Courtesy of GoBonnies.com
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – In recent weeks, alums of the St. Bonaventure University baseball program have been finding success nationwide on the professional level playing in the minor leagues. Those former Bonnies will soon be joined by another product of the program in major league-affiliated ball as Bona junior David “Bubba” Hollins has signed a professional contract with the Miami Marlins.
Hollins’ signing to play professionally gives the Bonnies five former players currently signed to professional contracts with Major League organizations.
Hollins caught the eye of Marlins scouts in recent weeks, working out for the organization at their facilities in Jupiter, Fla. The Marlins are expected to soon assign Hollins to their New York-Penn League affiliate in Batavia, N.Y. – less than an hour down the road from his hometown of Orchard Park. The Marlins are also expected to offer Hollins a spot in the organization’s fall extended instructional league, usually reserved for highly regarded prospects.
“I’m just very excited to be part of such a great organization,” Hollins said Tuesday. “I’m looking forward to this new journey ahead of me. I’m grateful for this opportunity and for the people who have helped me reach this point in my life.”
During his only season with the Bonnies after transferring from St. Petersburg College (Fla.), Hollins earned an All-Atlantic 10 Second Team selection after hitting .290 with eight home runs and tied for the team lead with 31 RBIs. During A-10 play, he hit .304 with a .411 on-base percentage while helping the Bonnies to a 26-22 overall record including a 15-8 mark in conference games. In all, he started 47 of the team’s 48 games at third base.
By signing his professional contract, Hollins will forego his final season of eligibility with the Bonnies.
“Bubba is an extremely hard worker and a great teammate. He has always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps (former Major League All-Star Dave Hollins) and St. Bonaventure baseball is very happy for him,” Bonnies head coach Larry Sudbrook said. “We would’ve loved to have had him back, but we certainly respect him taking a shot at the dream and we wish him the best.”
Hollins will leave the Bonnies with a bit of program history – he tied the SBU single game records by going 6-for-6 with eight RBIs in a victory at Davidson in March.
He came to the Bonnies with a strong resume – along with being the son of Dave Hollins, who played 12 years in the majors, the younger Hollins was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 35th round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Orchard Park High School.
Hollins joins Bonaventure teammates Aaron Phillips and Cole Peterson who were drafted by the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers respectively during June’s MLB Draft in the professional ranks. Fellow Bonnies Steven Klimek (Baltimore Orioles) and Connor Grey (Arizona Diamondbacks) also are playing in the minor leagues this summer.
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