Sept. 23, 2008

TEMPE, Ariz. -

Arizona State University has landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation according to Collegiate Baseball newspaper's annual evaluation of NCAA Division I baseball recruiting classes.

Collegiate Baseball has ranked recruiting classes for 26 consecutive years, and this is the third time ASU has captured the top spot, also doing so in 1983 and 1995.

The Sun Devils have 21 newcomers joining the team in 2009, 12 of whom have been selected in the Major League Baseball draft.

The class features 15 freshman and six junior college transfers. Of those six, three were junior college All-Americans (OF/LHP Kole Calhoun, IF Jared McDonald, LHP Josh Spence).

"This is a special recruiting class," assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Holliday said. "We feel we have a deep and talented group of players who will contribute immediately. This group represents what our program stands for."

The drafted players include:
Johnny Coy, OF/IF, 7th round, Philadelphia Phillies
Zack MacPhee, IF, 22nd round, Detroit Tigers
Josh Spence, LHP, 25th round, Arizona Diamondbacks
Zach Wilson, IF, 26th round, Pittsburgh Pirates
Brandon Magee, OF, 29th round, Tampa Bay Rays
Riccio Torrez, IF, 32nd round, Arizona Diamondbacks
Carlos Ramirez, C, 34th round, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2007 draft)
Johnny Ruettiger, OF, 35th round, Texas Rangers
Jared McDonald, IF, 40th round, Chicago Cubs
Jordan Swagerty, C/RHP, 44th round, Colorado Rockies
Abe Ruiz, IF, 47th round, San Francisco Giants
Drew Maggi, IF, 47th round, Arizona Diamondbacks

Others in the class include:
Austin Barnes, IF
Kole Calhoun, OF/LHP
Ray Hanson, RHP
Jeeter Ishida, RHP
Mitchell Lambson, LHP
Jeff Lusardi, OF
Jake Saylor, C
Danny Skelly, LHP
Trask Switzenberg, IF