-
- Height:
- 6-0
-
- Weight:
- 210
-
- Hometown:
- Knoxville, Tenn.
-
- Position:
- First Base/Designated Hitter/Right-Handed Pitcher
-
- Year:
- 2009
-
- Bats/Throws:
- R/R
-
- Team:
- Baseball
-
- Award:
- Male Athlete of the Year
Bio
A.J. proved to be a dual-threat for the OVC Champion Golden Eagle baseball team, contributing at the plate and on the mound. He was chosen Second-Team All-OVC as a utility player, and went on to be named the OVC Tournament Most Valuable Player. A.J. secured his place in Tech baseball history when he became the first Golden Eagle to hit three grand slams in one season since 1997. He went on to lead the league and tie the school record with 20 home runs, and he was third in the league with 68 RBI, the second-best season total in school history. He also finished the year with the eighth-best single-season slugging percentage at .706. That ranked fourth in the OVC. He was also third in the OVC in total bases and ranked first in walks. In addition to his record-setting offensive numbers, he made 18 appearances on the mound and posted a 3-3 record with a team-best three saves. He pitched 49 innings, and struck out 52 batters, while allowing opponents to hit just .247.