By Brett Jager
University of Louisville freshman utility man Josh Richmond will do anything to help his team win.
The versatile Richmond has seen action at shortstop, third base and left field this season and is a player U of L head coach Dan McDonnell feels comfortable putting in the lineup anywhere.
“Josh has been huge for us this year,” McDonnell said. “He is a very special athlete, like a quarterback in football and a high school shortstop who can play anywhere on the field.”
McDonnell made it clear that Richmond is one of the key components to the future of U of L baseball.
“Josh has the potential to be a star,” McDonnell said. “He has all the tools: athleticism, size, arm strength, the right mind-frame and great work ethic. He has the desire to be a star-not everyone has that.”
Richmond was originally supposed to be the successor to superstar third baseman Chris Dominguez, but he was able to play his way into the starting lineup this season. Dominguez said he also feels Richmond is destined for superstardom.
“He is going to be real good,” Dominguez said. “He will be an impact player in the next couple of years and should go very high in the draft.”
Before the season, Richmond made it a personal goal to be a starter as a freshman.
“I realized how different it was going to be and the amount of hard work I had to put in to do it,” Richmond said. “Every day in the off-season I did something to get better.”
One of Richmond’s strengths as a player is his versatility. He feels it will help him vastly in his future.
“My versatility is very important,” Richmond said. “The ability to play multiple positions will take you further than you would only playing one position.”
To describe the way he plays the game, Richmond simply used the word, “determination.”
“Every game I play with a great determination to win,” Richmond said. “I’ll play any position and hit any spot in the order to help the team win.”
Richmond also considered playing for the University of Miami Ohio, University of Cincinnati and Ohio State University. He ultimately chose U of L after talking to the coaches and realizing it was the right place for him.
In the preseason, Richmond felt a little overwhelmed making the jump from high school to college ball.
“The workouts and training prior to the season got me ready,” Richmond said. “It made me a better player and I am already so much better than I was last year. The coaches prepared me very well and the transition was not as hard as I thought it was going to be.”
“The sky is the limit for Josh Richmond,” McDonnell said. “He likes the big time environment and really enjoys college baseball. He has great upside and has already gotten so much better this season. The future is bright and he will develop into a special player.”
