Siegel baseball's Drew Benefield on All-USA Tennessee team

Cecil Joyce
Murfreesboro Daily News Journal
Drew Benefield

Siegel standout Drew Benefield was named to the All-USA Tennessee baseball team Wednesday by USA TODAY.

The 6-3, 195-pound shortstop, had a huge junior season for the Stars, batting .506 with 18 doubles, seven home runs, 33 RBIs and 34 runs.

The Louisville commitment was named Class AAA Mr. Baseball by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association.

He was The Daily News Journal's Player of the Year on the all-area baseball team.

The state's player of the year was Christian Academy of Knoxville's Spencer Strider. The coach of the year was Brentwood's Bill Moore, who led the Bruins to the AAA title with a 5-3 win over Stewarts Creek.

For the complete list of American Family Insurance All-USA state teams, click here.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Bill Moore, Brentwood

In his fourth season, Moore led the Bruins to their first state championship. Brentwood (30-11) rallied to win six of its final eight games to reach the school’s first state championship game since 1978, then completed the run with a 5-3 win over Stewarts Creek in the Class AAA title game.

FIRST TEAM

Player of the Year

Spencer Strider, P, Christian Academy of Knoxville, 6-0/205, Sr.

It would be hard to imagine the Clemson signee and Cleveland Indians draft pick having a better year, as Tennessee’s Class AA Mr. Baseball went out with a flourish. Strider posted a 13-0 record to go with 150 strikeouts and a .118 batting average against. In the Class AA state title game, he threw seven solid innings to help the Warriors take their first championship since 2014.

Steven Jennings, P, DeKalb County (Smithville), 6-2/175, Sr.

Ryan Weathers, P, Loretto, 6-2/210, Jr.

Philip Clarke, C, Christ Presbyterian (Nashville), 5-11/190, Sr.

Drew Benefield, INF, Siegel (Murfreesboro), 6-3, 195, Jr.

Ben Brooks, INF, Pope John Paul II (Hendersonville), 6-0/170, Sr.

Ethan Tressler, INF, Davidson Academy (Nashville), 6-0/175, Sr.

Riley Watkins, INF, Evangelical Christian (Cordova), 6-2/175, Sr.

Corbin Brooksbank, OF, McCallie (Chattanooga), 6-0/185, Sr.

Cody Hutcherson, OF, Cookeville, 6-3/180, Sr.

Brandon Trammell, OF, Bearden (Knoxville), 6-5/220, Sr.

SECOND TEAM

Jordan Fowler, P, Dyer County (Newbern), 6-2/160, Sr.

Mason Hickman, P, Pope John Paul II (Hendersonville), 6-6/230, Sr.

Brycen Thomas, P, Spring Hill (Columbia), 6-3/245, Sr.

Eli Brauss, C, University (Jackson), 6-1/205, Jr.

Billy Creger, INF, Centennial (Franklin), 6-2/190, Sr.

Trey Harrington, INF, Briarcrest Christian (Memphis), 6-2/175, Sr.

Skyler Luna, INF, Clarksville, 5-11/170, Jr.

Seth Price, INF, Watertown, 6-2/195, Sr.

Evan Gilliam, OF, Lexington, 5-10/175, Sr.

Ryder Green, OF, Knoxville Christian, 6-2/205, Jr.

Christian Scott, OF, Northeast (Clarksville), 5-10/160, Jr.

USA TODAY High School Sports contributed to this report.  Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.

 

Siegel's Drew Benefield.