BaltimoreBaseball.com’s 2018 Collegiate All-Maryland All-Star Team

All of Maryland’s four-year schools have concluded their baseball seasons, and so it’s time to reflect back on the year.

There was a lot of competition, but here are the state’s top collegiate players at each position and the three best pitchers — all starters.

Catcher

Alex Darwiche, Johns Hopkins University                                  

Senior/Kennesaw, Ga./ Bats/Throws: R/R

Darwiche emerged as one of Hopkins’ key pieces in 2018. The senior catcher set career-highs in runs (34), hits (48), RBIs (32), stolen bases (5) and batting average (.340). Darwiche tied for the team lead in home runs with eight, including a three-homer game against Gwynedd-Mercy University on Feb. 27. His performance earned him First Team All-Centennial honors and a spot on D3baseball.com’s first team.

First Base

Nazier McIlwain, Coppin State University                                 

Junior/Passaic, N.J./ Bats/Throws: L/L

McIlwain took home First Team All-MEAC honors following his stellar 2018 season. This marks McIlwain’s second-straight season receiving all-conference accolades after being awarded Third Team recognition as a sophomore in 2017. He and teammate Derek Lohr also were named to the Second Team All Eastern College Athletic Conference. The junior first baseman led the Eagles in hits (53), doubles (13), home runs (2), RBIs (41), walks (25) and sacrifice flies (7) while batting .349. He had a team-high 15 multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI games. McIlwain reached base safely in 22 straight contests.

Second Base

Nick Dunn, University of Maryland                                           

Junior/Sunbury, Pa./ Bats/Throws: L/R

In 2018, Dunn became the 13th Maryland player to reach the 200-hit mark. Dunn was named the Big Ten’s first team second baseman after a sensational offensive campaign. He led Maryland in average (.330), slugging percentage (.561), on-base percentage (.419), home runs (10), doubles (17), hits (70), runs (39) and RBIs (39). Dunn also led the team with 23 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games. His reached-base streak of 22 games topped the team.

Shortstop

Richie Palacios, Towson University

Junior/Brooklyn, N.Y./ Bats/Throws: L/R

Palacios earned Second Team All-CAA honors following his junior campaign. Towson’s captain finished the season batting .301 with 18 doubles, eight home runs and 31 RBIs. He led the CAA in doubles, runs scored (56) and walks (52), while ranking second in doubles and stolen bases (25) – his walks total set a new single-season record at Towson. Nationally, Palacios was the only player in Division 1 with at least 50 walks, 50 runs scored and 25 stolen bases. He became the first player in Towson history to collect 200 career hits and is the school’s all-time leader in career stolen bases (76).

Third Base

Jack Barry, Salisbury University

Junior/Laurel, Md./Reservoir High School/ Bats/Throws: R/R

Barry was named to the South All-Region Second Team for the second straight year after leading the Sea Gulls with a .413 batting average, eight home runs, and 103 total bases. He finished second on the team with 62 hits and 47 runs in 40 appearances. The Laurel native also made appearances on the All-CAC Second Team and D3baseball.com’s All-South Region Second Team.

Outfield

Cam Esposito, Hood College

Senior/Columbia, N.J./ Bats/Throws: L/R

Esposito earned his third All-MAC Commonwealth First Team selection, ranking among the conference leaders in seven different hitting categories. He was second in hits (71), RBIs (tied, 47) and triples (tied, 5); third in doubles (tied, 15); fourth in batting average (.401) and at-bats (177); and fifth in stolen bases (tied, 22). Esposito struck out only nine times all season to go along with a .463 on-base percentage and .542 slugging percentage. The smooth lefty also set a school record with 71 hits. He had 22 multi-hit efforts, including a pair of four-hit performances and 10 three-hit games.

Outfield

Stephen Born, U.S. Naval Academy

Senior/Strafford, Pa./ Bats/Throws: L/R

A two-time All-Patriot League honoree, Born took home Second Team Patriot League honors in 2018. The senior lefty finished third in the Patriot League in RBIs (44) and hits (69); fourth in stolen bases (16); and seventh in batting average (.318). Born was named as a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. Recipients of the award exemplify what it means to be a positive role model on and off the field.

Outfield

Marcos Castillo, Coppin State University

Freshman/Round Rock, Texas/ Bats/Throws: R/R

Castillo was named the Black College Nines Freshman of the Year. He hit .303 while leading the team with five triples and two home runs while also recording nine doubles and 31 RBIs. Castiilo’s .467 slugging percentage was second on the team. The freshman was even better in conference play, hitting .333 with nine extra-base hits, including four triples, a home run and 18 RBIs.

Pitcher

Noah Song, U.S. Naval Academy

Junior/Claremont, Calif.

For the first time in his career, Song earned Patriot League First Team honors after a dominant season. A two-time Louisville Slugger Player of the Week and three-time Patriot League Pitcher of the Week, Song finished first in the conference in strikeouts (121), shutouts (4), complete games (5), and innings pitched (89). Song’s 1.92 ERA was good for third best in the Patriot League and 20th best in Division 1. The right-hander had a streak of 22-consecutive scoreless innings against conference opponents spanning four starts.

Pitcher

Connor Reeves, Salisbury University

Senior/Bel Air, Md./John Carroll

Reeves had an impressive senior season for the Sea Gulls, collecting a 14-3 record in 20 appearances. His 14 wins are the most in Division 3 baseball this season, which breaks both the Salisbury University and Capital Athletic Conference single-season records. Reeves also led the nation with a 0.73 WHIP, was fourth in strikeouts with 113, and held the seventh-best ERA at 1.19. The right-handed Reeves was named Capital Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Conference, D3baseball.com All-South Region First Team and Pitcher of the Year, and ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region First Team and Pitcher of the Year.

Pitcher

Alex Ross, Johns Hopkins University

Senior/San Ramon, Calif.

Ross, who was named the Centennial Conference Pitcher of the year, wrapped up his senior year with a career-low 1.97 ERA in 73 innings pitched. The southpaw led the league with a career-best 92 strikeouts and had two games this season where he struck out more than 10 batters.  Against Ross, batters hit a combined .184. The Centennial Conference First Team selection allowed only 15 extra-base hits all season.