Stroman Named ACC Freshman of the Year

At Patchogue-Medford High School, Marcus Stroman roamed the hall for four years as an athletic icon.

Athletes from across Long Island knew the basketball and baseball star for his fluid prowess on the court or field and no one was surprised when the Washington Nationals selected him in the 18th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.

Hoping to take in the college experience and get an outstanding education, Stroman opted to attend Duke University to play baseball in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"During the whole draft process, I was pretty much set on going to Duke unless I was offered an unbelievable deal to skip out on a prestigious academic, athletic institution like Duke," he said. "After I met my coaches, I knew they would be able to take my game to the next level, so it made my decision much easier."

Stroman finished his freshman season at Duke as a Ping!Baseball Freshman All-America Third Team selection.

The two-way infielder, also named ACC Freshman of the Year, started 47 games for the Blue Devils at second base and made 17 appearances on the mound. He finished the year 6-4 with a 5.31 ERA in 57.2 innings of work. His 64 strikeouts were a team high and he held opposing hitters to a .263 average. After starting the season in the bullpen, Stroman made his first collegiate start against Wake Forrest and struck out 10 in the win.

As a hitter, he finished the year with a .265 average, 10 doubles, three triples, three homers and 20 RBI. He also stole 11 bases in 14 attempts.

Obviously the transition from high school to college ball wasn't as difficult for this diamond stud.

"It has been an unbelievable experience playing in the ACC," he said. "It's one of the, if not, the best baseball conferences in the country and the competition couldn't get any better. The game is much faster and you can't just depend on talent to do well. Extra hours of hard work are needed to take your game to the next level so that you are able to compete against the best."

Stroman, a four-year letter winner in baseball and basketball at Pat-Med, was fortunate to attend Duke at an important time in the school's athletic history. The men's basketball and lacrosse teams each won National Championships this year.

"The whole campus was in an uproar and the celebration that took place was second to none," he said of the basketball festivities. "It definitely made my decision that much better because basketball is probably my favorite sport and to be surrounded by a prestigious team is amazing."

When he's not thinking about baseball – it's 24/7 he says – he finds time to get school work done, check out Durham Bulls games and hit up The Loop – a campus favorite –, or Kanki, a Japanese steakhouse nearby.

If he gets drafted again, will he leave Duke and head to the pros this time?

"It definitely depends on the situation," he said. "I will definitely maximize the time that I have here and get the most out of this opportunity. If I am drafted after my junior year and feel like I am ready to play pro ball, then there is a chance I will do that. It will be a tough decision aided by my family and coaches."

Stay tuned for updates on Stroman and his career at Duke, as well as other former Pat-Med athletes throughout the year.

More on Stroman …

-Won the Paul Gibson Award as Suffolk County's best pitcher his senior year

-Won the Carl Yastrzemski Award as Suffolk County's top player his junior year

-Third-team All-America selection as a senior when he was 9-1 with a 0.25 ERA and 120 strikeouts

-Named Louisville Slugger's Player of the Year for New York and Gatorade Player of the Year for New York as a senior in 2009