We have reached the end of the minor league hitters with this one- highest batting averages in one season. For clarification, batters needed 400 plate appearances to have their BA included….

2006-2017
1 Collin Cowgill Covington ’05 2011 0.354
2 James McOwen Luray ’05-06 2009 0.340
3 Clint Robinson Harrisonburg ’05-06 2010 0.335
4 John Raynor New Market ’04 2007 0.333
Tyler Kuhn Luray ’06-07 2011 0.333
6 Clint Robinson Harrisonburg ’05-06 2011 0.326
7 Tyler White Haymarket ’10 2015 0.325
8 Jeff Kindel Covington ’03 2007 0.317
9 Tyson Auer Luray ’05-06 2010 0.316
10 Ryan McBroom Haymarket ’11-’12 2015 0.315

It’s easy to forget, perhaps because Collin Cowgill was never able to break through to become a regular in the majors (although he played in 317 career major league games), but he was an excellent hitter, especially in 2011, when he had the highest single season batting average since 2006. In Triple-A Reno, Collin hit 354/430/554, with 95 runs, 140 hits, 24 doubles, 8 triples, 13 home runs, 70 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, and a 51/63 BB/K ratio. Not so coincidentally, Collin made his major league debut that year as well.

All-Time
1 Gene Richards 1975 0.381
2 Luis Lopez Winchester ’92-3 1997 0.358
3 Collin Cowgill Covington ’05 2011 0.354
4 Billy Sample Harrisonburg ’75 1978 0.352
5 John Kruk New Market ’81 1985 0.351
6 Billy Sample Harrisonburg ’75 1977 0.348
7 Talmadge Nunnari Harrisonburg ’96 1999 0.344
Chad Tracy Staunton ’99 2002 0.344
9 John Kruk New Market ’81 1983 0.341
10 James McOwen Luray ’05-06 2009 0.340
11 Nick Stavinoha Front Royal ’03 2008 0.337
12 Clint Robinson Harrisonburg ’05-06 2010 0.335
13 John Raynor New Market ’04 2007 0.333
Tyler Kuhn Luray ’06-07 2011 0.333
15 Gene Richards 1976 0.331
Juan Pierre Harrisonburg ’97 2000 0.331
17 Emil Brown Waynesboro ’94 1998 0.330
18 Kevin Reese Winchester ’98 2001 0.329
19 Luis Lopez Winchester ’92-3 2000 0.328
Ryan Shealy Harrisonburg ’99 2005 0.328

Interesting how almost all of these players played at least a little bit in the major leagues? “Hitting your way to the majors” is a real thing.

That wraps things up for the minor league hitters. We will next turn our attention to four categories for minor league pitchers….

Collin-Cowgill
Collin Cowgill when he played for the Angels