Brook Stockberger
For the Daily Press
LAS CRUCES — Jett Fuentes is surrounded by family in Artesia, and the soon-to-be New Mexico Military Institute student has his eye on a New Mexico career.
“I think I’d be a good engineer, a petroleum engineer,” Fuentes said.
Staying in the Land of Enchantment, near his family, matters to him.
“My support here is definitely a blessing,” he said.
But, oh, when he dreams …
Eyes on baseball
Fuentes can envision traveling the country.
“I want to be a Major League Baseball player,” he said.
The former Artesia High Bulldog knows he has a steep hill to climb. A 5-foot-8, 160-pound shortstop, he is preparing this summer to play junior college baseball for the NMMI Broncos.
“I’m definitely doing a lot of working out for JUCO baseball,” he said.
Fuentes said NMMI reached out to him earlier this year.
“I talked to them a little bit and the coach showed interest,” he said. “I liked them.”
Jackson Bickel, who coached Fuentes at Artesia High, said he was glad to see Fuentes get a chance at the next level.
“We hoped to see him get a few more offers,” Bickel said, “but he’ll do real well.”
Artesia Jett Fuentes played in the Bob Ogas All-Star Baseball Classic.
All-star moment
Along with his defense, Fuentes has shown speed on the bases.
At the 49th Bob Ogas Annual All-Star Baseball Classic in Las Cruces, Fuentes hit the first single of the three-game event, advanced on a walk and scored the weekend’s first run on a throwing error.
He also entered games as a pinch-runner multiple times.
In all, 44 players from 28 schools participated in the Classic. Fuentes helped the Red Team win all three games.
“It was a different experience for sure,” Fuentes said. “It was pretty much a bunch of other guys we knew from travel ball. We were enjoying it.”
Summer work
Now the former Bulldog said he is working this summer to improve his batting strength.
Still, he said, the transition to being just a baseball player feels odd. In the past, summer was reserved for Artesia High football preparations.
“It’s definitely weird not having football camps,” he said.
As for his pro baseball dreams, Fuentes said he is going to work hard and “wherever it leads me, we’ll see what comes.”