This month, three Nicholls students left Thibodaux to begin professional baseball careers. Pitchers Dustin Roddy, general studies junior from Searcy, Ark., and Robbie Hebert, general studies senior from Thibodaux, were selected in Major League Baseball’s June Draft and first baseman Jake Ritchie, general studies senior from Thibodaux, signed a free agent contract.”All three have outstanding ability in different areas but they are all big, strong kids with a lot of ability, outstanding work habits and ethics and a high feeling for improvement,” B.D. Parker, Colonels head baseball coach, said. “It is highly competitive but I know each will show up everyday and work to be the best players they can be.”
Parker said he thinks the arm strength of Roddy and Hebert will be their greatest assets to the professional leagues.
Roddy was chosen by the Cleveland Indians as the 1187th pick in the 40th round of the draft. He surrendered 24 hits and 10 runs in 26 innings pitched and tied for fourth place in the Southland Conference with five saves. Roddy led the staff with a 2.42 earned run average and compiled a 3-2 record.
Before coming to Nicholls, Roddy lettered two seasons at North East Community College where he finished with a .330 batting average and 11 homeruns. Roddy was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 40th round in 2002 and by the Chicago White Sox in the 26th round in 2001.
His father Buddy Roddy said Dustin always talked about playing professional baseball. “His greatest strength is that he is a hard worker and has really good work ethics,” Buddy Roddy said. “His biggest adjustment is that at this level there won’t be a weak spot in the other team’s lineup.”
He said his son is enjoying playing at the next level and being with mutual friends whom he met through travel with baseball leagues when he was younger.
The Minnesota Twins selected Hebert, a Thibodaux High graduate, as the 1289th pick in the 43rd round He led the Colonels with 83.2 innings pitched and 67 strikeouts. Hebert compiled a 3-5 record with a 4.20 earned run average as a junior. In 2002, he recorded a 3.03 ERA, the lowest among the entire Colonel pitching staff and led the staff with 37 hits and 12 runs.
His mother Bonnie Hebert, a financial aid clerk at Nicholls, said Robbie recorded his first save while playing with rookie league in Fort Myers, Fla., whose season started Monday.
“Robbie has always been a hard worker,” she said. “I am extremely proud of his hard work and to see it paying off as he has a chance to play at the next level.”
Ritchie signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He reported to Princeton, W. Va., June 13 to join the Princeton Devil Rays, the Rookie League’s Devil Rays. Ritchie, an E.D. White graduate, finished his senior year with the Colonels leading with nine homeruns and batting .306 with eight doubles and 30 RBIs.
In 2002, Ritchie played and started in 46 games and recorded the third most at-bats among Colonel players. Prior to Nicholls, he played two seasons at Bossier Parish Community College where he was a two-time all-regional selection.
His mother Ann Ritchie said he is adjusting to the temperature difference in West Virginia, and she thinks his love for the game will be his greatest contribution to the professional leagues.
Parker said, “Ritchie’s greatest asset is that he is athletic and can hit, and I think in time he will hit with more power.”
Bryan Ritchie, Jake Ritchie’s father, said the greatest adjustment for Jake will be being able to hit consistently. “He’s always been a power hitter but you see more fast balls there than what you see in college games. He’s going to be okay if he can put the ball into play and he’s already done that and has a good hitting coach there.
