Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Announces Finalists for 2022 Honor

 The Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award (BBCSA) presented by SR Bats announced today the finalists for the 2022 award.  The threefinalists for the BBCSA are Ivan Melendez of the University of Texas, Tyler Locklear of Virginia Commonwealth University and Michael Carico of Davidson College. Each of these sluggers led their respective teams to 40-plus victories this season.

The BBCSA, created by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, was open to nominations from all Division I baseball programs in the country. The BBCSA originally had 44 players nominated for the award at the beginning of the season and added 15 players to its midseason watch list. The award is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.

"This is arguably the strongest group of finalists we have ever had for the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award, presented by SR Bats" said Tracy Taylor, Executive Director of the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation and the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award. “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.”

Texas’ Melendez totaled big numbers including a .404 batting average with 30 home runs and 90 RBI. At Davidson, Carico put up impressive offensive statistics where he batted .406 with 21 home runs and 57 RBI. VCU’s Locklear, had an outstanding year at the plate with a .402 average combined with 20 home runs and 78 RBI.

"This year's BBCSA finalists also have outstanding performances in the classroom having been named to several conference and school academic honor rolls," said Taylor. 

The winner of the BBCSA will be announced later this month and honored at a gala in the fall.

Texas Tech’s Hunter Hargrove won the initial BBCSA in 2017. Dallas Baptist’s Devlin Granberg took home the honor in 2018 with Texas Tech’s Josh Jung winning the award in 2019. The BBCSA had no winner in 2020 due to the fact that the COVID-19 virus cut that collegiate baseball season short. Last year’s winner was Connor Norbyfrom East Carolina University.