Miami, May 7, 2018 – Lakeland, Florida will be invaded by sharks this week – that is the Miami Dade College’s (MDC) men’s baseball team, which will travel to Lakeland to play in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) District/Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) State Championship, May 11-15, at the Joker Marchant Stadium.
The MDC’s baseball team, led by Head Coach Danny Price, finished the regular season with a record of 35-15, 18-10 in conference. The Sharks finished second in the Southern Conference and ranked fifth in the FCSAA State Coaches Poll.
Leading the way for the Sharks, is SS/2B Brian Rey, who has a batting average of .368, ranking him No. 12 in the State of Florida. Rey was recently named Southern Conference Player of the Year and named to the 1st Team All-Southern Conference. On the pitcher’s mound for the Sharks, Yusniel Padron-Artiles, with an ERA 1.65, ranking him No. 7 pitcher in the State. Padron-Artiles was named Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year and named to the 1st Team All-Southern Conference.
Other notable players for the Sharks are pitcher Nelson Alverez, with 67 strike outs, 3.78 ERA and named to the 1st Team All-Southern Conference. Utility player Mike Alicea (.372 batting average), Abdiel Layer-Lugo (.274 batting average), and catcher Jordan Santos (.354 batting average), were all named to the 2nd Team All-Southern Conference.
MDC has helped develop some of the nation’s top major league baseball players, including big league stars Placido Polanco, Raul Ibanez, Orlando Palmeiro, Kiko Calero, and Alex Sanchez. In addition, former Major League players Mike Piazza, Mickey Rivers, Bucky Dent, Alex Fernandez, Jaime Navarro, Oddibe McDowell, Warren Cromartie, Steve Carlton, Gil Patterson, and Kurt Bevacqua also played baseball at MDC. Moreover, many other MDC players have enjoyed great success in professional leagues in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia, while others have made strides in the coaching ranks of high schools, colleges and professional teams. Many have also succeeded in businesses and while obtaining advanced degrees following their studies at MDC.
For more information, please contact Anthony Fiorenza, 305-237-2867, afiorenz@mdc.edu