University of Connecticut Athletics
2019 Baseball Roster
Chris Winkel
- Position:
- First Baseman/Outfield
- Height:
- 6-5
- Weight:
- 225
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Orange, Conn.
- High School:
- Amity
2021 Season: Team Captain. All-BIG EAST First Team. Finished his UConn career with 243 games, the most games played by any player in UConn history. His 222 hits ranks 13th in program history, his 819 at-bats lands him in 5th all-time while his 10 triples is tied for third most. Posted a career-high 11 home runs, 45 runs scored, .548 slugging percentage and 16 stolen bases during his senior season. Hit .311 in 51 games with 55 hits including nine doubles and 11 homers. Drove in 32 and walked a career-high 22 times. Had 21 multi-hit games. Went 2-4 and homered in the same game as his brother, Pat, for the first time in his UConn career at Southern Mississippi (2/26). Went 2-4 with three runs scored at No. 9 Texas Tech (3/14). In his first career at-bat in Elliot Ballpark, hit a two-run homer vs. URI (3/26). Went 3-5 with two homers and five RBIs vs. Boston College (3/30). Hit a walk-off, run-rule home run vs. Georgetown (4/9) to beat the Hoyas 10-0 in seven innings. 2-5 with a home run at Xavier (4/25). Went 2-6 with a double, homer, three RBIs and four runs scored at Xavier (4/26). Went 2-3 with a homer and two RBIs at St. John's (5/8). Followed it up with a three-hit day at St. John's (5/9). Hit a three-run homer at Villanova (5/15). Went 2-4 with a homer and two RBIs vs. Seton Hall (5/20). Notched a pair of doubles vs. Seton Hall (5/21). Collected a pair of hits vs. Michigan (6/4) in the South Bend Regional. Went 2-5 with a pair of doubles vs. Central Michigan (6/6) in the South Bend Regional.
2020 Season: Team captain. Started in center field in 12 games played during shortened season due to Covid-19. Hit .348 and tied for the team lead with six multi-hit games and 12 runs scored. Added three doubles, one triple and five RBIs. He led the Huskies with five stolen bases. Recorded multi-hit efforts in five of last seven games of season. Collected a pair of hits, scored two runs and drove in a run in win vs. No. 1 Michigan (2/21). Grabbed three hits and a pair of RBIs against New Orleans (2/28). Went 7-11 (.636) in three-game series at Presbyterian with a double, triple and four runs scored. Finished the year with a three-hit game at Hartford (3/10).
2019 Season:Team Captain. All-Tournament team at NCAA Oklahoma City Regional. All-Tournament team at American Athletic Conference Championships. Had best offensive season at UConn during junior year. Hit .264 with career-highs in runs scored (31), hits (62), doubles (13), triples (5), RBIs (44), slugging percentage (.387), walks (20) and stolen bases (13). Voted best defensive first baseman in New England by the coaches. Led team with 12 multi-RBI games. Added 16 multi-hit efforts. Hit a monster, two-run homer vs. No. 4 Louisville (2/17) to help clinch series win. Collected three hits including two doubles and two RBIs at College of Charleston (2/22). Made a great defensive play to start a 3-6-3 double play to beat Texas State (3/9) in 12 innings. Recorded seven hits (.411), seven RBIs, four runs scored in a four-game series sweep vs. Michigan State (3/15-17). Hit a three-run homer at Virginia (3/20). 2-5 with two RBIs and two doubles at Houston (3/24). Rode a 12-game hit streak from March 24 – April 9. Went 6-12 (.500) with five runs and four RBIs in The American Conference Championship. 6-16 (.375) with four runs scored and five RBIs in NCAA Oklahoma City Regional.
2018 Summer: Played in 37 games for the Mystic Schooners in the NECBL… Registered 33 hits, 26 runs scored, six doubles, eight home runs, 19 RBIs and five stolen bases… Ranked seventh in the NECBL in home runs… Hit a pair of home runs against Winnipesaukee (July 8)… Had nine multi-hit games… Went 3-3 with an RBI vs. Plymouth (July 7)… Posted three hits including a home run and two RBIs at Newport (Aug. 1).
2018 Season: Had a breakout sophomore season for the Huskies…Played in 59 games with 55 starts…Hit .264 with 53 hits, 22 runs scored, 11 doubles, four home runs, 33 RBIs and stole seven bases…Registered a .986 fielding percentage at first base…Stroked an RBI double during a three-hit game at Georgia Tech (Feb. 18)…Smoked a three-run home run at Southeastern Louisiana (Feb. 24)…Smashed a grand slam in the first inning at No. 30 Coastal Carolina (March 13)…Recorded two-hit games in all three contests at No. 20 Wichita State (April 13-15) totaling three doubles and four RBIs during the series…Went 2-4 with three RBIs at Cincinnati (April 21)…Clobbered a home run vs. Tulane (April 29)…Roped a go-ahead, two-run double in the eighth inning at Northeastern (May 9) to lead UConn to comeback win…Went 2-4 with an RBI single in The American Championship game vs. ECU (May 26).
2017 Summer: Played for the Mystic Schooners in the New England Collegiate Baseball League…Played in 37 games, hit .180 with 22 hits, five doubles, four home runs, 18 RBIs, 16 runs scored and six stolen bases…Went 2-4, HR, 4 RBI against Plymouth (7/20)…Registered a three-hit effort that included a three-run homer and 5 RBIs at Vermont (7/16)…Went 2-5 with a double and three driven in at North Adams (6/28).
2017 Season: Played in 57 games and started 45 at first base and outfield for the Huskies in freshman campaign…Hit .225, 36 hits, seven doubles, team-leading four triples, one home run and 15 RBIs…Second on the team with 11 stolen bases…Notched his first career hit in season opener against UMass Lowell (2/17)…Clubbed first career home run vs. UMass Lowell (2/19)…Collected first career multi-RBI game by plating a pair of runs vs. St. Joseph’s (3/5)….Stroked an RBI triple at Santa Clara (3/14)…Registered first career multi-hit game in thrilling win at No. 16 ECU (3/31) and scored a pair of runs in the contest…Had a career-day against UMass (4/18) with a three-hit effort that included two doubles and three RBIs…Contributed a two-run double at UCF (4/22) to help Huskies win 6-5…In an elimination game vs. Memphis in The American Championship he hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the eighth inning to help the Huskies advance to the semifinals.
High School: Lettered three years at Amity Regional under head coach Sal Coppola...Served as team captain...Helped his team win three Connecticut State Championships (2014, 2015, 2016) and two conference championships (SCC)...Selected First Team CHSCA All-State (2016) and All-Conference (SCC) team...Was also a two-time All-Conference (SCC) performer in basketball...National Honor Society member.
Personal: Chris James Winkel...Son of James and Marcy Winkel...Has one brother, Patrick, who will be a freshman on UConn baseball team in 2018...Pre-business major.
