Eight Former Gulls Garner Pre-Season Honors

Eight former Newport Gulls garnered pre-season honors as the 2013 spring collegiate baseball season kicked off on Friday, Feb. 15. Former Gulls honored include Mark Appel (2010), Conrad Gregor (2011), Jack Reinheimer (2011), Jeff Melillo (2011-2012), Jon Prosinski (2011-2012), Rob Ort (2011-2012), Peter Kelich (2012) and Frank Holbrook (2012).

Stanford senior right-handed pitcher Mark Appel, an NECBL All-Star with the Newport Gulls in 2010, and the eighth overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2012 MLB Draft, was named a First-Team Pre-Season All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

In addition to his numerous pre-season accolades, Appel was also tabbed by MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo as the top prospect in the 2013 MLB Draft during his most recent rankings.

Below is a list of former Gulls and their respective pre-season awards.

2013 Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Pre-Season All-America Team

First-Team Pre-Season All-America

Mark Appel – Senior – RHP – Stanford – Newport – 2010

Second-Team Pre-Season All-America

Conrad Gregor – Junior – 1B – Vanderbilt – Newport – 2011

College Sports Madness Pre-Season All-American Teams

First Team – P – Mark Appel – Senior – Stanford – Newport – 2010 – (Preseason Pitcher of the Year)

Third Team – INF – Conrad Gregor – Vanderbilt – Newport – 2011

First Team Pre-Season All-Conference Teams: Coaches’ Vote

Big East Conference

P – Jon Prosinski – Senior – Seton Hall – Newport – 2011-2012 – (Pre-Season Pitcher of the Year)

C – Jeff Melillo – Senior – Rutgers – Newport – 2011-2012 

Conference USA 

SS – Jack Reinheimer – Junior – East Carolina – Newport – 2011

Missouri Valley

OF – Rob Ort – Senior – Indiana State – Newport – 2011-2012

College Sports Madness Conference Pre-Season Player/Pitcher of the Year

P – Mark Appel – Senior – Stanford – Pac-12 – Pitcher of Year – Newport – 2010

P – Peter Kelich – Senior – Bryant – NEC – Pitcher of Year – Newport – 2012 

College Sports Madness Pre-Season First Team All-Conference

P – Jon Prosinski – Senior – Seton Hall – Big East – Newport – 2011-2012

OF – Rob Ort – Senior – Indiana State – Missouri Valley – Newport – 2011-2012

P – Peter Kelich – Senior – Bryant – NEC – Newport – 2012

P – Mark Appel – Senior – Stanford – Pac-12 – Newport – 2010

INF – Conrad Gregor – Junior – Vanderbilt – SEC – Newport – 2011

D3Baseball.com Division III Pre-Season All-America

Second Team – P – Frank Holbrook – Senior – Wheaton College – Newport – 2012

The Gulls, who moved to Newport’s historic Cardines Field in 2001 after two seasons as the Rhode Island Gulls in Cranston, have since become the NECBL’s most successful franchise, winning five championships in New England Collegiate Baseball League play (’01, ’02, ’05, ’09 and ’12). In addition to their accomplishments on the field, the Newport Gulls led the NECBL in attendance by a wide margin in 2012, averaging 2,126 fans per game.

Following the 2012 season, the Newport Gulls were ranked No. 1 nationally by Perfect Game USA in its final rankings of summer collegiate baseball teams.

For more information, visit www.newportgulls.com, like the team on Facebook via www.facebook.com/newportgulls, or follow the team on Twitter @NewportGulls.