Gaston College catcher J.D. Yakubinis eager to get back on field after breakout freshman season
A year ago, J.D. Yakubinis came to Gaston College as damaged goods.
An injury to his elbow that would require offseason surgery limited him to being a hitter only instead of playing the catcher position he'd played much of his life.
Despite those limitations, Yakubinis thrived in the role and became a key part of the Rhinos' startup success.
As designated hitter, Yakubinis batted .341 with six home runs and a team-high 63 RBIs to earn All-Region 10 honors as Gaston College went 41-9 overall, won the Western Division regular season title and earned national rankings for the first time in school history.
"Last year, as a team, I think we were mostly living in the moment," said Yakubinis, who played at perennial power Charlotte Providence High School before starting his college career at Appalachian State. "But now, looking back on it, what we did was something truly special.
"Every one of us that was here had to take a risk to play for a first-year program and see what it was about. Once we got here, we all kind of looked around and said, 'Let's do the best that we can!'"
Did they ever.
And Yakubinis' role in the success was significant, none moreso that on a rainy late February victory over Guilford Tech that allowed the Rhinos to complete their first month of competition with an unbeaten (15-0) record.
Gaston College fell behind early against the visitors at Gastonia's CaroMont Health Park before finally tying the score at 8. Then, in the bottom of the ninth inning, Yakubinis' solo walkoff home run not only provided the victory but a lasting memory for all the players and coaches involved - and a statement win for the youthful program.
"It was a pretty cool experience," Yakubinis said. "I've never been put in that situation before. Fortunately, I got a good swing on it and it boosted up our momentum.
"So when we went undefeated in February, it was like we were saying, 'We're not just a first-year program. We're here to play.'"
That continued all the way through to a 30-6 record in conference play as Gaston College won a regular season championship in its first year back in the sport since 1972. The title extended the school's streak of league titles to five years since the school had won its league championship from 1969 to 1972 before the athletic program was discontinued.
This fall, Yakubinis has had to patiently rehabilitate his right arm after undergoing surgery in May.
He can't participate in full fall baseball drills but he's eager to get back in action when the 2023 regular season begins in late January.
"Hopefully I'll get cleared to start swinging and throwing here pretty soon," Yakubinis said.
When he is cleared, he'll join a talented team with high expectations as it elevates from National Junior College Athletic Association Division II to NJCAA Division I.
"From Day One, (Gaston College head) coach (Shohn) Doty has said getting to the World Series is our goal," Yakubinis said of the NJCAA Division I World Series that's been held annually in Grand Junction, Colorado, since 1959. "And everybody is working hard every day to get to that point.
"My goal is to be a part of that as a catcher and a hitter this season."