OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The start to the 2020 college baseball season starts next week and the Johnson County Community College will open its season as a consensus Top-25 ranked team. The Cavaliers appear in all six preseason polls. Perfect Game has them at No. 14, followed by Prep Baseball Report at No. 16, NJCAA at No. 18, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper at No. 18 and JUCO Baseball Blob at No. 25.
In addition, four members of the Johnson County team were recently named to the Perfect Game Top 300 Junior College Prospect list for the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Drew Garrett (Hickman HS/Columbia, Mo.) earned the highest ranking at No. 69. He was rated at No. 277 as a freshman last year. He has committed to Missouri.
The others on the list were freshman catcher Nate Stevens (Waunakee HS/Waunakee, Wis.) at No. 103, sophomore infielder Brady Slavens (Olathe Northwest HS/Olathe, Kan.) at No. 153, sophomore right-handed pitcher Zach Todd (Shawnee Mission West HS/Lenexa, Kan.) at No. 247.
Last season, Garrett made eight appearances on the hill for the Cavaliers, all in relief. He pitched a total of 5.2 innings and allowed two hits, seven runs, two earned, nine walks with 12 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.09. As a prep player, Garrett started one season at Hickman High School in Columbia, Mo, and helped the Kewpies make the Missouri Class 5 championship game that season. He posted a record of 1-1, a 3.94 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 14 innings on the mound. For the Cavaliers this season, Garrett is projected to be a stopper out of the bullpen and could make some spot starts.
Stevens just recently joined the Cavaliers, transferring from the University of Arkansas. Regarded as one of the top players in the state of Wisconsin last year, Stevens was named as a first-team catcher on the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association all-state team, a unanimous all-district choice, a first-team selection on the Badger North all-conference team and named the player of the year in the Badger North and by Wisconsin Baseball Central as a senior. He also was named the Wisconsin State Journal's All-Area Player of the year in 2018 and 2019 after helping Waunakee to a pair of state titles. Stevens also was chosen as a third-team pick on the USA Today All-USA Team, and received an invitation to the Perfect Game All-American Classic Show played at Petco Park in San Diego last July.
Slavens, a local product, joined the Cavaliers after playing his freshman year at Wichita State University. He played in 46 games with the Shockers, 38 as a starter. He hit .218 with 32 hits, 20 runs, four doubles, a home run 23 RBIs and 21 walks. He had eight multiple-hit and seven multiple-RBI games. In high school, Slavens was the number one ranked overall player and shortstop in the state of Kansas, according to Prep Baseball Report and Perfect Game. He was a 2018 Preseason Rawlings All-American and was named first-team All-State and All-USA Today as a junior. His father, Ryan, also played baseball for Johnson County.
Todd transferred to JCCC from Central Missouri after making two appearances for the Mules last spring. Out of high school, Todd was the No. 7 ranked right-handed pitcher in the state of Kansas, and the No. 20 overall prospect in the state according Perfect Game. He was a three-year starter at Shawnee Mission West, and was a first-team All-State pick and was selected the Sunflower League Player of the Year his senior season.