RELEASE: Bailey Claims Fifth Freshman All-American Honor

DURHAM, N.C. – NC State baseball’s Patrick Bailey has secured his fifth Freshman All-America honor, as he was named a First Team selection by Baseball America on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Wolfpack catcher has now claimed Freshman All-America from all five publications to have announced the award, including Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and Perfect Game. 

Bailey earned first team honors by every outlet with the distinction, as Collegiate Baseball does not award team distinctions. He is the only ACC player on the Baseball America First Team Freshman All-America.

He becomes the first NC State player since Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner in 2012 to earn Freshman All-America from every publication.

The Greensboro, N.C., native turned in a stellar rookie season with the Pack to claim ACC Freshman of the Year. Bailey led all freshmen in the ACC in batting average (.321), home runs (13), total bases (113) and slugging percentage (.604).

He was tabbed a Second Team All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman Team selection, in addition to being an American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Region honoree. Bailey set the NC State freshman home run record with 13 long balls in his initial season, eclipsing the previous mark of 12 held by Colt Morton. 

The switch-hitting catcher made history against William & Mary, when he became the first Wolfpack player to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game. He hit a solo homer from the right side of the plate in the second inning and a solo homer from the left side of the plate in the eighth inning.

Bailey’s .604 slugging percentage led the Pack, was the fourth highest in the ACC and best for a freshman. He started 50 of the 54 games he played, tallying two multi-home run games as he left the yard twice in NC State’s 9-3 win against Northeastern in the NCAA Regional.

He logged the second most multi-hit games on the team with 21 and also contributed 11 multi-RBI games, highlighted by two games with five or more RBIs. Bailey threw out 11 runners on the base paths and recorded a .983 fielding percentage.

NC State finished the 2018 season with a 42-18 overall record and matched the program record with 19 ACC wins. The Wolfpack hosted an NCAA Regional for the sixth time and advanced to the NCAA Regional Final.