Mendoza selected as Second-Team Baseball All-American

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Angel Mendoza's superb senior season has earned him one more major accolade.

The Union baseball catcher's record-setting 2023 landed him a spot on the NAIA Second-Team All-American squad, it was announced Tuesday. 

"What a tremendous and well-deserved honor for Angel," Bulldog coach Chris Lewis said. "He is a special player on both sides of the ball but what really stands out is his humility and leadership. He is a tremendous teammate and has a servant's heart."

This comes after a spring when Mendoza led the Appalachian Athletic Conference and set a Union single-season record with 25 home runs. He also batted .404 while leading the AAC in slugging (.895) and on-base percentage (.551), helping him win the league's Player of the Year award, as well as a Golden Glove award from the catcher position.

Mendoza was instrumental in the Bulldogs winning the AAC Conference Tournament. It was the first league title and Player of the Year award won by Union since 2006.

Mendoza is just the second Bulldog to land on either the First- or Second-Team All-American squad since 2003 and the first since 2008, when Marty Popham was selected to the First-Team as a pitcher.

To see the complete NAIA All-American team, click here.