Baseball

Foster is Second Team, Hoffman and Wagner are Third Team, on ABCA All-Region

American Baseball Coaches Association logo next to a baseball
Posted: May 30, 2024

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Three Willamette University baseball players have been named All-Region 10 as voted on by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for the 2024 season. Tassos Foster (Sr., Novato, CA/Novato HS) was selected Second Team All-Region at second base, while Jeff Hoffman (Sr., Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) was chosen Third Team All-Region at third base, and Layton Wagner (Grad., RHP, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) was named Third Team All-Region as a pitcher.

The All-Region 10 Team included a total of 50 players. The First Team included 15 players, with the Second Team featuring 18 players, and the Third Team featuring 17 players.

Willamette placed second in the Northwest Conference in the regular season, won the NWC Tournament Championship, and qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Bearcats finished 29-16 overall, including 15-9 in the NWC. Willamette fell to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Calif.), 3-1, in a best-of-five NCAA Regional series in Claremont, California.

For the season, the Bearcats hit .296 while pounding 90 doubles, seven triples, and 49 homers. Willamette averaged 8.1 runs per game and achieved a .410 team on-base percentage. During the season, the Bearcats accumulated 461 hits and 236 walks. Bearcats on the pitching staff combined for a 4.47 team earned run average to go along with 379 strikeouts in 395 innings. On defense, Willamette registered a .959 team fielding percentage.

Second Team All-Region 10

Headshot of Tassos Foster Tassos Foster (Sr., 2B) was named Second Team All-Region 10 by the ABCA for the first time. He was selected Third Team All-Region 10 by D3baseball.com, and was chosen Second Team All-NWC. He hit .350 for the season and was a key player at the top of the lineup. During one portion of the season, he hit .422 from March 30 through May 12. He earned at least one hit in 19 of the Bearcats' final 25 games.

For the season, he led Willamette with 180 at bats, 63 hits, 55 runs, 15 doubles, and 37 walks. Foster contributed 31 RBIs and was successful on 7 of 9 stolen base attempts. On defense, Foster was credited with 84 putouts, 100 assists, and 23 double plays. He started a triple play against Whitman on May 6 by catching a low line-drive, tagging second base, and throwing to Hoffman, who was filling in at first base.

Foster owns a .333 career batting average, with 68 runs, 44 RBIs, and three home runs. He was 13 of 17 on stolen bases. His defensive efforts led to 110 putouts, 129 assists, 31 double plays, and a career .949 fielding percentage.

Third Team All-Region 10

Headshot of Jeff Hoffman Jeff Hoffman (Sr., 3B) was chosen Third Team All-Region 10 by the ABCA this season after being named Second Team All-Region by the ABCA in 2021. He was named Third Team All-Region by D3baseball.com in 2021. He was selected Second Team All-NWC twice (2021, 2024). He was chosen NWC Freshman of the Year in 2021 after leading the NWC with a career-high 14 home runs while batting .339.

This year, Hoffman led the NWC with a .393 batting average in conference games. Overall, he batted .344 with 53 hits and 41 runs scored. He topped the Bearcats with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs. He ranked first on the team with a .630 slugging percentage and was second with a .459 on-base percentage. On defense, he registered 38 putouts and 64 assists. He recorded the third putout in Willamette's triple against Whitman on May 6.

Hoffman ranks second all-time at Willamette with 43 career home runs. He played in 155 games with 151 starts. His career totals include a .314 batting average with 579 at bats, 182 hits, 145 runs and 136 RBIs. He blasted 33 doubles and three triples. Hoffman owns a .604 career slugging percentage. He was 12 for 12 on stolen bases. His defensive efforts led to 139 putouts, 298 assists, and 28 double plays.

Headshot of Layton Wagner Layton Wagner (Grad., RHP) earned Third Team All-Region from the ABCA for the second time after being named Third Team All-Region in 2021. He also was chosen Third Team All-Region by D3baseball in 2021. He received All-NWC recognition four times, including First Team All-NWC as a pitcher twice (2021, 2024), Honorable Mention All-NWC as a pitcher in 2023, and Honorable Mention All-NWC as a utility player in 2022.

In 2024, Wagner led the Willamette pitching staff with a 10-3 record and 80 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings. His 10 wins tied him for second on WU's single season list. He provided the Bearcats with a 3.38 earned run average. He registered two complete-game victories. One of his complete games was a 5-1 win with 11 strikeouts against Whitworth University in the first round of the NWC Tournament.

Wagner is Willamette's career record holder with 272 pitching strikeouts. He pitched in 48 games with 44 starts in his career for a total of 263 2/3 innings. His career record is 22-11 with a 4.13 ERA. His 22 wins rank fifth all-time at Willamette. His career stats on offense include a .288 career batting average with 468 at bats, 135 hits, 29 doubles, nine homers, 85 runs, and 82 RBIs. He has 52 putouts and 87assists on defense.