TCCAA announces Baseball Awards, All-TCCAA Teams

On Friday, the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association announced their special awards and All-TCCAA teams for the 2024 baseball season.

Walters State's Deniel Ortiz was named the TCCAA Player of the Year, while teammate Karson Bonaparte was named the TCCAA Pitcher of the Year. Columbia State's Desi Ammons was named TCCAA Coach of the Year.

After a phenomenal freshman season, Ortiz was exceptional during his sophomore year in 2024. Ortiz finished the regular season with a .401 batting average, 18 homers and 61 RBI. Ortiz is first in the conference in home runs by six, first in runs batted in and second in batting average. Ortiz also leads the conference in OBP at .538 and in walks with 46. He's first in the conference with 70 runs, as well. 

Meanwhile, Bonaparte was named Pitcher of the Year following a 10-2 record on the mound. Bonaparte led the league in wins, in ERA at 2.85 and is fifth in the conference in strikeouts with 77 in 72.2 innings pitched. Bonaparte won seven games in conference play, as opposed to just one defeat. He has two complete game shutouts and has allowed just four home runs all year. 

Lastly, Ammons was named TCCAA Coach of the Year after an 11-win improvement from 2023 to 2024. Ammons' Columbia State team won 33 games this season and finished in second-place in the conference at 20-7. Columbia State finished 19-4 at home.

Named to the First Team All-TCCAA team were Dyersburg State's Enrique Alvarez at first base, Walters State's Logen Sutton, Chattanooga State's Cade Chamlee and Roane State's Myles Denton at third base, Columbia State's Braxton Baird at shortstop, Walters State's Jack Vogele, Keaton Ray and Nate Conner in the outfield, Walters State's Zion Taylor at DH, Walters State's Jarrett Martin at catcher, Columbia State's Cole O'Brien, Walters State's Manning West and Cleveland State's Cooper Casteel as starting pitchers and Walters State's Luke Ferguson as a relief pitcher. 

Named to the Second Team All-TCCAA team were Cleveland State's Riley Orr at first base, Chattanooga State's CJ Morro at second base, Columbia State's Charlie Davis at third base, Motlow State's Luke Johnson at shortstop, Columbia State's Jaxon Diamond, Chattanooga State's Brody Ballou and Cleveland State's Kain Collins in the outfield, Chattanooga State's Bryson Jenkins at DH, Dyersburg State's Parker Patterson at catcher, Cleveland State's Austin Breedlove, Chattanooga State's Zach Lear and Walters State's Taz Butler as starting pitchers and Southwest Tennessee's Wes Butler as a relief pitcher.