David Price, starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, will be presented the American Baseball Coaches Association's Honor Award at the ABCA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, on Jan. 9, 2016. The former Vanderbilt standout and 2012 American League Cy Young award winner is also the founder of Project One Four, a charitable organization that supports the Middle Tennessee area.
The Honor Award is presented each year to individuals involved in baseball, who have distinguished themselves and are recognized for achievements in their profession. The five-time All-Star will be presented the award and will speak during the Honors Luncheon on Jan. 9, 2016 at the ABCA Convention.
Price, who was selected with the first overall pick in the 2007 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, is regarded as one of the best pitchers in the game. In seven full seasons, Price has amassed over 1,300 strikeouts, including a league-leading 271 in 2014, and his career 3.09 ERA ranks fourth among active pitchers.
Averaging just under 15 wins per season, Price has collected an impressive 104 victories in his young career, with 20 of those wins coming in 2012. After leading the American League in wins, Price finished the 2012 season with a league-leading 2.56 ERA and 205 strikeouts, earning himself the American League Cy Young Award.
Prior to his arrival in the big leagues, Price was a first-team ABCA/Rawlings All-American pitcher at Vanderbilt University where he played under 2014 ABCA President Tim Corbin. The 2007 season, Price's last at Vanderbilt, saw him collect 11 victories, set the school record for strikeouts in a season (194), and win the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Bat Award as the NCAA Div. I Player of the Year. Price also took home both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
Price, who holds the career strikeout record at Vanderbilt (441), is set to be inducted into the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame in January.
Price's contributions to the game of baseball however reach beyond the field. In 2008, Price founded Project One Four, a charitable organization that supports the Middle Tennessee area, where Price is from. Price's foundation sponsors hard-working, dedicated organizations that make an impact on children's lives by providing a supportive environment to grow and learn.
Since 2008, Project One Four has raised over $415,660 to support local communities. Price's foundation is currently working to raise enough money to build a Miracle Field in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Price's hometown. In partnership with The Miracle League, the specially designed, rubberized field would allow disabled children and adults to safely participate in baseball.