Florida State’s J.D. Drew, arguably one of the best hitters in collegiate baseball history, will be one of seven individuals in the 11th induction class into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame set to take place in Lubbock, Texas, July 1-2.
The 2016 class also includes Augie Garrido (Texas), Bob Braddy (Jackson State), Matt DeSalvo (Marietta College), Rick Monday (Arizona State), Tom Paciorek (Houston) and Tommy Thomas (Valdosta State).
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Drew, who was elected to the FSU Hall of Fame in 2003, will join former Seminoles head coach and shortstop Dick Howser as the second inductee in National College Baseball Hall of Fame in the storied history of the Florida State program.
“What a tremendous honor for a great Seminole and clearly a fantastic baseball player,” said FSU head coach Mike Martin. “Obviously, he was one of the best in the history of our program and that is saying something. I don’t toss this description around lightly, but J.D. Drew was a game changer. I’m so happy for him and his family and I’m proud that he represents Florida State baseball.”
Among the many accolades in his career, Drew became the only player in NCAA Division I history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases as he posted a .455 batting average as a junior in 1997. He was the third player in NCAA history to record a triple-triple (100 hits, 100 runs, 100 RBI) after closing his Seminole career with 267 hits, 254 runs and 257 RBI.
After being named player of the year by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, The Sporting News and the ACC, Drew was drafted fifth overall in 1998 by the Cardinals and completed a 14-year major league career in 2011. In 1999, he was listed eighth in Baseball America's collegiate "Player of the Century" poll.