The RoundHouse | 11/12/2020 3:34:00 PM

 
The Philadelphia Phillies last enjoyed a winning season in 2011 and 2020 added to that misery.
 
The bright spot was third baseman Alec Bohm, the former Wichita State third baseman now better known as a foundational player for the Phillies. Earlier this week, Bohm finished tied for second in the National League Rookie of Year voting, a high mark in the voting by any former Shocker.
 
"Bohm was easily the best thing that happened to the Phillies this year, batting .338 with a .400 on-base percentage and an .881 OPS, while proving once and for all that he could handle playing third base," wrote Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Pressure? Bring it on. Bohm hit .452 with runners in scoring position. Even as a wild-card spot spiraled away in the final week of the season, he was the Phillies' most dangerous hitter."
 
Milwaukee reliever Devin Williams won the award with 95 points and 14 first-place votes. Bohm recorded 74 points and nine first-place votes (to tie San Diego infielder Jake Cronenworth).
 
Bohm, from Omaha, ranked first among NL rookies (with a minimum 100 plate appearances) in batting average (.338), on-base percentage (.400), slugging percentage (.481), OPS (.881), hits (54) and RBIs. He joined the Phillies on Aug. 13 and played in 44 games during the pandemic-shortened season.
 
"The bigger he gets, the better he gets, he's going to be a possible MVP player for us," Bryce Harper told mlb.com in September. "I know that's high praise, but I believe in him as a player and person. It's kind of that little swing in a big man's body. His two-strike approach, the way he goes to right field and then hits homers to right and left, as well."
  
In 2004, former Shocker pitcher Nate Robertson finished in a three-way tie for eighth in American League voting with 1.0 vote points. Robertson went 12-10 for Detroit with a 4.90 ERA. According to baseball-reference.com, he is the only other Shocker to receive a Rookie of the Year vote.
 
The Phillies drafted Bohm third overall in 2018. He became Wichita State's first first-rounder since 2014 (first baseman Casey Gillaspie at No. 20 to Tampa Bay) and the highest pick since 1996 (Braden Looper, also at No. 3 to St. Louis). 
 
Bohm hit .339 with 16 home runs and .625 slugging percentage as a junior with the Shockers.
 
Former Shocker pitcher Codi Heuer also debuted in 2020. Heuer went 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA and a save in 21 games for the Chicago White Sox.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.