Second baseman Billy Fleming of the West Virginia University baseball team has signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees, foregoing his upcoming senior season.

 

“Ever since I was a little kid, it’s been my dream to play professional baseball,” Fleming says. “It is still surreal that I get to chase my dream, but I am ready to get after it. I loved my three years at WVU and want to thank all the coaches that made it possible for me to achieve my dream.”

 

Last season at WVU, Fleming earned All-Big 12 First Team and ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region First Team honors, ranking No. 2 in the Big 12 with a .351 batting average. The Churchville, Pa., native added eight doubles, one triple, two home runs and 30 RBI.

 

“Billy Fleming is one of the best baseball players I’ve ever coached, and also one of the best kids,” coach Randy Mazey says. “He was a great a Mountaineer and we’re really going to miss him in our program, but I wish him all the luck in theworld. I really think his desire is going to carry him a long way in professional baseball.”

 

His season was highlighted with a cycle against Kansas on May 11, becoming the second Mountaineer to ever do so. 

 

Fleming most recently has been playing for the Bourne Braves of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named the West Division’s starting second baseman in the CCBL All-Star Game. Fleming finished his summer with an 18-game on-base streak, batting .357 with seven doubles and 18 RBI. He ranked second in the league in batting average and fourth in RBI.

 

He completes his WVU career with a .322 batting average, 25 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 75 RBI. Additionally, he committed just 11 errors in the field, registering a .982 fielding percentage.

 

Fleming becomes the seventh member of the 2014 WVU baseball team to sign professionally, joining Bobby Boyd (Houston Astros), Sean Carley (New York Yankees), Ryan McBroom (Toronto Blue Jays), John Means (Baltimore Orioles),Harrison Musgrave (Colorado Rockies) and Corey Walter (Oakland Athletics).

 

Editor's Note: Photo courtesy of WVU Sports Communications; photo by Dale Sparks.