Former North Carolina A&T Aggie outfielder Luke Tendler, drafted out of N.C. A&T in 2014, had a breakout year in 2016 for the Texas Rangers top A minor league team. Led that league in numerous offensive categories. Tendler, a former All-American baseball player at N.C. A&T, is off to a fast start in his professional career.
Tendler led the Aggies in batting in three out of the four seasons he played (2011-14), while starting 199 out of the 200 games played at A&T. He was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, a Louisville Slugger third-team All-American as a junior and he was named MEAC Preseason Player of the Year in 2013.
Tendler won the Coastal Plain League Batting title in 2013. A career .349 hitter with 24 home runs and 179 RBI. He also finished with 66 doubles, 15 triples and a .561 slugging percentage. As a junior, fourth in the nation in doubles per game.
Drafted 2014 in the 29th round 876 pick by the Rangers. Tendler has had a stellar start to his professional career. Through 3 professional seasons career .288 hitter. With the Rangers top High Desert Mavericks Class A minor league affiliate in 2016, his best year to date: .297 38 2Bs, 23 HRs, 97 RBIs, .908 OPS. In California League 2016 1st in league in RBIs, 4th in league in HRs, 4th in league in OPS, 2nd in league in 2Bs, top 10 in league in average.
Scouts are high on Tendler from his speed, athleticism, good plate presence. All indication from scouting reports, Tendler start the 2017 season in double AA ball.