Cavaliers Sweep Player Awards on 2013 VaSID All-State Team
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June 27, 2013
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Eight Virginia players were named to the 2013 University Division All-State Baseball Team, chosen by the Virginia College Sports Information Directors (VaSID) and announced Thursday. For the first time, one school swept all three player awards as UVa’s Mike Papi (So., Tunkhannock, Pa.) was named the state’s Player of the Year, Kyle Crockett (Jr., Poquoson, Va.) was tabbed the Pitcher of the Year and Joe McCarthy (Fr., Scranton, Pa.) earned the Freshman of the Year award.
Papi (OF) and Crockett (relief pitcher) were joined on the all-state first team by Reed Gragnani (Sr., Richmond, Va.) at second base, and Nick Howard (So., Olney, Md.) at utility. McCarthy was a second-team outfield selection, while Branden Cogswell (So., Ballston Lake, N.Y.), Scott Silverstein (R-Sr., Olney, Md.) and Josh Sborz (Fr., McLean, Va.) also were second-team picks at shortstop, starting pitcher and relief pitcher, respectively.
Virginia led all schools with eight selections on the team.
Papi was named a First-Team All-American this year by the ABCA and Baseball America and also was a First-Team All-ACC selection. He hit an ACC-best .381 this season, becoming UVa’s first ACC batting champion since Glenn Harris in 1981. He hit seven home runs, 15 doubles and three triples, while driving in 57 runs and scoring 57 times.
Crockett was an NCBWA Third-Team All-America and First-Team All-ACC selection in 2013. He posted a 4-1 record with a 1.70 ERA and 12 saves this season. In 58.1 innings, he allowed just 42 hits and seven walks while striking out 71. The Cleveland Indians selected him in the fourth round of the MLB Draft.
The ACC Freshman of the Year, McCarthy finished third on the team with a .336 batting average and ranked second with a .469 on base percentage. He had four home runs and drove in 51 runs. He was a Second-Team All-ACC honoree and was named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger and the NCBWA.
Gragnani was a First-Team All-ACC selection and also was named to the ACC All-Tournament Team. He batted .304 in 61 games while playing second base. He hit 11 doubles, three triples and three home runs and also drove in 49 runs.
Also a First-Team All-ACC selection in 2013, Howard hit .323 with 12 doubles, two triples and three homers while picking up 38 RBI. In addition to playing in the field at third base and shortstop, Howard also was one of the Cavaliers’ primary starting pitchers, going 6-4 with a 3.38 ERA over 61 1/3 innings.
Cogswell batted .347 in 47 games this season, all from the leadoff spot in the batting order. He earned Second-Team All-ACC honors and finished 10th in the ACC in batting. He also scored 55 runs and ranked fifth nationally in runs per game (1.17) before a broken finger ended his season prematurely in early May.
Sborz was 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA while serving as an integral member of the Cavaliers’ bullpen during his rookie year. He made a team-high 30 appearances, spanning 50 innings, while giving up just 37 hits and 11 walks. He struck out 47 and limited his opponents to a .206 batting average.
Silverstein was 10-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 16 starts in 2013 for the Cavaliers. He is just the 10th pitcher in program history to record 10 or more wins in a season. He was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 25th round of the MLB Draft.