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Virginia Tech's Carson DeMartini is the 757's Latest Talented Third Baseman

Carson De Martini VT Louisville 2022 From VT

Most people know the 757 for being a football talent hub, but the region has also proven to be full of baseball talent especially at third base. Some of those 757 standouts who went on to highly successful careers include Ryan Zimmerman, David Wright, and Mark Reynolds.

Now, Virginia Tech has the 757's next great third baseman in Carson DeMartini.

DeMartini has been ninth in the order for the Hokies throughout the season, but that's proven to be of benefit to Tech flipping the order rather than needing to bury a freshman farther down the lineup.

If anything, you could make an easy argument that DeMartini should be hitting fifth or sixth in the order given the fact that he's hitting .343 through 47 games this season with 12 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .657 slugging percentage, and a .453 on-base percentage which is quite impressive for anyone let alone a freshman.

So how is Carson DeMartini putting these numbers up as a freshman and is it a facade? From what Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc has seen, DeMartini is just a sound baseball player whose success isn't flukish or gimmicky.

"He's talented and he plays with a lot of confidence. He's not doing it with smoke and mirrors. He has good at-bats against righties and lefties and everyone," Szefc said after Tech's Friday loss to Louisville where DeMartini was 2-3.

The confidence is clearly evident from the numerous big at-bats that Carson DeMartini has had throughout the season being a weapon in the 9-hole not only flipping the lineup, but also with clutch hitting. He showed that against Louisville with multiple clutch hits late to help seal victories for Tech including an 8th inning RBI single in Tech's Saturday victory that provided the difference-making insurance run.

DeMartini's impressive freshman season goes beyond what he's doing at the plate to what he's done defensively as a third baseman both with his play and leadership as Virginia Tech starter Griffin Green said.

"For him being a freshman and being out there and being a true leader is really impressive. He has such a strong presence out on the field especially in the dugout and the locker room. He's been great this year and I'm really proud of what he's been doing," Green said.

Gavin Cross knows a thing or 2 about breakout stars with extremely bright futures especially as someone who is extremely likely to be a top 10-20 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft soon who has been on MLB scouts' radars for a while. Cross is also not surprised given Tech's growing success under John Szefc that all-around talents like DeMartini are coming to Blacksburg and becoming stars for the Hokies.

"I think it's kind of another thing: the more we start to win, you start to see better recruits come through here. He's a freshman, he came in the fall and we knew he was a good player. He's worked on a few things, but he's really talented. He's hit 9-hole for us and he's hitting ,330 with 11 homers so he's just really talented. He's playing a really good third base. He proved that a lot in the fall, and he's one of our guys and one of the guys we trust in and one of the guys we expect to do big things. Just like every other guy in our lineup, we're confident with him in the box," Cross said after Saturday's win over Louisville.

So what does DeMartini credit his successful freshman season to? In his eyes, it's more about benefitting from being in a talented Virginia Tech lineup.

"Probably just the other guys around me, no extra added pressure on me. Everybody in the lineup can do the same thing that I'm capable of. That's the bottom line is everybody else is capable which takes a lot of pressure off me," DeMartini said on his freshman success after Tech's opener against Louisville.

Looking ahead, DeMartini is in the first stretch run of his collegiate career and is feeling as confident as he has all year albeit with the extra benefit now of having some experience under his belt.

"I feel good. I'm sticking with what I've been doing all year. Just seeing it a little better now so nothing has really changed," DeMartini.

The 757 has produced another star third baseman in Carson DeMartini who is ready to play big in the most important games like the great third basemen who have come out of the 757 before him.

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