Texas 1B Ivan Melendez Named Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year
Another day, another award for the Hispanic Titanic, as Texas Longhorns slugger Ivan Melendez was named the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year on Thursday morning following what was a historic season.
When you look at the numbers Melendez put up throughout the season there is little doubt that anyone could have been named the player of the year. Melendez would finish the season hitting .421, which was good for the second-best average in the country.
Not only did Melendez hit for average and stay above .400, but he was arguably the most impressive power hitter in the country. He would finish the season with 28 home runs, which was the most in the country, and would go on to add another in the Big 12 Tournament to bring his total to a school record 29 in one season.
Melendez would see his name towards the top of practically all the offensive statistic leaderboards in both the country and the Big 12, as he would go on to win the triple crown in the Big 12 at the end of the season.
While Melendez was dominant at the plate all season long, he also flashed the leather and showcased an improved defensive ability, only committing one error in 489 chances.
As Melendez continues to rack up national honors for his dominant season, he moves closer and closer to receiving college baseball's prestigious Golden Spikes, which would make him the first player to receive the award in Texas history.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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