Santa Fe’s Baseball Season Begins January 26

The Santa Fe Saints Baseball team is set to begin regular season play today. They will host Hillsborough Community College at 3 p.m.

This is head coach Johnny Wiggs 11th season with the Saints. During his time as head coach, Wiggs has won seven Mid-Florida Conference championships and two Florida College System Activities Association State titles.

Baseball season already?!? @SF_Athletics Baseball opens up at home on Friday. Good luck this season, Saints! pic.twitter.com/Wgec0i6zhL

— Matt Stamey (@stamey) January 25, 2018

Coming into the 2018 Season

The Saints come into this season with back-to-back Mid-Florida Conference championships.

Perfect Game USA ranks the Saints fifth in the state and 15th in the nation.

This is a very young and new program this year. There are only seven returning players and 19 players are making their debut today.

Returning for the Saints are two key players: shortstop Mikey Navarrete and pitcher Mitch Champion.

3 Days till Saints Baseball Opening Day! Meet #3 Mikey Navarrete. Mikey returns after a solid freshman campaign where he hit .292. He is a plus defender and will start at SS for the Saints. @SF_Athletics pic.twitter.com/cPZkJTEEF8

— Johnny Wiggs (@WiggsJohnny) January 23, 2018

New to Santa Fe Baseball

There are multiple players to look out for this season:

• Freshman outfielder Andrew Eyster comes to Santa Fe from Ocala Forest High School
• Freshman first baseman and pitcher Garrett Mathes comes from Tallahassee Chiles High School.
• Sophomore outfielder and pitcher Austin Bodrato transferred in from the University of Florida.
• Another transfer sophomore is Max McKinley. The pitcher comes to Santa Fe from the College of Charleston.

OPENING DAY!!! The Santa Fe Saints baseball team takes the field today for the first time in 2018 at 3pm against @Hillsball. RHP Max McKinley takes the hill for SF. Admission is free at SF Field for everyone. Live stats: https://t.co/FYNFKivlYj #SicEmSaints pic.twitter.com/5Kj3oWHjUZ

— Santa Fe Saints (@SF_Athletics) January 26, 2018

Things to Know about Santa Fe Baseball

This baseball program produces many athletic players. Those players move on to either a four-year university or they go pro.

Last year, Santa Fe had 17 Sophomores. 16 of them signed with a four-year program and one was selected in the fourth round of the MLB draft.

UF’s Nick Horvath and David Lee are two former Saints players who moved on to a four-year program. They were on the National Championship team last season.

Information for the Game

Admission is free for everyone at Santa Fe Field.

You can also watch live stats throughout the game at www.iscorebaseball.com/santafesaints.