Torkelson chosen Preseason Player of the Year

A great year is ending with more good news for Casa Grande High School graduate Spencer Torkelson.

Now a student at Arizona State University, Sun Devil Baseball’s Spencer Torkelson was named the Preseason National Player of the Year while Arizona State entered the first preseason rankings of the year at No. 5 by Collegiate Baseball News.

Torkelson, a two-time All-American and two-time member of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, is almost unanimously regarded as a Top-3 prospect in the coming 2020 MLB Draft and numerous outlets have him tabbed as the No. 1 overall pick in early mock drafts.

Torkelson was the Pac-12 home run leader for the second season in a row last year, finishing the campaign with 23 - good for fifth in the nation. He became the first Pac-12 player to lead the conference in homers in back-to-back seasons since Oregon State’s Michael Conforto 2012 and 2013, though it should be noted Conforto only hit 13 and 11 in those seasons.

His 23 homers last year, in addition to leading the nation as a freshman with 25 home runs, gives Torkelson 48 homers in his career - needing just nine to surpass Bob Horner’s long-standing ASU school record of 56.

As a sophomore, Torkleson batted .351 with a 66 RBIs, 17 doubles and 85 hits.

He walked 41 times to just 45 strikeouts. In his two seasons with the program, Torkelson has posted a career. 337 average and a .443 on-base percentage couple with a gaudy .723 slugging percentage. He has accounted for 119 RBIs, 29 doubles and 128 runs.