The 10th annual induction ceremony was held at the Muse Center on the Rankin County campus of Hinds Community College and recognized one player from each respective MACJC school.
Selby is currently in his 12th season as an assistant coach at Northwest and helps in all aspects with the team, including serving as the Rangers’ hitting instructor and third base coach.
In his 11 seasons, Northwest has seen great success at the plate, ranking among the nation’s best in batting average. The Rangers have finished in the top 30 in the NJCAA in five of the previous 10 seasons, including 18th in 2014 with a .327 average – second best in the state behind Jones County. Northwest also finished 26th in 2011 (.314), 30th in 2009 (.326), 15th in 2008 (.342) and fifth in 2007 (.357).
Selby also plays a big role in the Rangers’ aggressive play on the basepaths. The signal caller has seen Northwest steal 100 bases in five of the last six seasons, including 126 in 2015, tying the school-record set in 2013. Northwest swiped 117 bags in 2014, 108 in 2012 and 104 in 2011.
Selby and the rest of the staff have been instrumental in developing players and helping them get to the next level, both collegiately and professionally, with 84 moving on to four-year schools and 10 being drafted by Major League Baseball during his tenure. He’s also currently a scout for the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
Prior to joining Northwest as an assistant coach in 2006, Selby concluded his 14-year professional baseball career that spanned from 1992-2005.
The Horn Lake native, who was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th Round of the 1992 MLB Draft, spent five seasons with the organization. He also played for the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs.
Selby played in 198 MLB games with a .223 career batting average and hit a career-high six home runs with the Indians in 2002. The most dramatic of those home runs was a walk-off grand slam against 13-time MLB All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Mariano Rivera, to defeat the New York Yankees 10-7. It was the first walk-off home run that Rivera had allowed in his career.
Selby became the sixth player in Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A) club history to be inducted into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame on August 25, 2007. In the Bisons’ modern era, Selby ranks first in hits (378), doubles (90), RBI (245) and runs (217). He was the team’s MVP in 1999 and played in the 2000 Triple-A All-Star Game.
Selby closed his career by being named a Mexican League All-Star while playing for the Campeche Pirates, batting .318 with 25 home runs and 93 RBIs.
Before joining the Pirates, he played minor league ball with the Memphis Redbirds and Iowa Cubs.
Other career highlights include being named a Carolina League All-Star in 1994 and International League All-Star in 2000.
A 2008 inductee into the Northwest Sports Hall of Fame, Selby was the Rangers’ MVP in his only season in 1990, hitting a school record .477 from the plate with 14 home runs, 13 doubles and 43 RBIs. He was an All-MACJC and All-Region 23 selection.
Selby played his final two seasons for Southern Mississippi in 1991-92. His name is still in the record books, owning single-season school records for home runs (23), doubles (31) and slugging percentage (.824). He was inducted into the USM M-Club Hall of Fame in 2011.
Courtesy of Kevin Maloney and Northwest
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