Several UCF baseball players competed in collegiate wood-bat leagues over the summer, and two Knights were selected as top prospects by Baseball America. Sophomore catcher Beau Taylor (Rockledge, Fla.) was ranked fourth in the Cal Ripken, Sr. League, while infielder Derek Luciano (Bradenton, Fla.) was listed fifth in the Florida Collegiate Summer League.
Taylor finished with a perfect fielding percentage and threw out six of eight would-be base stealers for the Herndon Braves. He played in 28 games, hitting .271 with three doubles, three homers, 16 RBI and two sac flies.
Luciano has ventured to UCF after playing two seasons for Manatee Community College. The infielder was the DeLand Suns’ leading hitting in the FCSL, going .299 with seven doubles, three triples and three home runs. He walked 23 times, drove in 30 and was a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen bases. Luciano also completed the summer with a .971 fielding percentage.