Oct. 12, 2006

WACO, Texas -- Baylor baseball's 2006 signing class was rated the No. 1 class in the nation by Baseball America, the publication announced late Wednesday. This is the highest-ranked signing class in Baylor history. The Bears were ranked 23^rd in 1998, 25^th in 2001, 19^th in 2003 and 19^th in 2004.

Collegiate Baseball also ranked Baylor's class seventh nationally.

Baylor's 2007 incoming class includes three student-athletes who were taken in the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Aaron Miller (Colorado Rockies, 11^th round), Dustin Dickerson (Washington Nationals, 15^th round) and Kendal Volz (Arizona Diamondbacks, 50^th round) all decided to attend Baylor rather than signing professional contracts.

Miller was a third-team All-America selection by Baseball America after hitting .581 with 14 home runs, 11 doubles, 49 RBI and 20 stolen bases as a senior last spring at Channelview [Texas] High School. The publication also ranked Shawn Tolleson as the 18^th-best high school prospect in the nation; Miller was ranked 32^nd, Dickerson was 55^th, Ryan Jenkins was 78^th and Volz was 91^st.

South Carolina, which added eight freshmen and six junior college transfers, was rated as the nation's second-best incoming class, followed by Southern California, Clemson, Miami, Fla., Florida, Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Cal State Fullerton and Arkansas. Four other Big 12 schools were ranked in the top 25 - Oklahoma (11^th), Texas (12^th), Texas A&M (16^th) and Missouri (22^nd).

Baylor opens its 2007 season Feb. 9-11 at the Minute Maid Park Astros College Classic in Houston.