DURHAM, N.C. — Aaron Hill picked up yet another honor on Thursday, as Baseball America magazine named the LSU shortstop to its first team All-America squad, making Hill the 15th Fighting Tiger to earn first team All-American honors in baseball.
Hill, a native of Visalia, Calif., was previously named as a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, the American Baseball Coaches Association and ESPN/USA Today Sports Weekly, while earning third team recognition from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association.
Hill, who signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday as the club’s first round selection (13th overall) in the Major League Baseball draft on June 3, finished his career last weekend at the College World Series in Omaha after the Tigers lost to Cal St. Fullerton and South Carolina. Hill batted .335 for his three-year career with 23 home runs, 150 RBI, 141 runs scored and 208 hits. His 50 doubles rank him seventh on the LSU career list.
As a junior, Hill batted .358 with nine home runs, 68 runs scored, 67 RBI and 27 doubles, the second highest single season total for doubles by an LSU player. Hill was named the Southeastern Conference Position Player of the Year, and also earned all-tournament team recognition at the SEC Tournament and the Baton Rouge regional.
Hill’s biggest game this season came on April 5 against South Carolina, when Hill went 5-for-5 and hit for the cycle, becoming the first LSU player in six years to pull off that feat.
Second baseman Rickie Weeks of cross-town rival Southern was named the magazine’s Player of the Year on Wednesday. A third Louisiana college player, first baseman Michael Aubrey of Tulane, joins Hill and Weeks on the squad.
Hill becomes the ninth different player to earn first team All-America honors from Baseball America. Here is a complete list of first team All-Americans from LSU since Baseball America’s inception in 1981:
2003 — Aaron Hill, SS
2000 — Brad Cresse, C
1999 — Kurt Ainsworth, RHP
1998 — Eddy Furniss, 1B
1997 — Brandon Larson, SS
1996 — Eddy Furniss, 1B
1994 — Todd Walker, 2B
1993 — Todd Walker, 2B
1992 — Lloyd Peever, RHP
1990 — Wes Grisham, OF
1989 — Ben McDonald, RHP (Player of the Year)
1988 — Ben McDonald, RHP