Beer named National Freshman of the Year
By: will-vandervort June 27, 2016

Clemson outfielder Seth Beer keeps racking up the hardware this off-season. On Monday, Baseball America named him their National Freshman of the Year. It’s the third major honor Beer has earned from the 2016 season.

Besides being a First-Team All-American selection, he has also became the first freshman in ACC history to win the conference’s Player of the Year Award and well as being its Rookie of the Year. On June 17, he was named the 30th recipient of the Dick Howser Trophy, presented annually to the National Player of the Year.

Beer was the first freshman to win the Howser Trophy as well. The Tigers’ right fielder had a standout season at Clemson under head coach Monte Lee in what should have been his senior year at Lambert High School. After enrolling at Clemson in January, he posted remarkable numbers.

In 2016, Beer batted .369 with 18 homers, 13 doubles, 70 RBIs, 57 runs, 62 walks, 15 hit-by-pitches, a .535 on-base percentage and six outfield assists in 62 games. He also had a .700 slugging percentage, the best mark by a Tiger since senior shortstop Khalil Greene had an .877 slugging percentage when he won the Dick Howser Trophy in 2002.

Beer, who will play for the USA Collegiate National Team this summer, became the third Tiger to win the Dick Howser Trophy, tying Texas for most players who won the national award. Junior righthander Kris Benson received the Dick Howser Trophy in 1996.

Beer led the Tigers to 44 wins, a top-eight national seed in the NCAA Tournament and Clemson’s first ACC championship in 10 years. A big reason for the team success was Beer’s ability to make others around him better, as he reached base at one of the best rates in school history. He totaled 77 combined walks and hit-by-pitches, as he reached base via a hit or walk in each of the last 60 games he had a plate appearance. The only game he did not was his first game of 2016. He also had a 26-game hitting streak, tied for fourth longest in school history.

TCI’s Clemson preseason magazine is now available.  Order your copy of Unfinished Business – An Insider Look at Clemson’s 2016 season today.

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