Bucknell University Athletics
Two Bison Baseball Players Listed Among Top Prospects in Summer Leagues
9/16/2014 3:17:00 PM | Baseball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell baseball senior left-hander Xavier Hammond (Broadheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley) and junior catcher Jon Mayer (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) were ranked among the top prospects in their summer leagues in a list released Tuesday by Baseball America. Hammond was ranked as the eighth-best prospect in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, while Mayer was listed 10th in the Futures Collegiate Summer League.
Hammond was 5-0 with a 2.91 ERA this past summer as a member of the Allentown Railers. He started seven games and struck out 41 in 37 innings and was selected to the All-Star Game.
Hammond was a weekend starter for Bucknell last spring, posting a 3-5 record with a 3.67 ERA. He moved to the bullpen during the postseason and excelled, yielding just one earned run over 9.2 innings in the month of May. He was a member of the Patriot League All-Tournament Team.
Mayer played with the Martha's Vineyard Sharks and helped lead them to a first-place finish in their division and an appearance in the championship. He hit .310 with 13 doubles, three home runs and 28 RBIs and was selected to the All-Star Game.
A First Team All-Patriot League catcher, Mayer had a team-high seven multi-RBI games a year ago. He finished the campaign hitting .246 with two home runs and 25 RBIs while splitting his time between catcher and designated hitter. Mayer was a member of the Charlottesville Regional All-Tournament Team after going 3-for-9 with one run scored and a pair of RBIs in helping the Bison to a 1-2 record at the NCAA Regional.
The only other Patriot League team to have players recognized on the Baseball America lists was Lehigh, which had three players cited for their summer performances. A total of 238 players across 21 summer leagues/teams were honored.
Hammond and Mayer are part of a strong group that returns from Bucknell's 2014 Patriot League Championship team that became the sixth Bison squad to advance to the NCAA Tournament since 1996. The Bison finished the campaign 31-21-1, tying the school record for victories.
