McDonald Named CPL Offensive Player-of-the-Year
August 16, 2011 | Baseball
Aug. 16, 2011
HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. - The Coastal Plain League announced today that Chase McDonald of the Morehead City Marlins has been named the 2011 Rawlings CPL Offensive Player-of-the-Year as voted upon by the CPL head coaches.
A freshman from East Carolina, McDonald was an offensive machine for head coach Jay Bergman and the 2011 Marlins. He finished the season leading the league in batting average (.403), RBIs (51), slugging percentage (.663) and on-base percentage (.469). McDonald also was second in the league in home runs (13) and total bases (120), while his 73 hits was the third-best mark in the CPL during 2011. He also had eight doubles, scored 36 runs and was walked 22 times.
McDonald's 51 RBIs tied the league's single-season record set by Rocky Mount's Jason Dubois in 1998. His .403 average is the second-highest mark in league history, and furthermore marks only the second time in CPL history that a player finished batting .400 or better in the regular season. Meanwhile, he also ranks among the Top 10 in several CPL single-season categories, including being second in slugging percentage (.663), tied for fourth in both total bases (120) and home runs (13), tied for sixth in hits (73) and seventh in on-base percentage (.469).
Numbers like those saw McDonald named the starting first baseman for the 2011 National CPL All-Stars. In the CPL All-Star Game, he went 1-for-2 with an RBI. McDonald was also selected as the league's Player of the Week after week two of the regular season. That week, he batted .636 in five starts, and led the league with 14 hits, including three doubles and a homer. He racked up nine RBIs - the second most in the league on the week - scored five runs and drew a walk. McDonald was also first in the league in on-base percentage that week with a .625 mark, second in slugging (.909) and third in total bases (20).
The Marlins finished the season 27-29 and were among three teams still alive for the last spot in the 2011 Petitt Cup Playoffs heading down to the last day of the regular season.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 15th season in 2011, the CPL features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 930 alumni drafted and 46 alums make their Major League debut thus far.
