For a Binghamton University Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Scott Diamond assembled a relatively modest resume as a member of the school’s baseball team. He earned America East Rookie of the Year honors, but he humbly said his college accomplishments paled in comparison to his peers in the Class of 2013.

“It’s exciting, especially for this great honor, just being one of the inductees among the other five,” Diamond said. “After hearing all the accolades being announced at halftime [of Saturday’s men’s basketball game], I really don’t think I belong to be sitting beside some of these guys.”

After his freshman year, Diamond earned a pair of AE Pitcher of the Week honors. Rory Quiller, meanwhile, sat next to Diamond at Saturday’s press conference as a former NCAA pole vault champion and three-time all-American.

But on July 18, 2011, Diamond made school history, becoming Binghamton University’s first baseball player to appear in a major league game as he took the mound for the Minnesota Twins. Diamond lost that start despite pitching well, and he didn’t find a groove in the big leagues until 2012. That season, though, he was Minnesota’s top pitcher, winning 12 games and posting a 3.54 ERA.

Diamond underwent elbow surgery last offseason and finished 2013 with a 6-13 record and a 5.43 ERA. The Twins demoted him to the minors in August before recalling him for four September starts.

“Any time you’re sent down, it’s heartbreaking, but you can look at it in two different ways: You can either motivate yourself and try to pick yourself up, or you can sulk about it,” Diamond said. “I feel like I’ve seen too many guys do the latter, so I knew there was an opportunity for me to come back up in September, so that was my goal, and I was able to do it.”

Diamond said he’s working hard to stay healthy this offseason so he doesn’t face any setbacks in February and March.

“I think the focus this year is to come into spring training ready to go and just be ready to contribute as much as I can,” Diamond said. “This offseason, I’m just back to training, getting on a diet again and building for next year.”

Though Diamond signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves in 2007, he has kept tabs on Binghamton’s baseball program and remained close with head coach Tim Sinicki throughout the years.

“To see what coach Sinicki and coach [Ryan] Hurba have done to that program and the recruits they’ve been able to bring in and just how successful that they’ve been so consistently over that time, I think it’s just remarkable,” Diamond said. “It’s just a lot of fun to say you’re an alumni of a program that’s … as successful as they are.”

But as much pride as Diamond has in his college team, Binghamton University has even more in its first-ever MLB player. He may not have earned the accolades of some of his fellow Class of 2013 inductees, but that shouldn’t diminish his enshrinement.

“To kind of give Scott a little bit of credit here, saying he doesn’t belong here, I think as far as an ambassador for Binghamton University and just perpetuating excellence at Binghamton, we need guys like him,” Quiller said. “He certainly belongs in the Hall of Fame.”