A pair of former Marshalltown Community College baseball players recently wrapped up their first season in the professional ranks. William Salas and Bennett Lopez wound up on different ends of the Western Hemisphere, but both found success on the diamonds.
Salas, a member of the Tigers from 2011-2013, joined the Quebec Capitales this past season. The Capitales are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am League). Salas joined the Capitales after finishing his collegiate career at Graceland in 2016.
"Quebec City is mainly a French speaking city so it has been a little challenging to communicate with people," Salas stated, "but I really like being in Canada."
Salas was a two-time All-Region XI Selection at MCC. Following his time at MCC, he has earned numerous opportunities to showcase his talents both at the plate and in the middle of the infield. At Graceland, Salas led the team in hits and steals and was a First-Team Heart of America Conference selection. This past summer, Salas joined the Medicine Hat Mavericks of the Western Major Baseball League where he led the league in runs and stolen bases. The team posted a 30-17 record, the third best in the league.
Reflecting on his time at MCC, Salas, a native of Maracaibo, Venezuela pointed to a number of factors that ignited his future in America. "MCC definitely helped me in terms of hitting and fielding, but I mostly remember the coaching staff helping me understand the game better and in a different way because I was coming from Venezuela. They definitely encouraged me to learn English and to further my education. Every day I felt that I learned new things."
"I miss a lot of things about MCC," Salas added. "I will always remember MCC because it was my first time away from home and without the help from coaches, academic staff, and teammates, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Salas made his professional debut for the Capitales on August 23 where he also collected his first-career hit. The team finished third in the Can-Am league with a 56-44 record.
Bennett Lopez, one of the top hitters in program history for the Tigers, joined the Cidra Bravos in August. The Bravos are members of the AA Amateur baseball spring and summer baseball league based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The league consists of 42 teams and was founded in 1940.
Lopez was called up to the Bravos after an injury to one of the team's starting infielders. In his first-career at bat at the professional level, Lopez drilled a run-scoring double. The former Tiger remained on the team and helped lead the squad to the Federacion de Beisbol Aficionado de Puerto Rico AA Championship on Sept. 10.
