Texas Longhorns’ Ivan Melendez among 3 finalists for Bobby Bragan Slugger Award
Texas Longhorns slugger Ivan Melendez was named one of three finalists for the 2022 Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award.
Virginia Commonwealth’s Tyler Locklear and Davidson’s Michael Carico are also finalists for the award, which is presented by SR Bats and is based on performance at the plate, academics, and personal integrity for Division I baseball players.
The three finalists were culled from a list of 59 candidates.
“This is arguably the strongest group of finalists we have ever had,” Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation executive director Tracy Taylor said in a release. “The Selection Committee reviewed every at-bat of the 59 players on the nation-wide watch list and did an outstanding job of identifying the student-athletes that best represent the criteria of the slugger award.”
Melendez leads the country with 30 home runs and 90 RBIs, and is hitting .404 for the Longhorns. He’s the first Division I player to hit 30 homers in a season since 2013. Carico hit .406 with 21 homers and 57 RBI. Locklear hit .402 with 20 homers and 78 RBIs.
Melendez is the lone finalist still playing. The Longhorns (45-19) open their best-of-three Super Regional at East Carolina at 11 a.m. Friday.
The winner will be announced later this month and honored at a gala in the fall.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 2:54 PM.
