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Texas A&M Baseball: The Legend of Aggie Freshman Jorge Gutierrez

By Matthew Bartlett

Jun 22, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A bat rests inside a baseball glove at an MLB game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A bat rests inside a baseball glove at an MLB game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports /
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After not making the Opening Day lineup, freshman Jorge Gutierrez has made a place for himself on the Texas A&M baseball roster going forward.

In the lead up to the season there was a lot of talk about the youth in the Texas A&M program. Braden Shewmake drove rave reviews. And he’s lived up to the expectations, going 5-for-7 in his first four games as an Aggie. David Sandhop of TexAgs wrote in a preseason piece:

"Coach Childress also mentioned this week the emergence of freshmen Cameron Blake and Jorge Gutierrez in early spring practices. Blake was a highly-touted high school prospect… If the light has indeed clicked on for the Round Rock native, and if Shewmake and Foster continue what they started in the fall, what many pundits called a weakness at the plate for this 2017 team will emerge as a team strength by mid-season"

That pretty much sums up the “hype” or lack thereof, surrounding Jorge Gutierrez. Braden Shewmake, Cameron Blake, and Logan Foster had the highest expectations. But all Gutierrez needed was an opportunity.

Gutierrez walked in his lone plate appearance on opening day. The following day he was called upon to pinch hit for fellow freshman Hunter Coleman. He deposited the ball over the right field fence. A switch hitter, he blasted another home run from the opposite side of the plate in his next plate appearance.

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Back to back home runs in your first two plate appearances will earn you some playing time. Gutierrez wasn’t assumed to be a huge part of the original plan. He’s certainly going to be a involved moving forward.

In his first four games, the Sugar Land, Texas native has a .714/.833/2.286 slash line. He’s responsible for a triple, three home runs, and a team leading 16 total bases. All that in seven at bats.

After being omitted from the lineup on Opening Day, head coach Rob Childress batted Gutierrez in the five hole on Friday night against the Pepperdine Waves. Gutierrez delivered a clutch two out RBI in the second inning to put Texas A&M up 1-0. The Aggies would lead by that lone run until the eight inning when they were able to add some insurance.

Next: Video, Aggies Beat SFA on Walk Off Wild Pitch

Gutierrez did prove to be mortal. The freshman struck out three times against the Waves on Friday. He was one of five Aggies to be sent down by Pepperdine starter Ryan Wilson. He’s still batting above .500, so I’ll cut him some slack. Hip Hip Jorge!

***Stats from 12thman.com***