ATLANTA -- Georgia State's Josh Merrigan, the 2013 Colonial Athletic Association Baseball Rookie of the Year, put together a season that easily ranks as the best ever by a Panther freshman and stands as one of the most productive for any freshman in this nation this spring.

The left-handed hitting center fielder from Marietta, Ga., was also named to the All-CAA second team as well as the CAA All-Rookie team. He is a strong candidate for Freshman All-America recognition.

Hitting in the leadoff spot, Merrigan batted .353 with 36 runs batted in and 52 runs scored. He smacked 15 doubles, five triples and four home runs for a team-leading 121 total bases, and he was 12-for-12 on stolen bases.

Among all freshmen in the nation, Merrigan ranks second in hits, third in runs scored and fourth in batting average. His total of 84 hits is 13th for all players.

"Josh is a great talent," said GSU head coach Greg Frady. "I think he has the talent to have a professional career and play for a lot of years.

"The thing about Josh is that we as coaches didn't try to change him," Frady continued. "We worked to try to enhance the way he goes about the game and we worked on all the little things. He was very coachable, and as the season went on, every part of his game improved. And I think he will continue to get better with a little more physical strength as his body matures."

Here a look at how Merrigan's 2013 season compares to the other top freshmen in Georgia State annals: