University of Tennessee Athletics
VFL Gomes Receives AL Silver Slugger Award
November 07, 2014 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Former Tennessee Volunteer and current Cleveland Indians catcher Yan Gomes has been named a recipient of the American League Silver Slugger Award, as announced on Thursday by Major League Baseball.
Gomes becomes the third former Vol to earn Silver Slugger honors since 2003, joining Tennessee Baseball Hall of Famer Todd Helton (2000-03) and current New York Yankees third baseman Chase Headley (2012).
This season, Gomes posted a .278 batting average over 135 games with the Indians, including a .313 on-base percentage and a .472 slugging percentage. He ranked first among American League catchers in slugging, WAR (4.6), runs scored (61) and OPS (.785). Gomes also ranked second in batting average and RBI with 74 on the year. His career high 21 homers ranked third among league catchers, while his 518 total plate appearances were also the fourth-most for an AL backstop.
As the lone catcher to receive the award in the American League, Gomes now stands as the first-ever Cleveland catcher to win the Silver Slugger Award outright. Former Indians catcher Victor Martinez also took home the shared honor in 2004, as Ivan Rodriguez was named a co-recipient of the Silver Slugger Award for Detroit that year.
Gomes does share Silver Slugger honors with fellow Cleveland teammate and outfielder Michael Brantley, marking the first pair of Indians players to receive Silver Slugger Awards since 2000, when Roberto Alomar and Manny Ramirez took home the honors.
Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 10th round of the June 2009 Draft, Gomes arrived in Cleveland via trade following the 2012 season. Over his last two seasons with Cleveland, the former Tennessee standout has compiled a .284 average with 32 home runs and 112 RBI in 223 games for the Indians.
During his time with the Vols, Gomes was named a Freshman All-American and SEC All-Freshman Team player in 2007, splitting time at the catcher and first base positions. While batting in the cleanup spot of the order, he hit .310 and ranked second on the team with 70 hits, eight homers and 47 RBI in 59 games. Gomes' 13 multi-hit games also led Tennessee's squad that season. From 2007-08, he hit .313 with 131 hits, 13 home runs and 82 RBI in 111 games for the Orange and White.
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