Ludy to play in Florida

Josh Ludy finished his college career in Waco, Texas.
The Philadelphia Phillies drafted him, and then sent him to play in New Jersey.
Now he’s headed to Florida.
Ludy, a 2008 Jay County High School graduate whose first professional season with the Lakewood BlueClaws came to a close Sept. 3, will head to the Florida Instructional League. He’ll travel to the Phillies’ spring training facility in Clearwater, Fla., next week.
“I had a lot of fun,” said Ludy of his first professional season in which Lakewood led the South Atlantic League in attendance with more than 400,000 fans. “I think I had a pretty good year.
“It was a good experience.”
The Florida Instructional League lasts for about a month and teams are usually made up of players who were recently drafted or are coming off of injuries. It provides those players with more time to work on their skills, and allows coaches from throughout a team’s system to get a look at its newer players.
It also gives coaches more of a chance to work with young players one-on-one.
“You can always improve pretty much anywhere,” said Ludy of his goals for the league, which will begin play during the final week of September. “I think defensively, especially with my throwing, is what I’m trying to get better at.”
Ludy highlighted the final week of his campaign with the BlueClaws when he hit is first professional home run Aug. 28 against the Delmarva Shorebirds. His lone blast of the year came on a solo shot to left field with one out in the second inning. He also drew two walks in Lakewood’s 4-0 victory.
He went 2-for-4 with a double and a run in the BlueClaws’ 4-1 win Aug. 31 over the Greensboro Grasshoppers, and went 1-for-3 with an RBI Sept. 2 in his final appearance.
In 32 games with Lakewood, Ludy hit .271 with 29 hits, 11 doubles, 14 runs and 17 RBIs.
“His catching has gotten better,” said BlueClaws manager and former major leaguer Mickey Morandini on the team’s postseason podcast. “His throwing has gotten a little bit better. … I think the pitchers are more comfortable with him.
“And offensively he’s got some pop. He can drive the ball.
“And he’s done what we’ve asked of him here. It’s tough when you’re playing three times a week or so, and he’s been able to do that. … He’s done a real nice job here.”
Ludy said he will spend most of the winter in Waco, the home of Baylor University. He played for four seasons with the Bears, winning the Big 12 Player of the Year award as a senior when he also earned All-American honors from each of the four major collegiate baseball publications.
He plans on living and training with some of his former Baylor teammates as he prepares for his first full season of professional baseball.
“I really want to just try to get in as good a shape as I can and get ready for spring training,” Ludy said. “Spring training will be a month long and then there’s 140 games, so it’s going to be a long season. Basically the offseason is just getting your body ready for it.”[[In-content Ad]]