ROSEMONT, Ill. – Evan Albrecht, Mike Bolton Jr. and Cam Thompson were selected to represent Purdue baseball on the Big Ten preseason honors list as three of the Boilermakers' most experienced hitters were highlighted among the players to watch in the conference.
Albrecht and Bolton teamed up for 50 stolen bases last season, helping Purdue lead the Big Ten (116) while eclipsing a program record that had stood since 2000. Thompson was the team's primary run producer in the heart of the lineup, leading the way with a 13 home runs and 56 RBI while producing a 1.031 OPS.
They headline an experienced lineup for the Boilermakers that welcomed back seven of nine starters. Friday is the national opening day of the college baseball season. Purdue opens with a four-game series vs. Holy Cross in Sugar Land, Texas.
The Big Ten spotlights three players per team as part of its 39-player preseason honors list. Bolton was on the list for the second year in a row.
EVAN ALBRECHT // 5TH YEAR SHORTSTOP
• 2022 ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Region
• Led Purdue with a .365 average and .452 on-base percentage, the team's top average since 2009
• Batted a team-best .431 with runners in scoring position and 17 two-out RBI
• Played 441 of the 451 innings Purdue was in the field and did not leave the field beginning with the first inning of game 4
• His 11 three-hit games were the most by a Boilermaker since 2010, becoming just the fourth Purdue player since 2001 with three or more hits in 10-plus games
• Joined Paul Toetz as the only Boilermakers with 15+ XBH, 30+ RBI and 10+ steals in 2022
• Leads active Boilermakers with 122 career hits in 156 games as a four-year starter
MIKE BOLTON JR. // SENIOR OUTFIELDER
• 2021 Third Team All-Big Ten designated hitter
• .441 career OBP in 93 games: .452 in 2021, .445 in 2022
• Ranks 11th in program history with 46 career stolen bases
• Excellent all-around offensive season in 2022: 16 XBH, 38 walks, .445 OBP, 28 steals
• Opened the 2022 season with a 21-game on-base streak
• Will move into the top 10 in program history in career OBP during the season-opening weekend
• Projected to move to center field this season
CAM THOMPSON // REDSHIRT JUNIOR FIRST BASEMAN/OUTFIELDER
• 2022 team MVP became just the 14th Boilermaker since 2001 with a 1.000+ OPS; his 1.031 mark was the highest of the BBCOR bat era (2011-present)
• Only Boilermaker in 2022 to make 10+ starts at two different positions
• Only Boilermaker in the last 20 years to homer in six consecutive weekends en route to hitting 13 in 2022, matching Purdue's most in the BBCOR bat era
• Posted a 13-game RBI streak, also the team's longest in the last 20 years
• Opened the season with a 44-game on-base streak and reached base safely in 49 of the 50 games
• Hit a grand slam in his first career at-bat at Alexander Field during the 2021 home opener
• Two-time Academic All-Big Ten
The Big Ten annually elects to release only the top six teams in the preseason coaches poll. Purdue's 39-player roster features 20 returnees and 19 true newcomers. The roster turnover coupled with finishing seventh as a Big Ten Tournament qualifier last season somewhat predictably led to the Boilermakers not appearing in the preseason top six this year. Maryland is the preseason favorite after winning the league last year and the top four teams in the preseason poll are the same top four from last season's standings.
Purdue's non-play opponents on the regular-season schedule this year are Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State. A year ago, the Boilermakers were the only Big Ten Tournament qualifier to play at least six of the other seven qualifiers. The lone team Purdue didn't play – Rutgers – was its opening-round opponent.
BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL (TOP 6)
1.) Maryland
2.) Rutgers
3.) Iowa
4.) Illinois
5.) Nebraska
6.) Indiana
Albrecht and Bolton teamed up for 50 stolen bases last season, helping Purdue lead the Big Ten (116) while eclipsing a program record that had stood since 2000. Thompson was the team's primary run producer in the heart of the lineup, leading the way with a 13 home runs and 56 RBI while producing a 1.031 OPS.
They headline an experienced lineup for the Boilermakers that welcomed back seven of nine starters. Friday is the national opening day of the college baseball season. Purdue opens with a four-game series vs. Holy Cross in Sugar Land, Texas.
The Big Ten spotlights three players per team as part of its 39-player preseason honors list. Bolton was on the list for the second year in a row.
EVAN ALBRECHT // 5TH YEAR SHORTSTOP
• 2022 ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Region
• Led Purdue with a .365 average and .452 on-base percentage, the team's top average since 2009
• Batted a team-best .431 with runners in scoring position and 17 two-out RBI
• Played 441 of the 451 innings Purdue was in the field and did not leave the field beginning with the first inning of game 4
• His 11 three-hit games were the most by a Boilermaker since 2010, becoming just the fourth Purdue player since 2001 with three or more hits in 10-plus games
• Joined Paul Toetz as the only Boilermakers with 15+ XBH, 30+ RBI and 10+ steals in 2022
• Leads active Boilermakers with 122 career hits in 156 games as a four-year starter
MIKE BOLTON JR. // SENIOR OUTFIELDER
• 2021 Third Team All-Big Ten designated hitter
• .441 career OBP in 93 games: .452 in 2021, .445 in 2022
• Ranks 11th in program history with 46 career stolen bases
• Excellent all-around offensive season in 2022: 16 XBH, 38 walks, .445 OBP, 28 steals
• Opened the 2022 season with a 21-game on-base streak
• Will move into the top 10 in program history in career OBP during the season-opening weekend
• Projected to move to center field this season
CAM THOMPSON // REDSHIRT JUNIOR FIRST BASEMAN/OUTFIELDER
• 2022 team MVP became just the 14th Boilermaker since 2001 with a 1.000+ OPS; his 1.031 mark was the highest of the BBCOR bat era (2011-present)
• Only Boilermaker in 2022 to make 10+ starts at two different positions
• Only Boilermaker in the last 20 years to homer in six consecutive weekends en route to hitting 13 in 2022, matching Purdue's most in the BBCOR bat era
• Posted a 13-game RBI streak, also the team's longest in the last 20 years
• Opened the season with a 44-game on-base streak and reached base safely in 49 of the 50 games
• Hit a grand slam in his first career at-bat at Alexander Field during the 2021 home opener
• Two-time Academic All-Big Ten
The Big Ten annually elects to release only the top six teams in the preseason coaches poll. Purdue's 39-player roster features 20 returnees and 19 true newcomers. The roster turnover coupled with finishing seventh as a Big Ten Tournament qualifier last season somewhat predictably led to the Boilermakers not appearing in the preseason top six this year. Maryland is the preseason favorite after winning the league last year and the top four teams in the preseason poll are the same top four from last season's standings.
Purdue's non-play opponents on the regular-season schedule this year are Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State. A year ago, the Boilermakers were the only Big Ten Tournament qualifier to play at least six of the other seven qualifiers. The lone team Purdue didn't play – Rutgers – was its opening-round opponent.
BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL (TOP 6)
1.) Maryland
2.) Rutgers
3.) Iowa
4.) Illinois
5.) Nebraska
6.) Indiana