David Rollins - San Jacinto College
Great pitching has been the key to the Victoria Generals success the last two seasons in the Texas Collegiate League. The defending TCL champions know that you can never have enough quality pitchers. The Generals hope that this season will be no different as they have added three more pitchers to round out their staff for the summer.
David Rollins, Ross Speed, and Blake Denman will all toe the rubber for the Generals this summer.
David Rollins, a three-time selection in the Major League Baseball draft, is the lone left-hander of the group. A native of Carthage, TX, Rollins just completed his sophomore season at San Jacinto College where he posted a 7-3 record to go along with an ERA of 2.99. Rollins struck out 91 batters on the season in 81.1 innings of work.
As a freshman at San Jacinto in 2009, Rollins went 8-3 with a 4.61 ERA while striking out 69 batters. Rollins was granted a medical redshirt in 2010 after suffering an arm injury.
Rollins has already been drafted three times in his short career and might even hear his named called again in the upcoming 2011 MLB draft which begins on June 6. Rollins was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 19th round out of high school in 2008. He was then selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round in 2009 and again by the Mariners in 2010 in the 46th round.
Rollins has signed to transfer to Lubbock Christian University in the fall.
“There is no doubt that David is a great pitcher and should have a future in professional baseball if he can stay healthy,” commented Blake Koch, Victoria’s general manager. “He’s a big addition to our starting rotation and should be a force in this league.”
Ross Speed, a native of Austin, is currently a junior Baylor University. Speed appeared in 14 games as a freshman at Baylor in 2009, striking out 12 batters in 14.2 innings to go along with a 5.52 ERA. Speed posted similar numbers as a sophomore in 2010, striking out 12 batters in 11 innings with a 5.73 ERA. Speed is a two-time First-Team Academic All-Big 12 selection and has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll seven times.
“Ross brings another quality arm and a veteran’s presence to our pitching staff,” stated Koch. “Ross has been around the game for a long time has gained some valuable playing experience in the Big 12.”
Blake Denman, a freshman right-hander at the University of Texas-San Antonio, rounds out the group of new additions for the Generals. Denman has had a solid freshman campaign for the Roadrunners, appearing in 19 games with a record of 3-2 with one save. Denman has posted a 3.76 ERA in 40.2 innings of work with 20 strike outs.
Denman is a native of Houston and attended Bellaire High School.
“Blake has gained a lot of great experience this spring at UTSA,” said Koch. “He is the type of guy that can fill multiple roles on our pitching staff.”
The Generals open the 2011 season at home on June 1 against the East Texas Pump Jacks. Game time is 7:05pm at Riverside Stadium. There will be a pregame concert by Clay Crockett and the Shotgun Riders and magnet schedules will be given away to the first 1,000 fans courtesy of PrimeVest Financial Services.
Season tickets and team merchandise can be purchased at the team store located at 3708 North Navarro Suite A in the Landmark Shopping Center, online at
www.VictoriaGenerals.com, or by calling 361-485-9522.
