Local graduate signs with Liberty Flames

By: By DAVID DRIVER For the Stafford County Sun | Stafford County Sun
Published: January 14, 2009

Colonial Forge High School graduate Jerry Neufang is getting ready for his second baseball season at a junior college in Florida. This standout catcher also has attracted attention from several Division I schools, including Florida Atlantic and the University of Central Florida.

But Neufang, whose father played minor league baseball for the Texas Rangers, will return to Virginia this fall. He recently signed a scholarship to play at Liberty University, a Division I member of the Big South Conference in Lynchburg. He will be eligible to play for the Flames in 2010.

Among Liberty notables who made the major leagues are Sid Bream, Randy Tomlin and Lee Gutterman. Tomlin, a former Liberty coach, was the pitching coach for the Carolina League champion Potomac Nationals in 2008 and was recently promoted to the same job with Class AA Harrisburg of the Eastern League for the 2009 season in the Washington Nationals farm system.

"When Liberty called I took a visit up there and it was a good fit," Neufang said from Florida. "I liked the coaching staff and how much money they were putting into the baseball program."

But how can he turn down staying in the Florida sun? "It just made sense. It was a good fit. It is great being here in Florida, but it was a good fit."

Neufang hit .338 with 12 homers, 12 doubles and 38 RBI as a freshman for South Florida Community College in 2008. He was named second-team all Southern Conference in one of the top junior college baseball leagues in the country and played in the 2008 Florida community college all-star game.

Liberty head coach Jim Toman thinks Neufang was the best catcher in the junior college ranks in Florida. "Not only will Jerry compete for the starting catching job, but we also expect him to be a mainstay in the middle of our order," Toman said. "He has tremendous power and hitting ability, and is a proven leader on and off the field."

Neufang’s father, also named Jerry, was a catcher at Hayfield High School in Fairfax County and was drafted in the seventh round in 1978 by the Texas Rangers.

Other players drafted by Texas that year included future major leaguers Terry Bogener, Wayne Tolleson (Western Carolina), Allan Ramirez (Rice), Chris Smith (Southern California), Jimmy Farr (Penn State), Gene Nelson, Tim Hulett (who later played for the Orioles) and Mike Richardt. Farr is now the associate head coach at the University of Maryland, where Curtis Lazar of Mountain View High will be a sophomore this coming season.

Stanley Reese and David Miller, from George Mason University, were also drafted by Texas in 1978. The elder Neufang played in the minors with Texas.

The younger Neufang played at Colonial Forge with Billy Barber, now playing at the University of Richmond, and Jarrett Parker, now at the University of Virginia.

Neufang said he was scouted by his current school after he attended a showcase event in Georgia. Neufang began playing baseball in Stafford when he was about 8 years old and was a standout catcher at Colonial Forge. He is about 6 feet tall, 205 pounds and is a right-handed hitter.

David Driver is a contributing writer for the Stafford County Sun. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.