Xavier Scruggs

Corner infielder for the UNLV Hustlin rebels is number 16 Xavier Scruggs. The soft spoken Scruggs is the ideal power hitter at 6-1, 215 pounds and his big smile makes him a fan favorite.

This year Scruggs is leading the team in virtually every category as he did last year. This is a good sign for the Rebels because Scruggs gets better and better every year. In is first year as a Rebel back in 2006 he only hit five homeruns, then last year as a sophomore he lead the team with nine homeruns and 36 RBIs. He has already doubled his numbers from his freshman season and bypassed his numbers from his sophomore season hitting 11 homeruns and driving in 40 runs in 36 games in 2008. Another impressive statistic is that he has also doubled his batting average from last year going from .289 to .424.

“I am really excited about my junior season so far,” said Scruggs.

Scruggs says what helps him most is sticking to the same routine before a game. “Usually I listen to my iPod and go over strategy and scouting reports with my roommate Hutch (UNLV pitcher Matt Hutchinson)”

Scruggs feels that he is a pretty good all around player, but the one flaw in his game is his footwork. “I need to work on having quicker feet on defense,” said Scruggs.

The statistics show that Scruggs is a pretty good all around player, but he can help the Rebels out in more ways than with just his bat, he can also pitch in a need to situation.

In his freshman year, Scruggs pitched relief in 15 games with a record of 1-0 with an earned run average of 5.71 and 11 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. He has not pitched since then, but he would be more than willing to step up on the mound if his team needed him.

Scruggs is the kind of player that every coach dreams of having. He is a big kid that can hit the ball into another area code and still stay humble, he can make the plays on defense and he’ll do whatever else is asked of him to better the team. The only flaw in his personality is that he is a San Diego Padres fan, but hey we can’t all be perfect.

~ by jaybasile on April 21, 2008.