Four Razorbacks tabbed as top prospects

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Zack Cox, Brett Eibner, Andy Wilkins and Mike Bolsinger were all selected as top prospects in their summer baseball leagues by Baseball America, one of the leading resources in baseball. The magazine analyzed 18 summer baseball leagues as well as Team USA to compile a list of 220 players who it felt were among the best draft prospects for Major League Baseball.

Cox and Eibner were tabbed as the No. 2 and No. 11 prospects in the Cape Cod League, respectively, after solid summers. Cox batted .344 in the prestigious league and was the West All-Star Team’s Most Outstanding Player.

Mike Roberts, who managed Cox this summer and has been a manager in the Cape for eight seasons had this to say about the power-hitting lefty, "He’s and outstanding offensive player. He hits the ball the other way as well as any player I’ve coached on the Cape."

Eibner also had a solid summer both at the plate and on the mound for the Wareham Gatemen. Playing in his second summer on the Cape, Eibner hit .240 and was 1-0 on the mound with a 2.19 ERA. Baseball America marveled at Eibner’s "physical gifts," but did point out that some scouts believed that his talents might be best served on the pitcher’s mound in the future.

"He’s one of the best specimens in the league as far as athletic ability," Wareham manager Cooper Farris said. "He has all five tools they’re looking for. It’s just a matter of when it’s going to all come together."

Wilkins played for Team USA this summer and played games in North Carolina, Massachusetts, Japan and Canada on way to a victory at the World Baseball Challenge. The first baseman batted .232 for Team USA and was solid defensively over the team’s 24-game schedule. On a team stocked with all-stars, Wilkins was ranked as the 19th-best prospect.

Bolsinger rounds out the list of Razorback prospects as he was slotted as the No. 9 prospect in the Texas Collegiate League despite appearing in just three games. He went 1-0 on the mound with a 1.50 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 18 innings of work after arriving late because of the College World Series and leaving early to illness. The 2008 TCL Pitcher of the Year, he was a 33rd-round draft choice by the Oakland Athletics this summer but chose to remain at Arkansas for his senior season.

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