Consensus all-American Jared McKenzie leads Baylor baseball into 2022 season

Baseball fans love statistics, so here at the opening of a new Baylor baseball season, let’s start with some trivia: Who is Baylor’s all-time batting average leader?

Long-time Baylor fans might have guessed MLB standouts like David Murphy, Jason Jennings or Max Muncy — but the answer isn’t any of those Baylor greats from the past. It’s third-year sophomore Jared McKenzie, who in his first two seasons in the green and gold has hit an incredible .389 — starting with a .406 average in his COVID-shortened freshman season of 2020, and followed by a .383 mark that finished second in the Big 12 last season.

Such success has the Bears’ starting center fielder on the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award (baseball’s Heisman), named a consensus preseason all-American, unanimously selected to the preseason All-Big 12 team, and ranked among the top-25 college prospects for this spring’s MLB draft.

McKenzie is one of seven returning starters for the Bears, who are projected to make another NCAA tournament appearance this spring. Besides McKenzie, Baylor’s roster includes last year’s top starting pitcher, fifth-year senior Tyler Thomas, plus two 2021 All-Big 12 selections in second baseman Tre Richardson and shortstop Jacob Pineda.

Fans will have plenty of chances to see McKenzie and the Bears in action at Baylor Ballpark and beyond this season. The Bears’ first two weekends are at home against Maryland and Duke, followed by a trip to Houston’s Minute Maid Park, where Baylor will face three top-25 opponents in UCLA, Tennessee and LSU before beginning Big 12 play at home against TCU on March 18. Season and individual game tickets are now available!

Sic ’em, Baylor Baseball!