STANFORD, Calif. – Senior left-hander Quinn Mathews and junior first baseman Carter Graham have earned spots on the Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American first team, it was announced by the publication on Monday.
Joining Mathews and Graham on the preseason All-America teams is junior Drew Bowser – listed on the third team at third base.
Mathews, who returns to The Farm after being drafted last year by the Tampa Bay Rays, was named ABCA All-Region second team and an All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection while posting a 9-2 record with a 3.08 ERA and nine saves over 27 appearances (nine starts) a year ago. The native of Aliso Viejo, Calif., who struck out 111 over 99 1/3 innings (10.01 strikeouts per game) while limiting opponents to a .213 average against, began the year as a starter but moved to the bullpen to shore up the back end of games for the Cardinal. Mathews finished second in the Pac-12 in ERA, wins, strikeouts, saves and hits allowed per game (6.98), while his nine saves were eighth-most in Stanford history. Used in a variety of situations, Mathews was the nation's only pitcher with both nine wins and nine saves last year.
Following a breakout sophomore campaign a year ago, Graham earned a spot on the Baseball America All-America second team, and third-team selections according to Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game. An All-Pac-12 and All-Region first team honoree, Graham hit .331 with 64 runs scored, 13 doubles, a triple and a Pac-12-best 22 home runs while driving in a team-high 79 runs. Graham strung together a 15-game hitting streak during the year, and hit safely in all but 12 of his 64 games played. The native of Los Angeles batted .365 with 34 runs scored, seven doubles, 11 homers and 42 RBIs in Pac-12 play. One of the most productive players for the Cardinal last season, Graham collected an RBI in 40 of 64 games and posted 24 multi-hit games and a team-best 22 multi-RBI contests.
Bowser was named ABCA All-Region second team as a sophomore after batting .293 with 50 runs scored, 11 doubles, a triple, 18 homers and 50 RBIs. The native of Los Angeles earned Pac-12 All-Tournament honors after batting .444 (8 for 18) and connecting for four home runs and two doubles while scoring six runs and driving in eight to post a 1.222 slugging percentage. Bowser strung together a 17-game hit streak from May 14 - June 12, including belting a pair of home runs vs. Connecticut on June 11 in the Super Regional. Hitting his stride in the postseason, Bowser launched six homers and drove in 12 runs during the run to Omaha - the most homers of any player in the postseason.
The Cardinal, which has reached the College World Series in each of the last two seasons, will begin the 2023 slate on the road at Cal State Fullerton on February 17.
