CARSON -- About to embark on game two tonight of the biggest series of his college career as Cal State Dominguez Hills fights for a berth in the upcoming CCAA Championship Tournament, senior Kamran Young has been named one of just 30 semifinalists for the 2015 D2 Baseball News Tino Martinez Award, an annual honor named after former University of Tampa Spartan, Olympian and MLB All-Star Tino Martinez that is bestowed upon Division II's Most Outstanding Player.The winner of the 2015 Tino Martinez Award will be named Monday, June 1st following the Division II Championships which will held in Cary, NC. The finalists will be revealed prior to the beginning of the DII finals.
Previous Tino Martinez Award Winners
2014 - Austin Kaiser, Colorado Mesa Mavs
2013 – Harmen Sidhu, Sonoma State Seawolves
2012 - Nathan Minnich, Shepherd Rams
2011 - Chase Larsson, Cameron Aggies
2010 - Bryan Fogle, Erskine Flying Fleet
The Tino Martinez Award is named after the former University of Tampa Spartan, United States Olympian, first round draft pick and MLB All-Star, Tino Martinez. Martinez was a three-time All-American and still holds a number of UT records including career home runs (54), career slugging percentage (.736), career on base percentage (.494), single season batting average (.452) and single season slugging percentage (.957).
While he wore a Spartan uniform Tampa advanced to their first NCAA Division II National Championships (1986 and '87) and won their first of twelve SSC Championships ('87). Martinez was elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013. Current LSU head coach Paul Mainieri has been quoted as stating Martinez was, "the best player I've ever coached against."
Here's a list of those nominated.
