Two more former Valley Leaguers are off to excellent starts in their respective 2019 college seasons: Alec Aleywine (New Market 2017, Purcellville 2018), and Hayden Leatherwood (Staunton 2018)!
Aleywine, playing for Division-II Tampa, is off to a 324/444/703 start in his first 37 at-bats, with 15 runs, 7 RBIs, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, and a 8/4 BB/K ratio. He leads the Spartans in runs, doubles, triples, and home runs so far. He was ATVL’s 15th best hitter in the Valley League in 2017. Tampa plays a doubleheader today against Calhoun.
Leatherwood, an Ole Miss signee playing for the Division-II JUCO Northwest Mississippi, has had an amazing first four games. He’s hitting 429/733/1.143 in 7 at-bats, with 6 runs, 2 doubles, 1 home run, and a silly 7/1 BB/K ratio. Hayden is Baseball America’s preseason JUCO Division-II Player of the Year.
Always great to see former VBL guys doing well. Aleywine has good speed considering his heft. Well remember his great eye at the plate and XBH and RBI generation with the 2017 Rebels. Should have more than 7 RBIs for all those XBHs with Tampa U. – maybe a lot of them were with bases empty. With a name baseball writers have to love, Leatherwood’s swing as captured in your photo has a front body angle very much like Ted Williams’ – and that’s a really good attribute.