The Region's Team Of Northwest Indiana

Whiting, Ind. – May 14, 2015 – The Northwest Indiana Oilmen have announced the addition of South Suburban College infielder Jeremy Wright for the 2015 season.

Wright becomes the third Andrean graduate and fourth former 59ers player on this year’s Oilmen team, joining Donovan Chandler, Jimmy Skiff and Brandon Barnes, who finished his high school career at Hobart.

The Munster native also joins forces with South Suburban teammate Brian Seymour on the Oilmen roster.

Wright initially had no plans of continuing his baseball career beyond high school. He was set to begin his post-baseball life at Purdue University in West Lafayette, but a hitting lesson with Purdue Calumet coach Dave Griffin created an itch to return to the diamond.

Griffin mentioned that the Peregrines were in need of a shortstop, and shortly thereafter Wright made the decision to fill that void. He batted .325 and posted a .407 on-base percentage as a freshman.

“I played there and after the season I wanted to go somewhere to play better competition, so I decided to contact some schools,” Wright said. “With eligibility rules, I’d have to sit out a year, so they told me to go the junior college route.”

That’s where South Suburban came into play, as coach Steven Ruzich added Wright to his roster. A wrist injury cost Wright the fall season, but he has played in every game this spring.

Wright holds a .366 batting average with 43 runs batted in and 23 doubles in 47 games.

“The greatest thing about Jeremy is that he’s a baseball guy,” Ruzich said. “He knows the game. He’s a gap guy, not a power guy, at the plate. He’s playing short for us, but next fall he may find himself playing second base or third base.

The Bulldogs came from behind with three runs in the bottom of the ninth against Triton on May 9 to win the Region IV Tournament championship and advance to the Midwest District Tournament.

Wright has not yet selected a four-year school for next season, but he is drawing interest from Division I, Division II and NAIA programs. He visited D-I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee of the Horizon League, and has been recruited by St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer.

“This summer I hope to work on the things I need to do offensively and defensively,” Wright said. “I want to have better pitch selection and swing at my pitches in positive counts. Defensively, I need to stay down on ground balls and work through the grounders.”

In addition to working on his game, a high school reunion of sorts will allow Wright to rekindle memories with old friends during his summer with the Oilmen.

“I’m looking forward to having fun with guys that I know from the team,” he said. “It will be fun to play with all of those guys again.”