STARKVILLE (Mississippi News Now & HailState.com) -
More Hail State history in 2017. Brent Rooker officially won the SEC Triple Crown on Tuesday night.
LSU's Greg Deichmann was a contender to catch Brent in RBIs as the Tigers played Florida in a all-SEC College World Series. But the Gators sweep of the Bayou Bengals cemented Rooker's historic season.
Brent finished his final season in maroon and white with a .387 batting average, 23 home runs, and 82 RBI. He's the first player to win the Triple Crown since Rafael Palmeiro (1984).
The Minnesota Twins selected him as the 35th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Rooker is off to a great start in his pro career. In his first 5 games with the Elizabethton Twins (Appalachian League), the Tennessee native has 6 hits, 2 HR, and 4 RBI.
Here's just some of the other accolades Rooker achieved this season.
- Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year
- SEC Player of the Year
- Baseball America First Team All-American
- Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American
- Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
- Golden Spikes Award Finalist
- First Team All-SEC
- Ferriss Trophy Winner (Best amateur baseball player in the state of Mississippi)
- SEC Player of the Week - Feb. 27, April 3 & April 10
- NCBWA National Hitter of the Week - Feb. 28 & April 11
- NCBWA Player of the Month (March)
- National Player of the Week - Feb. 27 & April 10 (Collegiate Baseball)
- Perfect Game/Rawlings Player of the Week - April 11
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Source: WLBT
Source: WTVA
Source: HailState.com
