SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Five Arizona Baseball standouts were honored with Pac-12 postseason awards on Tuesday morning, highlighted by the selection of star shortstop
Nik McClaughry as Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
In addition to McClaughry's major award selection he earned a spot on the Pac-12 All-Conference roster and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. He was joined on the Pac-12 All-Conference team by outfielder
Chase Davis, first baseman
Kiko Romero, and outfielder
Mac Bingham. Third baseman
Tony Bullard also picked up Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition.
Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year
Pac-12 All-Conference
Pac-12 All-Defensive Team
McClaughry is just the second player in program history to earn Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, and the first in 11 years. He joins Alex Mejia, the shortstop for the 2012 National Championship team, as Wildcats to pull in the conference's top defensive honor. McClaughry led the conference with 162 defensive assists and posted a sparkling .983 fielding percentage on 229 total chances. His steady glove led the way for Arizona's improved defense that finished the regular season tied for second in the conference in fielding percentage following a ninth-place finish in 2022.
McClaughry's bat and presence on the base paths also earned him All-Conference honors. The California native posted career-best marks with a .327 batting average, 64 runs scored, 70 hits, five triples, and 33 RBI. His 64 runs scored ranked third in the Pac-12 this season. McClaughry also paced the team with seven stolen bases, two of which were straight steals of home against Top 25 teams on the road.
Bingham started in all but one game in center field for the Wildcats this season and posted a .367 batting average, a career-high and the second best mark on the team;Â his 83 hits led the conference. The junior also piled up 63 runs, 18 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, and 50 RBI, all of which were career bests. Defensively, Bingham posted a .973 fielding percentage and one outfield assist.
Davis slugged his way into the Arizona record books during the 2023 regular season, entering the Pac-12 Tournament with 19 home runs on the year and 37 for his career, marks that rank sixth in a single-season and third in career in program history, respectively. Davis led the team with a .371 batting average and added 65 runs scored, 15 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, 62 RBI, a .756 slugging percentage, and a .496 on-base percentage. The California native was also a force on defense for Arizona, posting a .961 fielding percentage, five outfield assists, and countless highlight reel catches.
Romero, in his first season with the Wildcats, has driven in an astounding 80 RBI, a mark that leads the Pac-12 and ranks tied for sixth in a single season in program history. Arizona's every day first baseman batted .346 with 54 runs, 17 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, a .706 slugging percentage, and a .438 on-base percentage. His 22 multi-RBI performances this year led the team and are the most by a Wildcat since 2019. Romero's defense was also crucial to Arizona's success, with his glove providing a .994 fielding percentage and countless runs saved on a team-leading 500 total chances.
Bullard finished his collegiate career with his best campaign yet, setting career-high marks with a .322 batting average, 35 runs, 57 hits, 12 doubles, 10 home runs, and 38 RBI. The Wildcats performance improved as the year went on and led the team when it mattered most, with his .364 batting average in Pac-12 games leading the squad. The senior third baseman contributed 16 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI performances to one of the nation's most dangerous offenses.
Arizona returns to action this morning with the opening game of the 2023 Pac-12 Baseball Tournament, a 10:00 a.m. MST first pitch against Arizona State on the Pac-12 Networks.
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