Navarro sophomore shortstop Cash Rugely announced Monday night that he has committed to attend Kansas State University and continue his baseball career with Pete Hughes' Wildcats.

 

Rugely, a preseason All-American, is the sixth member of coach Matt Podjenski's Region XIV East Conference Champion Bulldogs to pledge to four-year programs. He joins second baseman-centerfielder Zac Vooletich (Arkansas), plus pitchers Cooper Randall (Oklahoma), Jake Combs (Southern Illinois), Nick Oslovar (UT-Tyler) and A.J. Ozorio-Brace (Central Oklahoma) among committed teammates.

 

In an ongoing Navarro career that currently spans 107 games, Rugely has a career .403 batting average with 149 hits, 57 extra-base hits, 33 doubles, 5 triples, 19 home runs, 90 runs-batted-in, 36 stolen bases in 43 attempts, and a walk-to-strikeout radio of 63:73.

 

Rugely leads the 2021 Bulldogs in seven batting categories and is second in seven others after 36 games. The Round Rock, Tx., product is first in doubles (14), home runs (8), walks (31), extra-base hits (25), two-out RBIS (15), slugging percentage (.767) and OPS (1.294). He ranks second in hits (45), runs scored (47), triples (3), stolen bases (18), batting average (.388), on-base percentage (.526) and batting average with runners in scoring position (.378).

 

The St. Louis Cardinals made Rugely their 40th-round selection in the 2019 MLB Draft after he helped to lead Navarro to a Region XIV championship and a third-place finish at the JUCO World Series. Appearing in 54 games for the 41-18 Bulldogs, Rugely (8-37-12) compiled a .418/.502/.648 slashline and scored 58 runs.

 

In five JUCO World Series games, the All-Tournament selection slashed .474/.545/.842 with two home runs, five runs-batted-in and eight runs scored while going 9-for-19 at the plate. Rugely capped his 2019 season by winning the Jay Tolman Outstanding Defensive Player Award at Grand Junction.