By Marissa Scott (@marissascotttt ):
- No, not the Miami area code.
That was Brett Bautista’s combined batting average his freshman and sophomore seasons as a San Jose State baseball player.
Look up the guy’s BA between March 1, 2016 and Feb. 25, 2018, however, and you’re left with a “not available.”
Fast forward to March 18, 2018, and a .500 is printed next to Bautista’s name on the stat sheet.
With 28 hits since his return, the Granite Bay, Calif. native tops the Spartans in the hits category.
“It’s just a big weight off my shoulders,” said Bautista. “I’ve been preparing for over the last year-and-a-half.”
Bautista, who also goes by “Boo,” grew up in a baseball-obsessed household and has played the game since he was three years old.
Growing up striking out players, the now left fielder put an immense amount of strain on his throwing arm to the point that he eventually had to have Tommy John surgery when he was about 16.
Because the ligaments in his arm were weak, he made the decision to make the rare transition from the mound to the outfield.
“I think it worked out for the best,” Bautista said. “It’s just something I didn’t have to worry about anymore, pitching wise. I get to focus a lot more of my time on my hitting and perfecting my bat.”
As a three-year letterwinner at Granite Bay High School, he had offers from Fresno State, Cal Poly and University of San Francisco, but doesn’t regret his decision to commit to SJSU.
The attention given to his performance at the plate is on full display through his years with the Spartans.
In his freshman year, he led the squad with a .313 batting average and was tied for second with 61 hits. He started 53 of 57 games and made quite an impression as a newcomer for the Spartans.
Bautista topped the team’s leaderboard in every major offensive category except home runs his second year.
The 6-footer was in the lineup just 10 times early in his junior year for reasons not released and redshirted his senior season.
Feb. 24 marked the return of the slugger and he picked up right where he left off.
“Brett is one of the best hitters in the country and I’m glad he’s finally back on the field doing his thing,” said Josh Nashed, a former Spartan pitcher.
In the first 14 games of his final season with the Spartans, Bautista has reached base safely in half of his plate appearances and packs a punch in the early part of the lineup.
“It’s nice to have a hitter in the lineup who is as good as he is,” said interim head coach Brad Sanfilippo. “When you have an offensive player who has his kind of production, it kind of eases everybody else’s feeling about what they have to do.”
Bautista’s .500 batting average would qualify for No. 4 in the nation had he played one more game with the team this season.
Although not as important to him, his teammates are sure to remind him of the accomplishment.
“I try not to look too much into that stuff, but I know the guys around me have been keeping it in my ear a little bit,” Bautista said.
His patience at the plate and the ability to stick with a natural swing is something the outfielder takes pride in.
“I’ve taken some great strides in maturing my swing and just trying to keep things simple. I think that has contributed to my success,” Bautista said.
As a senior at the Division I level, he says it is important to welcome the new guys to the team with open arms and help guide them to their full potential.
His career with the Spartans has been up and down, but the team’s need for a power hitter is at an all-time high this season.
“To finally go back out on the field with these guys that I’ve been playing with for the last four to five years, it’s really fun,” Bautista said. “I just want to enjoy this last year.”
