CF Patriots Baseball: Five Fall Standouts

Outfielder Yoenny Gonzalez is part of a strong core
of Patriot returning sophomores.

A rough start to its 2011 Mid-Florida Conference season doomed the Central Florida baseball team to an early summer. With two years now separating CF from its most recent FCSAA State Tournament appearance, head coach Marty Smith is anxious to return his program to contender status. The current group he's assembled possesses the raw talent to do just that.

Here are five student-athletes who stood out over the recently-completed fall season:

Melvin Mercedes: A Bronx-bred shortstop with remarkable tools, Mercedes received a lot of well-deserved attention at the Patriots' Scout Day and throughout the fall schedule. A consummate leadoff man and switch hitter with a knack for getting on and around the bases, Mercedes also stars on defense with outstanding range and a great throwing arm from deep short.

Kevin Games: A highly-decorated high school star and a prized recruit, Games nonetheless approached fall camp like a walk-on scrapping for a roster spot. Grizzled by a prep career in the rugged Tampa Bay region and accustomed to transcending his diminutive 5-7 frame, Games contributed to CF fall victories across the board, pitching strong innings, playing a solid leftfield and driving the ball at the plate.

Derrick Davis: Of all the myriad tools available to win baseball games, none are more direct than the bat of an overpowering cleanup hitter. That's what Davis brings to the Patriot lineup. After posting monstrous numbers at Orange Park HS, the 5-11 slugger's swing easily survived the transition to college, and his presence in the designated hitter slot makes facing the Patriot offense an intimidating proposition.

Darren Fischer: This dominant left-handed pitcher comes to CF with impeccable diamond credentials. Fischer posted an ERA under 2.00 in his senior prep season in New Jersey, and flashed enough potential to earn a 46th-round draft selection from the Angels in 2010. Evidence suggests he's more than ready for consistent strong starts at the NJCAA level.

Yoenny Gonzalez: A key member of the Patriots' core of returning sophomores, Gonzalez appears ready to make a leap in his second season at the college level. A productive hitter as a freshman, the rightfielder became more dangerous with each swing in the just-finished fall campaign. Along with fellow incumbents Christian Coburn and Scott Schaub, Gonzalez gives the Patriots a needed dose of experience and leadership.