T.J. Collett Named Perfect Game National Player of the Week
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky first baseman T.J. Collett has been named National Player of the Week by Perfect Game, it was announced on Tuesday. It is the second national recognition of the week for the senior first baseman.
Collett previously was named the Southeastern Conference co-Player of the Week and a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball.
Collett had a sensational week, batting .455 with six extra-base hits (three doubles, three home runs) among his 10 total hits, seven runs and 13 RBI. He led all SEC players in RBI and total bases (22) and ranked second in hits and home runs. He slugged 1.000 as part of an absurd 1.478 OPS in five games.
The senior from Terre Haute, Indiana got off to a great start when he belted home runs in back-to-back at-bats against Cincinnati, the first time in his career he hit multiple home runs in a game. Twice during the week he went back-to-back with a teammate, doing so with Oraj Anu vs. Cincinnati and Austin Schultz vs. Oakland on Sunday.
For the week, he recorded four multi-hit and four multi-RBI games. He was especially ruthless in Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of Oakland, driving in seven runs and scoring four on two doubles and a home run. He also became the 53rd player in UK history to reach 100 career hits when he doubled against Norfolk State on Saturday.
Collett, who is playing first base this season after spending three seasons exclusively at designated hitter, also was named SEC Player of the Week last season when he hit game-winning home runs in both games of a doubleheader sweep at No. 10 Ole Miss on April 14.
On the season, Collett is batting .313 with 13 runs, five doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI. He also has made just one error in 126 chances in the field.
