Former Baron, Alabama Native Tim Anderson Wins AL Batting Title

CHICAGO, IL — The Birmingham Barons have a long and prestigious history of sending top-notch ballplayers to Major League Baseball. The list of former Birmingham players in the Baseball Hall of Fame is impressive, but the list of former Birmingham players with a batting title on their resume is surprisingly short — but just became one name longer this season.

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who is a Tuscaloosa native in addition to being a former Birmingham Barons player, finishes the 2019 season as the American League batting champion, posting a .335 batting average. That total was good enough to lead all players in MLB.

Anderson was drafted 17th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2013 MLB Draft. After spending his first two seasons in Minor League Baseball with the Kannapolis Intimidators and Winston-Salem Dash, Anderson made his debut for the Barons in late August of 2014. Anderson would return to the Barons roster for the 2015 season where he would hit .312, while recording 160 hits, 46 RBIs, five home runs, 49 stolen bases, and 21 doubles in 125 games.

During the 2015 season Anderson would be selected as one of four members from the Barons squad to represent the Northern Division in the Southern League All-Star game. Listed as the No. 1 prospect for the White Sox at the time, Anderson would go 2-for-3 with a double, triple and an RBI. His dominant performance in the 2015 Southern League All-Star Game would earn him the Most Valuable Player award.

Former Birmingham players to win a Batting League title include:

American League
· 2007 - Magglio Ordonez (DET) with a .351 batting average
· 1997 - Frank Thomas (CWS) with a .347 batting average

National League
· 1954 - Willie Mays (NYG) with a .345 batting average