Southern Miss Signs Junior College Standout
7/11/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Southern Miss Signs Junior College Standout
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss Baseball Coach Corky Palmer has announced the signing of Juan Velasquez to a national letter of intent for the 2001-2002 academic year.
This brings the total number of Southern Miss baseball signings to 11. Velasquez was also heavily recruited by LSU and South Alabama, both NCAA Tournament participants in 2001.
?I am very excited that Juan has decided to attend Southern Miss,? Palmer said. ?He will fill a void as a leadoff hitter and at center field for us next season, giving us a true leadoff hitter. He has good speed, swings the bat well and is one of the best junior college players that we signed. I believe we got a good one.?
This past season, Velasquez played outfield at Delgado Community College, in New Orleans, La., where he batted .336 with four home runs, 25 RBI and 14 stolen bases.
As a senior at Archbishop Rummel High School, he batted .456 with six home runs and 21 stolen bases. He helped his high school team win two district and one state championship. He was named to the all-district and all-Clarion Herald teams. He was awarded the Amateur Athletic of the Month Award for his batting average in 1998. He played on the Rummel American Legion Team and helped his team advance to the state finals.
Velasquez played on the New Orleans Boosters in 2000 and helped his team win the 2000 AAABA National Championship in Johnstown, Pa. In the seven games, he batted .429 with eight RBI.