Chris Stratton Adds Academic All-America Team Honors
The Tupelo, Miss., native has been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Division I Baseball Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Stratton, with a 3.81 grade point average in kinesiology, is a second-team selection and is one of only two baseball athletes from the Southeastern Conference singled out for Academic All-America honors. South Carolina pitcher Michael Roth and Stratton represent the SEC on the 33-player first, second or third-team honor units.
Stratton, a first-round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants earlier this week, was a first-team selection of Collegiate Baseball newspaper for 2012 Louisville Slugger All-America Team honors. In May he was named the recipient of the C Spire Ferriss Trophy presented to the top collegiate player in the Magnolia State. The right-hander recorded an 11-2 record with a save, a 2.38 earned run average and 127 strikeouts in leading Mississippi State to the 2012 SEC Baseball Tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He ranked first or second in the SEC in wins, earned run average and strikeouts in 2012.
Beginning with outfielder Ted Milton's selection in 1971, 17 different Mississippi State players have now combined to earn academic all-America designation 22 times. Pitcher Greg Houston and infielder Russ Sneed earned the honor in 2010.
Stratton was a semifinalist for a pair of national player of the year awards --- the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy and is among five semifinalists for the College Baseball Hall of Fame's Pitcher of the Year Award.