16 Alex Avila

With a solid freshman season under his belt, Avila has improved his skills even more and should be a middle-of-the-lineup hitter in 2007.  He has also shown improved defensive skills.  He could play first base, third base or be the designated hitter this year.

FRESHMAN (2006):

Played in 60 games as a true freshman and made 55 starts, including 48 starts as the designated hitter
He finished his rookie season by hitting .271 (55-for-203) with five home runs and 40 RBI
He was third on the UA team and seventh in the SEC with 40 walks
Ranked fourth on UA team with 12 multi-RBI games
He played and started 28 SEC games and batted .301 (34-for-113) with two home runs and 26 RBI
Went 1-for-3 and scored two runs in his UA debut against Winthrop on Feb. 11
He went 3-for-4 with two RBI against Georgia on     Mar. 19, his first career multi-hit and multi-RBI game
Avila went 2-for-5 with two RBI in win over Lipscomb on March 29
Tallied first career four-hit game against LSU on April 16 as he went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, two doubles and one RBI in UA’s 17-6 win
He added two more hits and two RBI in 5-0 win over Mississippi Valley State on April 19
Avila reached base eight straight times (5 H, 2 BB, HBP) against LSU and Mississippi Valley State on April 16-19
He posted his best game of the season against Vanderbilt on April 22, with four hits, four runs scored and four RBI in the Crimson Tide’s 14-7 win
Also collected career-high three doubles in the win over Vanderbilt
Recorded game-winning, two-run double against UAB at Hoover Met on April 16
He went 2-for-5, with two RBI against Auburn on April 29
Posted career-high four RBI, including first-inning, two-run home run, in UA’s series-clinching win over Florida on May 14
Hit three-run home run against No. 5 North Carolina in NCAA Super Regional at Tuscaloosa on June 10. He finished the game with a career-high four RBI

PREP:

A 2005 graduate of Archbishop McCarthy High School in south Florida
He played three seasons at Archbishop McCarthy (2002, 2004-05) and one season at DeLaSalle High School (2003) in Warren, Michigan
Credited with the first home run in the history of Archbishop McCarthy HS
As a sophomore, he was an all-metro selection at DeLaSalle HS
As a junior at Archbishop McCarthy, he batted .342 with four home runs and 24 RBI
He played for coach Tony Messaro at Archbishop McCarthy
Drafted in the 34th round by the Detroit Tigers
 (pick #1020) in the 2005 MLB First-Year Player Draft
Participated in the Southeastern Showcase, Florida Diamond Club Showcase and Perfect Game Showcase during his high school career

PERSONAL:

Full name is Alexander Thomas Avila
Parents are Al and Yami Avila
He has one brother (Alan) and one sister (Annelisa)
His father is the Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the Detroit Tigers
BORN: January 27, 1987

University of Alabama Athletics

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