Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Former Hutchinson Community College baseball player and Quarterback Club Hall of Fame member Andy Dirks will be enshrined into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame in January.
The former Blue Dragon, Wichita State Shocker and Detroit Tiger will be part of the Class of 2024, which will be enshrined on January 28, 2024 in Wichita.
Dirks will go into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame with Braden Looper, Aaron Crow, Ted Power, Ronn Reynolds, Ron Gardenhire, Joe Ruocco and the 1887 Topeka Golden Giants.
Dirks played at Hutchinson in 2005 and 2006. He was an instrumental member of Hutchinson's 2005 Region VI Championship team – the first regional championship team in 30 years – that competed in the Juco World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
While at Hutchinson, Dirks' two-year record was 82-35.
The 2005 team finished in a four-way tie for the Jayhawk West championship and came back through the loser's bracket to capture the program's first Region VI championship since 1975. One year later, the 2006 team won the conference outright, going 44-13. Dirks was first-team All-Jayhawk West and first-team all-Region VI as a sophomore.
The fleet-footed centerfielder had a .371 career batting average with 106 hits. His 41 career stolen bases were tied for seventh at the conclusion of his career.
His Blue Dragon statistical rankings at the end of his eligibility were: Games played – 103 (T11); batting average – .371 (T14); total hits – 106 (12th); runs scored – 96 (10th); RBIs – 79 (17th); doubles – 22 (T9); triples – 8 (T2); home runs – 13 (T8); total bases – 193 (13th); slugging percentage - .617 (15th); and extra-base hits – 43 (T11).
From Hutchinson, Dirks moved onto Wichita State.
At WSU, he hit .354 over two seasons and twice received the team's Charlie Hustle Award. In his senior season, Dirks hit .388 with a thirty-game hitting streak. His on base percentage was .498 and he slugged .697. Dirks was named the Shockers' Most Valuable Player and Most Inspirational Player, in addition to being named third team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Selected in the eighth round of the 2008 MLB draft by Detroit, Dirks made his major league debut with the Tigers in May of 2011. He appeared in 78 games for the American League Central champions, hitting .251 with seven home runs as a rookie.
In 2013, Dirks was the Tigers' regular leftfielder, hitting .256 with nine home runs and was a finalist for a Gold Glove award. He missed the entire 2014 season after back surgery. A second back surgery in 2015 ended his playing career.
Dirks and his family live in the Detroit area and part-time member of the Tigers' broadcast team.
Dirks was enshrined into the Blue Dragon Quarterback Club Hall of Fame in 2014.