Former Yoemen Lopez sees start in first season at Tech
The Yoemen baseball season has been over for a few weeks now. However, in a way, Yoemen baseball is still going on, but it’s happening over in Lubbock.
Former Yoemen shortstop and pitcher Tracer Lopez is the starting shortstop for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Lopez was originally a junior last year at C.H. Yoe High School, then during the year he reclassified as a senior in order to enroll early at Texas Tech.
He arrived at Texas Tech as an unusual freshman, as he was a reclassified junior. Throughout the start of the season he fought for the job of starting shortstop with another freshman, Will Burns. As the season went on, Tracer began to pull away and became the eventual starter throughout the season.
“I felt like he could (start), but he had to come in here and compete,” his father Chris Lopez said. “I’m just super proud. He’s worked really hard.”
He is not only starting but has become a valuable member of their defense. Tracer also feels that he has lots of help and mentorship from the sophomores and the rest of the upperclassmen on the team, including players that have been in Lubbock multiple years like Andrew Devine and Dillon Carter.
“It’s been fun,” Tracer Lopez said. “I’ve had a bunch of old guys take me under their wing and kind of show the way, and just go out there and play baseball, the game I love.”
Of the 55 games the Red Raiders have played, he has started in 50 of them.
“It’s just incredible,” Tracer’s mom Jennifer said. “Every game, I get choked up when he goes out there. I don’t even have words for it.”
Throughout the season and the conference tournament, Tracer has more than held his own. He has a batting average of .268, with six doubles, two triples, 36 runs scored, 17 RBIs, 48 hits, three stolen bases, four home runs and 21 walks.
The Red Raiders have qualified for the NCAA regional tournament and will be playing in the Gainesville regional hosted by the Florida Gators. Their first game will be against the UCONN Huskies. The game will be on Friday June 2 and first pitch is set for noon. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
During his time in Cameron, he was named to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State Elite Team. He was also named the 2022 District 19-3A MVP. In addition, he was a 2022 All-Central Texas Baseball second baseman. In his final year, Tracer produced amazing stats with an incredible batting average of .633 with 17 doubles, seven triples, 38 runs scored, 17 RBIs, 57 hits and 34 stolen bases.