With 35 days until Opening Day, head baseball coach Beauford Sanders has announced the 14th-ranked Tigers will have a new addition to the locker room once the team returns after Christmas break.
Sanders and recruiting coordinator Brett Neffendorf have signed Carlos Garmendia after he spent the 2015 year at NCAA DII Rollins College.
Garmendia, an incoming graduate student, will have only one semester with the Tigers but is expected to make an immediate impact on a team that already had potential to be one of the best offensive lineups in the country.
Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 19th Round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft out of high school, Garmendia decided the college route was best and attended Division I Stetson University for the 2013 season. With the Hatters, he played in 52 games and made 42 starts but finished with a batting average of .211.
After his freshman campaign and a coaching change at Stetson, Garmendia transferred back home to Broward College in Miami, Fla. where he was named Second-Team All-Conference after leading the Seahawks in runs batted in (29), doubles (16), home runs (6) and total bases (81).
After graduating from junior college, Garmendia then enrolled at Rollins University. In his only season with the Anchors, he played both second and third base, while hitting .276 in 44 games played. Garmendia led the team in runs batted in (27) and he was second on the team in walks (20) and stolen bases (9).
“Carlos is not only a great baseball player but one of the nicest kids you will ever meet,” said Neffendorf. “He comes in with a great GPA and is a true student-athlete. His resume on the field speaks for itself. He has seen much success at every level of baseball and I am excited about adding him to the 2017 roster.”
In addition to his collegiate playing days, Garmendia played two games for Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic in 2016. He finished 1-for-2 with a single, walk and run-scored in the Classic.
After being enrolled at Florida International University and working towards a Master’s degree in 2016, Garmendia is now taking classes in the Business Administration Master’s program at CU.
From Miami, Fla., Garmendia played prep ball at South Miami High School where he was named Miami Dade Second-Team All-County and Rawlings Second-Team All-Region in 2012. In addition, he was named Third-Team All-American in 2011 and Honorable Mention in 2010.
During his senior year, Garmendia finished with a batting average of .452, 27 RBI and one home run. In addition, he also played with the Florida Bombers and won the WWBA 18-and-under National Championship in 2010.
The Tigers, who open the season ranked No. 14 in the NAIA, start the 2017 schedule on the road at Freed-Hardeman University. Opening Day is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 10 in Henderson, Tenn.
Jordan Alves
Sports Information Director
Campbellsville University
