Conor Grammes Named BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year

NEW YORK - Conor Grammes was named the BIG EAST Co-Preseason Player of the Year on Tuesday as three Musketeers were selected to the preseason All-BIG EAST Team in an annual vote conducted of the league's head coaches.

As a team, Xavier was picked to finish fourth in the league with 25 points. XU was just behind Creighton and Seton Hall, who tied for second in the poll with 25 points. Defending league champion St. John's was picked to repeat in 2019 with 36 points.

Senior Chris Givin was named preseason All-BIG EAST for a third straight season, while sophomore Allbry Major joined Grammes to give Xavier three players on the preseason all-league squad. Xavier's three selections are the second-most for the program, which also saw three players recognized ahead of last season.

Grammes is the second BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year for the program and earned a spot on the preseason team for a second straight year. Joe Gellenbeck was the first BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year for XU, earning the honor ahead of the 2017 season.

Givin returns for a fourth season as the Musketeers' starting shortstop. A 2017 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection, Givin was a Rawlings Gold Glove finalist last season and projects to be one of the best middle infielders in college baseball this season. As a junior, he led XU with a .342 batting average, 75 hits, six triples 112 total bases and 45 RBI in 52 games. He also made just two errors in 191 chances for a .990 fielding percentage.

Grammes was one of the most underrated hitters in college baseball in 2018, hitting .330 and ranking second for XU with 69 hits, 10 homers and 108 total bases. He led the team with a .517 slugging percentage and also made 18 appearances on the mound, where he struck out 45 in 28 innings while flashing a fastball in the high 90's. Despite another productive season, he was a notable snub when it came to the release of the league's postseason honors. Following the 2018 season, Grammes was drafted in the 35th round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles before electing to return to school.

Playing for the Brewster Whitecaps, he also led the prestigious Cape Cod League with seven home runs during the summer of 2018.

Major, who was the 2018 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, earned his spot after an impressive debut season as a two-way threat. The athletic center fielder hit .291 with a pair of homers and 21 RBI, while playing error-free baseball. He was also one of XU's most dependable arms, making 16 appearances on the mound and tallying a 4.96 ERA in 61.2 innings.

The Musketeers begin the 2019 season on Friday, Feb. 15 at North Carolina for a three-game series in Chapel Hill, N.C.

PRESEASON POLL

Preseason Coaches' Poll
First place votes in ( )
1. St. John's (6) – 36 points
T2. Creighton (1) – 25 pts.
T2. Seton Hall – 25 pts.
4. Xavier – 24 pts.
5. Butler – 17 pts.
6. Georgetown – 13 pts.
7. Villanova – 7 pts.

POLL NOTES

• XU was picked to finish fourth in the league for the fourth time.
• Xavier was picked second in last season's poll and was picked to win the league ahead of the 2017 season.

PRESEASON AWARDS

Preseason Co-Players of the Year – Conor Grammes, Xavier, Jr., DH; Will Robertson, Creighton, Jr., OF
Preseason Pitcher of the Year – Ricky DeVito, Seton Hall, Jr., RHP

Preseason All-BIG EAST *
^ Wyatt Mascarella, St. John's, Sr., C
Ryan Toohers, Villanova, Jr., 1B
Isaac Collins, Creighton, Jr., 2B
^ Chris Givin, Xavier, Jr., SS
Casey Dana, Seton Hall, So., 3B
^ Conor Grammes, Xavier, Jr., DH
Ryan Mantle, Creighton, Sr., OF
Will Robertson, Creighton, Jr., OF
Mike Antico, St. John's, Jr., OF
Allbry Major, Xavier, So., OF
^ Ryan Pepiot, Butler, Jr., RHP
^ Brent Killam, Georgetown, Jr., LHP
Sean Mooney, St. John's, Jr., RHP
^ Ricky DeVito, Seton Hall, Jr., RHP
Gavin Hollowell, St. John's, Jr., RHP (RP)

^ - denotes unanimous selection
* due to a tie in voting, there are four outfielders on the preseason all-conference team

ABOUT XAVIER

The Musketeers return 20 letter-winners and six starters from last season's 20-35 team, which went 7-11 in the BIG EAST Conference and failed to reach the postseason for just the second time in five years. XU fought through a number of injuries and a lot of youth in its pitching staff last season, but should be poised for a bounce back in head coach Billy O'Conner's second season.

Xavier returns a number of standouts, including sophomore pitcher/outfielder Allbry Major, who took home All-BIG EAST Second Team, Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America and BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors. The Musketeers also return top hitters Conor Grammes (.330, 10 HR, 27 RBI) and Chris Givin (.342, 4 HR, 45 RBI) in addition to the power bat of Matt Warkentin, who hit 14 homers in his first season with the program last year.

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