Minnich Named 2012 National Player of the Year

Senior first baseman Nathan Minnich (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro Area Sr.) of the Shepherd University baseball team was selected as the winner of the 2012 Tino Martinez Award as the most outstanding player in DII college baseball. Minnich won a total of five national player of the year honors in 2012. He added Rawlings/ABCA Division II Player of the Year, NCBWA Division II Player of the Year, Ron Lenz (Daktronics) Player of the Year, and D2Baseball News.com Player of the Year accolades.

Minnich was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eighth round of the Major League Baseball Draft. Minnich, the 271st overall pick, was the first Shepherd baseball player to be selected in the draft after playing for the Rams. 

Minnich finished the season batting .487 (74 for 152) with 21 home runs, 12 doubles and 72 RBIs, while racking up a .980 slugging percentage. He led the country in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, walks per game, and RBIs. He also ranked second in batting average and home runs and finished ranking third in runs scored per game.