Introducing: Chris Slade to Minor League Ball

Hello everybody. Last week we added Brendon Booth to expand our college coverage. This week I want to introduce Chris Slade. Brendon and Chris will take turns providing coverage. Here's Chris!

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Who am I? As you can see in the title, my name is Chris Slade. I currently attend the University of South Carolina where I major in Sport & Entertainment Management and minor in tailgating. With a dire need for more college baseball coverage here on Minor League Ball, I felt it was my public duty to offer my writing services. I'm originally from Baltimore, MD and while I'm not one to say I bleed purple and orange because that's impossible, I am a big supporter of the Ravens and Orioles.

My story? As much as I love the Ravens, baseball has always been my first love, particularly Orioles baseball. I became hooked on Orioles baseball as a small child the moment I set eyes upon the picturesque Camden Yards setting. But, like any other sane person, I grew tired of the consecutive years of losing and often times questioned why I spent so much time (I watch every game) following a team with seemingly no hope.

I began to find hope when I became more aware and educated about the minor leagues. Studying and following the O's minor leaguers became my silver lining, my way of staying interested in the future of the O's even when the present seemed hopeless. A self-described prospect junkie, I've been an avid reader of Minor League Ball since it's inception and I look forward to the opportunity to join Brendon Booth in the College Baseball coverage efforts.

Why College Baseball? I am an avid follower of everything college baseball. While I had previously kept track of top draft prospects, my interest in closely following the sport was sparked when my brother entered his freshman year on the UNC Greensboro baseball team in 2010 (He's now a Senior at Southeastern Louisiana). Since then I've developed an unwavering interest in everything happening in the college baseball world.

As a South Carolina student, I have access to one of the premier college baseball programs competing in the talent rich SEC. I look forward to contributing game reports on the abundance of draft prospects sure to make their way through Columbia this Spring. I'll also be writing a column from time to time that features my take on weekend highlights and standout individual performers, mostly focusing on draft prospects.