A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Eric Wedge of Wichita State University enters the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame as just the seventh to be honored in the sport of baseball. His collegiate career in Wichita spanned 1987-89.
Wedge, a phenomenal catcher and leader, was the driving force behind Wichita State’s first national championship team in 1989, as he earned first-team All-America honors and was the MVC Joe Carter Player of the Year after hitting .380 with 23 homers and 99 RBI. He was selected as the MVP in the West II Regional and earned a spot on the All-College World Series Team.
In 1989, Wedge helped the Shockers to a school-record 24-game winning streak, and was a finalist for the R.E. “Bob” Smith Award and Golden Spikes Award that year. Following the season he was drafted in the third round (83rd pick) by the Boston Red Sox and played four seasons in the majors with Boston and Colorado.
A two-time all-MVC selection, Wedge is a member of the Wichita State 25-Year Anniversary Team, the WSU Hall of Fame (1996) and is also a member of the league’s All-Centennial Baseball Team. In his three seasons at WSU, the Shockers reached three NCAA Tournaments and twice played in the College World Series (1988, 1989). WSU won three regular-season MVC crowns and two MVC Tournament crowns during his collegiate playing career.
In the Shocker career record books, Wedge is 23rd in doubles (54), 11th in home runs (45), 21st in RBI (206), 19th in total bases (454), 14th in slugging percentage (.588), and ninth in walks (173).
Named AL Manager of the Year in 2007, he had the Indians within one game of the World Series, falling to the eventual champion Boston Red Sox in seven games. Wedge managed the Cleveland Indians from 2003-09 and became manager of the Seattle Mariners in 2011. He is currently a player development advisor with the Toronto Blue Jays and has served as a studio analyst for ESPN.