02/13/2012 Baseball Season Preview - The Infielders; Catching Up With Tyler SmithOSU opens its 2012 schedule on Friday 11/17/2011 Baseball Announces 12 Sign National Letters Of IntentThe class will join the program for the 2013 season
11th Year Lees has made a steady impact on the Beavers in each of his areas, turning the Beavers into a top defensive squad season after season and helping deliver top recruiting classes in just two years as the team's coordinator. The Beavers are one of the nation's top defensive teams on a yearly basis, and owe a large portion of that success to Lees' tutelage of infielders and catchers. In 2009, for the third straight season, the Beavers ranked in the top 20 nationally in fielding percentage, posting a .977 mark, which tied a school record and placed the Beavers in a tie for sixth nationally and first in the Pacific-10 Conference. In 2011, his tutelage helped produce five infielders and catchers who earned All-Pac-10 honors, including Kavin Keyes, a first-teamer who had joined the club after foregoing his senior year of high school. Of the five, two, were drafted, including Andrew Susac, who went in the second round. The Beavers finished the 2010 season with a .973 fielding percentage, placing the team 28th nationally. OSU finished the 2011 season with a .972 fielding percentage. As recruiting coordinator, Lees has established a level of excellence in just five full seasons with the title. Lees has an eye for talent and it has shown in his national recruiting rankings, in which the Beavers have placed in the top 25 every season under him. Most recently, his recruiting class for the 2012 season was ranked seventh nationally by Baseball America and ninth by Collegiate Baseball. Other recruiting classes have been ranked in the top 15 multiple times: in 2008, it was third, followed by a No. 12 spot in 2009 and the 2011 crop of recruits was ranked as high as 12th. During Oregon State's two national title runs and three straight visits to the College World Series from 2005-2007, pitching and defense were at the forefront. In 2007, en route to its second straight national title, Lees' defense made school history for the third straight year. The Beavers posted a .977 fielding percentage -- second in the Pac-10 and second nationally -- just a year after posting a then-school record mark of .975. In 2005, Oregon State finished the season with a .969 fielding percentage, then a program best. During that time, the Beavers also increased their ability at turing two. In 2005, Oregon State turned 52 double plays. In 2006, that number jumped up to 62, while in 2007, the Beavers turned 69. In 2007, the team ranked 22nd nationally with 1.03 double plays turned per game From 2005 through 2010, nine starting OSU infielders who were eligible to turn professional were either selected in the Major League Baseball draft or signed free agent contracts with MLB teams. Most recently, Stefen Romero signed a professional contract with Seattle after a fine OSU career. Darwin Barney, a former OSU shortstop, became the 23rd former Beaver to reach the Major Leagues when he made his debut for the Chicago Cubs in 2010. The Pac-10 began its Defensive Player of the Year award in 2006, and the initial recipient was Kunda. The shortstop in 2005 and 2006, Barney, was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2005 and was selected to Team USA, the United States national team that plays an international summer schedule, in 2006. Lees became a full-time assistant coach in 2004, having spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons as OSU's volunteer assistant coach. In addition to overseeing OSU's team defense, Lees supervises the Beavers' baserunning and coaches third base. Lees earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Western Oregon in 1994. Lees and his wife, Kristy, have three sons, Brandon (12), Brady (10) and Jacob (6). Infield Honors Under Lees |
 
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