Sept. 26, 2012

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 Knutsonsaid. "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 who 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, respectively.

While ASU trails Vanderbilt and UCLA in the rankings, the Devils stand ahead of LSU, Clemson, Stanford, Florida, North Carolina, Miami (Fla.) and South Carolina, as well as fellow Pac-12 members Arizona (No. 21), Oregon (No. 23), USC (No. 24), Cal (No. 25) and Oregon State (No. 34).

Arizona State begins fall practice on Oct. 22, and the annual Halloween Dress-Up Game will be Oct. 31 at Packard Stadium.

ASU has claimed the top spot in the Collegiate Baseball poll three times, including most recently in 2008, as well as in 1995 and 1983, which was the first year the publication released its rankings.

The rankings are based on players who enroll at school each fall, and athletes who initially signed with a school and then signed a pro contract after being drafted do not count in the overall evaluation.

Arizona State's Freshman Class