Tech's Kirby-Jones named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week
Five home runs, two doubles, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored, seven walks, a .526 batting average, .655 on-base percentage and a 1.421 slugging percentage. That’s a pretty good conference season for most collegiate baseball players.
TUSCAN, Ariz. – Five home runs, two doubles, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored, seven walks, a .526 batting average, .655 on-base percentage and a 1.421 slugging percentage. That’s a pretty good conference season for most collegiate baseball players. But that’s exactly what Tennessee Tech junior A.J. Kirby-Jones did in one week as he earned recognition as Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week from Collegiate Baseball News.
“A.J. just does what he does,” TTU head coach Matt Bragga said. “We know what we’re going to get out of A.J. everyday. He is a tremendous ball player and he always shows up ready to give it his all. But more importantly A.J. is a tremendous young man.”
Kirby-Jones’ five home runs gave him the Tennessee Tech career home runs record with 33 for his career, as he led the Golden Eagles to a 4-2 mark on the week. His 140 career RBIs are just 13 shy of Mark Maberry’s school record 153.
Kirby-Jones went 10-for-19 at the plate for the week, and in the first game of the Buffalo series, he was 4-for-4 with three home runs and five RBIs. He also drove in three runs in a road win over South Alabama and at home against Buffalo.
On the season, Kirby-Jones is batting .408 with four doubles while leading the Ohio Valley Conference with eight homers, a .980 slugging percentage and 22 walks.
Virginia Military Institute’s Jordan Ballad and Florida International’s Jabari Henry were the other two Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week, while Texas pitcher Taylor Jungmann, U.C. Santa Barbara lefty Mario Hollands and UCLA’s Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole were National Pitchers of the Week.
The Golden Eagles will be in action with four games against in-state opponents this week. Tech will host East Tennessee State on March 17 before visiting Memphis in a three-game set March 19-21.
Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free.
