Moravian College senior pitcher Brendan Close (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom HS) has been named one of ten top prospects for the 2012 Major League Draft from NCAA Division III in the 2012 Small College Preview by Baseball America.

Close was named to the 2012 D3baseball.com Preseason All-America First Team last month, and in 2011 he was on the 2011 D3baseball.com All-America First Team and the American Baseball Coaches Association /Rawlings All-America First Team. Close was also named the 2011 Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Year and to the All-Conference First Team. Close garnered a spot on the Rawlings/ABCA Division III All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team, and he was also named the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Close had a 10-0 record, a 1.00 ERA, four shutouts, 100 strikeouts and just five walks allowed in 80.2 innings, setting school record for wins, shutouts, strikeouts and innings pitched.  Close, who was on the 2009 Landmark All-Conference First Team and the Second Team,  has also set the school records with 22 career wins (22-3 overall), seven shutouts and 232 career strikeouts, and he is second in innings pitched at 202.1 in three seasons while walking just 27 batters.

Moravian starts it 2012 season on Friday, February 24^th with the first of three games at the 5th Annual Floyd B. Wilcox Memorial Tournament hosted by Hampden-Sydney College.  The Greyhounds will play Rutgers-Camden in the opening game at 11:00 a.m.

To view the full 2012 Baseball America Small College Preview, visit http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/season-preview/2012/2612881.html