Georgia Tech's Teixeira Named Summer Player Of The Year

ATLANTA — Georgia Tech third baseman Mark Teixeira (Severna Park, Md.) was named the 2000 Summer College Player of the Year by Baseball America after an impressive summer with the USA Baseball National Team.

Teixeira finished the summer hitting .380 with five home runs and 23 RBI, leading the team in average and RBI and tying for the home run lead. All he did this summer was kick-start Team USA’s dominant season with a game-winning home run in Portland, Ore., to win a 15-inning game against Taiwan, 4-2. Teixeira later embarked on a 22-game hitting streak — during which Team USA went 21-0-1. In Team USA’s last game on American soil this summer, his two-out homer in the 10th innings helped beat Taiwan again, this time 2-1 at Pawtucket’s McCoy Stadium.

“Mark had a great season for us last spring, and he certainly carried that over to the summer,” said Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall. “He was honored to represent his country and I hope that this is a springboard to another outstanding season next spring. Mark continues to pile up the awards, and deservedly so.”

In the spring of 1999, Teixeira hit .387-13-65 and was the Atlantic Coast Conference’s freshman of the year. Last summer, he reported to Orleans in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .289-7-26 and was unanimously named the prestigious league’s top prospect. He followed that up by leading Georgia Tech to a 50-16 season and an ACC Championship in 2000, batting .427-18-80 and earning Baseball America’s College Player of the Year award.

Teixeira could continue to add to his awards cache. He is one of five finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, presented by USA Baseball and Major League Baseball’s players union. His Team USA performance this summer will help his candidacy.

“He’s a smart guy, a classy guy who doesn’t blow you away with ego,” said Team USA coach Mike Gillespie of Southern California. “If you’re the guy’ on a team, it’s hard to be that guy, and if you’re 20, I really don’t think it’s an easy thing to do. It takes a certain intellect and a guy with a handle on the real world. That’s Mark.”

In addition, Tech catcher Tyler Parker, pitcher Steve Kelly and shortstop Victory Menocal were named to Baseball America’s Summer All-America team after outstanding performances. Parker, who spent the summer with Wareham of the Cape Cod League, batted .272 with one home run, 19 RBI and 18 stolen bases while being named a starter in the Cape Cod All-Star Game. Kelly went 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA for Orleans in the Cape Cod League while Menocal batted .338 with 17 RBI with Northern Ohio in the Great Lakes League.

BASEBALL AMERICA’S SUMMER PLAYER OF THE YEAR PREVIOUS WINNERS