BALTIMORE (Aug. 11, 2005) – Gerald Sullivan, a right-handed pitcher from Mt. Olive HS (Budd Lake, NJ), was awarded tonight with the inaugural Cal Ripken, Jr. Sportsmanship Award during the Aflac All-American Awards Dinner at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel. In addition Jordan Walden of Mansfield High School (Mansfield, TX), was presented with the Baseball America Pitching Prospect of the Year Award. Aflac Classic honorary chairman Cal Ripken, Jr. and Baseball America CEO Catherine Silver presented the awards to the respective recipients.
"We are extremely proud of Gerald and Jordan as we are of all the players who make up the elite roster of Aflac All-Americans, said Al Johnson, second vice president, Advertising and Branding at Aflac. “Both awards are a testament of their hard work and dedication to the sport of baseball. Gerald and Jordan are true Aflac All-Americans."
The first annual Cal Ripken, Jr. Sportsmanship Award is given to the player who is a considerate sportsman both on and off the field, embodying the outstanding character of the award’s namesake, future Hall of Famer, Cal Ripken, Jr. The recipient is chosen by his peers and coaches.
Gerald Sullivan is one of the top pitching prospects in the class of 2006. He is a big, strong right-hander with an excellent fastball. Gerald topped out at 94 mph earlier this summer at Turner Field and is improving everyday. He has great command of his fastball and secondary pitches.
Beginning in 2005, Baseball America, in conjunction with the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic, awards the top pitching prospect in the rising high school senior class with the Baseball America Pitching Prospect of the Year Award. The award is given to the rising senior pitcher who has shown considerable promise during his youth, high school and summer amateur career as a potential high-round major league draft pick or future major Division-I college player. The recipient must not only have shown excellent prowess on the field, but also demonstrated honorable character in his pursuit of excellence on the field, in his community and in the classroom.
Jordan Walden completed his second year as an integral part of Mansfield High's pitching staff in the spring of 2005, keying his school's run into the Texas High School playoffs. He continued his success in the summer of 2005, pitching phenomenally in numerous national and regional showcases and tournaments, proving his mettle each time he took the mound.
"When watching Jordan Walden operate on the mound, it becomes obvious he has an advanced ability that should carry him to continued success in college, the minor leagues as well as Major League Baseball," said Alan Matthews, Baseball America Associate Editor. "His arm strength and control is a combination unrivaled in the high school class of 2006, but his maturity and composure are the intangibles that will help him mold those tools into the foundation of an outstanding professional pitcher."
The third annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic will be played on Saturday, August 13th at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Md. The event is the nation’s elite high school baseball showcase featuring the top 38 rising senior players in an East vs. West match-up. Cal Ripken, Jr. is the honorary chairman of the 2005 game, which will be televised live nationally on FSN at 2:05 p.m. Net proceeds from the game will benefit the division of Pediatric Oncology at Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.
AFLAC All-American Web Site
