MOUNT CARMEL, Ill. — Janier Puente started his post-prep baseball career at DMACC. The 2017 Perry grad quickly moved on to JUCO powerhouse Wabash Valley College, and the decision recently paid off in the form of a Division I scholarship.
Puente will be “taking it down South” he said, referring to his acceptance of an offer to continue his pitching days for Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La.
“It came down to La Tech or Kansas State,” Puente said of the two schools showing him the most interest. “I visited down there (La Tech) and saw all they had to offer and knew right then this is where I want to be.”
The Bulldogs were 39-10 overall last season and 21-9 in Conference USA under head coach Lane Burroughs.
Puente had nothing but praise for the staff and his teammates at Wabash Valley, noting the current squad would also be sending players to Alabama, Bradley, Indiana State, South Carolina and Western Kentucky.
“That was a big part of why I came here,” he said. “I knew I would get the kind of coaching I needed and I knew they always send a lot of guys to DI. Here is this little town, smaller even than Perry, and yet it sends all these guys to bigger schools — I wanted to be part of that.”
Puente said he was under no illusion concerning the challenges of playing at the highest collegiate level.
“The higher you go the harder you have to work,” he said. “Everyone here is a great player. It will be tough, but I know if I want to reach my dream of being drafted (by Major League Baseball) I have to keep improving and show I can do it against the best.”
