Male Amateur Athlete of the Year 2002

Dewon Brazelton

Last season, Middle Tennessee State University All-American Dewon Brazelton became the first player ever from that institution to be selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. He was the third player chosen in the first round and was signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The tall, 6-4, right hander also became the first MTSU baseball player selected to the U. S. National Team.

The Tullahoma native had an outstanding season for the Blue Raiders, being named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, Sun Belt Conference Athlete of the Year, as well as being named First Team All-American by Baseball Weekly, Baseball America and the Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association.

Brazelton completed his senior year as the career and single season strikeout leader at Middle Tennessee with 335 and 154 respectively. He struck out ten or more batters eight times including a career high 16 K's against Western Kentucky.


"Dewon has all the tools to be successful in the Major Leagues," MTSU Coach Steve Peterson said. "I've been a coach since 1975, and this is the first first-rounder I've had. There are only 30 first rounders and you don't replace someone like that," said Peterson, looking ahead to life without Dewon.