Wendell Rieves always believed he was going to play baseball at a four-year school.
But the former West Lowndes High School standout acknowledged he had to make an adjustment when he arrived at Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorhead. A freshman season in which he hit .257 and had two home runs provided Rieves plenty of motivation, so he set out with renewed enthusiasm to show he was capable of realizing his dream.
Rieves’ sophomore campaign more than proved he was ready.
Rieves was fourth on the team with a .333 batting average, first in doubles (17) and RBIs (54), and tied for first in home runs (nine). He also was second on the squad with a .578 slugging percentage.
“I was confident through the entire sophomore season,” Rieves said. “I got much stronger from freshman to sophomore year and a little bit quicker in terms of my speed.”
Those improvements helped Rieves realize his goal, as he recently signed to play baseball at Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena.
Rieves said Mississippi Valley State, which is about 20 minutes from Mississippi Delta C.C., offered him a scholarship in January, but he said he told the coaches he was going to wait. He said he also received offers from Alcorn State, Blue Mountain College, and Louisiana College.
“It fit well with me,” said Rieves, who will major in criminal justice. “I improved at Delta and I knew somebody was going to pick me up.”
Rieves pitched in four games as a sophomore, but his primary contribution to Mississippi Delta C.C.’s 29-19 season came at the plate and at first and third base. He said he expects to play a corner spot when he moves to Mississippi Valley State.
Rives credited Mississippi Delta C.C. coach Dan Rives and assistant coach Jarrod Parks, the former head coach at Starkville Academy, for helping him make an impact as a sophomore.
Parks said Rieves was a “constant threat” in the middle of the team’s lineup.
“He hits the ball harder in batting practice harder than I have ever seen it hit,” Parks said. “He hit some balls that the sound and exit velocity almost reminded me of (former Mississippi State and current San Diego Padres outfielder) Hunter Renfroe in his freshman year (at MSU). During batting practice they both put on some shows if the pitch was in the right spot.”
Parks said Rieves is capable of putting up “big, big numbers” at Mississippi Valley State if he continues to mature as a hitter. He said Rieves has to recognize how pitchers are going to attack him and try to keep the ball away from his power. Parks also said Rieves has to understand he is going to see better pitching and that he has to be patient to drive his pitches.
“I don’t care who you are, a guy with his size and his power, that guy is going to scare you,” Parks said of Rieves, who was listed as 6-foot-3, 250 pounds on the Mississippi Delta C.C. roster. “He was able to get hits and drive in a lot of runs and get on base due to the fact people would make mistakes because they were too careful.”
Rieves plans to attack those mistakes when he gets to Mississippi Valley State. He said he didn’t change anything about his swing this past season and felt he improved his ability to get his hands to the baseball quicker. Rieves knows he will have to keep improving when he takes the next step.
“(Going to Mississippi Delta C.C.) made me feel like I took a good, extra step in my life and I accomplished one of my goals,” Rieves said. “My next goal is to try to play Major League baseball and start in the minors and work my way up.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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