Courtesy: Marc DeRose 2010 Louisville Slugger preseason all-American Wes Hobson

TUCSON, Ariz. - Collegiate Baseball newspaper has tabbed Appalachian State University senior second baseman Wes Hobson as a 2010 Louisville Slugger third-team preseason all-American.

Hobson was one of the nation's top second basemen as a junior in 2009. He started all 54 games for the Mountaineers and ranked second on the club behind only all-American Isaac Harrow in batting average (.380), hits (89), triples (4), runs batted in (60), total bases (147), slugging percentage (.628) and on-base percentage (.452). He tied Harrow for the team lead with 23 doubles and was also one of college baseball's top defensive infielders, making just three errors in 270 chances at second base, good for a sterling .989 fielding percentage.

Hobson was especially impressive in April of last season, when he hit .444 (36-for-81) to help lead Appalachian to an 18-2 record for the month.

Coming into 2010, Hobson boasts 223 hits, 154 runs, 56 doubles, 140 RBI and 350 total bases in his career, putting him on pace to supplant Harrow as ASU's all-time leader in each category. He is a .346 career hitter.

Hobson and the Mountaineers won 27 of their final 34 games in 2009 to finish at 33-21 and give the program three-straight 30-win seasons for the first time in 23 years. Appalachian opens the 2010 campaign on Feb. 19 versus Presbyterian at the Marriott Classic in Spartanburg, S.C.