LPI star Samuel Natera signs with NMSU Baseball

The NMSU baseball team has found success recruiting players from around the Borderland in recent years, and that trend continued with the signing of Lydia Patterson Institute pitcher Samuel “Samy” Natera.

“I have been daydreaming about this,” said Natera. “It was in November that I went to the tryout, and it has been on my mind since that day.”

NMSU head baseball coach Brian Green ventured from Las Cruces to downtown El Paso Monday to witness the signing ceremony.

Green has led the Aggies to a 14-3 record to begin the 2019 season just one year after the team made history by winning the WAC Tournament. But he’s anxious to add Natera to that potent mix of talent in future seasons.

“We’re really excited to have the family involved in our program, and Samy is a very special kid,” said green. “To do the commitment ceremony today is very special, and he’s got a chance to be a really, really good one for us.”

Natera says that he wants to improve his fast ball before he ventures to the college ranks, but he’s ready to work hard this summer to make that a reality. As for picking NMSU in the first place, that was the easy part.

“The Aggies are a great team, and it’s not far from home. The program is great, and they’re the WAC champions. So, that really interested me,” he said.

In addition to his talent on the diamond, Natera is also an elite basketball player and a solid student.

“Samy is a tremendous student at an academic institution. Those are the types of kids we want to have in our program,” said Green. “He’s from a great family, and we’re really excited. Samy is going to be a really big, impactful recruit, we hope.”

Green and the Aggies will play Arizona State in Tempe on Wednesday before venturing to Nebraska for a three-game series over the weekend against the Cornhuskers.