Top of the heap
Born and raised on baseball, Jose Cumba has learned to appreciate the game — and the Butler County American Legion Baseball coaches have come to appreciate him.
Cumba, a pitcher and versatile position player for Butler City, was a unanimous selection for the Coaches Choice BCAL Player of the Year.
The award, which is in its third year, is presented to a senior player who is dedicated to the game and who plays well while showing leadership on the field.
Cody McGregor, who played for Karns City and Center Township during his career, and Randy Hepler of Center Township are previous winners of the award.
"Jose never missed a game or a practice," Butler City manager Jerry Piroch said. "He hit about .420 and played every position but shortstop and third base for us."
As a pitcher, Cumba's earned run average was under 3.00.
Born in Puerto Rico, his family moved to Butler when he was 8.
"I've been playing baseball since I was 4," Cumba said. "In Puerto Rico, we played all day, year round. I got used to playing with older kids."
Cumba always competed against players two years older than himself.
"When he was 9, he played against 11- and 12-year-olds," Piroch said. "He's always been ahead of the game for someone his age."
Cumba has two sisters and a brother. Raised in a single-parent household, he said his mother moved her family here "because we had relatives in this area."
He is now playing center field and pitching for Butler County Community College. He began the fall season batting in the No. 8 spot, but has since moved up to third in the lineup.
"Jose's throwing 80 mph now and that's with no leg kick," Piroch said. "Once he learns the fundamentals of pitching, he'll be very tough to hit."
Cumba planned to join the Marines this fall, but a few college scouts urged Piroch to get him into some type of junior college baseball program to develop his skills.
While the Marines are still in his plans, Cumba admits to wanting to play college baseball now.
"It's definitely a goal," he said. "I know I have to work on my pitch selection at the plate. I'm taking too many strikes."
In fact, Cumba led all Butler City hitters in taking called third strikes despite his .420 batting average.
"Jose's dealt with some tough circumstances in his life and could have gone down the wrong path," Meridian manager Butch Masters said. "He found baseball and dedicated himself to being a good all-around player.
"He was a pretty clear-cut choice for this award, really."
