Alton’s Hudson and Edwardsville’s Hovey named Louisville Slugger All-Americans

Alton High senior left-hander Bryan Hudson and Edwardsville High senior shortstop Jordan Hovey were among only three Illinois players selected first-team All-Americans on the 2015 Louisville Slugger High School All-American team.

The All-American team included 22 players who were chosen in the first two rounds of the recent Major League Baseball Draft. Hallsville (Texas) pitcher Coby Weaver was named National Pitcher of the Year and Ramsey (N.J.) High outfielder Ashton Bardzell was named National Player of the Year.

Hudson is expected to sign with the Chicago Cubs after the Cubs made the University of Missouri recruit their third-round pick in Major League Draft earlier this month.

Hudson was the highest metro-east baseball draft pick since former Highland star and current Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi went to the Milwaukee Brewers with the 32nd overall pick in 2008. Only three left-handed high school pitchers were drafted ahead of Hudson, the 15th high school pitcher selected in the draft.

One of the most dominant area pitchers in recent memory, Hudson finished his senior season 10-2 with a 0.50 ERA. He allowed only five earned runs all season and 11 total in 15 appearances and 13 starts.

Hudson also struck out 150 batters in 70 1/3 innings while holding opponents to a .138 batting average. He also hit .436 with 14 doubles, six triples, four home runs and 49 RBIs.

Hovey, headed to Wabash Valley Community College, hit .382 for an Edwardsville team that lost to O’Fallon in the sectional semifinals.

Hovey had 12 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs and 32 RBIs, also scoring 46 runs with 15 stolen bases.

Players on the All-American team were nominated by their high school coaches and voted on by the staff of Collegiate Baseball magazine. Odorizzi also was a first-team All-American following his senior year at Highland, when he also was voted USA Today’s National Player of the Year.

Westmont High pitcher-shortstop Charlie Donovan was the only other player from Illinois to earn first-team All-American status. The only Illinois player to make second-team All-American was St. Charles North first baseman-pitcher Cory Wright.

This story was originally published June 22, 2015 at 11:10 AM with the headline "Alton’s Hudson and Edwardsville’s Hovey named Louisville Slugger All-Americans."