If you’re a baseball player and have bested Barry Bonds in the home run department, that is quite an accomplishment. And Arizona State freshman Spencer Torkelson deserves some recognition for what he has done.
On Thursday night, Torkelson smacked his 12th home run of the season. That broke Barry Bonds’ Arizona State record for home runs by a freshman, as Bonds had 11 as an 18-year-old for the Sun Devils in 1983.
Torkelson’s home run came on a shot to center field against Washington State:
Say hello to @ASU_Baseball's new freshman home run king. @spennyt19 crushed his 12th homer of the season to break @BarryBonds' freshman record. #Pac12BSB pic.twitter.com/33BbYTVTQX
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) March 30, 2018
What’s incredibly impressive is that Torkelson broke the record in just 25 games. Bonds hit his 11 in 64 games. Bonds added 11 more as a sophomore, then 23 as a junior before the Pirates drafted him No. 6 overall in 1985. Bonds, of course, went on to become the MLB home run king with 762 career dingers.
Torkelson also already surpassed the 11 home runs he had his entire high school career. He homered again against the Cougars on Friday, giving him 13 for the season. He has two multi-homer games this season and now has averaged a homer every other game in college.
