SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Former Citadel standout and current Texas Rangers farmhand Chris McGuiness has been selected the Arizona Fall League's Joe Black Most Valuable Player.

The 24-year-old McGuiness, who played for the Bulldogs from 2007-09, batted .283 with four home runs and 27 RBIs in 25 games for the Surprise Saguaros. The first baseman had a .370 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage and was credited for exceptional defensive play by Rangers senior director of player development Tim Purpura.

McGuiness headed to the Arizona Fall League after a 2012 season which saw him bat .268 with 25 doubles, 23 homers and 77 RBIs for Double A Frisco, tying for fourth in the Texas League in round-trippers and placing seventh in RBIs.

Selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round of the Major League Draft in June 2009, McGuiness was traded to the Rangers as part of the deal that sent Jarrod Saltalamacchia to Boston. He will begin the 2013 season with the Triple A Round Rock Express of the Pacific Coast League.

In his final season at The Citadel in 2009, McGuiness batted .367 with 15 homers and 59 RBIs while leading the nation with 65 walks. He earned first-team All-Southern Conference honors and was also named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America first team.

In three seasons with the Bulldogs, McGuiness played in 154 games with 140 starts. He had career totals of 157 hits in 510 at bats (.308 average) with 34 doubles, 27 homers, 108 runs scored, 123 RBIs and 122 walks.