WACO, Texas — The McLennan Highlanders will open the 2020 baseball season ranked fifth in Collegiate Baseball’s NJCAA Division I Preseason Poll.
Central Arizona is No. 1, followed by Iowa Western in second, Walters State (Tennessee) in third and Chipola (Florida) in fourth.
Navarro (ninth) and Grayson (17th) are the only other Texas teams in the poll. New Mexico, a regional competitor of McLennan and Grayson, is ranked 14th.
MCC will feature eight players listed in the Top 150 Junior College Prospects, according to Perfect Game. Three of those eight players are listed in the Top 10.
Right-handed pitcher Connor Phillips, a freshman from Magnolia, is the top-rated prospect in the nation. His fastball consistently reaches 92-98 mph.
This marks the second time in three years a Highlander has held the top spot. Former Highlander catcher Josh Breaux was No. 1 on the 2018 list. He became the highest-drafted player in program history after being selected by the New York Yankees in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft with the 61st overall pick.
Last season, the Highlanders finished second in North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Championship and Region V Tournament play, finishing with an overall record of 42-17. McLennan opens the season Friday, January 29 at 2 p.m., hosting Midland at Bosque River Ballpark.
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