Greeley’s Larramendi Named All-American

For the third straight year, Horace Greeley star catcher Andres Larramendi was named both all-section and all-league during his junior campaign. Each are obviously great honors any Section 1 athlete would be proud to have, especially three years in a row.

This year however, Larramendi topped even those lofty honors. Besides being named all-section and all-league this spring, he was named a Louisville Slugger All-American honorable mention.

“I was very surprised to get All-American,” Larramendi said. “You think of all the kids who live in areas like the south and the west that can play all year-round and get better. That's why I was very surprised.”

Greeley coach Anthony Marino was not.

“To start out, he’s a great offensive weapon,” Marino said. “He’s a kid when he’s in the batter’s box, he is considered already in scoring position. He can hit for average and he’s got a lot of power.”

When it came to hitting, Larramendi’s stats bear out what Marino was saying. He hit .474 with 22 RBI and 7 home runs in 20 games this year.

Marino said that besides being a great player on the field, he is a great role model for the other players on the team to look up to.

“He’s a tremendous player, a tremendous kid,” Marino said. “He’s a quiet kid, he’s very unassuming. He just goes about his business. It’s great for the other kids to see."

Larramendi said a big key to his success was concentrating on just one sport. His freshman and sophomore year he also played basketball.

“I took the fall and winter off-season to concentrate on just baseball,” Larramendi said. “I went to a facility around here called ProSwing and just worked out, took batting practice, just trained almost every day for the entire fall and winter season.”

Larramendi said that ever since he started playing at 8 years of age, baseball was the sport he has enjoyed the most to play. That was a huge factor in him concentrating his efforts on just baseball.

“I’d like to play in college and I felt the best chance to be the best player I could be was if I just focused on that one sport,” Larramendi said.

As for what college he would like to take his game to, he said he isn’t sure of at this time.

“I have no idea as of now,” Larramendi said. “I haven’t gotten to as many showcases, as many as I have like to, at least. I know Lehigh is showing probably the most interest in me and that’s definitely on my list but I can’t say for certain what school or schools are my favorite.”

Larramendi said that he is looking for a more rural, small-sized school. He said he would like to play in the south but admits the competition to play college ball in that part of the country is rugged.

“I would like to go down south but it’s hard to play baseball down there,” Larramendi said.

For obvious reasons, Marino feels that it will be no problem for Larramendi to find a college that he is best suited for.

“A lot of schools are calling about getting information from him and I am sure he’s doing the same,” Marino said. “He’s just trying to find out what the best fit is for him.”

To put himself in the best position to play at the next level, Larramendi said that he will just continue to work hard like he always has been, just with a different mindset.

“I am just basically doing what I did last year with a different mentality,” Larramendi said. “Last year I was going into ProSwing to be a good high-school player but now I’m looking ahead and focusing on how I put myself at the collegiate level.”