Three members of the UVA baseball team were named 2016 All-Americans by Baseball America Tuesday. Connor Jones (Jr., Chesapeake, Va.) and Matt Thaiss (Jr., Jackson, N.J.) were second-team honorees at starting pitcher and designated hitter, respectively, while Adam Haseley (So., Windermere, Fla.) was a third-team pick at utility.
UVA joined Clemson and Louisville as the most-represented teams on Baseball America’s All-America Team this year. With three honorees on the Baseball America team, UVA matched its most in a single season in program history (2010, 2011).
Thaiss earned All-America honors for the second straight season. He was a third-team selection by Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger and the NCBWA in 2015. A semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Johnny Bench Award, Thaiss led Virginia with a .375 batting average this season and also topped the team in home runs (10) and RBI (59) while ranking second in hits (87). The Cavaliers’ catcher starting in all 60 games, with 53 coming behind the plate, including each of Virginia’s final 29 games.
Jones was 11-1 with a 2.34 ERA in an ACC-best 103 2/3 innings as Virginia’s Friday starter this season. He allowed 85 hits and 38 walks while striking out 72. Also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy, Jones finished with three complete games and worked at least six innings in 11 of his 15 starts. In ACC play, Jones had a league-high nine wins and three complete games while limiting opponents to a .209 batting average.
Haseley was a two-way standout for Virginia. At the plate and as UVA’s center fielder, Haseley batted .304 with six home runs, 19 doubles and 37 RBI. He also scored 61 runs while playing in all 60 of the Cavaliers’ games. Haseley started 13 games on the mound, going 9-3 with a team-low 1.73 ERA. In 78 innings, he gave up 15 earned runs, 54 hits and 21 walks while holding opponents to a .194 batting average.
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