Ryan Dalton - Victoria Generals
Every summer Perfect Game CrossChecker pursues the nation’s top summer collegiate leagues more extensively than anyone else in the country. And every summer, PGC identifies the top professional prospects that played in each of those leagues.
This year, PGC recognized the top 25 players in the Texas Collegiate League. Four players from the Victoria Generals made the list.
Ryan Dalton was the highest ranked player for the Generals, coming in at #12. Dalton, a junior third baseman from the University of Texas – San Antonio, joined the Generals in the middle of the 2011 summer season after starting the summer in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. Dalton quickly made his presence felt as he became one of the most feared power hitters in the TCL. Dalton finished the season hitting .288 with 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 18 RBIs.
Like Dalton, Jordan Harrison was also a mid-season pickup for the Generals. Harrison, a junior left-handed pitcher, quickly became the Generals go-to reliever out of the bullpen. Harrison appeared in 13 games, allowing only three earned runs in 19 innings for a 1.42 ERA. Harrison struck out 17 batters while allowing just 13 hits and seven walks. At #17, Harrison was the Generals lone ranked pitcher on the PGC Top 25 list. Harrison is now playing at the University of Louisiana – Lafayette after finishing his junior college career at North Central Texas College.
Generals’ catcher Kyle Arnsberg came in at #24. Arnsberg, who was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 40th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft, was an early departure for the Generals in 2011 as he appeared in only 26 games. Arnsberg hit .169 in just 89 at bats on the season. Arnsberg is now a sophomore at Louisiana Tech University after transferring from McLennan Community College. Arnsberg spent his first collegiate season at Arizona State University, but was redshirted.
Rounding out the list was Generals All-TCL second baseman Freddy Villalobos. Villalobos, ranked #25, finished the summer with a league-leading 15 doubles. He also added six home runs which ranked him second in the league. Villalobos had 40 RBIs on the season, which tied him for the league lead and left him just one RBI shy of tying the TCL record in the category. Villalobos hit .279, walked 22 times, scored 34 runs, and added 10 stolen bases. For his efforts, Villalobos finished tied for third in the TCL Player of the Year voting.
All four players will be eligible for the 2012 MLB draft and all four players are also eligible to return for the Generals next summer if they choose to do so.
To view the complete list of the Perfect Game CrossChecker’s top 25 professional prospects in the Texas Collegiate League, visit http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6213.
