Hokie ClubVirginia Tech baseball player Austin Wates was recently featured on the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Web site in an article about the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, the team with which the rising junior is spending his summer.
Wates batted .397 for the Hokies in his sophomore campaign, leading the team with 20 doubles and 16 stolen bases. He started games at five different positions for Tech in 2009, but has settled into the outfield for the Red Sox.
Below is the excerpt from the article on the Cape Cod League’s Web site, www.capecodbaseball.org
Wates a True All-Around Hitter for Y-D
S. YARMOUTH, Mass. - Every good team has a marquee player, a batter or pitcher who is capable of carrying the team whenever he steps out onto the diamond. Outfielder Austin Wates (Virginia Tech) is that player for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
“Austin was one of the first players we signed,†said Y-D General Manager Jim Martin. “(Virginia Tech head baseball coach) Pete Hughes gave us a call and recommended Austin to us. We checked him out with the area scouts and everything checked out, so we signed him very early.â€
Wates has more than checked out this year for the Red Sox. His .387 batting average leads the league, while his 29 hits puts him seven ahead of the next closest batter, teammate Blake Kelso (Houston). If that was not enough, Wates also is tied for the league lead in triples (with two), is second in on-base percentage (.459), tied for fourth in extra base hits (seven), and is fifth in slugging percentage (.509).
When asked if the Red Sox expected this type of production from Wates when they signed him, Martin admitted that “everyone looks good on paper,†but added that Wates’ astounding level of production has been “a very pleasant surprise.â€
It is one thing to carry a team, but it is another altogether to do so as a gentleman. The fact that Martin has just as many good things to say about Wates’ character as he does about Wates’ playing ability speaks to the gentlemanly fashion in which the Seattle native approaches everything he does.
“Austin is one of the nicest guys on the team,†the G.M. said. “He is just so respectful and polite all the time. Everything is ‘yes sir,’ and ‘yes ma’am.’ He’s got a smile that lights up the room. And that’s a credit to his parents. Two of the nicest people you’ll meet. You talk to them for two minutes and you see why he’s such a great kid.â€