Trinkwon records a hit, going 4-4 at the plate in a 13-4 win against Glens Falls on 6/19/11
Brandon Trinkwon arrived in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League in the summer of 2011 following his freshmen season at the University of California Santa Barbara. Trinkwon, a highly-lauded high school infielder from Tustin, Calif. had started 21 games in the spring for the Big West’s Gauchos.
Upon arriving in the Capital District, Trinkwon became the lead-off hitter for Nick Davey’s Albany Dutchmen. The rising sophomore played both middle infield positions and was a fixture at the top of the Albany line-up card. The then 19-year-old appeared in 32 games for the Dutchmen and posted a .299 batting average. He registered over a hit per game with 35 hits in 32 contests. Trinkwon added 17 walks as a lead-off hitter and stole 14 bases. He finished second on the team in batting average and stolen bases, tied for second in hits and was third in walks. Defensively, he committed just four errors in 141 chances (.972 fielding percentage) and took part in 22 double plays.
The 19-year-old was one of seven Albany players selected to compete in the inaugural PGCBL All-Star Game in Elmira, N.Y. Trinkwon started the All-Star Game at second base and he was the first batter in PGCBL All-Star Game history. Trinkwon and the PGCBL East defeated the PGCBL West, 7-4, on July 18, 2011 at Elmira's Dunn Field.
Following the conclusion of the 2011 summer season, Trinkwon was one of 20 players named to the PGCBL’s Rising Stars team, a PGCBL postseason all-star squad comprised exclusively of collegiate freshmen, redshirt freshmen and high school seniors.
The Tustin, Calif., native returned to UCSB and earned the Gauchos starting shortstop job. As a sophomore, Trinkwon enjoyed a breakout season in which he played 56 games and amassed a Big West Conference leading .460 on-base percentage. Trinkwon mashed out 70 hits including 17 doubles, three triples and two home runs and he drew a team high 40 walks in 56 games. The sophomore slugger, who batted in UCSB’s three slot, recorded a .347 batting average which was tied for second best on the team and good enough for fifth in the Big West. At the end of the season, Trinkwon earned recognition from the conference as he was named All-Big West second team.
Last summer, Trinkwon returned to the Northeast as a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Hyannis Harbor Hawks. The UCSB product was one of the top hitters for the Harbor Hawks and one of the top overall hitters on the Cape. Trinkwon batted .301 over 40 games with six home runs and 33 RBI. He tallied 50 hits including 10 doubles and scored 27 runs. One of his six home runs was a grand slam on July 5 in a 14-3 victory over Cotuit. Brandon led all Hyannis hitters in RBI and tied for the team lead in overall hits and home runs. He was second on the Harbor Hawks in batting average and runs scored. At the league level, Trinkwon was one of 20 qualifying hitters to record a batting average of .300 or higher. He ended the summer in the Cape League’s top 10 in total hits and runs batted in.
Trinkwon was one of five Hyannis players selected to compete in the 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game for the West Division all-stars. He started the game at shortstop and went on to play the entire nine-inning contest which ended in a 1-1 tie. The Hyannis middle infielder was also ranked by Perfect Game USA as one of the top 100 professional prospects on the Cape last summer.
The 20-year-old UCSB shortstop will be eligible for the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He is projected to be the starting shortstop again for the Gauchos this spring.
