Wiggs leads Santa Fe Baseball Program To Success

Santa Fe College Saints baseball coach Johnny Wiggs has had a profound effect on the program. The team is prepared to compete for a playoff spot this season.

Significant Impact On Santa Fe Community

Wiggs is in his 18th season coaching the Saints.

Wiggs has a successful background of being an assistant coach for the University of Florida and head coach for Polk State College prior to his career at Santa Fe.

He has helped the Saints compile a 551-251 (.687) record before this season, with nine conference championships and two FCSAA state championships. Overall, he has a career record of 750-440 (.630) between his time at Polk and Santa Fe.

In 2009, Wiggs led Santa Fe to a runner-up finish at the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

Wiggs has also made a huge impact on the lives of his players. As of last year, 164 of his players have signed to four-year colleges and 29 have played professional baseball. Four of his former players, including Mallex Smith and Keon Broxton, played in the major leagues.

This Season

The Saints are 17-13 in the Citrus Conference and 29-19 overall this season. Compared to last season with almost a perfect record going into playoffs (33-1), the Saints have been fighting in hopes of making it into the state playoffs again.

SFC is “in good position to be one of eight teams in the playoffs and an opportunity to win a State/Region 8 Championship and advance to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado,” Wiggs said.

The Saints lost three of five key pitchers entering this season. Santa Fe has several pitchers step up on the mound. Left-hander Justin Jackson is having a successful season and “leads the state in wins (10) and is second in Earned Run Average (2.27) and strikeouts (90),” Wiggs said.

Other players have also contributed. Grant Gallagher has also had an impressive season with 46 runs and 44 hits to average .314.

Wiggs continues to create a positive and supportive environment for the players. Wiggs is one of the contributing factors for the Saints remaining optimistic in making the playoffs this season.

The team is ready to compete and fight for another title. Wiggs said the players “believe it is because of their culture and belief in one another. A team-first mindset.”

Up Next

The Saints start a three-game series, the final one of the regular season, against Hillsborough Community College (9-21 conference, 24-28) today on the road, then host HCC for a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon.