Former Marshalltown Community College Baseball player Jorge Michael has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Graceland University next season. Michael was a member of the Tigers from 2014-2015.
Michael becomes the fourth MCC player to join the Yellowjackets since 2014, joining current members William Salas and Austin Allen along with Sean McGuire who finished his playing career in 2015. Both Salas and Allen, seniors on this year's Graceland team, have been mainstays in the lineup, appearing in all but one game for the Yellowjackets this season.
Michael, a left handed pitcher for the Tigers during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, appeared in 13 games on the mound for the Tigers, including 11 as a sophomore. Michael went 1-0 as a freshman and posted a 2-2 record as a sophomore, including a five inning complete game victory against Southwestern.
"Graceland is the best opportunity for me, both academically and athletically," Michael stated. "Coach McKillip is a great coach and really takes care of his players." Michael pointed to the success that former Tiger Salas, a fellow Venezuelan, is having at Graceland. "William pointed me in the right direction when I began looking for the next step in my career. After seeing the success William has had, Graceland seems like a good fit for me."
Michael noted the success he had at Marshalltown, not just on the field but also in the classroom, as a main factor in moving on to the next level. "Coach (Rich) Grife really helped me better my skills on the mound and I was able to improve a lot from my first year to my second year. I also had great teammates at MCC that helped me work on my English which has improved a lot."
"The teachers at MCC also helped me in so many ways. They help you no matter what so you can focus on all of your goals. I'd like to thank Julia Aguilar who helped me with my transition to Graceland and made it very smooth. Coming from a big city in Venezuela, I did not know what to expect in Marshalltown, but it is a great town that has everything you need. My family has been very supportive of me over the years and I'm thankful to have their support every day."
MCC head coach Rich Grife was appreciative of Michael's tenure at MCC. "Jorge is just a great kid. We were lucky to have him for two years. He had some really good moments on the mound for us. No matter what you asked of Jorge, on or off the field, he got it done. He's come a long way and we are very proud to have him move on to Graceland."
