’01-’03 Baseball

Carlos fell in love with Iowa Lakes after he was sent here from a try out. 

While here, Carlos was influenced by both Head Coach Jason Nell and Assistant Coach Patrick McCoy. He would also like to recognize Abby and Christanne Hall as being significant people in his life while at ILCC.

Coach Nell said this about Carlos, “Arguably Carlos might be the best baseball player to put on a LAKER uniform that Iowa Lakes Community College has seen. His hand-eye coordination, plate awareness and discipline, pitch recognition, and approach is second to none. In Major League Baseball guys get measured by how they field, hit for power, hit for average, running speed, and arm strength…5 tools. Carlos was a definition of a 5 tool player. Not only is he a gifted athlete, but he’s an even a better person. I have taught and coached baseball in some capacity for 20 years to kids ranging from 5 years old to a Major League Baseball World Series Champion… Carlos is the best pure hitter I have seen. I am humbled, honored, and grateful, not that I was his coach, but that he let me be part of his life.”

A fond memory Carlos has about being a Laker was a particular day at practice. On this day, Coach Nell asked him to do a hit and run. Well Carlos did not swing at the pitch, so Nell stopped the practice and told Carlos that he would not hit for the rest of practice. Naturally, Carlos got upset and threw his bat. The bat rolled, hit a wall, and broke. Because of Carlos’ actions, Nell stopped practice and told the team that they would run while Carlos watched. After practice was over, all of the guys were very upset with Carlos and would not even talk to him. Thanks Coach Nell. 

Although Carlos may have had a bad practice, he definitely did not have a bad career at Iowa Lakes. As a freshman, he helped lead the Lakers to a 27-20 record, then a 33-23 record as a sophomore. He was named First Team All-Region and First Team All-American both his freshman and sophomore years. He is the career leader in many statistical categories. Some of these categories include: batting average .510, on base percentage .538, runs batted in 115, and runs scored 81.

After graduating from Iowa Lakes, Carlos attended the University of South Carolina Upstate. Carlos then had the opportunity to try out for the Chicago White Sox. Currently Carlos is playing for Azucareros of Yabucoa, a semi pro team in Puerto Rico. 

Carlos is very grateful for the opportunity that Iowa Lakes Community College has provided him.

He would like to thank his mom, Lydia, wife, Lorna, and brothers, Luis and Jose for all of the support that they have provided to him over the years. 

Congratulations Carlos Aponte Sanchez on being named to the Laker Hall of Fame.