Athletic Hall of Fame

Brian Bixler

Sport(s): Baseball

Induction Class: 2017

Earned three letters in baseball from 2002-2004; Named Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year in 2002; Earned All-American honors by Louisville Slugger as a freshman; Named to the MAC All-Tournament Team in 2003 and 2004, earning Most Valuable Player in 2003; Awarded All-MAC First Team, NCAA All-Region First Team, and Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American as a junior; Voted MAC Player of the Year in 2004; Earned Academic All-District First Team and Academic All-American Second Team honors in 2004; Set MAC records, in 2004, for longest hitting streak (34 games) and hits (110); Ranked third in the NCAA Division I in batting average (.453), second in hits (110), and third in on-base percentage in 2004; Leads the EMU record books for a single season in hits with 110 (2004), runs scored with 74 (2004) and batting average with .453 (2004); Finished career in the top-10 all-time records for hits (258), RBIs (123), runs scored (194), triples (10), stolen bases (64), home runs (30), and batting average (.366); Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round, 52nd overall pick, of the 2004 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft from EMU; Won a Gold Medal representing the United States in the 2007 Baseball World Cup in Taiwan; Played professionally for 11 years with various organizations including the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cleveland Indians, the Washington Nationals, the Houston Astros, the New York Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the San Diego Padres; Played in the major leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2008-2009), the Washington Nationals (2011), and the Houston Astros (2012)

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