Texas Tech senior first baseman Eric Gutierrez joined elite company in the history of the Red Raider baseball program on Tuesday as he was named a first-team All-American by Baseball America.
Gutierrez, the Big 12 Player of the Year, becomes the 12th player in school history to garner first team All-American honors and the first since Josh Brady was recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) in 2004.
He joins the likes Ryan Nye (1994), Jason Totman (1995), Clint Bryant (1995-96), Matt Kastelic (1996), Keith Ginter (1997), Joe Dillon (1997), Josh Bard (1998-99) and Brady (2004) as Red Raider hitters who have earned first team All-American honors.
This is the second All-America accolade for Gutierrez over the past week as he previously garnered second-team honors last Thursday from Collegiate Baseball. He is the 33rd Red Raider in school history to be named an All-American.
Backed by Gutierrez’ bat in the middle of the Tech lineup, the Red Raiders have featured one of the most powerful offenses in the country this season as Tech enters this weekend’s NCAA Lubbock Super Regional averaging just over seven runs per game.
Gutierrez is in the midst of one of the best offensive seasons of his career as he is hitting .330 overall to go along with 12 home runs and 53 RBI. He is one of three Red Raiders with at least 50 RBI this season, joining both Cory Raley (52) and Tyler Neslony (54).
Gutierrez, a native of Mission, Texas, currently ranks among the Big 12 leaders in home runs (12), runs scored (51), RBI (53), total bases (125), walks (38), on-base percentage (.460) and slugging percentage (.590).
His strong season at the plate has bolstered Gutierrez’ legacy among the top hitters in school history as he currently ranks among the top five in nearly every offensive category in the Tech record book. He has started in all 238 games of his career which is two shy of Bryant’s school record of 240.
Gutierrez and the Red Raiders continue their postseason run this weekend with the NCAA Lubbock Super Regional against East Carolina. The series begins with a 7 p.m. first pitch Friday evening inside Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.
TEXAS TECH FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
Doug Ault – 1972 (ABCA)
Ryan Nye – 1994 (ABCA/NCBWA/USA Today)
Jason Totman – 1995 (ABCA/Collegiate Baseball/NCBWA)
Clint Bryant – 1995 (Collegiate Baseball/NCBWA/Baseball America)
Clint Bryant – 1996 (ABCA/NCBWA)
Matt Kastelic – 1996 (Baseball America)
Jason Gooding – 1997 (ABCA/Collegiate Baseball/NCBWA)
Keith Ginter – 1997 (ABCA/Collegiate Baseball/NCBWA/Sporting News)
Joe Dillon – 1997 (NCBWA/Sporting News)
Shane Wright – 1998 (ABCA/Collegiate Baseball/NCBWA)
Josh Bard – 1998 (ABCA)
Josh Bard – 1999 (ABCA/NCBWA/Baseball America)
Josh Brady – 2004 (ABCA)
Eric Gutierrez – 2016 (Baseball America)
(Press Release Provided by Texas Tech Athletics)
