2014 Baseball National Champion Josciel Veras hired as Minor League Coach with the New York Yankees

LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland Baseball National Champion Josciel Veras has been hired as an infield and outfield coach in the New York Yankees' minor league system.

Veras will kick off his coaching career this season with the Tampa Tarpons, the Yankees' Single-A affiliate.

"I am just excited to be working with such a prestigious organization, and I look forward to helping these young men reach their dream of getting to the big leagues," said Veras.

A key member of Cumberland's 2014 NAIA National Championship team, Veras served as the designated hitter, posting a .301 batting average across 56 games. He tallied 58 hits, 13 doubles, 4 home runs, and 39 RBIs, playing a pivotal role in Cumberland's third national title.

The year prior, Veras started 37 games, hitting .267 with 31 hits, one double, one triple, and one home run. He drove in 14 runs, scored 17 times, and recorded a .363 on-base percentage, while also stealing 10 bases.

Coach Woody Hunt had high praise for Veras, saying, "Josciel was a great teammate and leader, and he played a big role in our National Championship team. He had a good career at Cumberland and earned the opportunity to play professional baseball, making it all the way to the Triple-A level. We are proud of him and excited to see what the future holds for his coaching career."

A few weeks after winning the 2014 national title, Veras was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 30th round of the MLB Draft. He spent the next four seasons climbing through every level of the minor leagues, reaching Triple-A Louisville. Veras finished his minor league career with a .244 batting average and six home runs.

In addition, he played two seasons in the Dominican Winter League with Gigantes del Cibao.

When his playing career came to a close, Veras transitioned into coaching in Tampa, Florida. He has served as the Director of Player Development for Wily Mo and the Veras Dragons. He spent four seasons as an assistant coach at King High School, his alma mater.

Veras becomes the sixth Cumberland Baseball alum currently working in professional baseball plus two players. He joins:

Brady North (Tampa Bay Rays, Hitting Coach)
Rayden Sierra (Minnesota Twins, Hitting Coach)
Will Hawks (St. Louis Cardinals, MiLB Coach )
Scott Corman (Colorado Rockies, Scout)
Mark Conner (Detroit Tigers, Scouting Director)
Aaron Wilkerson (Cincinnati Reds, Pitcher)
Cole Turney (Detroit Tigers, Outfielder)

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