Diaz builds case for TCL Player of the Year

Published 5:15 am Thursday, July 24, 2025

By Robert Brewer

Heading into Wednesday’s game with Seguin, Victoria shortstop Diego Diaz (8) ranks in the top-10 among Texas Collegiate League players in six key offensive categories. (Photo by Allison Capak)

A year ago, Victoria Generals outfielder Travis Bragg earned Texas Collegiate League Player of the Year honors. Another Generals player has built a strong case for that same award in 2025.

Diego Diaz is in his second season with the Generals. The 5-foot-9 rising junior at the University of Texas-San Antonio is enjoying a breakout 2025 campaign at shortstop.

Through 26 games, heading into Wednesday’s contest against Seguin, Diaz has amassed a .338 batting average. That places him eighth among all Texas Collegiate League players. Diaz is also second in the league in stolen bases (29), third in on-base percentage (.509), fourth in slugging percentage (.525), second in on-base plus slugging (1.034), and sixth in runs scored (31).  

This is a massive improvement compared to Diaz’s 2024 campaign with the Generals when he batted .206 through 21 games.

“I know I didn’t do this well last year, but mentally I think it’s made me a lot stronger,” Diaz said.

Before Tuesday’s matchup with Seguin, Diaz was named TCL Player of the Week for the second time this season.

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    • “It feels great. When you’re getting those achievements, it means you are doing something good,” Diaz said. 

    A host of other Generals have also contributed to the club’s 29-12 record through 41 games. Infielder and pitcher Dawson Park made a major impact in only 13 games with the club. He ranks seventh in the league in batting average (.341), first in on-base percentage (.534), first in slugging percentage (.585), and first in OPS (1.120). 

    Outfielders Travis Bragg (28) and Damien Whitfield (21) rank fourth and ninth respectively in runs batted in, and Whitfield is the league leader in stolen bases with 37. In fact, Victoria has all of the top three base stealers in the league with Whitfield, Diaz, and outfielder Caleb Cotton (27).

    Diaz said he and his two other speedster teammates are in an open competition to see who can lead the league in stolen bases.

    “Damien is such a great guy, leading the league in steals is terrific. Me, him, and Caleb Cotton all get along so well. We’re trying to compete against each other,” the Generals shortstop said. 

    Infielder Cole Tabor is enjoying a productive season for the Generals too. He ranks fourth in the league in on-base percentage (.500), 10th in slugging percentage (.467) and sixth in OPS (.967). Victoria’s top pitcher, Brock Lambert, is second in the league in victories with six, and carries the fourth lowest earned run average (2.00) of any pitcher with at least five starts.

    Diaz has been a key contributor to Victoria’s nine-game winning streak heading into Wednesday. The 20-year old infielder remains unconcerned with capturing the TCL Player of the Year award.

    “I try to just focus on today,” Diaz said. “It would be cool to get that, but obviously the mindset right now is winning the games that we have.”

    Robert Brewer is a sports reporter for the Victoria Advocate. You can reach him at robert.brewer@vicad.com.

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