
Josh Satow, Pitcher, 2005-2008 Josh Satow put together a remarkable career over his four years in Tempe. He pitched in 61 career games, starting 42, going 27-9 in those appearances. He won a Pac-10 leading 13 games in 2007, helping ASU to a Pac-10 title and a berth in the College World Series. He won nine games the following season, helping Arizona State again claim the Pac-10 crown. He produced 238 strikeouts in 284.2 career innings, earning Second Team All-American honors and First Team All-Pac-10 honors in 2007 and honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in 2008.
Brett Bordes, Pitcher, 2003-2006 When the phone in the Arizona State bullpen rang from 2003 to 2006, there was an excellent chance that the call was for Brett Bordes. He went to the mound 109 times for ASU, the most appearances ever by a Sun Devil in a career. He won 16 games and saved nine others in his 190.1 career innings of work. The southpaw 166 batters in his career, helping Arizona State to the 2005 College World Series, and twice earning honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors.
Zechry Zinicola, Pitcher/Utility, 2004-2006 Zechry Zinicola wore many hats during his Sun Devil career, appearing in 75 games as a pitcher, winning 10 and saving 18. His eight saves as a freshman in 2004 tied the school record for most saves by a rookie ASU pitcher, but Zinicola also garnered 100 at bats, hitting .280 and driving in 26 runs. In his career, Zinicola was a .276 hitter with five homers and 41 RBI to go along with his impressive pitching line. He was a member of the 2005 team that finished third at the College World Series and was a First Team Freshman All-American in 2004.
Jon Switzer, Pitcher, 1999-2001 Lefty Jon Switzer was a stalwart in the ASU rotation, starting 46 of his 66 career games, including 37 over his final two seasons. Switzer left ASU with 23 wins, 303.1 innings pitched and 327 strikeouts, helping Arizona State to a share of the 2000 Pac-10 crown. A Third Team All-American in 2001, Switzer earned honorable mention Freshman All-American status during the 1999 season and was a three-time honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection.
Mike Esposito, Pitcher, 2000-2002 In his three years with the Sun Devils, Mike Esposito established himself as a go-to pitcher in the starting rotation. The starter in 32 of his 35 career games, Esposito won 15 games with a 3.91 ERA in Maroon and Gold. He fanned 170 hitters in his 181.2 innings of work, earning honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in his final two seasons.