EDINBURG — Take a 6-foot-2 senior from Edinburg Vela with a fearless approach at the plate, put a bat in his hands, and watch him go to work.
The result was instant offense from Ramsey Amador, who led the SaberCats with a team-high .467 batting average, 43 hits and 38 RBIs.
Growing up, Ramsey witnessed his older brother Ryan reach the Elite eight in baseball at Edinburg High during the 2015-2016 season. Ramsey wanted to reach that same level of success, just like his brother, and after a stellar senior campaign, Amador is The Monitor’s All-Area Baseball Offensive Player of the Year.
“Since my freshman year, I always wanted to show out. My brother (Ryan) was good, and I just wanted to be the same way,” Amador said. “Every time I go to the plate, it’s always deliver. Put it in the hole, put it in the gap, if I strikeout, I have the next at-bat.”
Anytime a game was in doubt, Amador was the answer for the SaberCats. He led Edinburg Vela to a 27-6-2 record overall and a third-round playoff appearance.
Amador was also named to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Elite All-Star Team, playing in the THSBCA All-Star Game and winning the Home Run Derby at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
“There’s a time and a need for home runs, but when it comes, it comes. In home run derbies, you just show out and show how much power you have, and that’s what it was,” Amador said. “It felt great to win, it’s something I can bring into UTRGV and see how I can hit the ball.”
He hit four home runs on the year, two coming against Harlingen South in Vela’s playoff opener. But during the regular season for the SaberCats, Amador was methodical with his approach.
“I was always about keeping up my average. I never wanted to go below .500. My goal was to keep it as high as I could get it,” he said. “Every time I get to the plate, it’s always about driving the ball, not trying to hit it out of the park every time, but to bring in runs.”
Amador posted a .557 on-base percentage and a .760 slugging percentage, and now he takes his big bat to the collegiate level for UTRGV, where Amador will team up with former teammate Aaron Galvan, The Monitor’s 2018 Baseball All-Area Offensive Player of the Year.
“We’re going to put UTRGV on the map and try to make it to Omaha,” Amador said.