Back at the 2019 Showcase in Cary, North Carolina, Woodstock’s Porky Bowman, pushed into announcing duties that he didn’t really want, announced Strasburg’s Sonny DiChiara as “Sonny D.” Or was it “Sunny D?” Hard to know. (And Porky did a great job, by the way.)

Anyway, poor Mr. DiChiara has been synonymous with that moniker in my mind ever since.

And, Dear Brilliant Reader, you know I love those guys that hit for power and can take a walk… and DiChiara does both of those things with aplomb.

So, let’s take a quick look at DiChiara’s sophomore season at Samford. Through Wednesday, April 14, DiChiara is hitting .290/.458/.551 in 33 games and 107 at-bats, with 26 runs scored, four doubles, eight home runs, 24 RBIs, and a very interesting 31/33 BB/K ratio. He leads his college team in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored (tied), home runs, and walks. He’s also second in RBIs.

In the shortened 2020 season, he hit .328/.378/.475 with three doubles and two home runs in 61 at-bats. That after his very, very good freshman season, in which he hit .293/.407/.646 in 198 at-bats, with seven doubles, 21 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 35 walks.

He was one of the best hitters in the Valley League in the summer of 2019, hitting .313/.385/.550 in 131 at-bats for the Express, with ten doubles and seven home runs. He also went off in six playoff games, going 11-25, with another double and four more home runs. He slashed .440/.500/.960, helping to push Strasburg to the finals.

I don’t think any of us will be surprised if Sonny D is playing pro ball in the future!