Prospects to Go Pro

By Charles LaRocca

Scouts have identified five players this season on College of Southern Nevada’s baseball team as prospects to go pro.

CSN Head Baseball Coach Nick Garritano highlighted a few players that have garnered attention from scouts this pre-season. Right-handed Pitchers Herbie Good and Isaiah Blaylock, Infielders Blake Wiggins and Dillon Johnson and left-handed Pitcher Sage Diehm are the ones to watch.

The program provides an opportunity for players to be drafted by Major League Baseball teams. Coach Garritano said that the program’s pedigree for getting players to the next level is what makes it an attractive option when recruiting.

“Absolutely, last year we had five guys get drafted,” Garritano said. “We had a 26-man roster so we were almost around 20 percent of our roster getting drafted with four of them signing pro contracts. In my full six years here, I’ve had around 16 guys get pro contracts.”

The road to becoming a professional athlete is a tough one. This is evidenced by an April 2016 study by the NCAA titled “Estimated Probability of Competing in Professional Athletics” where it was concluded that the odds of going from college to professional baseball is 9.7 percent. CSN is breaking those odds.

“Definitely coming here you have the option to go pro,” Pitcher Blaylock said. In hopes of reaching his goal Blaylock is placing his faith in the coaching staff. “I just implement what the coaches have taught us here and I work hard and dedicate myself to the sport.”

“Joining the big leagues has been a dream of mine since I was 5 years old,” Infielder Johnson said. “Everything I do right now is working towards that goal. Whether it is getting good grades in the classroom or putting in extra time in the batting cage, I know all this is to get to the ultimate goal.”

Players are excited about their future prospects but focused on the current season to win for CSN Coyotes.

“Pro ball is in the future but right now I’m focused on getting a ‘W’ every time I pitch for my team,” Blaylock said.

Catch the next CSN Coyote baseball game on the home field March 17. For more information on the roster and schedule click this link http://www.csncoyotes.com/index.aspx?path=baseball.