Jared McKenzie Headlines Baylor's All-Big 12 Team Selections
As Baylor prepares to kick off their Big 12 Tournament run on Wednesday afternoon against TCU, multiple players were recognized on Tuesday morning by the Big 12 following the conclusion of the regular season.
Jared McKenzie headlined the Baylor Bears selections, as the third-year sophomore outfielder was named to the Second Team All-Big 12 team. McKenzie has had a phenomenal season, hitting to the tune of a .298 average which is third best among qualifying Baylor hitters.
McKenzie would also lead the Bears in home runs with 11 on the season, while driving in a team second best 42 runs, showing flashes of an elite hitter throughout the season.
While McKenzie was named to the Second Team All-Big 12, five other Baylor players would receive honorable mentions: Cam Caley, Kyle Nevin, Jack Pineda, Tre Richardson, and Tyler Thomas.
Caley is a two-way player that saw action on both the mound and in the field. He would take the mound 20 times for the Bears, including three starts, finishing the season with a 4-0 record. Offensively, Caley started 12 games in left field, hitting .316 with an impressive three multi-hit games.
2022 was a true breakout year for Nevin, as he would end the season with a .306 average and career-high eight home runs while driving in a team-high 48 runs on 64 hits.
Pineda also had a breakout year in 2022, as he would hit to the tune of a .309 average while launching a career-high seven home runs. He would also add five triples which is the most by a Bears' player since 2016, and puts him in the top-20 nationally.
Richardson would lead all Baylor players with an impressive 59 runs scored on the season while hitting .296 and driving in 35 runs, while also recording a 26-game on-base streak.
Rounding up Baylor's All-Big 12 selections is left-handed pitcher Tyler Thomas. Prior to suffering a season-ending injury, Thomas had a 4-4 record with a 2.54 ERA and 54 strikeouts in nine starts, flashing potential to be a front of the rotation pitcher in the future.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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