Tommy “Tanks” White has put together a remarkable freshman college baseball season for the NC State Wolfpack, and on Saturday he secured a freshman record for his slugging prowess. And he did it in a very important game, too.
In the first inning of the ACC Championship semifinal against Pittsburgh, White crushed a solo home run — 412 feet, 106 mph exit velocity — over the right-center field wall to give NC State an early 2-0 lead.
It’s home run No. 27 on the season for White, and that’s officially the NCAA Baseball freshman record.
With his 27th HR of the season, @tommywhite44 officially sets the #NCAABaseball freshman record. The previous record of 26 had stood since 1990.
🎥 @ACCBaseball @NCStateBaseball pic.twitter.com/aCgE2oLZLc
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) May 28, 2022
The new NCAA freshman home run record holder. pic.twitter.com/ErPO03DDBg
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) May 28, 2022
That’s both incredible power and a great piece of hitting, especially from a freshman.
Former major-league catcher Todd Greene had the previous record of 26 home runs as a freshman with Georgia Southern in 1990.
White still has a chance to reach the BBCOR composite bat era (2011) record of home runs by any college baseball player, which is 31 homers, set by current MLB star Kris Bryant with the University of San Diego in 2013.
Breaks the 32-year-old NCAA record for most homers by a freshman. Tommy White now stands alone. And he’s not done yet — still could make a run at Kris Bryant’s BBCOR-era record of 31 homers. https://t.co/bAs2QdjmBa
— Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt) May 28, 2022
The 6’0″, 242-pounder is just getting started in his college baseball career, and maybe we’ll see him hitting him bombs in the majors one day too.
[Photo Credit: ACC Network; ESPN Plus]
