Hearne, South Texas Pro Pitcher of the Year

Trey Hearne, the first Texas A&M-Corpus Christi pitcher drafted by a major league team, is one of this year's professional honorees at the Third Annual South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet. The event gets under way at 6:30 pm next Wednesday, January 17th at the Omni Bayfront Hotel in Corpus Christi.

Hearne, a native of Lufkin, Texas, was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 28th round of the June, 2005 First-Year Player Draft. The South Texas Professional Pitcher of the Year will return to Corpus Christi to collect a mantle piece for the second straight year. Last January, he was selected as the 2005 South Texas Collegiate Pitcher of the Year for a superb senior season with the Islanders.

In 2006, his first full season in the pro ranks, Hearne made 31 appearances, (17 starts) and posted a record of 12-3 with a team-best 2.25 ERA for the Swing of the Quad Cities, the Cardinals' low A affiliate in the Midwest League.

His earned run average was second best in the 14-team league, and tops among all arms in the Cardinals system. Opposing batters hit just .216 against him in 2006.

Hearne will be recognized at next week's banquet, which takes place in the Omni's Corpus Christi Ballroom.