Smithfield-Selma senior Tate Parrish was named as the Greater Neuse 4-A baseball player of the year. Brian Taylor of Harnett Central was the league's pitcher of the year.

Harnett Central senior Brian Taylor is among the players named to the N.C. Baseball Coaches Association all-state team. Taylor was the News & Observer's male high school athlete of the year.

Justin Manning, rising senior, Holly Springs baseball

If it seems like it wasn't all that long ago that Justin Manning's name was on this blog as having just one scholarship offer, that's because not that long ago Justin Manning's name was on this blog as having just one scholarship offer.

That's since changed. And now Manning has committed to UNC-Wilmington for baseball.

The catcher/pitcher from Holly Springs competed in this past year's USA Baseball Tournament of Stars as an alternate and made the best of it.

He was offered last week by the Seahawks coaches and committed on Tuesday.

Manning is the third Holly Springs player to have committed to a college. Classmates Carlos Rodon (N.C. State) and Kyle Byrd (UNC-Asheville) have also pulled the trigger on where they wish to play in college.

Dylan Drayton, graduate, Middle Creek baseball

Recently-graduated shortstop Dylan Drayton has signed his national letter-of-intent to play at North Carolina Central next year. Drayton played three years of varsity baseball for the Mustangs, hitting .398 last season after .414 as a junior.

Drayton, a 5-foot-6 140-pound infielder, has been on the first team all-conference list in each of the last two seasons. On the all-time Middle Creek list he is fourth in career hits, fifth in homers, fifth in triples, second in runs scored and fourth in batting average with a .386.

Drayton is also second in school history for the most RBI in a season and third for season totals in hits, doubles and runs (he is also fifth on the single-season hits list and also fourth for runs scored).

He is also the first Mustangs player to hit a leadoff home run.
 

Cary High named Joe Lapp its varsity baseball coach.

A fourth Wake County player has been added to this weekend's USA Baseball Tournament of Stars.

Green Hope catcher and rising senior Anthony Colantino was added to the NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation) team for the rest of the tournament. Colantino will be used as a utility player.

He joins Falcons teammate Max Povse and Holly Springs players Carlos Rodon and Justin Manning in this year's Tournament of Stars, which is held at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary.

For more information on the TOS, click here http://web.usabaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080617&content_id=33875&vkey=news_usab

Three area baseball players were recently named to this weekend's USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, a tournament with eight teams full of some of the best under-18 players in the country.

Carlos Rodon (pictured left) and Justin Manning of Holly Springs High will join Max Povse of Green Hope as the only three players from Wake County on any team roster.

Rodon, the Tri-Nine Conference player of the year committed to N.C. State, is with Team RBI and listed as a left-handed pitcher only.

Manning (right) is listed as both a right-handed pitcher and catcher and is with team American Legion.

Povse (left), a six-foot-eight rising senior, is listed as a right-handed pitcher and is on team Dixie.

Last year's Tournament of Stars was highlighted by Bryce Harper, this year's No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft. The No. 2 and 3 draft picks were also in the TOS.

Drew Hunter of Carrboro is the Carolina 1-A/2-A pitcher of the year and Austin Brice of Pittsboro Northwood is the player of the year.

Wilson Hunt gave up eight innings in the first inning and lost its
second straight game to East Rowan, 15-10, in the N.C. High School
Athletic Association 3-A baseball championship series. East Rowan won the series two games to none.

Carlos Rodon of Holly Spring is the Tri-Nine 4-A baseball player of the year and leads the all-conference team.