Close inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame

Close inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame

LUBBOCK, Texas — The National College Baseball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday (Dec. 21) that former University of Michigan baseball player and Hall of Honor member Casey Close will be inducted into the class of 2022.

The induction ceremony will be held during College Baseball Night of Champions in Omaha, Neb., on Friday. February 3rd

A four-year letterwinner from 1983-86, Close was an integral part of Wolverines teams that won three Big Ten Tournament titles and four straight Big Ten East Division championships. The Maize and Blue also made four NCAA appearances during Close’s tenure, including two College World Series appearances. Close hit a grand slam his freshman year to lead Michigan past Stanford and earn Michigan a top-four berth in the College World Series.

His senior year (1986) was one of the best single seasons in Michigan baseball history. Close still owns two UM single-season records this season with 72 RBIs and a .869 slugging percentage. He hit .440, which is third all-time at Michigan. He also collected 84 hits, which ranked him third all-time at the time, but still ranked Hin in the top 15 (12th). Close added 19 home runs and 166 total bases, both of which ranked second in program history.

Close earned many accolades for his impressive 1986 season. He was named Baseball America National Player of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year and earned ABCA and Baseball America First Team All-America nods.

Close is also among Michigan’s best players. His career home runs (46) and runs scored (190) remain program tops. He is also second in games played (229) and third in both batting average (.373) and RBI (185). Close finished his UM career earning the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor, becoming the last player from the Michigan baseball program to earn the award — and 11th overall.

Close joins former teammates Barry Larkin and Jim Abbott in the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. Abbott, Close’s teammate in 1986, is a member of the 2007 class. Larkin, also a teammate from 1983-85, was inducted in the 2009 class. Michigan has two other representatives to the College Baseball Hall of Fame – pitcher/outfielder George Sisler (1913-15, class 2010) and manager Branch Rickeyfounded in 2009.