[Kutztown Press Release] FORMER GOLDEN BEAR NAMED 18th BEST PROSPECT IN TWINS ORGANIZATION

[Leiboff, Joshua]

March 27, 2008

FORMER GOLDEN BEAR NAMED 18th BEST PROSPECT IN TWINS ORGANIZATION

KUTZTOWN, PA - Former Kutztown University standout pitcher Mike McCardell (West Chester/Henderson HS) has recently been named as the No. 18 prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization by Baseball America.

            McCardell, a first- baseman/right-handed pitcher for KU from 2004-07, made his professional debut last summer in the Twins Organization.  After being drafted in the sixth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, McCardell reported to the Gulf Coast League Twins.  There he was 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA and had 25 strikeouts in 18 innings.

            He was quickly promoted to the high-rookie ball Elizabethton Twins, where he had a 5-1 record and 2.00 ERA in eight starts. In 45 innings, McCardell fanned 70 batters, with opponents hitting .179 against him. Between the two levels, he compiled an impressive 102-9 strikeout to walk ratio, which includes a playoff game at Elizabethton.

            According to Baseball America, McCardell is not only the No. 18 prospect for the Twins, he also has the best curveball, which was also ruled the best secondary pitch in the entire Twins minor league organization.

            "He's athletic and has a pitcher's frame, with excellent control of his fastball. His best pitch is an outstanding curveball, one he can throw for strikes or bury as a chase pitch," scout John Wilson, who signed McCardell, told Baseball America. "His fastball/curveball combo profiles him as at least a setup man right now. He's expected to get on the fast track and jump to high class A."

            At Kutztown, McCardell was 7-3 with five saves and a 2.00 earned-run average in 21 appearances as a senior last year.  He struck out 86 and walked just 11 in 67.1 innings.  For his career, he finished with a 2.82 ERA, second lowest in school history.  He holds the school record for saves (21), is third in strikeouts (278), fourth in innings pitched (236.1) and fifth in wins (20).

            McCardell was a two-time all-region pick, by both Daktronics and the ABCA, and two-time first-team All-PSAC East selection as a pitcher and infielder.  He was named the ABCA North Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year and the ABCA/Rawlings Golden Glove pitcher for the region in 2007 and was the 2006 PSAC East Pitcher of the Year.

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Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
Website: http://www.kubears.com
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