| Sophomore Tim Palincsar became the 29th player in UTSA history to advance to the MLB's minor league level. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Sophomore designated hitter Tim Palincsar, who was a 40th-round draft pick in June's Major League Baseball Draft, agreed to terms with the Cleveland Indians late Tuesday night. The third Roadrunner to move on to minor league level this summer, he will begin his professional career next month in the Arizona Instructional League.
"I am excited to get my professional career underway," Palincsar said. "This has been a life-long dream of mine and I'm looking forward to playing for the Indians organization. UTSA gave me the chance to show what I could do and I owe everything to the coaching staff. They care about what you do both on and off the field and prepare us to become better men when our careers are over. I know that sounds clich?, but I can't thank them enough for that."
"I am disappointed to see Tim go, especially this late in the summer, but he received a great offer and opportunity to continue his playing career at the professional level," head coach Sherman Corbett said. "He felt it was in his best interest to go and I supported him in that decision. We wish him the best and hope he has a long and prosperous career."
Palincsar, a 2008 second-team All-SLC choice, proved his 2007 Freshman All-America campaign was no fluke, again posting outstanding statistics out of the two-hole. He hit safely in 11 of his first dozen games to open the season and never looked back.
The College Station native finished the campaign with a .350 batting average and .459 on-base percentage, ranked second on the team with 62 runs scored (No. 4 UTSA history) and 42 walks and also stroked 14 doubles, a triple and eight homers to go along with 52 RBIs. He teamed with junior center fielder Michael Rockett and senior first baseman Trent Lockwood, the Roadrunners' 2-3-4 hitters, for 48 percent (199) of the team's school-record 419 RBIs this year.
Palincsar was a .321 hitter with eight doubles, a triple, five long balls and 25 RBIs in league action. He also drew 23 base on balls and reached base 44 percent of the time.
He started 114 games during his three-year career and hit .324 with 27 doubles, eight triples, 23 home runs, 146 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. His average ranks in a sixth-place tie on the school's all-time list.
With his signing, Palincsar becomes the 29th Roadrunner to advance to the MLB's minor league level and 16th under Corbett.