NEW ORLEANS – Coastal Carolina junior shortstop
Eric Brown was named the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year, as chosen by the league's head coaches, it was announced on Thursday.
Brown was also named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt team, earning the Chanticleers lone selection.
Named the 2022 Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year by both Perfect Game and D1Baseball, and ranked as the No. 1 prospect for the MLB Draft Class of 2022 by both outlets, Brown is the top returner for head coach
Gary Gilmore and the Chanticleers in 2022.
A 2021 All-Sun Belt second-team selection, Brown was named the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Player of the Week over the final week of the regular season last year. He led the team and was tied for the conference lead in walks with 33 and in fielding assists with 140, as he started and played in all but one game for the Chanticleers last season.
The Louisiana native was second on the team in hitting at .294 on the year with a team-high nine home runs, 12 doubles, and 38 RBIs. He posted a team-high .513 slugging percentage and .413 on-base percentage, and was second on the team with 11 stolen bases. His 42 runs scored were second on the team and seventh in the Sun Belt for the year, while he also recorded 14 multi-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games on the season.
The Chanticleers will open up the 2022 season with the annual Baseball at the Beach event on Feb. 18-21 at Springs Brooks Stadium.
2022 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina (Jr., SS – Bossier City, La.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Miles Smith, South Alabama (Sr., SP – Laurel, Miss.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt
Miles Smith, South Alabama (Sr., SP – Laurel, Miss.)
Hayden Arnold, Little Rock (Sr., SP – Rison, Ark.)
Tyler Tuthill, Appalachian State (Jr., SP – Clayton, N.C.)
Brandon Talley, Louisiana (Sr., RP – Princeton, Texas)
Caleb Bartolero, Troy (Jr., C – Woodstock, Ga.)
Jason Swan, Georgia Southern (Sr., 1B – Jacksonville, Fla.)
Luke Drumheller, Appalachian State (Jr., 2B – Charlotte, N.C.)
Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina (Jr., SS – Bossier City, La.)
Ben Klutts, Arkansas State (Sr., 3B – Poteau, Okla.)
Christian Avant, Georgia Southern (Sr., OF – Tifton, Ga.)
Josh Smith, Georgia State (Jr., OF – College Park, Ga.)
Rigsby Mosley, Troy (Sr., OF – Maitland, Fla.)
Cameron Jones, Georgia State (So., UT – Kathleen, Ga.)
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (Jr., DH – Buford, Ga.)
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