National News

 August 14, 2012

HANCEVILLE – Jake Elmore is the latest former Wallace State baseball player to make his major league debut. Elmore was promoted to the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend and appeared as a pinch hitter against the Washington Nationals on Saturday night. Elmore was summoned from Triple-A Reno (Nev.), where he was hitting .344 with 73 RBIs, 30 doubles, 95 runs scored and 32 stolen bases.

Elmore is the fourth former WSCC player in as many years to make his major league debut, joining Derek Holland in 2009, Craig Kimbrel in 2010 and Graham Godfrey last season. Elmore is the lone position player among the quartet and the first since Terry Jones in the mid-1990s.

Elmore, 25, called Wallace State baseball coach Randy Putman on Saturday morning to share the news about his promotion.

“If Jake was any more excited than I was, then he was really excited. It brought tears to my eyes when I found out he was called up to the majors,” Putman said. “He’s so deserving of the recognition because he’s a blue-collar guy and a winner. When Jake was here, all of our players followed him because of his high morals, character and work ethic.”

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Elmore was a huge offensive threat during his Wallace State career, spanning the 2006-07 seasons. He was a freshman leader on WSCC’s 2006 NJCAA World Series team, hitting .407 with three homers, 48 RBIs and 22 steals. At the World Series, Elmore earned the “Big Stick” award for hitting .526 during tournament play as Wallace State finished fourth nationally. The same season he was named the ACCC/Region 22 Tournament MVP.

As a sophomore, Elmore hit .450 with four homers, 45 RBIs, 26 steals and 20 doubles. He ended his Wallace State career as a .428 hitter with 93 RBIs and 111 runs scored.

Elmore was drafted by the Florida Marlins after his sophomore season, but chose not to sign and instead continued his collegiate career at Arizona State. The following summer he was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the 34th round.

Elmore was a .290 career hitter with 94 steals in 522 minor league games before his promotion, and he set a Reno franchise record with a 31-game hitting streak earlier this season.
Elmore is expected to fulfill an utility infield role with the Diamondbacks.

Under Putman’s guidance, Wallace State has produced 30 professional players, including five major leaguers. Before joining in the Lions in 1990, Putman also coached Jay Bell and Travis Fryman at Tate High School in Pensacola, Fla.

“We’ve had quite a few guys come through Wallace State with the same ability, but the guys who made it to the major leagues also had the intangibles to allow them to become great players,” Putman said. “I’ve already told our team for next year that they have the same opportunity and are sitting at the same spot that Jake Elmore, Craig Kimbrel, Derek Holland and Graham Godfrey did when they were here. Those guys had the intangibles, work ethic, desire and passion for the game and were able to listen and apply what they’ve been taught in order to have the chance to play in the big leagues. It’s a great credit to our program to see these guys make it to the big leagues.”

For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit wallacestate.edu.