Haran signs with Cardinals

The Golden Baseball League (GBL) announced this week that the St. Louis Cardinals have purchased the contract of catcher Gerard Haran (Matawan/Old Bridge High School) from the St. George Roadrunners.

Haran will report to the Cardinals' rookie league farm team in the Gulf Coast League in Florida.

Haran, 21, finished a spectacular career with The College of New Jersey, Ewing, in June. He ended his four years as a three-time First Team All-American in NCAA Division III, including being named National Division III Player of the Year in 2006. Somehow overlooked in the major league amateur draft last month, the St. George Roadrunners signed him and brought him onboard just two weeks ago. Catching the eye of St. Louis Cardinals' scouts, the power hitting backstop also gunned down five base runners in his first 10 games.

This is the sixth GBL player acquired in the last two weeks and brings to a total number of 12 GBL players sold to major league teams in 2007.

In addition to his honors this season, Haran was named to the 2007 ABCA Mid-Atlantic Regional First Team after also earning 2007 All-State First Team honors from the NJCBA at catcher after another impressive season. Also named the NJAC's Player of the Year in both 2006 and 2007, he finished his 2007 season with a .327 average, while leading the Lions with his 53 RBIs, 13 doubles, 14 home runs and .661 slugging percentage. Overall on the 2007 season, he currently ranks No. 6 in Division III in the latest statistical rankings with his 0.31 home runs per-game average, while his 1.18 RBIs per game is No. 45 and his 14 total home runs rank in a tie for No. 2 in Division III.

On his career, he added his name to the record book, having broken the marks for most doubles (58), most home runs (49), most RBIs (215), and most runs scored (184), while ranking No. 2 in games played (166), and third with 226 hits. He leaves TCNJ having become the program's first and only three-time baseball All-American.