The Coastal Plain League announced today that Austin Pharr (picture taken by Hayley Morgan) of the High Point-Thomasville HiToms has been named the 2018 CPL Hitter of the Year. This was the second-consecutive season that a HiTom has earned Hitter of the Year honors, after Evan Edwards (NC State) did so in 2017.
Standing at 6-1, 190, Pharr was first in the CPL with a .742 slugging percentage (good for second best in CPL history), first in total bases (118), and first in runs batted in (49). Meanwhile he finished the season second in home runs (15) and second in runs scored (43), while coming in at fourth in batting average (.352) and hits (56.) In addition to those numbers the Columbus State junior notched 11 doubles and three triples in 38 games played for the HiToms during the regular season.
His work earned him a spot in the 2018 CPL All-Star Show hosted by the Lexington County Blowfish July 8-9 in Lexington, S.C. where Pharr helped the National All-Stars to a 9-4 victory over the American side. He was also recently named a First-Team All-CPL performer, with the rest of the selections being announced later this week. All player awards are selected after gathering feedback from coaches as well as team and league officials.
His presence helped the HiToms to the First-Half West Division Championship, the West Division Championship and a SouthWest Region Championship on their way to the Petitt Cup Championship Series where they eventually fell to the Morehead City Marlins. He more than built on his impressive regular season, somehow putting up even more impressive numbers with a .412 batting average, four home runs, two doubles and a ridiculous 1.235 slugging percentage across four games and 17 at-bats. Included in that was a three home run performance in Game One of the Championship Series:
About Coastal Plain League:
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Heading into its 22nd season in 2018, the CPL features 16 franchises playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. To date, the CPL has had over 1,450 alumni drafted and 116 alums – including 2017 ALCS MVP, 2017 World Series champion, 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander, as well as 2017 NLCS MVP Chris Taylor – make their Major League debut. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @CPLBaseball.