2020 would have been the 10th season of the Ohio Valley League and the ninth season for the Hoptown Hoppers. Both are expected to return strong in 2021 after COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the 2020 season.
YourSportsEdge.com has dug into the archives to present the Hoptown Hoppers All-Decade Team for 2012-19.
The biggest no-brainer on the All-Decade Team is first baseman Andrew Gross.
Less than a week into the season, Gross gave fans an idea of what was to come with an opposite field home run over the scoreboard in right field at Christian County’s Colonel Field.
Gross went on to hit 22 home runs for the Hoppers in the summer of 2016 — which is still a Hoppers record and an Ohio Valley League record. He did it in just 42 games. His 61 hits, .442 batting average, and incredible 1.007 slugging percentage also top the Hopper record book.
He had eight RBIs in a game against Fulton in the first week of the season and four home runs in a game against the Railroaders late in the season — again, Hopper records. He had six games of five RBIs or more and finished with 77 for the season. The next most by a Hopper player is 51.
After leaving the Hoppers, Gross was named the Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2017 after leading the conference with 16 home runs for the University of Houston-Victoria. He hit .404 that year and was named NAIA All-America Honorable Mention. His coach at UHV was former Houston Astro outfielder Terry Puhl.
Despite the big numbers in his career, Gross wasn’t taken in the MLB Draft. He did attend a pre-draft workout for the Astros.
HOPTOWN HOPPERS ALL-DECADE TEAM
1B – Andrew Gross [2016]
OF – Ernie De La Trinidad [2015]
