By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
LOS FRESNOS — Los Fresnos High School baseball player Joseph Muñoz is happy to know he’ll continue to play the sport he loves beyond high school.
That fact became reality on Thursday afternoon as Muñoz signed a college athletic scholarship agreement to play baseball next school year for the Angelina College Roadrunners of Lufkin. Angelina is a two-year school that plays in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
There was a celebratory atmosphere Thursday at Los Fresnos High School as family, friends, teammates, coaches, teachers and school administrators all gathered for Muñoz’s signing ceremony.
As a junior, the left-handed Muñoz, an outfielder/pitcher/designated hitter, helped the 22-5 Falcons capture the District 32-6A championship last spring during his first year on the team. As a senior, Muñoz is looking forward to even more success for the Falcons when the 2018 season begins with the first day of practice on Jan. 26.
Thursday’s signing marked an important achievement for the talented ballplayer, whose father, Joey Muñoz, started him playing baseball in the family’s backyard at age 5. Muñoz said he thanks both his father and mother, Jeanette Gonzalez, plus his coaches and teammates for helping him get an opportunity to play at the next level.
“It’s a dream come true, honestly,” said Muñoz, who plans to study business in college. “My dad and I have been working for this as long as I can remember. I was playing ball with my dad in the backyard when I was 5. Back then I had no idea I’d be playing college baseball, so this (signing) is just a blessing.”
Muñoz was named The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year last spring. As a junior, he recorded 33 hits in 69 at-bats with seven doubles, five triples and a home run. Muñoz finished with 28 RBIs and scored 29 runs. He drew 12 walks and struck out just six times. He hit .478 on the season and had a .563 on-base percentage with a slugging average of .768 for a 1.33 OPS. He’s also one of the fastest base-runners on the squad.
“It’s always great to have these guys keep going and playing after high school,” Falcons head coach Rene Morales said. “They get a chance to advance their education (as well), so it’s always great.
“Joseph has been a great addition to our program,” Morales added. “He can hit, he can run, he can pitch for us and all of those things. He can play every position. He pitches and he has a great bat. He’ll be pitching for us and playing in the outfield this year. He’s going to be one of our go-to guys this season.
“He plays the game the way it should be played. He plays hard and he plays the right way.”
Muñoz said his time with the Falcons has been memorable.
“It’s been awesome and probably one of the best experiences of my life, I would say,” Muñoz said. “We’re going into our upcoming season with a lot of confidence. Hopefully we make it to state. That’s our goal.
“It’s just a blessing to sign my letter of intent to play at the next level,” he added. “I hope I can go on (from Angelina) and play (NCAA) Division I ball. I thank God because without Him, none of this is possible.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess