Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - Former Virginia Tech baseball player Chad Pinder, above shaking the hand of current Tech baseball coach John Szefc, returned to Blacksburg for the Georgia Tech football game and was recognized at halftime for his career accomplishments - both while at Tech and in Major League Baseball. Pinder just finished his third season with the A's and hit .258, with 13 homers and 27 RBI. His 77 hits this season were a career high. In early September, Major League Baseball announced Pinder was named the Athletics' 2018 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, the most prominent individual player award bestowed by MLB.
For the Hokies, Pinder played at Tech from 2011-13 and, as a junior, was the school's seventh highest MLB draft selection as the 71st pick in the 2013 draft. He was named All-ACC First Team in 2013, just the third Hokie ever, and was also an 2013 All-Tournament selection at both the ACC Championship and the NCAA Blacksburg Regional. For his Tech career, he was a career .322 hitter. CLICK HERE to see his full Tech bio.