The Central Florida Knights added an intriguing JUCO player from the Dominican Republic to their roster ahead of preparation for the 2025 season. Erick Almonte, a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and a graduate of the TNXL Academy, transferred to UCF for the 2025 baseball season.
Almonte had a brilliant two seasons with the State College of Florida team in Sarasota, where he played JUCO baseball for his freshman and sophomore seasons. He had a .328 batting average and a career on-base percentage of .454.
The Dominican prospect also turned up his base, stealing a notch with 20 stolen bases in the 2024 season. This was six more than his freshman year, totaling 34 in his two seasons with SCF.
This could be a big help for the Knights, as they were a team that did not steal often, resulting in them being ranked toward the bottom of the Big 12 in that category. Perhaps Almonte can add a new dynamic to the team with that ability.
Almonte’s fielding took a step up in his sophomore season, and he had fewer errors and a better fielding percentage, showing the maturity he gained defensively. The Knights may have taken note of this, as they were a sound defensive team throughout most of last season.
Almonte is also going to be one of the older players within this infield unit. He is one of three juniors who make up the oldest part of the position group. This suggests that he could be a key player for UCF in 2025.
His leadership and improved skills in all facets of the game, which he gained in junior college baseball, will be a huge help for a Central Florida team that is looking to make the NCAA tournament again in 2025.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
Photo Credit: Erick Almonte via State College of Florida Athletics
