A.J. Van Slyke

2005 (Junior): Summer All-American (Baseball America) … MVP of the Central Illinois Collegiate Baseball League … Hit a grand slam against UNC on Feb. 25 … Connected on an 11th-inning walk-off solo home run against UNC on Feb. 26 … Two-time Big 12 Player of the Week (March 1 & April 26).

Summer 2004: Selected by Baseball America as a summer All-American following his strong performance with the Bluff City Bombers of the Central Illinois Collegiate League … Named the CLCL MVP after leading the league in batting average (.402), slugging percentage (.667), home runs (9) and finishing second in RBI (40), doubles (15) and stolen bases (19).

2004 (Sophomore): Played in 36 games as a junior, starting 19 (eight in right field, six as designated hitter, four in left field and one in center field) … Led the team with a .360 batting average, including a .400 clip in conference play … Also led the team with a .461 on base percentage … Hit two home runs and drove in eight runs … Was 2-of-3 on stolen base attempts.

Liberty University: Played the 2003 season at Liberty University and chose to transfer to Kansas after the fall semester.

High School: Earned a total of 10 letters in three sports at John Burroughs High School in Ladue, Mo. … Was named All-State in baseball as a junior and senior… Selected as the ABC League[apos]s MVP as a senior … Named the St. Louis Post-Dipatch[apos]s Offensive Player of the Year as a senior … Helped Burroughs HS earn a first place finish in the state baseball championships as a senior and third place as a junior … Was a National Merit Scholar semi-finalist as a senior.

Personal: Born Nov. 19, 1983 in St. Louis, Mo. … Parents are Andy and Lauri Van Slyke … Majoring in business … His father, Andy, played 14 seasons in the Major Leagues including stints with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies.