The likely Game 1 starting pitcher for Coppin State when it plays East Carolina in the regional round of the NCAA Tournament this week is also one of the best dual-position players in the country.
Jordan Hamberg has been named one of five finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award announced by the College Baseball Foundation.
Hamberg is joined by Georgia State’s Cameron Jones, Devin Ortiz of Virginia, Murray State’s Jacob Pennington and Paul Skenes of Air Force.
“All season long, trimming this list to semifinalists and now to finalists has proven very difficult due to the outstanding seasons put forth by all our two-way players,” Olerud Award chairman George Watson said. “But these five finalists have differentiated themselves not only through the statistics they’ve racked up but by being leaders of their respective teams. Each one of these finalists is more than deserving of this award.”
The award is named for the former Washington State standout who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s and was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this summer.
A sophomore from South Plainfield, New Jersey, Hamberg was named the MEAC Pitcher of the Year and received First Team All-Conference accolades as both starting pitcher and utility.
Hamberg led Coppin with a 6-2 record on the mound, recording a 4.04 earned run average in 12 starts while striking out a school-record 86 batters with just 33 walks in 62.1 innings of work. At the plate, Hamberg hit a team-high .355 with eight home runs and 34 RBI while accumulating a 1.094 OPS.
Courtesy: MEAC
