Fort Gibson pitcher signs with New Mexico State

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November 17, 2009

By Kenton Brooks

FORT GIBSON — Billy Waltrip joined a select group of Fort Gibson High School baseball players on Monday.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder signed a scholarship to play for New Mexico State. He becomes only the third player to sign out of high school in coach Randy Smith’s 21 seasons at the school.

“People started looking at him a couple of years ago,” Smith said. “They saw him on his summer league team in Dallas. New Mexico State is a good place for him.”

The Aggies, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, signed the left-handed Waltrip as a pitcher. He was happy to get the signing out of the way.

“It’s a relief to know where I’m going and not stress out about what college to go to,” he said.

Helping the Tigers to the Class 4A state semifinals last spring, Waltrip hit .375 with two home runs, five doubles and 29 RBIs. As a pitcher, he was 6-1 with 67 strikeouts in 42.1 innings and an earned run average of 2.48.

His fastball was clocked at 90 mph with his summer team.

Waltrip had other schools recruiting or contacting him including Connors, Cowley County, Eastern, Neosho, Allen County and Rogers State. He felt comfortable with his decision to sign with New Mexico State.

“(New Mexico State) is real far away as I would like for my parents to watch me, but in the long run, it was the best thing to sign and that’s what I did,” he said.

White also attended a camp at New Mexico State before signing.

“They liked me,” he said. “I visited their facilities, the indoor room they have with the batting cages. I didn’t visit the school itself. I checked it out on the Web site and it looks really nice.”

The signing may not be over for Waltrip. Smith said there’s a chance that Waltrip could get drafted.

“We’ll see what happens,” the Fort Gibson coach said. “He’s got a chance. But he’s got a place to go now. He can just go out and have a good year.”

Waltrip wants the same thing — and a little more.

“I’m going to get ready to be the best I can be,” he said. “I’m looking forward to this season and win a state championship.”