Derbak was selected as a Third Team utility player. However, he is not expected to pitch this season after suffering an elbow injury late in the summer while playing for the Quincy Gems of the Prospect League. He's projected to remain a prominent part of the EIU lineup while seeing action at first base and designated hitter.
Derbak has helped EIU win two Ohio Valley Conference titles the last two seasons, the 2008 tournament and 2009 regular-season. He was selected as an Honorable Mention All Ping!Baseball utility player at the end of the 2009 campaign.
Ping!Baseball.com is a Web site based in Omaha, Neb., that covers all three NCAA Divisions of collegiate baseball. The Panthers were ranked among the Ping! Top 30 national poll from April 27 to May 18 last season.
This summer, Derbak was named the MVP of the Prospect League All-Star Game in Springfield, Ill., after delivering a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning of the West Division's victory. The Quincy Gems went on to win the Prospect League championship, but he missed the playoffs due to injury.
Projected to be a four-year starter when his EIU career comes to a close in June, Derbak has seen action at six different positions – pitcher, catcher, first base, second base, left field and designated hitter. He was the only freshman in the league to earn All-OVC honors in 2007 and was selected as the First Team DH last spring.
Derbak enters his senior season with a .333 career batting average. He ranks third in program history with 17 career saves. With 34 doubles, 104 RBIs and 175 hits entering 2010, he also has an opportunity to join the EIU all-time Top 10 in those categories this spring.
Around the OVC, Derbak was one of six players named to the All Ping! Teams. Morehead State shortstop Drew Lee was selected to the Second Team. Eastern Kentucky third baseman Jayson Langfels, Jacksonville State outfield Todd Cunningham and Tennessee Tech utility man A.J. Kirby-Jones joined Derbak on the Third Team. Murray State first baseman Wes Cunningham was listed as a “for your consideration” or honorable mention choice.
The college baseball season begins around the country the weekend of Feb. 19-21. Eastern opens with a three-game series at Southeastern Louisiana for the third consecutive year. The Panthers were projected as
the preseason favorites in the OVC by Collegiate Baseball in its season preview edition.
