For Immediate Release

Rodney Nye named Hog Nation's 2003 Minor League Player of the Year

Hognation.net announced that Rodney Nye has been named the 2003 Hog Nation Minor League Player of the Year, an honor given each year to the former Razorback baseball player who accomplished the most in minor league baseball. The 2002 Award went to Cliff Lee, starter for the Cleveland Indians. The 2001 Award went to Eric Hinske who went on to become the starting third baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the 2002 AL Rookie of the Year.

In 2003 Rodney received a number of honors and awards. He was named the best defensive third baseman in the Eastern League by Baseball America, he was voted the team MVP by the Binghamton Mets players and the most popular player by the B-Mets fans. He was also awarded the team MVP by the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin.

Rodney finished the season with 41 doubles, just 1 shy of the franchise record. Rodney improved in every aspect of his game. His batting average improved 76 points, from .236 to .312. In 2003 he also had 10 home runs and 70 RBI in 138 games for the B-Mets. He missed just 3 of the 141 Binghamton Mets games this season, when he was called up for a brief stint at AAA Norfolk (his first ever) to sub for injured players. He set career highs for average, hits, doubles, triples, and RBI in 2003.

The Mets announced their Sterling Award winners, emblematic of the team MVP for each of their six minor league affiliates, on September 18. Nye won at Binghamton.

Rodney has been at Binghamton for the past three seasons, except for a short stint at AAA Norfolk. He was drafted in the seventh round in 1999 by the New York Mets. In his first season playing professionally, he won the Doubleday Award as Mets' MVP at short-season Pittsfield (NY-Penn League). If the Mets don't put him on the 40-man roster after this season, he'll be left exposed in the major-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

Rodney spent two years at the University of Arkansas, playing third base, first base, catcher and pitcher in his time in Fayetteville. He was a vital part of the Hogs' 1999 SEC Championship Team and was a member of the 1998 and 1999 All SEC Tournament Teams.

He was named Player of the Week three times this season by Hognation.net.

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