Austin Barnes went on to play collegiate baseball at Arizona State University after graduating from Riverside Poly. During his first year, he didn’t play much.
He played catcher and second base in 20 games, with one start as a designated hitter. Barnes had seven hits and a.412 average in his 17 at-bats. Barnes’ life began to alter as a sophomore.
He was summoned behind the plate when catchers Xorge Carrillo and Andrew Pollak were both injured during his second season. Barnes adapted well to his new position, catching 19 of the first 24 base runners he faced.
He also increased his batting average, completing the season with a.272 mark. Barnes was offered the option of returning to the infield for his junior season, but he chose to stay at catcher. His first home run of the season came in the seventh inning of an 8-1 victory over Arizona on March 27, 2011.
As the team’s main catcher, Barnes appeared in 43 games in 2011, starting 41 of them, and posted a.994 fielding percentage and.320 batting average while scoring 27 runs and driving in 15 others (RBIs). At the end of the season, he was also chosen to the All-Pac-10 First Team.
How Old Is Austin Barnes?
Austin Barnes is currently 32 years old.